Oil-lubricated cryocooler compressor and operation method thereof
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cryocooler compressors face challenges in maintaining cooling capacity due to external temperature variations and increased heat generation, leading to potential performance deterioration and abnormal operations in cryogenic devices.
Innovation Solution
An oil-lubricated cryocooler compressor with a liquid-cooled heat exchanger and a cooling controller that adjusts the coolant flow rate based on the supply temperature, allowing for load reduction by bypassing the liquid-cooled heat exchanger when temperatures exceed a threshold, and utilizing an air-cooled heat exchanger as a backup.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the liquid-cooled heat exchanger operates at high cooling capacity, then the cooling performance is improved, but the heat dissipation load on the cooler increases and may become insufficient under high ambient temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic switching between liquid-cooled and air-cooled heat exchangers based on ambient temperature conditions. The system transitions from a static cooling configuration to a dynamic one where the cooling path is adjusted in real-time according to environmental conditions, ensuring optimal performance and reliability across varying temperature ranges.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the cooling mode parameter based on ambient temperature thresholds. When ambient temperature exceeds a predetermined threshold, the system switches from liquid-cooled mode to air-cooled mode, effectively adapting the cooling capacity to match environmental conditions and prevent cooling insufficiency.
2Temperature
If the coolant flow rate is increased to enhance cooling capacity, then the cooling performance is improved, but the system complexity and control requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the cooling function into separate, independent heat exchanger systems (liquid-cooled and air-cooled) that can operate independently. This modular approach simplifies control compared to a single complex variable-flow system, as each heat exchanger can be controlled independently or switched between based on simple temperature thresholds.
3Device complexity
If a single heat exchanger system is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability decreases when cooling capacity becomes insufficient under high ambient temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into two independent heat exchanger subsystems: a liquid-cooled heat exchanger for low-ambient-temperature operation and an air-cooled heat exchanger for high-ambient-temperature operation. This segmentation allows each subsystem to be optimized for its specific operating condition, improving overall reliability without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system prepares for potential cooling insufficiency by having a backup air-cooled heat exchanger ready. When ambient temperature rises and may threaten cooling capacity, the system proactively switches to the air-cooled mode before performance deterioration occurs, ensuring continuous reliable 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 solution effectively reduces the heat dissipation load on the cooler, ensuring continuous operation of cryogenic devices by managing coolant flow and switching between heat exchangers, thereby mitigating cooling capacity insufficiencies caused by environmental or operational factors.
Implementation Method 1
a liquid-cooled heat exchanger that cools the refrigerant gas and/or an oil through heat exchange with a coolant
Implementation Method 2
controlling a flow rate of the coolant of the liquid-cooled heat exchanger based on the acquired supply temperature of the coolant
Data Source
AI summary
An oil-lubricated cryocooler compressor that compresses a refrigerant gas of a cryocooler includes a liquid-cooled heat exchanger that cools the refrigerant gas and/or an oil through heat exchange with a coolant and a cooling controller that is configured to acquire a supply temperature of the coolant supplied to the liquid-cooled heat exchanger and to control a flow rate of the coolant of the liquid-cooled heat exchanger and/or an exhaust heat amount of the cryocooler compressor based on the acquired supply temperature of the coolant.