Helium Cryogenic Cooling with Accumulator Buffering for Peak Loads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cryogenic refrigeration methods are unsuitable for applications with varying thermal loads, leading to oversizing of components, as they fail to adapt to fluctuations in fluid flow rates and thermal power requirements.
Innovation Solution
A refrigeration method that dynamically adjusts the quantity of cold fluid supplied to the interface using a controlled bypass valve and an accumulator to store excess cold fluid, allowing for efficient adaptation to varying thermal loads by storing thermal energy for peak demand periods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional cyclic refrigeration method is used, then the system can maintain constant thermal load, but it cannot adapt to varying thermal loads without significant oversizing of components
Solution Approach 1:
The accumulator stores cold fluid in advance during periods of low thermal demand, preparing the system to meet peak thermal loads without requiring oversized compression and cooling components. This preliminary accumulation of cold fluid allows the system to respond dynamically to varying thermal demands.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the quantity of cold fluid supplied to the interface by controlling the bypass valve, enabling adaptation to varying thermal loads. The dynamic control of fluid distribution between the accumulator and the interface allows the system to optimize performance across different operating conditions.
2Power
If the quantity of cold fluid supplied to the interface is increased to meet peak thermal loads, then thermal load peaks can be satisfied, but the installation must be significantly oversized for average power delivery
Solution Approach 1:
The accumulator pre-stores cold fluid during average load conditions, enabling the system to meet peak thermal loads without requiring the installation to be oversized. This preliminary accumulation allows peak power delivery without proportionally increasing the size of compression and cooling components.
Solution Approach 2:
The accumulator acts as an intermediary between the compression/cooling stages and the interface, buffering thermal load variations. It absorbs excess cold fluid during low demand and releases it during peak demand, decoupling the sizing of the main installation from peak thermal load requirements.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the fluid flow rates are significantly varied to match thermal load changes, then thermal load adaptation is achieved, but the system becomes unsuitable for applications requiring balanced phase of fluid
Solution Approach 1:
The accumulator serves as a buffer that absorbs fluid flow rate variations, maintaining relatively stable flow conditions through the compression and cooling stages. This intermediary function allows thermal load adaptation at the interface while preserving fluid phase balance in the upstream system.
Solution Approach 2:
The accumulator preliminarily absorbs fluid flow variations before they reach the compression and cooling stages, ensuring that these stages operate under more stable conditions. This preliminary buffering maintains the balanced phase of fluid required for reliable system operation.
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
Enables the use of an installation sized for average power delivery, effectively managing thermal load peaks by dynamically adjusting fluid flow and thermal energy distribution, thus optimizing energy usage and component efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the accumulator makes it possible to store cold fluid when the thermal load to be supplied is low, that is to say to store within the accumulation means a determined thermal load and to deliver, by heat exchange, at least part of this charge stored in the fluid intended for the interface
Implementation Method 2
the fluid from the pre-cooling and/or cooling stage circulates through an expansion turbine
Implementation Method 3
at least one stage for pre-cooling and/or cooling the fluid coming from the interface and/or fluid from the compression stage
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for cooling a fluid such as helium for supplying a fluid consumer, the fluid flowing in a cyclic manner successively through a compression stage (4), a fluid pre-cooling and/or cooling stage (5, 6), and an interface (1) for supplying the fluid to the consumer and collecting the fluid from the consumer. A first portion of the fluid from the pre-cooling and/or cooling stage is directed towards the interface (1), a second portion of the fluid can be directed to the pre-cooling and/or cooling stage (5, 6) based on whether the thermal load required by the consumer is low or high, and a third portion of the fluid is cooled and directed towards the accumulator (26) adapted for alternatively storing said fluid or, based on whether the thermal load required by the consumer is low or high, for delivering an amount of fluid already stored in order to cool down the first portion of the fluid directed towards the interface (1).