Modular Cryogenic Heat Exchanger Design to Reduce Assembly Variability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current dilution refrigerators face challenges in achieving precise and repeatable performance due to intricate and labor-intensive assembly processes of heat exchangers, which are critical for reaching low temperatures, as they rely heavily on manual techniques and are prone to variations in thermal boundary resistance.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchanger design featuring a chamber with a first and second conduit, where the chamber is thermally coupled to the outside conduit, and apertures allow fluid flow between regions, enhancing thermal coupling and simplifying assembly through rotational symmetry and modular construction, utilizing sintered materials for increased surface area and profiling to reduce viscous heating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual assembly techniques are used for heat exchangers, then assembly flexibility is maintained, but assembly time and variability increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger is divided into modular sections with standardized interfaces. Each module contains pre-assembled components (conduits, sinters, foils) that can be independently manufactured and then quickly combined, reducing overall assembly time while maintaining precision through standardized connection protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces specific geometric parameters (conduit diameters, sinter thicknesses, foil dimensions) that are optimized for automated assembly. These parameter standardizations enable robotic manipulation and welding processes, dramatically reducing assembly time from hundreds of hours to potentially minutes per unit.
2Manufacturing precision
If manual assembly techniques are used for heat exchangers, then complex geometries can be accommodated, but performance variability increases
Solution Approach 1:
Critical components (sinters, foils, conduit sections) are pre-manufactured with precisely controlled dimensions and thermal properties. The sintered materials are sintered to exact specifications, and foils are cut and formed beforehand, ensuring consistent thermal boundary resistance before final assembly. This preliminary precision work eliminates variability introduced during manual assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces manual mechanical assembly with automated welding and bonding processes. Standardized joint designs enable robotic welding arms to create consistent thermal connections, eliminating the skill-dependent variability of manual techniques while maintaining the ability to handle complex geometries through programmed robot paths.
3Temperature
If continuous heat exchangers are used, then simplicity of design is maintained, but temperature achievement below 30 millikelvin is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The invention incorporates sintered porous materials (metal powders sintered into porous structures) as heat exchange media. These sinters provide extremely large surface areas within compact volumes, enabling efficient heat transfer at millikelvin temperatures where Kapitza resistance becomes significant. The porous structure allows helium to penetrate deeply, maximizing thermal contact area.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchanger uses composite constructions combining different materials with complementary properties: copper or silver sinters for high thermal conductivity, thin foils for structural support and thermal coupling, and insulating materials for thermal isolation where needed. This composite approach optimizes thermal performance at each temperature stage, enabling achievement of temperatures below 30 millikelvin.
4Temperature
If large-surface-area sinters are used to overcome Kapitza resistance, then temperature achievement improves, but assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sintered heat exchange media are divided into discrete, manageable sections or rings that fit between standardized conduit segments. Each sinter section is pre-formed with controlled porosity and surface area, making it easy to handle and install. This segmentation transforms the previously labor-intensive process of manually placing and positioning sinters into a simple modular assembly 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
This design improves thermal coupling, reduces assembly time and variability, and enables the achievement of lower temperatures, such as below 30 millikelvin, by simplifying the construction process and ensuring reliable, repeatable performance in cryogenic cooling systems.
Implementation Method 1
the chamber being arranged to receive an operational fluid from the first conduit, and wherein second conduit is thermally coupled to the outside of the chamber
Implementation Method 2
utilizing sintered materials for increased surface area
Implementation Method 3
sintered materials for increased surface area
Implementation Method 4
the first end piece coupled to the second end piece by a flow deflector
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 7~8
AI summary
A heat exchanger for a cryogenic cooling apparatus is provided. The heat exchanger has a first conduit, a second conduit and a chamber, wherein the chamber is arranged to receive a fluid from the first conduit, and wherein second conduit is thermally coupled to the outside of the chamber. The chamber has a first region and a second region, the first region separated from the second region by a plate extending through the chamber, the plate comprising one or more apertures for allowing a flow of the fluid from the first region to the second region.