Vacuum-Insulated Pipe Sleeve Access for Cryogenic Connectors
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vacuum-insulated pipes for cryogenic hydrogen fuel systems face challenges in providing easy access to inner connectors while maintaining a vacuum and thermal insulation, particularly when handling cryogenic fluids like hydrogen in the presence of oxygen.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum-insulated pipe assembly with a sleeve mechanism that allows selective access to inner connectors, featuring a shoulder, sleeve, and seal element to maintain a vacuum and thermal insulation, using rigid thermally insulative material and metallic gaskets for enhanced sealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the vacuum-insulated pipe assembly maintains a sealed structure to preserve vacuum and thermal insulation, then thermal insulation performance is improved, but access to inner connectors becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The sleeve is designed to be movable along the outer pipe, transitioning between a first position that provides access to inner connectors and a second position that seals the vacuum space. This dynamic configuration allows the system to switch between accessibility and vacuum preservation modes, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and thermal insulation performance.
2Ease of operation
If the sleeve is made movable to provide access to inner connectors, then ease of operation is improved, but vacuum integrity may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The seal element acts as an intermediary between the movable sleeve and the outer pipe, ensuring that when the sleeve is in the second position, a reliable seal is formed to maintain vacuum integrity. This intermediary component enables the sleeve to move for access while guaranteeing vacuum preservation when sealed.
3Reliability
If a seal element is added to maintain vacuum during sleeve movement, then vacuum integrity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seal element is implemented as a flexible sealing component that can deform to accommodate the movement of the sleeve while maintaining the vacuum seal. This flexible approach provides reliable vacuum integrity with a relatively simple structural addition, minimizing the increase in device complexity.
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
Facilitates easy access to connectors while maintaining a vacuum and reducing heat transfer, enhancing the reliability and efficiency of cryogenic fluid handling in hydrogen fuel systems.
Implementation Method 1
Vacuum-insulated pipes employ a vacuum in a space between inner and outer pipes to thermally insulate the cryogenic hydrogen fuel flowing through the inner pipe
Implementation Method 2
the vacuum-insulated pipe assembly comprises a first pipe section and a second pipe section... the first outer and inner walls are concentric along a common central axis, and the first outer wall is spaced from the first inner wall to define a first space
Data Source
AI summary
A vacuum insulated pipe assembly including a first pipe section and a second pipe section. The first pipe section has a first outer wall and a first inner wall within the first outer wall. The first outer and inner walls are concentric along a common central axis, and the first outer wall is spaced from the first inner wall to define a first space. The second pipe section has a second outer wall and a second inner wall within the second outer wall. The second outer and inner walls are concentric along the common central axis, and the second outer wall is spaced from the second inner wall to define a second space. The first inner wall includes a first inner connector and the second inner wall includes a second inner connector connected to the first inner connector.