Regenerator and regenerative refrigerator with insertion member
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Solution Overview
Problem
In cryogenic temperature regenerative refrigerators, the high cost of magnetic regenerator materials limits the cost-effectiveness of the refrigeration system, as they are more expensive than nonmagnetic materials, necessitating a technique to reduce material usage while maintaining cooling performance.
Innovation Solution
A regenerator design that uses both nonmagnetic and magnetic materials, with the nonmagnetic material at the high-temperature end and magnetic material at the low-temperature end, and incorporates an insertion member that narrows the passage area at the low-temperature end to increase pressure amplitude and maintain cooling performance with reduced material usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If magnetic regenerator material is used in the cryogenic temperature region, then the specific heat and cooling performance are improved, but the cost and material quantity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using different regenerator materials in different temperature zones: nonmagnetic material (e.g., copper) in the high-temperature region and magnetic material (e.g., Gd3Ga5O12) in the low-temperature region. This allows the expensive magnetic material to be used only where it provides the most benefit (in the cryogenic region below 10K) while reducing overall material cost and quantity.
Solution Approach 2:
The regenerator is segmented into multiple sections along the flow direction, with each section containing a different material type. The patent divides the regenerator into a high-temperature section with nonmagnetic material and a low-temperature section with magnetic material, optimizing performance while controlling costs.
2Reliability
If the passage area at the low temperature end is narrowed, then the pressure amplitude increases and cooling performance is maintained, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameter of the passage area along the flow direction, creating a tapered structure where the passage area gradually decreases from the high-temperature end to the low-temperature end. This parameter change increases the pressure amplitude of the refrigerant gas in the cryogenic region, enhancing cooling performance without adding complex mechanical components.
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 allows for a decrease in the amount of magnetic regenerator material used while maintaining the cooling performance of the refrigeration system, reducing costs and preventing a decrease in freezing performance.
Implementation Method 1
a regenerator which accumulates cooling generated by Simon expansion of a high pressure refrigerant gas supplied from a compression apparatus
Implementation Method 2
The cooling of the refrigerant gas generated in the expansion space is accumulated in the regenerator
Data Source
AI summary
A regenerator accumulates cooling generated by expansion of refrigerant gas, and the regenerator includes a regenerator material which is made of a nonmagnetic material, a regenerator material which is made of a magnetic material, a container which includes a high temperature end and a low temperature end, and which accommodates the regenerator material made of the nonmagnetic material at the high temperature end side and the regenerator material made of the magnetic material at the low temperature end side. The container further accommodates an insertion member which narrows a passage area of the refrigerant gas flowing to a region accommodating the refrigerator material made of the magnetic material so that the passage area of the low temperature end side is narrower compared to the passage area of the high temperature end side.