Ejector Cryogenic Helium Loop for Low-Vibration Cold Recovery
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cryogenic refrigeration systems face inefficiencies due to high power consumption and flow resistance in compressors, and vibration interference from the cryogenic refrigerator, especially when cooling moving devices that cannot be immersed in liquid helium.
Innovation Solution
An ejector-based cryogenic refrigeration system is introduced, which includes a helium compressor, cryogenic refrigerator, regenerators, and an ejector, allowing for reduced gas flow through the compressor loop and improved heat exchange efficiency by separating the cryogenic refrigerator from the end to be cooled, thereby reducing power consumption and flow resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional compressors are used to circulate helium gas in cryogenic refrigeration systems, then the system can maintain low temperature conditions, but the power consumption increases significantly and flow resistance loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful function of the compressor from the cryogenic refrigeration system by replacing it with an ejector-based cold energy recovery system. The ejector uses fluid dynamics principles to recover cold energy from the helium gas flow without requiring mechanical compression, thereby eliminating the power consumption and flow resistance losses associated with conventional compressors while maintaining the low temperature condition.
2Temperature
If conventional compressors are used to circulate helium gas in cryogenic refrigeration systems, then the system can maintain low temperature conditions, but the flow resistance loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the compressor component that causes flow resistance loss and replaces it with an ejector-based system. The ejector utilizes pressure differential and fluid expansion to drive helium gas circulation without mechanical moving parts, significantly reducing flow resistance loss while maintaining the necessary low temperature conditions for cryogenic applications.
3Temperature
If the cryogenic refrigerator is directly connected to the end to be cooled, then the cooling function is achieved, but vibration interference affects the end to be cooled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the vibration source (cryogenic refrigerator) from direct contact with the end to be cooled by introducing an intermediate cooling system. The ejector-based cold energy recovery system circulates pre-cooled helium gas from the refrigerator through a heat exchanger that is isolated from the refrigerator's vibration, thereby transferring the cooling function to the end device without transmitting harmful vibrations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves significant reductions in power consumption and flow resistance, enhancing overall efficiency and minimizing vibration interference, resulting in improved heat exchange efficiency and reduced operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
an ejector, allowing for reduced gas flow through the compressor loop and improved heat exchange efficiency
Implementation Method 2
reduced power consumption and flow resistance
Implementation Method 3
counter flow heat exchangers (regenerators) are adopted to recover the cold energy of the low-temperature helium, and the excess cold is used to cool the helium at the normal temperature
Implementation Method 4
the vibration of the refrigerator may influence the end to be cooled
Data Source
AI summary
An ejector-based cryogenic refrigeration system for cold energy recovery includes a first cryogenic refrigeration loop connected by a helium compressor and a cryogenic refrigerator and a second cryogenic refrigeration loop connected by the helium compressor, a regenerator, an ejector, a cold head of the cryogenic refrigerator, an end to be cooled and a pressure regulating valve. The cryogenic refrigerator is separated from the end to be cooled. The cryogenic refrigerator and the cryogenic helium cooling loop share a helium compressor, which improves the utilization efficiency of the device and reduces the cost. The ejector allows a part of fluids to circulate in the cryogenic loop, so as to maintain a required cryogenic condition, recover the pressure of the fluids, reduce the gas flowing though the compressor loop, and thus reduce the power consumption of the compressor.