EP0160840B1 - Phase separator for helium ii - Google Patents

Phase separator for helium ii Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0160840B1
EP0160840B1 EP85104020A EP85104020A EP0160840B1 EP 0160840 B1 EP0160840 B1 EP 0160840B1 EP 85104020 A EP85104020 A EP 85104020A EP 85104020 A EP85104020 A EP 85104020A EP 0160840 B1 EP0160840 B1 EP 0160840B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
phase separator
helium
separator according
channels
space
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EP85104020A
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German (de)
French (fr)
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EP0160840A3 (en
EP0160840A2 (en
Inventor
Albert Dipl.-Ing. Seidel
Hartmut Ing.-Grad. Neuking
Ernst Blenninger
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Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
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Messerschmitt Bolkow Blohm AG
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    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C13/00—Details of vessels or of the filling or discharging of vessels
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2203/00—Vessel construction, in particular walls or details thereof
    • F17C2203/06—Materials for walls or layers thereof; Properties or structures of walls or their materials
    • F17C2203/0602—Wall structures; Special features thereof
    • F17C2203/0612—Wall structures
    • F17C2203/0626—Multiple walls
    • F17C2203/0629—Two walls
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2221/00—Handled fluid, in particular type of fluid
    • F17C2221/01—Pure fluids
    • F17C2221/016—Noble gases (Ar, Kr, Xe)
    • F17C2221/017—Helium
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2223/00—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel
    • F17C2223/01—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel characterised by the phase
    • F17C2223/0146—Two-phase
    • F17C2223/0153—Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL
    • F17C2223/0161—Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL cryogenic, e.g. LNG, GNL, PLNG
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2265/00—Effects achieved by gas storage or gas handling
    • F17C2265/01—Purifying the fluid
    • F17C2265/015—Purifying the fluid by separating

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a helium-II phase separator for separating superfluid helium (light) from its gas phase using the thermomechanical effect on slot-shaped passage channels, the distance between two surfaces delimiting a slot-shaped passage channel being approximately 10 ⁇ m.
  • thermomechanical effect is used to separate superfluid helium (bright) from the gas phase. This effect manifests itself in two liquid containers connected by a capillary system by increasing the level on the warmer side. This effect is also effective when helium gas is on one side of the capillary system.
  • the liquid bath If the temperature of the liquid bath is greater than the temperature of the capillary system on the gas phase side, the liquid cannot pass through the capillary system due to the thermomechanical effect due to the appropriate selection of the boundary conditions, since the associated force is opposite to the temperature gradient, i.e. from the outlet side to the liquid bath , is directed.
  • This is the basis of the applicability of such a system as a phase separator for helium-II.
  • the lower temperature of the outlet side is determined by lowering the pressure, e.g. by pumping, which leads to cooling by evaporation of liquid.
  • a throttle valve in the exhaust line through which the helium gas flows out into space (vacuum).
  • a known capillary system which is suitable for producing the thermomechanical effect, consists essentially of a plug made of tightly wound aluminum foil with a spiral passage opening, which is inserted into a holder made of a good heat-conducting material and connected to the exhaust system.
  • the winding process does not, strictly speaking, result in only one passage opening, but rather a multiplicity of irregular, gap-like passage openings lying side by side in a spiral.
  • the winding tension must be set so that the largest passage opening has a maximum gap thickness of approximately 10 pm, since otherwise the thermomechanical effect would not occur and liquid helium would escape. Passage openings of this type cannot be produced reproducibly, so that a large number of such plugs must always be produced and tested for usability in an experiment.
  • thermomechanical effect is effective even in narrow annular gaps, the gap width is about 10 microns or less.
  • experiments have shown that when the thermomechanical effect is used exclusively for phase separation, the helium throughput through a narrow annular gap is comparatively low. That would e.g. in the case of a helium throughput of approx. 45 mg / sec, which is typical for space experiments, require an annular gap with a diameter of approx. 0.8 m with a gap width of approx. 10 ⁇ m.
  • Such ring gaps are, however, difficult to manufacture and unsuitable for use in spacecraft.
  • the phase separator shown in FIG. 1 essentially has a tank flange 1 for fastening within a tank of a cyrostat filled with helium-II.
  • the tank flange 1 On the face of a cylindrical extension 1.1. the tank flange 1 is a stack of the same wall elements in the form of square washers 2 with spacers 3 located between them, so that between two washers 2 a total of four, offset by 90 ° and separated by the spacers 3 through channels 2.1.
  • This stack is sealed at the end projecting into the tank with a cover plate 4 and is fastened together with this cover plate by means of tie rods 5 to the flange 1 under elastic pretension.
  • tie rods 5 In the interior of the cavity 7 created by the ring disk stack and the cover disk 4 (see FIG.
  • a displacement body 6 connected to the cover disk 4 is fastened, which exposes a pot-shaped gap 7.1 between itself and the inner edge of each ring disk and to the flange 1.
  • This cup-shaped gap 7.1 is connected to an exhaust pipe B which is led through the flange 1 and which extends around the cylindrical extension 1.1 of the flange 1 and wrapped around the ring disk stack and is thus designed as a heat exchanger until it at a central outlet 1.2. of the flange 1 ends.
  • the gap between the discs 2 is approximately 10 pm; it can be between 5 and 15 11 m, this distance being increased by about 200 times for the graphic representation.
  • the surface quality of the ring washers is particularly high; the surface ripple should be ⁇ 1 ⁇ m.
  • each passage channel 2.1 Between two adjacent ring disks 2, which have square spacers 3 in the corners, there are four slot-shaped passage channels 2.1, in which helium can only flow in a two-dimensional flow.
  • the thickness of each passage channel is the same and dimensioned so that the thermomechanical effect occurs under suitable boundary conditions, due to which superfluid helium (Helium-II) is prevented from passing through the gap-shaped channels. Therefore, only gaseous helium flows in the pot-shaped collecting gap 7.1 and is drawn off via the exhaust gas line B.
  • the residual cold that is still present in the helium gas is used via the exhaust gas line 8, which is further designed as a heat exchanger.
  • the helium-II phase separator shown in Fig. 3 consists of a cylindrical hollow body 9 which, similar to the stacked washers of the phase separator according to Fig. 1, is attached to a flange, not shown, with a central exhaust pipe.
  • the hollow body 9 has distributed on its outer circumference wedge-shaped grooves 10 in the direction of the cylinder longitudinal axis, which are connected to the interior 11 via bores 12 and represent a category of similar wall elements (see FIGS. 4 and 5).
  • In the center of the wedge-shaped grooves 10 there is a second category of wall elements in the form of wedge-shaped strips 13, which each produce two opposite rows of the same gap-shaped passage channels 15 due to inserted spacers 14 (see FIGS. 4, 5 and 6).
  • the cavity 11, similar to that in FIG. 1, is closed in a gas-tight manner on the side facing away from the flange, to which, as in FIG. 1, a cylindrical displacement body can be fastened to produce a pot-shaped collecting gap.
  • the thickness of the spacers 14 and their spacings and the gap geometries produced thereby correspond to those of the phase separator according to FIG. 1.
  • the flow in these passage channels is thus also purely two-dimensional.
  • the wedge-shaped grooves and strips have the advantage that the gap thickness can be adjusted by moving the strips in the wedge direction.
  • FIG. 7 schematically shows the installation of a phase separator 16 according to FIG. 1 or 3 in the tank 17 of a cyrostat filled with helium-II.
  • the discharged gaseous helium (GHe) is used to cool the radiation shields 18 of the cyrostat until it is fed via a control valve 19 to a vacuum pump or into the vacuum of space.
  • the regulation of the helium mass throughput takes place by changing the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet of the passage channels in such a way that the thermomechanical effect is always maintained at the specified bath temperatures.
  • the control valve 19 located outside the helium-II cyrostat is used, which is controlled by a motor 21 via a controller 20.
  • the controller 20 uses the helium II bath temperature (T) as the measurement signal.
  • T helium II bath temperature
  • This bath temperature must be regulated very sensitively, especially in space experiments. If the helium II bath temperature has a rising tendency, the control valve 19 opens and the pressure difference which then arises in the gap-shaped passage channels of the phase separator 16 increases. Due to the increasing pressure difference, the helium throughput also increases, causing the bath to cool down again. This in turn results in the reverse of the procedure just described.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Separation By Low-Temperature Treatments (AREA)
  • Degasification And Air Bubble Elimination (AREA)

Description

Die Erfindung betrifft einen Helium-II-Phasentrenner zur Trennung von superfluidem Helium (Hell) von dessen Gasphase unter Ausnutzung des thermomechanischen Effektes an spaltförmigen Durchlaßkanälen, wobei der Abstand zweier einen spaltförmigen Durchlaßkanal begrenzender Flächen ca. 10 um beträgt.The invention relates to a helium-II phase separator for separating superfluid helium (light) from its gas phase using the thermomechanical effect on slot-shaped passage channels, the distance between two surfaces delimiting a slot-shaped passage channel being approximately 10 μm.

Eine Einrichtung zur Phasentrennung von Helium-II, insbesondere im schwerelosen Zustand, ist u.a. von H.D. Denner et al, Freie Universität Berlin, im Forschungsbericht W-79-47, Dezember 1979, beschrieben. Zur Trennung von superfluidem Helium (Hell) von der Gasphase wird dabei der thermomechanische Effekt (Fontäneneffekt) ausgenutzt. Dieser Effekt äußert sich bei zwei durch ein Kapillarsystem verbundenen Flüssigkeitsbehältern durch Ansteigen des Niveaus auf der wärmeren Seite. Dieser Effekt ist auch wirksam, wennn sich auf der einen Seite des Kapillarsystems Heliumgas befindet. Ist die Temperatur des Flüssigkeitsbades größer als die Temperatur des Kapillarsystems auf der Seite der Gasphase, so kann die Flüssigkeit bei geeigneter Wahl der Randbedingungen aufgrund des thermomechanischen Effektes das Kapillarsystem nicht passieren, da die zugehörige Kraft entgegengesetzt zum Temperaturgefälle, also von der Austrittsseite zum Flüssigkeitsbad hin, gerichtet ist. Hierauf beruht die Anwendbarkeit eines derartigen Systems als Phasentrenner für Helium-ll. Die niedrigere Temperatur der Austrittsseite wird durch Druckerniedrigung, z.B. durch Abpumpen, erreicht, die zur Kühlung durch Verdampfen von Flüssigkeit führt. Bei Weltraumbedingungen genügt hierzu lediglich ein Drosselventil in der Abgasleitung, durch welches das Heliumgas in den Weltraum (Vakuum) ausströmt.A device for phase separation of helium-II, especially in the weightless state, is among others. by H.D. Denner et al, Freie Universität Berlin, in research report W-79-47, December 1979. The thermomechanical effect (fountain effect) is used to separate superfluid helium (bright) from the gas phase. This effect manifests itself in two liquid containers connected by a capillary system by increasing the level on the warmer side. This effect is also effective when helium gas is on one side of the capillary system. If the temperature of the liquid bath is greater than the temperature of the capillary system on the gas phase side, the liquid cannot pass through the capillary system due to the thermomechanical effect due to the appropriate selection of the boundary conditions, since the associated force is opposite to the temperature gradient, i.e. from the outlet side to the liquid bath , is directed. This is the basis of the applicability of such a system as a phase separator for helium-II. The lower temperature of the outlet side is determined by lowering the pressure, e.g. by pumping, which leads to cooling by evaporation of liquid. In space conditions, all that is required is a throttle valve in the exhaust line through which the helium gas flows out into space (vacuum).

Ein bekanntes Kapillarsystem, das zur Erzeugung des thermomechanischen Effektes geeignet ist, besteht im wesentlichen aus einem Stopfen aus eng gewickelter Aluminiumfolie mit spiralförmiger Durchlaßöffnung, der in eine Halterung aus gut wärmeleitendem Material eingesetzt und mit dieser an das Abgassystem angeschlossen ist. Bei einem derartigen Stopfen entsteht jedoch durch den Wickelvorgang genau genommen nicht nur eine Durchlaßöffnung, sondern eine Vielzahl unregelmäßiger, in einer Spirale nebeneinanderliegender spaltförmiger Durchlaßöffnungen. Die Wickelspannung muß dabei so eingestellt sein, daß die größte Durchlaßöffnung maximal eine Spaltdicke von ca. 10 pm aufweist, da sonst der thermomechanische Effekt nicht auftritt und flüssiges Helium austreten würde. Durchlaßöffnungen dieser Art lassen sich nicht reproduzierbar herstellen, so daß stets eine Vielzahl derartiger Stopfen hergestellt und im Versuch auf Braucharkeit erprobt werden muß.A known capillary system, which is suitable for producing the thermomechanical effect, consists essentially of a plug made of tightly wound aluminum foil with a spiral passage opening, which is inserted into a holder made of a good heat-conducting material and connected to the exhaust system. In the case of such a stopper, however, the winding process does not, strictly speaking, result in only one passage opening, but rather a multiplicity of irregular, gap-like passage openings lying side by side in a spiral. The winding tension must be set so that the largest passage opening has a maximum gap thickness of approximately 10 pm, since otherwise the thermomechanical effect would not occur and liquid helium would escape. Passage openings of this type cannot be produced reproducibly, so that a large number of such plugs must always be produced and tested for usability in an experiment.

Aus der o.g. Literaturstelle ist weiterhin bekannt, daß der thermomechanische Effekt auch in engen Ringspalten wirksam ist, deren Spaltweite ca. 10 um oder weniger beträgt. In Experimenten wurde jedoch gezeigt, daß bei ausschließlicher Nutzung des thermomechanischen Effektes zur Phasentrennung der Heliumdurchsatz durch einen engen Ringspalt vergleichsweise gering ist. Das würde z.B. im Falle eines für Weltraumexperimente typischen Heliumdurchsatzes von ca. 45 mg/sec einen Ringspalt mit einem Durchmesser von ca. 0,8 m bei einer Spaltweite von ca. 10 µm erfordern. Derartige Ringspalte sind jedoch kaum herstellbar und für die Anwendung in Raumflugkörpern ungeeignet.From the above Literature is also known that the thermomechanical effect is effective even in narrow annular gaps, the gap width is about 10 microns or less. However, experiments have shown that when the thermomechanical effect is used exclusively for phase separation, the helium throughput through a narrow annular gap is comparatively low. That would e.g. in the case of a helium throughput of approx. 45 mg / sec, which is typical for space experiments, require an annular gap with a diameter of approx. 0.8 m with a gap width of approx. 10 µm. Such ring gaps are, however, difficult to manufacture and unsuitable for use in spacecraft.

Es ist daher Aufgabe der Erfindung, einen Helium-II-Phasentrenner der o.g. Art zu schaffen, der reproduzierbar herstellbar und für die Anwendung in Raumflugkörpern geeignet ist.It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a helium-II phase separator of the above. To create a type that is reproducible and suitable for use in spacecraft.

Diese Aufgabe erfüllt ein nach den kenzeichnenden Merkmalen des Patentanspruchs 1 ausgebildeter Helium-II-Phasentrenner. Die Erfindung wird im folgenden anhand zweier, in den Figuren teilweise schematisch dargestellter Ausführungsbeispiele beschrieben.This object is achieved by a helium-II phase separator designed according to the characterizing features of patent claim 1. The invention is described below with reference to two exemplary embodiments, which are shown schematically in the figures.

Es zeigen:

  • Fig. 1 eine Seitenansicht bzw. einen Längsschnitt durch einen Helium-II-phasentrenner aus übereinander gestapelten, quadratischen Ringscheiben;
  • Fig. 2 einen Querschnitt durch einen Helium-II-Phasentrenner gemäß Fig. 1;
  • Fig. 3 einen Helium-II-Phasentrenner mit zylindrischem Hohlkörper und achsparallelen Nuten;
  • Fig. 4 einen Querschnitt durch einen Helium-II-Phasentrenner gemäß Fig. 3 im Bereich einer Nut;
  • Fig. 5 einen Längsschnitt durch einen Helium-II-Phasentrenner gemäß Fig. 3 längs der Nut;
  • Fig. 6 eine Aufsicht auf einen Teilbereich eines Helium-II-Phasentrenners gemäß Fig. 3 im Bereich der Nut;
  • Fig. 7 die Anordnung eines Helium-II-Phasentrenners an einem Helium-II-Kyrostaten mit Durchsatzregelung.
Show it:
  • Figure 1 is a side view or a longitudinal section through a helium-II phase separator made of stacked square washers.
  • FIG. 2 shows a cross section through a helium-II phase separator according to FIG. 1;
  • 3 shows a helium-II phase separator with a cylindrical hollow body and axially parallel grooves;
  • FIG. 4 shows a cross section through a helium-II phase separator according to FIG. 3 in the region of a groove;
  • 5 shows a longitudinal section through a helium II phase separator according to FIG. 3 along the groove;
  • 6 shows a plan view of a partial area of a helium-II phase separator according to FIG. 3 in the area of the groove;
  • 7 shows the arrangement of a helium-II phase separator on a helium-II cyrostat with throughput control.

Der in Fig. 1 dargestellte Phasentrenner weist im wesentlichen einen Tankflansch 1 zur Befestigung innerhalb eines mit Helium-II gefüllten Tankes eines Kyrostaten auf. An der Stirnseite einer zylindrischen Verlängerung 1.1. des Tankflansches 1 ist ein Stapel aus gleichen Wandelementen in Form quadratischer Ringscheiben 2 mit jeweils dazwischen befindlichen Abstandsstücken 3 angeordnet, so daß zwischen zwei Ringscheiben 2 insgesamt vier, um 90° versetzte und durch die Abstandsstücke 3 getrennte Durchlaßkanäle 2.1 entstehen. Dieser Stapel ist an dem in den Tank hineinragenden Ende mit einer Abdeckscheibe 4 dicht verschlossen und wird zusammen mit dieser Abdeckscheibe durch Zuganker 5 unter elastischer Vorspannung an dem Flansch 1 befestigt. Im Innern des durch den Ringscheibenstapel und die Abdeckscheibe 4 entstandenen Hohlraumes 7 (siehe Fig. 2) ist ein mit der Abdeckscheibe 4 verbundener Verdrängungskörper 6 befestigt, der zwischen sich und dem Innenrand jeder Ringscheibe, sowie zum Flansch 1 einen topfförmigen Spalt 7.1 freiläßt. Dieser topfförmige Spalt 7.1 steht mit einer durch den Flansch 1 geführten Abgasleitung B in Verbindung, welche um die zylindrische Verlängerung 1.1 des Flansches 1 und den Ringscheibenstapel herumgewickelt und somit als Wärmetauscher ausgebildet ist, bis sie an einem zentralen Auslaß 1.2. des Flansches 1 endet.The phase separator shown in FIG. 1 essentially has a tank flange 1 for fastening within a tank of a cyrostat filled with helium-II. On the face of a cylindrical extension 1.1. the tank flange 1 is a stack of the same wall elements in the form of square washers 2 with spacers 3 located between them, so that between two washers 2 a total of four, offset by 90 ° and separated by the spacers 3 through channels 2.1. This stack is sealed at the end projecting into the tank with a cover plate 4 and is fastened together with this cover plate by means of tie rods 5 to the flange 1 under elastic pretension. In the interior of the cavity 7 created by the ring disk stack and the cover disk 4 (see FIG. 2), a displacement body 6 connected to the cover disk 4 is fastened, which exposes a pot-shaped gap 7.1 between itself and the inner edge of each ring disk and to the flange 1. This cup-shaped gap 7.1 is connected to an exhaust pipe B which is led through the flange 1 and which extends around the cylindrical extension 1.1 of the flange 1 and wrapped around the ring disk stack and is thus designed as a heat exchanger until it at a central outlet 1.2. of the flange 1 ends.

Die Spaltweite zwischen den Scheiben 2 beträgt ca. 10 pm; sie kann zwischen 5 und 15 11m liegen, wobei dieser Abstand für die zeichnerische Darstellung um das etwa 200-fache Überhöht wurde. Die Oberflächengüte der Ringscheiben ist besonders hoch; die Oberflächenwelligkeit sollte < 1 um betragen.The gap between the discs 2 is approximately 10 pm; it can be between 5 and 15 11 m, this distance being increased by about 200 times for the graphic representation. The surface quality of the ring washers is particularly high; the surface ripple should be <1 µm.

Bei einer Außenabmessung der Scheiben 2 von 50 mm, einer durch die Abstandsstücke 3 begrenzten Kanalbreite von 30 mm und einer Strömungskanallänge von 10 mm im Spalt würden für den eingangs erwähnten He-Durchsatz von 45 mg/sec bei dieser Ausführungsform 21 übereinandergestapelte Scheiben erforderlich sein, was bei einer angenommenen Scheibendicke von 2 mm eine Höhe des gesamten Scheibenpaketes von nur ca. 42 mm ergibt.With an outer dimension of the disks 2 of 50 mm, a channel width of 30 mm delimited by the spacers 3 and a flow channel length of 10 mm in the gap, 21 disks stacked one on top of the other would be required for the He throughput of 45 mg / sec mentioned at the outset in this embodiment, with an assumed pane thickness of 2 mm, this results in a height of the entire pane package of only approx. 42 mm.

Die Funktionsweise dieses Phasentrenners ist bereits aus seinem Aufbau erkennbar:The way this phase separator works can already be seen from its structure:

Zwischen je zwei benachbarten Ringscheiben 2, die in den Ecken quadratische Abstandshalter 3 aufweisen, entstehen vier spaltförmige Durchlaßkanäle 2.1, in denen Helium ausschließlich in einer zweidimensionalen Strömung fließen kann. Die Dicke jedes Durchlaßkanales ist gleich und so bemessen, daß bei geeigneten Randbedingungen der thermomechanische Effekt auftritt, aufgrund dessen superfluides Helium (Helium-II) am Durchtritt durch die spaltförmigen Kanäle gehindert wird. In dem topfförmigen Sammelspalt 7.1 strömt daher nur noch gasförmiges Helium, welches über die Abgasleitung B abgezogen wird. Über die im weiteren als Wärmetauscher ausgebildete Abgasleitung 8 wird die im Heliumgas noch vorhandene Restkälte ausgenutzt.Between two adjacent ring disks 2, which have square spacers 3 in the corners, there are four slot-shaped passage channels 2.1, in which helium can only flow in a two-dimensional flow. The thickness of each passage channel is the same and dimensioned so that the thermomechanical effect occurs under suitable boundary conditions, due to which superfluid helium (Helium-II) is prevented from passing through the gap-shaped channels. Therefore, only gaseous helium flows in the pot-shaped collecting gap 7.1 and is drawn off via the exhaust gas line B. The residual cold that is still present in the helium gas is used via the exhaust gas line 8, which is further designed as a heat exchanger.

Der in Fig. 3 dargestellte Helium-II-Phasentrenner besteht aus einem zylindrischen Hohlkörper 9, der, ähnlich wie die aufeinandergestapelten Ringscheiben des Phasentrenners gemäß Fig. 1, an einem nicht dargestellten Flansch mit zentraler Abgasleitung befestigt ist. Der Hohlkörper 9 weist verteilt auf seinem äuBeren Umfang keilförmige Nuten 10 in Richtung der Zylinderlängsachse auf, welche mit dem Innenraum 11 über Bohrungen 12 in Verbindung stehen und eine Kategorie von gleichartigen Wandelementen darstellen (siehe Fig. 4 und 5). Im Zentrum der keilförmigen Nuten 10 befindet sich eine zweite Kategorie von Wandelementen in Form keilförmiger Leisten 13, die aufgrund von eingelegten Abstandsstücken 14 jeweils zwei gegenüberliegende Reihen aus gleichen spaltförmigen Durchlaßkanälen 15 erzeugen (siehe Fig. 4, 5 und 6). Der Hohlraum 11 ist, ähnlich wie in Fig. 1, auf der dem Flansch abgewendeten Seite mit einem Deckel gasdicht verschlossen, an welchem, ebenfalls wie in Fig. 1, ein zylindrischer Verdrängungskörper zur Erzeugung eines topfförmigen Sammelspaltes befestigt sein kann.The helium-II phase separator shown in Fig. 3 consists of a cylindrical hollow body 9 which, similar to the stacked washers of the phase separator according to Fig. 1, is attached to a flange, not shown, with a central exhaust pipe. The hollow body 9 has distributed on its outer circumference wedge-shaped grooves 10 in the direction of the cylinder longitudinal axis, which are connected to the interior 11 via bores 12 and represent a category of similar wall elements (see FIGS. 4 and 5). In the center of the wedge-shaped grooves 10 there is a second category of wall elements in the form of wedge-shaped strips 13, which each produce two opposite rows of the same gap-shaped passage channels 15 due to inserted spacers 14 (see FIGS. 4, 5 and 6). The cavity 11, similar to that in FIG. 1, is closed in a gas-tight manner on the side facing away from the flange, to which, as in FIG. 1, a cylindrical displacement body can be fastened to produce a pot-shaped collecting gap.

Die Dicke der Abstandshalter 14 sowie deren Abstände und die dadurch erzeugten Spaltgeometrien entsprechen denen des Phasentrenners gemäß Fig. 1. Die Strömung in diesen Durchlaßkanälen ist somit ebenfalls rein zweidimensional. Die keilförmigen Nuten und Leisten haben bei gleichem Keilwinkel den Vorteil, daß die Spaltdicke durch Verschiebung der Leisten in Keilrichtung eingestellt werden kann.The thickness of the spacers 14 and their spacings and the gap geometries produced thereby correspond to those of the phase separator according to FIG. 1. The flow in these passage channels is thus also purely two-dimensional. With the same wedge angle, the wedge-shaped grooves and strips have the advantage that the gap thickness can be adjusted by moving the strips in the wedge direction.

In Fig. 7 ist in schematischer Weise der Einbau eines Phasentrenners 16 gemäß Fig. 1 oder 3 in den mit Helium-II gefüllten Tank 17 eines Kyrostaten dargestellt. Das abgeführte gasförmige Helium (GHe) wird dabei zur Kühlung der Strahlungsschilde 18 des Kyrostaten verwendet, bis es über ein Regelventil 19 zu einer Vakuumpumpe bzw. in das Vakuum des Weltalls geführt wird. Die Regelung des Helium-Massendurchsatzes erfolgt durch Veränderung der Druckdifferenz zwischen dem Einund Austritt der Durchlaßkanäle derart, daß der thermomechanische Effekt bei den vorgegebenen Badtemperaturen stets erhalten bleibt. Dazu wird das außerhalb des Helium-II-Kyrostaten befindliche Regelventil 19 verwendet, das über einen Regler 20 von einem Motor 21 gesteuert wird. Der Regler 20 verwendet als Meßsignal die Helium-II-Badtemperatur (T). Diese Badtemperatur muß insbesondere bei Weltraumexperimenten sehr feinfühlig geregelt werden. Hat die Helium-II-Badtemperatur steigende Tendenz, so öffnet das Regelventil 19 und die daraufhin in den spaltförmigen Durchlaßkanälen des Phasentrenners 16 entstehende Druckdifferenz wird größer. Aufgrund der steigenden Druckdifferenz steigt auch der Heliumdurchsatz, wodurch sich das Bad wieder abkühlt. Dies wiederum hat die Umkehrung des eben beschriebenen Ablaufes zur Folge.FIG. 7 schematically shows the installation of a phase separator 16 according to FIG. 1 or 3 in the tank 17 of a cyrostat filled with helium-II. The discharged gaseous helium (GHe) is used to cool the radiation shields 18 of the cyrostat until it is fed via a control valve 19 to a vacuum pump or into the vacuum of space. The regulation of the helium mass throughput takes place by changing the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet of the passage channels in such a way that the thermomechanical effect is always maintained at the specified bath temperatures. For this purpose, the control valve 19 located outside the helium-II cyrostat is used, which is controlled by a motor 21 via a controller 20. The controller 20 uses the helium II bath temperature (T) as the measurement signal. This bath temperature must be regulated very sensitively, especially in space experiments. If the helium II bath temperature has a rising tendency, the control valve 19 opens and the pressure difference which then arises in the gap-shaped passage channels of the phase separator 16 increases. Due to the increasing pressure difference, the helium throughput also increases, causing the bath to cool down again. This in turn results in the reverse of the procedure just described.

Claims (11)

1. Helium-II-phase separator for separation of superfluid Helium (Hell) from its gas phase by way of thermo-mechanical effects of slot-shaped through-channels, wherein spacing of two surfaces which define a slot-shaped through-channel is approximately 10 pm, characterised in that the slot-shaped through-channels (2.1; 15) are formed by several identical lateral elements (2; 10, 13) disposed equidistantly adjacent each other, and arranged within a wall which includes a substantially sealed space (7; 11) that extends into liquid helium, whereby gaseous helium can be removed from the interior of the space (7; 11).
2. Phase separator according to claim 1, characterised in that the geometry of the through-channels (2.1; 15) permits only a two-dimensional flow.
3. Phase separator according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the through-channels (2.1; 15) are each formed by two plane-parallel lateral elements (2; 10, 13) with spacer elements (3; 14) of defined thickness arranged thereinbetween.
4. Phase separator according to one of the claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the (hollow) space (7) and the through-channels (2.1) are formed by stacking circular discs (2) with spacer elements (3) thereinbetween.
5. Phase separator according to claim 4, characterised in that the circular discs (2) are arranged to be n-cornered or circular in shape.
6. Phase separator according to claim 4 or 5, characterised in that the circular discs (2) and the spacer elements (3) are linked together by means of resiliently pre-tensioned pull-anchorages (5).
7. Phase separator according to one of the claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the hollow space (11) and the through-channels (15) are formed by means of a cylindrical hollow body (19) with parallel-axis grooves (10).
8. Phase separator according to claim 7, characterised in that ledges (13) including spacer elements (14) are arranged within the grooves (10) in the longitudinal direction of the grooves so as each to form two through-channels (15).
9. Phase separator according to claim 8, characterised in that the grooves (10) and ledges (13) are arranged to be wedge-haped and with the same wedge angle.
10. Phase separator according to one of the claims 1 to 9, characterised in that parallel to the inside wall of the space (7) is provided a further wall (6) to form a gap-shaped removal channel (7, 1) for gaseous helium, its dimension across the flow direction of the gas being larger than that of the through-channels.
11. Phase separator according to one of the claims 1 to 10, characterised in that removal of the gaseous helium from the space (7; 11) is via a heat exchanger (8) which is in heat contact with the liquid helium.
EP85104020A 1984-05-09 1985-04-03 Phase separator for helium ii Expired - Lifetime EP0160840B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE3417055 1984-05-09
DE3417055A DE3417055C2 (en) 1984-05-09 1984-05-09 Helium II phase separator

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EP0160840A2 EP0160840A2 (en) 1985-11-13
EP0160840A3 EP0160840A3 (en) 1986-10-15
EP0160840B1 true EP0160840B1 (en) 1990-09-05

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EP85104020A Expired - Lifetime EP0160840B1 (en) 1984-05-09 1985-04-03 Phase separator for helium ii

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US (1) US4607490A (en)
EP (1) EP0160840B1 (en)
JP (1) JPS60244308A (en)
DE (2) DE3417055C2 (en)

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* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3530168C1 (en) * 1985-08-23 1986-12-18 Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm GmbH, 8012 Ottobrunn Adjustable helium II phase separator
US4848093A (en) * 1987-08-24 1989-07-18 Quantum Design Apparatus and method for regulating temperature in a cryogenic test chamber
US4791788A (en) * 1987-08-24 1988-12-20 Quantum Design, Inc. Method for obtaining improved temperature regulation when using liquid helium cooling
FR2747595B1 (en) * 1996-04-19 1998-08-21 Air Liquide PROCESS AND INSTALLATION FOR PROVIDING ULTRA-PUR HELIUM
US5647228A (en) * 1996-07-12 1997-07-15 Quantum Design, Inc. Apparatus and method for regulating temperature in a cryogenic test chamber
FR2781868B1 (en) * 1998-07-29 2000-09-15 Air Liquide PLANT AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING HELIUM WITH MULTIPLE PRODUCTION LINES

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GB945223A (en) * 1961-09-22 1963-12-23 Atomic Energy Authority Uk Improvements in or relating to refrigerators
JPS5012968B1 (en) * 1970-02-24 1975-05-16
NL7009420A (en) * 1970-06-26 1971-12-28
DE2716663C2 (en) * 1977-04-15 1983-12-15 Messer Griesheim Gmbh, 6000 Frankfurt Device for separating the gas which evaporates when low-boiling liquefied gases are conveyed
US4223723A (en) * 1978-01-12 1980-09-23 Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation Heat transfer in boiling liquified gas
NL7902014A (en) * 1979-03-14 1980-09-16 Philips Nv 3HE-4HE DILUTION CHILLER.
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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE3579492D1 (en) 1990-10-11
EP0160840A3 (en) 1986-10-15
US4607490A (en) 1986-08-26
JPS60244308A (en) 1985-12-04
DE3417055A1 (en) 1985-11-14
EP0160840A2 (en) 1985-11-13
DE3417055C2 (en) 1986-05-07

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