Classifications

• • 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
  • F17C13/005—Details of vessels or of the filling or discharging of vessels for medium-size and small storage vessels not under pressure
  • F17C13/006—Details of vessels or of the filling or discharging of vessels for medium-size and small storage vessels not under pressure for Dewar vessels or cryostats
• • 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
  • F17C3/00—Vessels not under pressure
  • F17C3/02—Vessels not under pressure with provision for thermal insulation
  • F17C3/04—Vessels not under pressure with provision for thermal insulation by insulating layers
• • 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
  • F17C2201/00—Vessel construction, in particular geometry, arrangement or size
  • F17C2201/01—Shape
  • F17C2201/0147—Shape complex
  • F17C2201/0157—Polygonal
• • 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
  • F17C2203/03—Thermal insulations
  • F17C2203/0304—Thermal insulations by solid means
  • F17C2203/0358—Thermal insulations by solid means in form of panels
• • 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

Definitions

• This invention relates to a cryostat in accordance with the introduction to the main claim.
• cryostats have a structure defining an inner chamber to contain a liquid (for example argon) at low temperature.
• This structure generally comprises two elements or shells usually of metal such as steel contained one in the other, between them there being provided an insulating material, such as a superinsulant or perlite.
• cryostats are very heavy, making their transportation difficult. They are also of relatively complex construction because of their structure. This is particularly the case if perlite is used as insulant, this being a kind of sand which is difficult to work and very dangerous if inhaled by the cryostat construction personnel. Moreover, because of the presence of such perlite, known cryostats in which it is used are also difficult and laborious to dismantle, this having to be done very carefully in a suitably equipped environment in which any dispersion of the insulant into the atmosphere is prevented.
• An object of this invention is to provide a cryostat which is improved compared with similar known cryostats.
• a particular object of the invention is to provide a cryostat of very low weight and therefore easily transportable.
• a further object is to provide a cryostat of the stated type which is of simple construction and can be assembled without risk to assembly personnel .
• a further object is to provide a cryostat of low constructional cost and easy dismantling.
• FIG. 1 is a section through a cryostat of the invention
• Figure 2 is a detail of a modification of the cryostat of Figure 1 ;
• FIG. 3 is a section through a further modification of the cryostat of Figure 1.
• cryostat of the invention is indicated overall by 1 and comprises a structure 2 defining an inner chamber containing a liquid at low temperature, such as liquid argon.
• the structure 2 has walls comprising a plurality of panels connected together.
• the structure 2 comprises, on each side, a pair of panels 4, 5 of light metal such as aluminium, separated from each other by an intermediate panel 6 also of light metal such as aluminium.
• the panel 6 has a cellular structure, for example of honeycomb type.
• the panels 4, 5 and 6 formed in this manner (and connected together mechanically for example by welding, bonding, bolts or a combination of these mechanical fixings) form a single body 8 of light weight, but of high mechanical strength.
• a plurality of conduits 10 defining a cooling circuit in which gas such as liquid nitrogen is present.
• This circuit eliminates or at least considerably reduces heat passage from the outside of the structure 2 to the chamber 3.
• the honeycomb structure of the panel 6 there is an atmosphere present containing a high percentage of helium (or totally of helium).
• the cells (ie each honeycomb cavity) of the panel 6 are provided with apertures to enable said atmosphere (ie helium) to be fed into said panel (ie between the panels 4 and 6).
• the body 10 On its outer part (with respect to the chamber 3) the body 10 is provided with an least one insulating member 12 (for example two in Figures 1 and 3).
• This latter comprises composite panels having a cellular structure 13, for example honeycomb. In other words these panels comprise solid panels (not indicated on the figures) between which the structure 13 is present.
• This latter is constructed of materials of low thermal conductivity such as glass fibre, resin, paper or the like, and preferably comprises cells (or honeycombs) of small cross-section to prevent natural convection within it.
• each insulating member 12 contains a nitrogen atmosphere within its interior to prevent moisture entering the cryostat.
• an insulating interspace 15 of known material resistant to low temperature such as glass wool, so as to prevent any free space existing between said member and body.
• a further thermal screen 16 complete with an insulating interspace such as the interspace 15 can be positioned (see Figure 2) between two adjacent insulating members 12.
• the screen 16 can be cooled by nitrogen vapour present in a plurality of conduits 17 embedded within the screen and originating from the cold-producing circuit of the body 10 (which defines the actual cryostat).
• a cryostat such as described is of low weight, and because of its multiple panel form is simple to assemble and dismantle. It can be constructed in a short time at a lower cost than known cryostats.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Thermal Sciences (AREA)
• Filling Or Discharging Of Gas Storage Vessels (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=8166812

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

Families Citing this family (1)

Family Cites Families (7)

• 1997
  • 1997-12-11 WO PCT/EP1997/007142 patent/WO1999030075A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1997-12-11 EP EP97952955A patent/EP0960306A1/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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