Actively Cooled Thermal Shield for Helium Transport Container
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current transport containers for helium, which are thermally insulated to prevent pressure increase, have limited helium holding times due to inefficiencies in thermal management, leading to a need for improved insulation and cooling methods.
Innovation Solution
A transport container design featuring an inner container for helium, a coolant container with cryogenic liquid, and an actively cooled thermal shield with oblique cooling lines and a phase separator, ensuring optimal thermal insulation and extended helium storage duration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If conventional thermal insulation with high-vacuum multi-layer insulation is used, then the insulation performance is adequate, but the helium holding time is limited to 35-40 days
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal shield is pre-cooled with liquid nitrogen before helium loading, establishing a cold thermal barrier in advance that delays heat ingress to the helium container, thereby extending the holding time beyond the conventional 35-40 days
Solution Approach 2:
An actively cooled thermal shield serves as an intermediary component between the outer environment and the inner helium container, absorbing and managing heat flux to protect the helium from thermal intrusion and extend storage duration
2Stress or pressure
If the thermal shield is passively insulated, then the structure is simpler, but heat transfer through radiation and gas conduction increases pressure rise
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling lines are designed with inclined sections at specific angles (5-15 degrees) to optimize two-phase flow characteristics of the cryogenic liquid, enhancing heat removal efficiency and controlling the pressure increase rate in the helium container
Solution Approach 2:
Active cooling systems replace passive insulation mechanisms by using flowing cryogenic liquid through cooling lines to dynamically manage heat transfer, effectively reducing both radiative and conductive heat flux to the helium
3Reliability
If cooling lines are arranged horizontally, then installation is easier, but cryogenic liquid distribution and cooling efficiency are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling lines incorporate inclined sections with specific angles (5-15 degrees) rather than horizontal or vertical orientations, creating asymmetric geometry that optimizes cryogenic liquid distribution and two-phase flow patterns for enhanced cooling reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling lines transition from simple horizontal or vertical arrangements to three-dimensional inclined configurations, adding angular dimensionality to optimize fluid dynamics and heat transfer efficiency while maintaining manufacturing feasibility
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 significantly extends helium holding time to at least 45 days, with sufficient cryogenic liquid supply for 40 days, by minimizing heat transfer through radiation and residual gas conduction, while maintaining effective cooling.
Implementation Method 1
The thermal shield has at least one cooling line for active cooling, in which the cryogenic liquid can be received
Implementation Method 2
The thermal insulation of the transport container consists of high-vacuum multi-layer insulation
Implementation Method 3
The thermal insulation of the transport container consists of high-vacuum multi-layer insulation
Implementation Method 4
the at least one cooling line has inclined sections and sections running in a direction of gravity, and wherein the inclined sections have a slope relative to a horizontal
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a transport container (1) for helium (He), comprising an inner container (6) for receiving the helium (He), 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), the thermal shield (21) comprising a tubular base section (22) in which the inner container (6) is received, and a cover section (23, 24) that closes the base section (22) at the front and that is arranged between the inner container (6) and the coolant container (14), wherein an intermediate space (20) is provided between the inner container (6) and the coolant container (14) and said cover section (23, 24) of the thermal shield (21) is arranged in this space.