Helium Transport Container Thermal Shield Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current transport containers for helium in liquid or supercritical form have limited holding times due to rapid pressure increase, requiring frequent replenishment of cryogenic liquids for thermal insulation, which is costly and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A transport container design featuring an inner container for helium, an insulating member outside the inner container, a coolant container for cryogenic liquids, and a thermally shielded outer container with a copper layer and multilayer insulation, allowing active cooling of the thermal shield and minimizing heat transfer through radiation and residual gas conduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If conventional thermal insulation with high-vacuum multi-layer insulation is used, then the insulation performance is improved, but the holding time is limited to 35-40 days due to rapid pressure increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nested thermal shield structure where an inner thermal shield is placed inside the outer container, surrounding the helium container, and an outer thermal shield is placed outside the helium container. This nested arrangement creates multiple thermal barriers that progressively reduce heat input to the helium, extending the holding time from 35-40 days to potentially longer durations.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal shields act as intermediary elements between the external environment and the helium container. These shields are cooled with liquid nitrogen and serve as thermal mediators that absorb and redirect heat away from the helium, thereby reducing the rate of pressure increase and extending the holding time.
2Reliability
If liquid nitrogen is supplied for cooling the thermal shield, then the thermal insulation performance is improved, but the supply duration is limited to approximately 35 days requiring frequent replenishment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-cools the thermal shields with liquid nitrogen before the helium is loaded into the container. This preliminary cooling action ensures that the thermal shields are already at optimal temperature when transport begins, maximizing the duration of effective thermal insulation and reducing the frequency of replenishment needed during the transport period.
3Loss of energy
If the thermal shield is actively cooled with cryogenic liquid, then the heat transfer to helium is reduced, but the complexity of the cooling system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal shields are designed to be self-cooling through passive contact with liquid nitrogen that is stored in the same outer container. The cryogenic liquid naturally circulates and cools the thermal shields without requiring active pumping or complex control systems, thereby reducing heat transfer to the helium while maintaining relatively simple system architecture.
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 design extends the helium holding time to at least 45 days while ensuring sufficient cryogenic liquid supply for 40 days, reducing heat input to the inner container and maintaining a stable temperature difference, thus enhancing thermal insulation and operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The insulating element has a multilayer insulating layer arranged between the inner container and the copper layer
Implementation Method 2
minimizing heat transfer through radiation and residual gas conduction
Implementation Method 3
the insulating element has a copper layer facing the thermal shield
Implementation Method 4
a thermal shield that can be actively cooled by means of the cryogenic liquid
Implementation Method 5
The thermal insulation of the transport container consists of high-vacuum multi-layer insulation
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention relates to a transport container (1) for helium (He), comprising an inner container (6) for receiving the liquid (He), an insulation element (26) that is provided on the exterior of the inner container (6), a coolant container (14) for receiving a cryogenic liquid (N2), an outer container (2) in which the inner container (6) and the coolant container (14) are received, and a thermal shield (21) which can be actively cooled with the aid of the cryogenic liquid (N2) and in which the inner container (6) is received, wherein a peripheral gap (31) is provided between the insulation element (26) and the thermal shield (21), and said insulation element (26) comprises a copper layer (27) that faces the thermal shield (21).