EP0388277A2 - Joule-Thomson-Kühlvorrichtung - Google Patents

Joule-Thomson-Kühlvorrichtung Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0388277A2
EP0388277A2 EP90400656A EP90400656A EP0388277A2 EP 0388277 A2 EP0388277 A2 EP 0388277A2 EP 90400656 A EP90400656 A EP 90400656A EP 90400656 A EP90400656 A EP 90400656A EP 0388277 A2 EP0388277 A2 EP 0388277A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
shutter
cooler
cooler according
working gas
chamber
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP90400656A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0388277B1 (de
EP0388277A3 (en
Inventor
Serge Reale
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Air Liquide SA
LAir Liquide SA pour lEtude et lExploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
Original Assignee
Air Liquide SA
LAir Liquide SA pour lEtude et lExploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Air Liquide SA, LAir Liquide SA pour lEtude et lExploitation des Procedes Georges Claude filed Critical Air Liquide SA
Publication of EP0388277A2 publication Critical patent/EP0388277A2/de
Publication of EP0388277A3 publication Critical patent/EP0388277A3/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0388277B1 publication Critical patent/EP0388277B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25B—REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
    • F25B9/00—Compression machines, plants or systems, in which the refrigerant is air or other gas of low boiling point
    • F25B9/02—Compression machines, plants or systems, in which the refrigerant is air or other gas of low boiling point using Joule-Thompson effect; using vortex effect
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25B—REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
    • F25B2309/00—Gas cycle refrigeration machines
    • F25B2309/02—Gas cycle refrigeration machines using the Joule-Thompson effect
    • F25B2309/022—Gas cycle refrigeration machines using the Joule-Thompson effect characterised by the expansion element

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to Joule-Thomson coolers of the type comprising a high-pressure working gas line terminating in an expansion orifice formed in a shutter seat and opening into a low-pressure discharge circuit in heat exchange relationship. with the high pressure line, a shutter adapted to reduce the cross section of the expanded gas at the end of the cooling of the cooler, and actuating means for suddenly moving the shutter from a first position, where the orifice of trigger is free, in a second position where this orifice is at least partially hidden.
  • a cooler of this type, with electrical actuation means is described in document EP-A-0245164 in the name of the applicant.
  • the present invention aims to provide a cooler of this type with rapid actuation, which is particularly reliable and simple to produce.
  • the actuation means comprise a bulb actuator including an auxiliary gas capacity disposed in the cold part of the cooler, in heat exchange relationship, direct or indirect, with a zone of the circuit of low pressure return of the working gas, and connected to a chamber of much larger volume arranged in the hot part of the cooler.
  • a bulb actuator including an auxiliary gas capacity disposed in the cold part of the cooler, in heat exchange relationship, direct or indirect, with a zone of the circuit of low pressure return of the working gas, and connected to a chamber of much larger volume arranged in the hot part of the cooler.
  • the chamber is delimited by a bellows to which is linked the actuating rod of the shutter, the bellows exerting a bias in the direction tending to close the shutter;
  • the auxiliary gas is liquefiable at a temperature above the start temperature of liquefaction of the working gas and relatively close to this temperature.
  • relatively similar temperature is meant a temperature reached at an instant very close to the instant when the working gas begins to liquefy.
  • the Joule-Thomson cooler shown in Figure 1 is combined with a U-section Dewar 1 comprising an outer casing 2 and a central well 3 open upwards and closed at its lower part by an element 4 to be refrigerated, which is by example a disk-shaped infrared detector.
  • the cooler itself comprises a head 5, a tubular core 6, a winding 7 for circulating working gas, and a two-flow valve 8.
  • This cooler is miniaturized to reduce its thermal inertia, the internal diameter of the well 3 being on the order of 4 to 5 mm.
  • the head 5 forms a cylindrical housing which is extended downwards by a peripheral collar 9 fixed on the upper face of the Dewar.
  • the housing has in its lower face a central opening 10 from which the core 6 leaves, which carries at its lower end a shutter seat 11.
  • the winding 7 comprises a high pressure working gas line 12 whose upstream end passes through the head 5 and is connected to a source 13 of a working gas under high pressure, and which is helically wound between the core 6 and the well 13, in a conventional manner in the art.
  • This winding 7 ends in the vicinity of the lower end of the core 6 and defines between these turns a return path of the working gas after expansion, which opens into the surrounding atmosphere by lights 14 pierced in the flange 9.
  • the pipe 12 ends with a short section 12 ′ fitted into the seat 11 and communicating with an expansion orifice 15 formed in the seat 11.
  • the valve 8 comprises a shutter 16 fixed to the lower end of an actuating rod 17, and a bulb actuator 18.
  • the seat 11 has a transverse bore 110 into which the expansion orifice 15 opens out centrally and into which the end of the pipe section 12 'is fitted.
  • the shutter is produced in the form of a conical needle 16 secured to a tubular extension 170 of the rod 17.
  • the end of the transverse bore 110 is provided with a restriction 30 providing a very low permanent leakage rate f (of the order of 5 to 10 times) at the nominal flow rate F of the orifice 15.
  • the restriction can be ensured by a pin 31 threaded with clearance in a section of tube 120 fitted into the bore 110.
  • the leakage rate can be ensured by planar grinding 32 in the conical end portion of the needle 16, providing a clearance j.
  • the rod 17 extends upwards through the entire core 6 and into the head 5, where it is suspended from a horizontal plate 19.
  • An annular chamber 21 is thus defined in the head 5 around the bellows 20.
  • a capillary tube 22 starting from the chamber 21 crosses the sealed wall of the lower wall of this chamber, crosses radially in leaktight manner an orifice 23 provided at the upper end of the core 6, extends downwards along this core , between the latter and the rod 17, and ends with a small capacity forming a heat exchanger 24 constituted by a small number of turns (3 turns in the example shown) brazed on the internal face of the core 6 and adjacent to the seat 11.
  • the lower end of the capillary 22 is hermetically closed.
  • the volume of the heat exchanger 24 is much less than that of the chamber 21, for example 2 mm3 for the exchanger and from 50 mm3 to 150 mm3 for the chamber 21.
  • the chamber 21 and the capillary 22 are filled with an auxiliary gas meeting the following conditions: - start temperature of liquefaction higher than the start temperature of liquefaction of the working gas taking into account the pressure drops of the low pressure circuit and relatively close to this temperature, and triple point relatively close to the same temperature; - critical temperature below the minimum ambient temperature, for example below - 40 ° C, to guarantee that the auxiliary gas remains in the gaseous state as long as the appliance is not cold; - preferably, absence of toxicity, instability and reaction with helium (this to allow leakage tests by mixing a few% of helium).
  • the bellows 20 is produced, during manufacture, so as to have an elasticity tending to close the shutter 16, this closing force being compensated by the inflation pressure of the auxiliary gas on the active surface of the bellows 20.
  • the stressing force in extension (of the order of 200 grams) is provided by a spring 200 disposed around the bellows 20 between the plate 19 and the bottom of the chamber 21.
  • the spring also makes it possible to increase the closing force, thus helping to increase the closing speed of the shutter, and to obtain variable performance by playing on the inflation pressure of the bulb with different types of condensable gas and / or by positioning the heat exchanger 24 higher or lower in the core 6, or by placing it, outside the core 6, in the circuit low pressure return of the working gas, in the coil 7, which improves the heat exchange between the cryogenic working liquid and the auxiliary gas driving the bulb.
  • the working gas is preferably argon or nitrogen and the auxiliary gas is methane, CO2, ethylene or krypton.
  • the pressure of the working gas is chosen so as to allow the actuator 18 to operate, which will be described below, whatever the temperature of the environment and whatever the pressure drops of the low pressure circuit, which may reach 6 to 8 bars at the end of cooling and lead to the establishment of a similar pressure inside the bellows 20.
  • the pressure of the auxiliary gas compresses the bellows, which lowers the rod 17 until a stop 25 carried by it rests on the bottom wall of the chamber 21.
  • the shutter 16 is then lifted off from its seat, over an axial distance of the order of a tenth of a millimeter.
  • the high pressure gas can be considered as flowing freely, after its expansion, in the lower space 26 of the well 3 adjacent to the element 4.
  • a solenoid valve 27 controlling the pipe 12 When the device is cooled, a solenoid valve 27 controlling the pipe 12 is opened.
  • the high pressure gas flows in the pipe 12 and is expanded at a high flow rate as the orifice 15 passes.
  • the expanded gas and, as a result, cooled, rises between the turns of the winding 7 until it is discharged into the surrounding atmosphere through the ports 14, by cooling against the current the high pressure working gas.
  • the temperature of the expanded gas decreases more and more, until the appearance of liquid in the chamber 26.
  • the temperature in chamber 26 is then approximately 120 ° K and is obtained after a cooling time of the order of 1 second. Very shortly before this instant, the temperature passes through the liquefaction or solidification temperature of the working gas under the inflation pressure of the actuator 18.
  • the small volume of working gas contained in the exchanger 24 liquefies or then suddenly solidifies, which causes the pressure in the chamber 21 to drop below the pressure prevailing in the chamber 26 and therefore in the bellows, thus releasing the mechanical action of the bellows: the plate 19 therefore rises suddenly and causes l application of the shutter 16 on its seat, closing the orifice 15 and leaving only a minimal leak rate.
  • the expanded gas flow is thus suddenly reduced to a low value but sufficient to keep the device cold; the pressure drop of the low pressure circuit is reduced by the same amount, and the temperature of the liquid contained in the chamber 26 drops to a value close to the boiling point at atmospheric pressure of the working gas.
  • the gas flow rate is very low, the device can be kept cold for an extended period of time.
  • the device thus described allows both: - obtain a very short cooling time, thanks to the high flow of working gas maintained until the end of cooling; - obtain a very low final temperature, thanks to the maximum reduction of the exchange loss of the low pressure circuit after cooling down; - ensure an extremely fast and reliable response from the actuator; - to have a very long operating autonomy, thanks to the low flow rate of working gas maintained after cooling down; - to agree with different working gases, in particular argon and nitrogen, thanks to the choice of properties of changes of state of the auxiliary gas.
  • the chamber 21, being located in the hot part can have relatively large dimensions, and it is the same for the plate 19, which allows a large range of choice for the characteristics of the actuator according to the gases used.
  • the seat 11, formed at the end of the rod 17, has a conical shape extending downwards.
  • the section 12 ′ is fitted into a conduit 121 extended by a nozzle 122 forming the restriction 30 and communicating via a conduit 150 with the expansion orifice 15 opening into the frustoconical wall of the seat.
  • the shutter 16, formed in the extension of the rod 17 is advantageously shaped as a double truncated cone of the same conicity as the seat 11, the lower part having a smaller thickness so as to provide, in the closed position shown, a peripheral clearance j providing a leakage rate parallel to that of the restriction 30 and limiting the risks of occlusion of the orifice 15.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Separation By Low-Temperature Treatments (AREA)
  • Gas Burners (AREA)
  • Physical Or Chemical Processes And Apparatus (AREA)
  • Photometry And Measurement Of Optical Pulse Characteristics (AREA)
  • Temperature-Responsive Valves (AREA)
EP90400656A 1989-03-15 1990-03-13 Joule-Thomson-Kühlvorrichtung Expired - Lifetime EP0388277B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR8903383A FR2645256B1 (fr) 1989-03-15 1989-03-15 Refroidisseur joule-thomson a deux debits
FR8903383 1989-03-15

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0388277A2 true EP0388277A2 (de) 1990-09-19
EP0388277A3 EP0388277A3 (en) 1990-11-28
EP0388277B1 EP0388277B1 (de) 1993-08-18

Family

ID=9379704

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP90400656A Expired - Lifetime EP0388277B1 (de) 1989-03-15 1990-03-13 Joule-Thomson-Kühlvorrichtung

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US5003783A (de)
EP (1) EP0388277B1 (de)
DE (1) DE69002783T2 (de)
FR (1) FR2645256B1 (de)
IL (1) IL93708A (de)
NO (1) NO172263C (de)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0582817A1 (de) * 1992-08-13 1994-02-16 BODENSEEWERK GERÄTETECHNIK GmbH Kühlsystem zum Abkühlen eines Kühlobjektes auf tiefe Temperaturen mittels eines Joule-Thomson-Kühlers
WO2012052278A1 (en) * 2010-10-18 2012-04-26 Kryoz Technologies B.V. Micro-cooling device

Families Citing this family (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5249425A (en) * 1992-07-01 1993-10-05 Apd Cryogenics Inc. Venting control system for cryostats
GB9406348D0 (en) * 1994-03-30 1994-05-25 Oxford Instr Uk Ltd Sample holding device
US5548963A (en) * 1995-06-08 1996-08-27 Hughes Missile Systems Company Joule-Thompson cryostat for use with multiple coolants
US5918471A (en) * 1997-11-21 1999-07-06 Raytheon Company Joule-Thomson cryostat in-line valve flow controller
US6374619B1 (en) * 1999-11-18 2002-04-23 Raytheon Company Adiabatic micro-cryostat system and method of making same
US6889763B1 (en) 2000-10-23 2005-05-10 Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. System for rapidly and uniformly cooling resist
RU2245497C2 (ru) * 2001-02-21 2005-01-27 Синтос Системс ОЮ Способ преобразования энергии и вихревая труба грицкевича для его осуществления
US10082319B2 (en) * 2015-10-15 2018-09-25 Raytheon Company Joule Thomson aided Stirling cycle cooler
CN110195995B (zh) * 2019-05-15 2020-12-18 中国电子科技集团公司第十一研究所 制冷器的自调机构及其装配方法、自调式j-t制冷器
CN110274404A (zh) * 2019-05-15 2019-09-24 中国电子科技集团公司第十一研究所 波纹管型自调式j-t制冷器

Citations (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR597993A (fr) * 1925-05-12 1925-12-03 Procédé et appareil de refroidissement par détente de gaz
US1831861A (en) * 1928-04-30 1931-11-17 Frigidaire Corp Refrigerating apparatus
FR1294808A (fr) * 1961-04-17 1962-06-01 Utilisation Ration Gaz Vanne de régulation pneumatique tout ou rien
FR2007776A1 (en) * 1968-05-03 1970-01-09 Hymatic Engineering Cooling equipment
FR2039955A5 (de) * 1969-03-25 1971-01-15 Hymatic Eng Co Ltd
FR2039956A5 (de) * 1969-03-25 1971-01-15 Hymatic Eng Co Ltd
FR2095319A1 (fr) * 1970-06-17 1972-02-11 Hymatic Eng Co Ltd Appareils refrigerants cryogeniques
FR2176544A1 (de) * 1972-03-23 1973-11-02 Air Liquide
US4631928A (en) * 1985-10-31 1986-12-30 General Pneumatics Corporation Joule-Thomson apparatus with temperature sensitive annular expansion passageway
EP0245164A1 (de) * 1986-05-05 1987-11-11 L'air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour L'etude Et L'exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude Joule-Thomson-Kühler

Family Cites Families (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3257823A (en) * 1964-06-17 1966-06-28 Little Inc A Expansion and liquefying apparatus employing the joule-thomson effect
US3413819A (en) * 1966-05-09 1968-12-03 Hughes Aircraft Co Flow rate control for a joule-thomson refrigerator
US3691784A (en) * 1970-02-03 1972-09-19 Hymatic Eng Co Ltd Cryogenic refrigerating apparatus
US3728868A (en) * 1971-12-06 1973-04-24 Air Prod & Chem Cryogenic refrigeration system
DE2547999A1 (de) * 1975-10-27 1977-04-28 Siemens Ag Steuereinheit fuer die stroemung eines kryogenen mediums
SU757814A1 (ru) * 1978-11-10 1980-08-23 Gennadij N Anikeev Микрохолодильник
US4237699A (en) * 1979-05-23 1980-12-09 Air Products And Chemicals, Inc. Variable flow cryostat with dual orifice
US4381652A (en) * 1982-01-15 1983-05-03 Santa Barbara Research Center Demand flow cryostat
GB2153509B (en) * 1984-01-26 1986-11-12 Hymatic Eng Co Ltd Cryogenic cooling apparatus
FR2568385B1 (fr) * 1984-07-30 1986-09-26 Telecommunications Sa Regulateur de refroidisseur a effet joule-thomson

Patent Citations (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR597993A (fr) * 1925-05-12 1925-12-03 Procédé et appareil de refroidissement par détente de gaz
US1831861A (en) * 1928-04-30 1931-11-17 Frigidaire Corp Refrigerating apparatus
FR1294808A (fr) * 1961-04-17 1962-06-01 Utilisation Ration Gaz Vanne de régulation pneumatique tout ou rien
FR2007776A1 (en) * 1968-05-03 1970-01-09 Hymatic Engineering Cooling equipment
FR2039955A5 (de) * 1969-03-25 1971-01-15 Hymatic Eng Co Ltd
FR2039956A5 (de) * 1969-03-25 1971-01-15 Hymatic Eng Co Ltd
FR2095319A1 (fr) * 1970-06-17 1972-02-11 Hymatic Eng Co Ltd Appareils refrigerants cryogeniques
FR2176544A1 (de) * 1972-03-23 1973-11-02 Air Liquide
US4631928A (en) * 1985-10-31 1986-12-30 General Pneumatics Corporation Joule-Thomson apparatus with temperature sensitive annular expansion passageway
EP0245164A1 (de) * 1986-05-05 1987-11-11 L'air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour L'etude Et L'exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude Joule-Thomson-Kühler

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0582817A1 (de) * 1992-08-13 1994-02-16 BODENSEEWERK GERÄTETECHNIK GmbH Kühlsystem zum Abkühlen eines Kühlobjektes auf tiefe Temperaturen mittels eines Joule-Thomson-Kühlers
WO2012052278A1 (en) * 2010-10-18 2012-04-26 Kryoz Technologies B.V. Micro-cooling device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0388277B1 (de) 1993-08-18
US5003783A (en) 1991-04-02
NO901131D0 (no) 1990-03-12
DE69002783T2 (de) 1993-12-09
FR2645256A1 (fr) 1990-10-05
NO172263C (no) 1993-06-23
EP0388277A3 (en) 1990-11-28
NO901131L (no) 1990-09-17
FR2645256B1 (fr) 1994-12-23
NO172263B (no) 1993-03-15
IL93708A (en) 1992-12-01
IL93708A0 (en) 1990-12-23
DE69002783D1 (de) 1993-09-23

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