Remote cooling of super-conducting magnet using closed cycle auxiliary flow circuit in a cryogenic cooling system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cryogenic cooling systems for superconducting magnets are expensive, logistically difficult, and inefficient due to the need for frequent sample changes, which require warming up the magnet to room temperature, leading to lost experimental time and logistical inconvenience, and introduce vibrations that can affect sensitive measurements.
Innovation Solution
A closed cycle auxiliary cryogenic cooling system with a flexible interface that allows the superconducting magnet to be cooled remotely, maintaining cryogenic temperatures without the need for liquid cryogens, reducing vibrations, and enabling sample changes without warming the magnet, thus increasing experimental productivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a closed cycle cryocooler is attached directly to the super-conducting magnet, then the magnet can be cooled to cryogenic temperatures without liquid cryogen, but the cryocooler introduces vibrations into the magnet and experiment
Solution Approach 1:
The cryocooler is extracted from the immediate vicinity of the super-conducting magnet and placed in a separate location. A flexible conduit system is used to transport cold helium gas from the remote cryocooler to the magnet, thereby eliminating vibrations at the magnet while maintaining reliable cryogenic cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
A flexible conduit system acts as an intermediary between the remote cryocooler and the super-conducting magnet. This intermediary transports the cold helium gas while isolating the magnet from mechanical vibrations generated by the cryocooler.
2Device complexity
If the same cryocooler is used to cool both the super-conducting magnet and the sample, then equipment cost is reduced, but the magnet must be warmed to room temperature during every sample change
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into two independent cooling zones: one for the super-conducting magnet and another for the sample. This allows the magnet to remain continuously cooled while the sample can be independently heated or cooled, enabling rapid sample changes without warming the magnet and thus preventing loss of experimental time.
3Temperature
If liquid helium is used to cool the super-conducting magnet, then the magnet achieves cryogenic temperatures, but the system is expensive and logistically difficult with frequent sample changes requiring magnet warm-up
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical system of liquid helium handling and storage is replaced with a closed-cycle cryocooler that uses a flexible conduit to deliver cold helium gas. This substitution eliminates the need for liquid cryogen logistics and enables independent sample temperature control, significantly improving experimental productivity while maintaining cryogenic magnet temperatures.
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 system efficiently cools superconducting magnets to cryogenic temperatures, reduces experimental downtime, and minimizes vibrations, allowing for remote operation and quick sample changes while maintaining the magnet at cryogenic temperatures, thereby enhancing research productivity.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling circuit that provides cooled fluid... cycle the cooled fluid from the cryostat within the target housing to cool the target and the test sample
Data Source
AI summary
A remote cooling system of super-conducting magnets uses a closed cycle auxiliary flow circuit in a cryogenic cooling system. The super-conducting magnet is connected to the cryogenic cooling system via a flexible interface. This flexible interface has a rigid insert on its distal end and may be connected to a cryostat on its proximal side. The rigid end may be inserted in a mating cryogenic interface at the super-conducting magnet. The closed cycle auxiliary flow circuit allows the cryogenic cooled magnet to operate at its designed magnetic field strength and can keep the magnet operational at cryogenic temperatures for extended periods of time since no cryogenic fluid needs to be replenished. Such a system can have test samples raised to room temperature to make sample changes without any need to warm up the magnet. This makes sample change time and experiment turnaround time significantly shorter, and significantly increases productivity.