SQUID Sensor Cooling Apparatus with Segmented Inlet

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional low-temperature cooling apparatuses for SQUID sensors face challenges in minimizing vibration noise and coolant evaporation rates, leading to instability in biomagnetic measurements due to material shrinkage and increased heat influx, which affects the accuracy and signal-to-noise ratio.

Innovation Solution

A low-temperature cooling apparatus with a divided fan-shaped sensor coupling plate and a vacuum-insulated structure, featuring a multi-layer thermal shield and a reduced inlet area to minimize heat influx and vibration, coupled with SQUID sensor modules aligned on a partitioned inner bottom plate to stabilize the sensors and reduce coolant evaporation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If the inlet area of the inner container is reduced to minimize heat influx, then heat influx is reduced, but the ease of inserting SQUID sensor modules deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat influxVSAvoidease of inserting sensor modules
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The inlet is divided into a first inlet and a second inlet, both having smaller cross-sectional areas than a single large inlet would have. This segmentation reduces the total inlet area to minimize heat influx while still providing sufficient access for inserting SQUID sensor modules through either inlet

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Stability of the object's composition

If the inner container is fixed to the outer container to improve stability, then stability is improved, but vibration noise increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovestabilityVSAvoidvibration noise
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A support structure acts as an intermediary between the inner container and outer container. This support structure provides mechanical stability and fixes the inner container's position while being designed to minimize vibration transmission, thus reducing vibration noise while maintaining stability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If a single large inlet is used to facilitate easy insertion of sensor modules, then ease of operation is improved, but heat influx increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of inserting sensor modulesVSAvoidheat influx
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The inlet is divided into a first inlet and a second inlet, both having smaller cross-sectional areas than a single large inlet would have. This segmentation reduces the total inlet area to minimize heat influx while still providing sufficient access for inserting SQUID sensor modules through either inlet

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS9829546B2Low-temperature cooling apparatus and superconducting quantum interference device sensor module
Publication Date: 2017.11.28 KOREA RES INST OF STANDARDS & SCI
  • US9829546B2 patent drawing
  • US9829546B2 patent drawing
  • US9829546B2 patent drawing

AI summary

Provided are a low-temperature cooling apparatus and a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) sensor module. The low-temperature cooling apparatus includes an outer container; an inner container disposed inside the outer container, the inner container including a neck portion having a first diameter and a body portion having a second diameter greater than the first diameter; an insert inserted into the neck portion of the inner container; and a plurality of SQUID sensor modules inserted into the body portion of the inner container. Each of the SQUID sensor modules is in the form of a fan-shaped pillar and is fixedly coupled with an inner bottom plate of the inner container.