EP4139613A1 - Appareil et procédé de génération de températures cryogéniques et utilisation correspondante - Google Patents

Appareil et procédé de génération de températures cryogéniques et utilisation correspondante

Info

Publication number
EP4139613A1
EP4139613A1 EP21721896.5A EP21721896A EP4139613A1 EP 4139613 A1 EP4139613 A1 EP 4139613A1 EP 21721896 A EP21721896 A EP 21721896A EP 4139613 A1 EP4139613 A1 EP 4139613A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
refrigerant mixture
heat exchanger
cooling
low
cooling stage
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.)
Pending
Application number
EP21721896.5A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Steffen Grohmann
Eugen SHABAGIN
David GOMSE
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.)
Karlsruher Institut fuer Technologie KIT
Original Assignee
Karlsruher Institut fuer Technologie KIT
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 Karlsruher Institut fuer Technologie KIT filed Critical Karlsruher Institut fuer Technologie KIT
Publication of EP4139613A1 publication Critical patent/EP4139613A1/fr
Pending legal-status Critical Current

Links

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
    • F25B9/002—Compression machines, plants or systems, in which the refrigerant is air or other gas of low boiling point characterised by the refrigerant
    • F25B9/006—Compression machines, plants or systems, in which the refrigerant is air or other gas of low boiling point characterised by the refrigerant the refrigerant containing more than one component
    • 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
    • F25B41/00—Fluid-circulation arrangements
    • F25B41/30—Expansion means; Dispositions thereof
    • F25B41/39—Dispositions with two or more expansion means arranged in series, i.e. multi-stage expansion, on a refrigerant line leading to the same evaporator
    • 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
    • F25B2400/00—General features or devices for refrigeration machines, plants or systems, combined heating and refrigeration systems or heat-pump systems, i.e. not limited to a particular subgroup of F25B
    • F25B2400/23—Separators

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a device and method for generating cryogenic temperatures, in particular for liquefying low-boiling fluids at a temperature of 15 K to 120 K and for cooling high-temperature superconductors to a temperature of 15 K to 90 K.
  • cryogenic temperatures in particular for liquefying low-boiling fluids at a temperature of 15 K to 120 K and for cooling high-temperature superconductors to a temperature of 15 K to 90 K.
  • other applications are possible.
  • the desired cooling is achieved here by the Joule-Thomson effect, which describes a temperature change during adiabatic, isenthalpic expansion of a real fluid.
  • the Joule-Thomson coefficient defined according to equation (1) has where the term (-) denotes a partial derivative of the temperature T with respect to the pressure p at constant enthalpy H and thus the expansion, has a positive value. This condition is given over a wide range of states of many fluids or can be achieved by precooling fluids.
  • the fluid is pre-cooled by means of an internal countercurrent heat exchanger (recuperator) before expansion to achieve cryogenic temperatures below 120 K.
  • the Linde-Hampson cycle begins in a compressor in which a fluid refrigerant is compressed to a high pressure, with the resulting compression heat being released in an aftercooler to the surroundings of the compressor.
  • the refrigerant is then cooled in a counterflow heat exchanger.
  • an expansion device preferably selected from an expansion valve, a throttle capillary, an orifice and a sintered element, the refrigerant expands adiabatically to a low pressure level and, given positive Joule-Thomson coefficients ⁇ i JT, continues to cool by means of the Joule-Thomson effect away.
  • a heat flow from an application to be cooled, in particular the high-temperature superconductor, can then be absorbed in an evaporator.
  • the refrigerant is reheated to ambient temperature in the counterflow heat exchanger, which acts as a dry cooler, before it flows back to the compressor. If this cycle is used to cool power supplies or to liquefy low-boiling fluids such as hydrogen, a heat flow from the power supply or the fluid to be cooled is also absorbed by the refrigerant within the countercurrent heat exchanger.
  • thermodynamic properties of the refrigerant can be changed by adding at least one further refrigerant which has a boiling point that differs from the refrigerant.
  • the Linde-Hampson cycle is operated with a high-boiling multicomponent mixture as the refrigerant instead of a pure substance, the cycle mainly taking place in a two-phase region of the mixture.
  • each cooling stage can preferably have its own high-boiling multicomponent mixture, so that the cycle in each cooling stage takes place predominantly in a two-phase region of the respective refrigerant mixture.
  • the refrigerant mixture can already be used on warm end of its cooling stage, for example in the first cooling stage in the vicinity of the ambient temperature, reach its dew point, whereupon it is successively condensed during the cooling process and is further subcooled after passing the boiling point.
  • the Joule-Thomson expansion thus takes place partly undercooled, partly with high proportions of liquid.
  • the effective heat capacity of the refrigerant flows of the relevant cooling stage in the countercurrent heat exchanger can be controlled in such a way that the temperature difference between the refrigerant flows of the cooling stage, preferably to a refrigerant mixture at least one further cooling stage or to a gas flow to be liquefied or cooled, preferably over the entire flow length of the countercurrent heat exchanger, reduced to a minimum.
  • Another aspect can be the disintegration of the fluid into two liquid phases, which occurs with some refrigerant mixtures.
  • the two liquid phases can differ in terms of polarity, degree of fluorination or chain length of their components.
  • a temperature range of around 300 K between the recooler and 15 K to 120 K after isenthalpic expansion to liquefy the low-boiling fluids or 15 K to 90 K for cooling high-temperature superconductors, which has to be bridged here, can be regarded as very large.
  • the cycle process can preferably take place in a cooling stage.
  • the cycle process can preferably take place in several stages in order to prevent higher-boiling components of the refrigerant from freezing out.
  • an upstream cooling stage also referred to in particular as a “pre-cooling stage”, can serve in particular for pre-cooling the refrigerant mixture of the relevant cooling stage.
  • thermodynamic properties of the refrigerant mixture used can be adjusted accordingly for a cooling stage.
  • An efficient refrigerant mixture has a dew point which, at high pressure level, is close to the recooling temperature of the relevant cooling stage. While the re-cooling temperature in the first cooling stage is usually in the range of the ambient temperature, in multi-stage processes the re-cooling temperature of a cooling stage is in the range of the cooling temperature generated by the isenthalpic expansion of the upstream cooling stage.
  • the temperature of the dew point of a cooling stage can be influenced in particular by the choice and proportions of higher-boiling components for the cooling stage in question.
  • the boiling temperature of the refrigerant mixture of a cooling stage should preferably be at the low pressure level just below the cooling temperature in order to prevent entropy being generated by a high proportion of liquid during expansion in the To keep expansion device as low as possible.
  • the selection and proportions of lower-boiling components have a considerable influence on the boiling temperature.
  • the refrigerant mixture of a cooling stage thus comprises both higher-boiling components and lower-boiling components, whereby the refrigerant mixture of a cooling stage is high-boiling overall.
  • the refrigerant mixture of the first stage can therefore preferably comprise about four to five refrigerants with higher boiling points and lower boiling points, preferably selected from hydrocarbons and fluorinated hydrocarbons, which are mixed in a ratio adapted for the intended application, and preferably proportions of low-boiling components, in particular selected from oxygen, nitrogen, argon, neon, hydrogen and helium.
  • the refrigerant mixture that is used for a further cooling stage, which is precooled by a preceding cooling stage can in practice comprise about two to four refrigerants with higher and lower boiling points, preferably selected from oxygen, nitrogen, argon, neon, hydrogen and helium , which are mixed in a ratio adapted for the intended application, in each case no components are selected that can freeze out at temperatures in the relevant cooling stage.
  • low gradients for the heat transport in the countercurrent heat exchanger contribute to high efficiency.
  • the low gradients require a large area to transmit a certain amount of power.
  • the requirements in terms of compactness and heat exchanger surface can be achieved by using microstructure heat exchangers with a large number of parallel, microstructured flow channels.
  • this can lead to a maldistribution of the refrigerant at the cold end of the heat exchanger of the respective cooling stage, in particular in the case of two-phase states of the refrigerant. In cryogenic applications, maldistribution occurs above all when strands arranged parallel to one another cool down at different rates.
  • a refrigerant mixture was first used for cooling, starting at an ambient temperature of around 300 K, which only comprised higher-boiling components that liquefied at the cold end of the heat exchanger.
  • all parallel inlet passages of the countercurrent heat exchanger on the low-pressure side could be flooded with liquid refrigerant, which prevented the misdistribution of the refrigerant at the cold end of the heat exchanger.
  • lower-boiling components were gradually added to the refrigerant mixture so that the heat exchanger could continue to operate optimally even at cryogenic temperatures without misdistribution of the refrigerant at the cold end of the heat exchanger.
  • the disadvantage of this solution is the gradual, manual addition of further components to the refrigerant mixture.
  • the object of the present invention is to provide a device and a method for generating cryogenic temperatures and their use which at least partially overcome the disadvantages and limitations of the prior art mentioned.
  • autonomous operation of the device and the method for generating cryogenic temperatures should be made possible, so that the device can be filled with a predefined refrigerant mixture and operated continuously.
  • an increase in the cooling capacity is to be achieved, especially in the cooling phase, and a maldistribution of the refrigerant under parallel flow channels at the cold end of a counterflow heat exchanger is to be prevented.
  • the terms “have”, “have”, “comprise” or “include” or any grammatical deviations therefrom are used in a non-exclusive manner. Accordingly, these terms can relate to situations in which, apart from the features introduced by these terms, no further features are present, or to situations in which one or more further features are present.
  • the phrase “A has B”, “A has B”, “A includes B” or “A includes B” can both refer to the situation in which, apart from B, no further element is present in A (ie on a situation in which A consists exclusively of B), as well as on the situation in which, in addition to B, one or more further elements are present in A, for example Element C, Elements C and D or even more elements.
  • the terms “at least one” and “one or more” as well as grammatical modifications of these terms, if they are used in connection with one or more elements or features and are intended to express that the element or feature is provided once or several times can be used, as a rule, only once, for example when the feature or element is introduced for the first time. If the feature or element is subsequently mentioned again, the corresponding term “at least one” or “one or more” is generally no longer used, without this limiting the possibility that the feature or element can be provided once or several times.
  • the present invention relates to a device for generating cryogenic temperatures.
  • the device that is set up to generate cryogenic temperatures can also be referred to as a “refrigeration system”.
  • cryogenic temperature here includes a temperature of 10 K, preferably 15 K, to 120 K, preferably up to 90 K.
  • the device for generating cryogenic temperatures here comprises at least one cooling stage, each of which has a cold area and a warm area.
  • the “warm area” denotes a first sub-area of the device which has a higher temperature compared to the cold area.
  • the device can be designed in such a way that at least part of the warm area of the respective subsequent cooling stage can correspond to the cold area of the respective preceding stage.
  • the warm area of the first cooling stage is preferably set up for ambient temperature and is usually kept at least at ambient temperature, with higher temperatures, for example up to 150 ° C., also occurring in the compressor in particular.
  • the term “ambient temperature” here relates to a temperature of 273 K, preferably 288 K, particularly preferably 293 K, to 313 K, preferably up to 303 K, particularly preferably up to 298 K.
  • cryogenic temperature denotes a further sub-area of the relevant cooling stage of the device, which is set up for a cryogenic temperature and is intended to be used to generate the respective cryogenic temperature.
  • cryogenic temperature reference is made to the definition above.
  • the cold area is introduced into a cryostat, preferably a vacuum-insulated cryostat.
  • a cryostat preferably a vacuum-insulated cryostat.
  • other types of cryostat are possible.
  • a refrigerant in each case relates to a preferably inert fluid which upon entry into the cold area of the respective cooling stage a positive Joule-Thomson coefficient ⁇ i JT> 0, and which is therefore suitable for use as a means for generating the cryogenic temperature in a cooling stage of the Linde-Hampson cycle.
  • the term “refrigerant mixture” denotes a mixture of at least two components of refrigerants, at least two of the components having a different boiling point.
  • the refrigerant mixture for the respective cooling stage includes both higher-boiling components and components lower-boiling components, which means that the refrigerant mixture as a whole can be described as “high-boiling”.
  • the refrigerant mixture for each cooling stage therefore preferably comprises at least two, preferably at least three, particularly preferably at least four, to eight, preferably up to six, preferably up to five refrigerants, with at least one of the refrigerants being a higher boiling point Component and at least one other of the refrigerants is a lower-boiling component.
  • the term “higher boiling” refers to fluids whose boiling point is at the temperature at the entry into the cold area of the respective cooling stage.
  • cold area reference is made to the definition above.
  • the term “lower-boiling” refers to fluids whose boiling point is below the temperature of the higher-boiling component of the respective cooling stage.
  • the lowest-boiling component of the refrigerant mixture of the respective cooling stage has a boiling temperature which is below the temperature after the isenthalpic expansion of the respective cooling stage and can thus in particular be a cryogenic temperature.
  • cryogenic temperature reference is made to the definition above.
  • the at least one higher-boiling component can preferably be selected from a hydrocarbon and a fluorinated hydrocarbon, while the at least one lower-boiling component can preferably be selected from oxygen, nitrogen, argon, neon, hydrogen and helium.
  • the refrigerant mixture for a further cooling stage can preferably comprise a refrigerant selected from oxygen, nitrogen, argon, neon, hydrogen and helium, which are preferably mixed in a ratio adapted for the intended application, preferably In each case those components are avoided which can freeze out at the temperatures in the relevant cooling stage.
  • the cold area comprises at least one cooling stage, which is set up for a cryogenic temperature and is intended to generate the cryogenic temperature, at least the devices mentioned below, which, as mentioned above, are preferably incorporated into a cryostat, in particular a vacuum-insulated cryostat are:
  • a first heat exchanger which has a high pressure side for receiving the refrigerant mixture at high pressure level from the warm area of the cooling stage and at least one low pressure side for delivering the refrigerant mixture to the warm area of the cooling stage;
  • a first expansion device which is set up to expand and cool the refrigerant mixture to the low-pressure level
  • a second heat exchanger which is set up for cooling and partial condensation of a portion of the refrigerant mixture located in a buffer volume, the buffer volume being set up to limit the pressure exerted by the refrigerant mixture; and - A second expansion device which is set up to separate the buffer volume from or to connect the buffer volume to the low-pressure level of the cooling stage.
  • the cold area of the at least one cooling stage can preferably include the further devices mentioned below, which are also preferably incorporated in the cryostat, in particular in the vacuum-insulated cryostat:
  • a third heat exchanger which is set up to cool an application
  • phase separator which is set up to separate a two-phase refrigerant mixture into a liquid phase and a vapor phase and for the separate supply of the liquid phase and the vapor phase to the low-pressure side of the first heat exchanger;
  • a third expansion device which is set up to relieve pressure on the low-pressure side of the cooling stage in the buffer volume
  • At least one additional high pressure side and at least one additional low pressure side in the first heat exchanger for pre-cooling and for heating up an additional refrigerant mixture of a downstream cooling stage
  • the cold area of the relevant cooling stage comprises a first heat exchanger, which is designed in particular as a countercurrent heat exchanger.
  • the term “heat exchanger” basically refers to any device which is configured to bring about a transfer of thermal energy from at least one high-pressure substance flow to at least one low-pressure substance flow.
  • thermal energy here relates to an energy of the respective material flow, which can essentially be described as a function of the temperature of the relevant material flow.
  • both the at least one high-pressure substance flow and the at least one low-pressure substance flow comprise the refrigerant mixture used for the respective cooling stage, the substance flows differing from one another in a temperature of the refrigerant mixture or the refrigerant mixtures.
  • the at least one low-pressure material flow of the lowest level has a lowest temperature in each section of the heat exchanger, followed by the temperature of the at least one low-pressure Material flow of an optional pre-cooling stage.
  • the at least one high-pressure substance flow has a temperature in each section of the heat exchanger which is above the at least one low-pressure substance flow.
  • counterflow heat exchanger relates to a special type of heat exchanger in which the high-pressure material flow adopts a direction that is opposite to the direction of the low-pressure material flow.
  • a particularly cold material flow can thus advantageously meet a particularly warm material flow, whereby a transfer of thermal energy from the at least one high-pressure substance flow to the at least one low-pressure substance flow can be configured as efficiently as possible.
  • the first heat exchanger comprised according to the invention by the cold area of the relevant cooling stage, accordingly has a first sub-area called the “high pressure side” and a second sub-area called the “low pressure side”, the high pressure side for receiving the refrigerant mixture from the warm area of the relevant cooling stage and the low pressure side are set up to deliver the refrigerant mixture to the warm area of the relevant cooling stage.
  • the refrigerant mixture supplied on the high pressure side from the associated warm area has a higher temperature compared to the refrigerant mixture provided on the low pressure side for delivery to the associated warm area.
  • the refrigerant mixture provided on the low-pressure side contributes significantly to the cooling of the refrigerant mixture supplied on the high-pressure side from the associated warm area, whereby the transfer of thermal energy can be made more efficient by the countercurrent heat exchanger preferably used.
  • the refrigerant mixture on the low pressure side of the relevant stage can absorb thermal energy from further material flows, for example from the high pressure side of a downstream cooling stage or from the cooling or liquefaction of a gas flow to be cooled or liquefied.
  • the refrigerant mixture enters the first heat exchanger at the high pressure level on the high pressure side, while the refrigerant mixture is provided on the low pressure side at the low pressure level.
  • high pressure level here denotes a pressure level that acts on the refrigerant mixture present there, the pressure of which has a value that exceeds the value of the pressure that acts on the refrigerant mixture provided on the low-pressure side.
  • the high pressure level of the cooling stage can have an absolute pressure of 1 bar, preferably 10 bar, particularly preferably 25 bar, to 150 bar, preferably up to 25 bar, particularly preferably up to 20 bar, while the low pressure level of the cooling stage an absolute pressure of 100 mbar, preferably from 1 bar, particularly preferably from 2 bar, to 50 bar, preferably up to 10 bar, particularly preferably up to 5 bar.
  • the high pressure level and for the low pressure level are possible, in particular depending on the refrigerant mixture used for the respective cooling stage.
  • the cold area of the relevant cooling stage comprises a first expansion device which is set up to expand and cool the refrigerant mixture to the low-pressure level.
  • the desired cooling of the refrigerant mixture may preferably by the Joule-Thomson effect can be obtained, wherein the equation (1) defined Joule-Thomson coefficient ⁇ i JT of the refrigerant mixture becomes a positive value.
  • the first expansion device thus causes, on the one hand, the reduction of the pressure acting on the refrigerant mixture from the high pressure level to the low pressure level and, on the other hand, the desired further cooling of the refrigerant mixture.
  • the expansion device can preferably be selected from an expansion valve, a throttle capillary, a diaphragm and a sintered body. However, it is conceivable to use a different expansion device.
  • the cold area of at least one cooling stage comprises a second heat exchanger which is set up for cooling and partial condensation of a portion of the refrigerant mixture in a buffer volume, the buffer volume for limiting the refrigerant mixture in the cooling stage to the lines for circulating the refrigerant mixture applied pressure is established.
  • the buffer volume can comprise at least one buffer container which
  • - In a first preferred embodiment, is located in the warm area and is connected via a line to a second volume located in the cold area, which is thermally coupled to the second heat exchanger, or,
  • the terms “buffer”, “buffer container” or “buffer volume” relate to a reservoir that is set up to provide a volume of a substance, in particular for a particular purpose.
  • the buffer volume comprises a volume which is set up to receive or dispense the refrigerant mixture, the intake or the discharge of the refrigerant mixture taking place in accordance with the pressure generated by the refrigerant mixture, whereby the pressure in the refrigeration system is within a specified range of values, in particular, can be kept as constant as possible.
  • an impermissible overpressure in the device for generating also known as the “refrigeration system”
  • Avoid cryogenic temperatures can be avoided.
  • the buffer container in refrigeration systems known from the prior art is usually arranged in the warm area, especially the pre-cooling stage, primarily to enable easy access to the buffer container on the one hand and to cool the volume of the buffer container and the substance contained therein on the other hand
  • the buffer container according to the present invention is either together with the second heat exchanger located in the cold area in the cold area, or is arranged in the warm area and with the volume located in the cold area and the second heat exchanger via a Line connected. This advantageously makes it possible for the second heat exchanger to be set up for cooling and for partial condensation of the portion of the refrigerant mixture in the buffer volume, in order in this way to further increase the cooling efficiency by the present device.
  • the buffer container located in the warm area can be connected via a line to a second volume located in the cold area, which is connected to the second heat exchanger, and can form a common buffer volume with the latter.
  • the second heat exchanger can be integrated in the buffer container located in the cold area, the term “integrated” indicating that the second heat exchanger is introduced into the buffer container in such a way that the buffer container completely encompasses the second heat exchanger the buffer volume corresponds to the volume of the buffer tank minus the volume of the second heat exchanger.
  • the second heat exchanger is set up for partial condensation of at least one of the components of the refrigerant mixture in the buffer volume of the relevant cooling stage to form at least one condensed component.
  • partial condensation denotes a transition of part of at least one of the components of the refrigerant mixture in the buffer volume of the relevant cooling stage from a gaseous state to a liquid state
  • condensed component denotes part of an in describes the liquid state component of the refrigerant mixture in the buffer volume of the relevant cooling stage.
  • the second heat exchanger can thus be set up in the form of a condenser, whereby the at least one condensed component can be generated by removing this enthalpy of vaporization, which is fed to the circulating refrigerant mixture at the low pressure level of the relevant cooling stage.
  • the buffer volume can in particular be set up so that the refrigerant mixture provided for the respective cooling stage, which has been cooled in the first expansion device, enters the second heat exchanger in such a way that only at least one higher-boiling component comprised by the refrigerant mixture in the buffer volume condenses and thus forms a condensed component of a liquid phase present in the buffer volume.
  • the present device for generating cryogenic temperatures can furthermore comprise a second expansion device, in particular a second expansion valve, the second expansion device preferably for the gradual or continuous supply of the at least one condensed component, which initially includes the at least one higher-boiling component includes, can be set up from the buffer volume in the lines that are used to circulate the refrigerant mixture at low pressure level.
  • the second expansion device can in particular be arranged between the buffer volume and the line through which the circulating refrigerant mixture flows after the second heat exchanger. In this way, an increase in the concentration of higher-boiling components in the circulating refrigerant mixture can initially take place automatically, ie in particular at the beginning of the cooling phase.
  • the buffer volume can also advantageously be set up so that the refrigerant mixture cooled in the first expansion device continues to enter the second heat exchanger, ie in particular during a further course of the cooling phase, in such a way that from the for the cooling stage in question in Buffer volume provided refrigerant mixture gradually further components of the refrigerant mixture with increasingly lower boiling temperature, in particular the at least one lower-boiling component, condense.
  • the liquid phase present in the buffer volume can preferably take up the at least one further condensed component and this can gradually be added to the refrigerant mixture at low pressure level via the second expansion device, which gradually increases the concentration of higher-boiling components in the refrigerant mixture in the buffer volume gradually decreases, that is to say in particular during the further course of the cooling phase, the concentration of lower-boiling components in the refrigerant mixture in the buffer volume increases.
  • the supply of the liquid phase present in the buffer volume via the second expansion device into the lines, which are used to circulate the refrigerant mixture at the low pressure level can take place gradually or continuously.
  • the concentration of higher-boiling components in the refrigerant mixture of the relevant cooling stage can be increased automatically, initially at the beginning of the cooling process, based on the equalization concentration when the cooling stage is at a standstill, and then the concentration gradually, i.e. in particular during the further course of the cooling phase of higher-boiling components in the refrigerant mixture of the cooling stage in question and gradually increasing the concentration of lower-boiling components in the refrigerant mixture in question until the desired cooling takes place and the cooling phase has ended. If the end of the cooling phase has thus been reached, the second expansion device can either remain open or be closed in the stationary operation of the present device.
  • the buffer volume can thus be set up to enable the desired autonomous operation of the device for generating cryogenic temperatures, so that the device can be filled at any time with a predefined refrigerant mixture set up for the respective cooling stage and operated continuously , the circulating refrigerant mixture in the relevant cooling stage at the beginning of the cooling phase has the concentration corresponding to the filling and then has a higher concentration of higher-boiling components by supplying higher-boiling components from the buffer volume, which gradually, ie during the course of the Cooling phase, is reduced in favor of the concentration of lower-boiling components.
  • the cold area of the relevant cooling stage of the present device for generating cryogenic temperatures can also have a third expansion device which is set up to relieve pressure on the low-pressure side of the cooling stage into the buffer volume.
  • the third expansion device can in particular be designed as a backflow preventer, which has an inlet side that only opens when the pressure on the low-pressure side is greater than in the buffer volume.
  • the third expansion device can in particular be selected from a non-return valve, a non-return valve, an overflow valve and a safety valve.
  • another type of configuration of the third expansion device is conceivable.
  • the cold area of the relevant cooling stage of the present device for generating cryogenic temperatures can furthermore comprise a third heat exchanger which is set up to cool an application.
  • application here basically relates to a substance or a component whose temperature can be reduced to a cryogenic temperature defined above by means of the present device for generating cryogenic temperatures, which can also be referred to as a “refrigeration system”.
  • the present device is particularly suitable for liquefying low-boiling fluids at temperatures of 15 K to 120 K or for cooling high-temperature superconductors or a component that includes at least one high-temperature superconductor.
  • high-temperature superconductor relates to at least one superconducting material whose superconductivity occurs at a temperature in particular above 15K.
  • other substances or components can also serve as an application.
  • the third heat exchanger can be designed as an evaporator.
  • evaporator refers to a device that is basically set up to bring a liquid component of a substance at least partially from a liquid state into a gaseous state, for which an evaporation enthalpy is required that is the environment of the substance and / or the liquid component can be withdrawn.
  • at least one component of the refrigerant mixture can be evaporated in the third heat exchanger, which is preferably designed as an evaporator, whereby the enthalpy of evaporation required for this can be taken from the application to be cooled, in particular the high-temperature superconductor or the gas flow to be liquefied.
  • the relevant cooling stage of the present device for generating cryogenic temperatures can furthermore have a phase separator which is set up to separate a condensed liquid phase from a gaseous phase of the respective refrigerant mixture in such a way that the two phases as separate low-pressure currents can flow through the low-pressure side of the first heat exchanger.
  • phase separator basically denotes a device which is set up to separate at least two phases of a substance, in particular a gaseous phase from a liquid phase.
  • the phase separator can be set up in particular to supply at least one liquid component from the refrigerant mixture as a liquid low-pressure substance flows directly into the low-pressure side of the first heat exchanger, in order to cool the high-pressure side from the warm area of the relevant cooling stage supplied refrigerant mixture, the at least one gaseous component as a separate gaseous low-pressure substance flow likewise entering the first heat exchanger directly and parallel to the liquid low-pressure substance flow and also contributing to the cooling of the refrigerant mixture supplied on the high-pressure side.
  • the device is set up in such a way that, in the case of two-phase states of the refrigerant mixture flowing at low pressure level, during the cooling phase and in stationary operation, the cold liquid component of the refrigerant mixture of the relevant cooling stage can enter the low-pressure side of the first heat exchanger evenly, which increases efficiency the cooling of the warm refrigerant mixture entering the first heat exchanger from the warm area of the relevant cooling stage can be increased further.
  • the first heat exchanger is designed in the form of a microstructure heat exchanger with a large number of parallel, microstructured flow channels
  • no maldistribution of the refrigerant mixture can occur at the cold end of the heat exchanger, since strands arranged parallel to one another can cool down at the same rate .
  • this is achieved in that during the cooling phase, beginning in the first cooling stage at an ambient temperature of about 300 K, a refrigerant mixture is automatically generated and provided, which mainly comprises higher-boiling components that can liquefy at the cold end of the heat exchanger.
  • the inventive design of the buffer volume automatically adds lower-boiling components to the refrigerant mixture, so that the first heat exchanger can be operated optimally in the further course even at cryogenic temperatures without misdistribution of the refrigerant at the cold end of the heat exchanger.
  • the phase separator and the separate low-pressure material flows in the first heat exchanger also prevent incorrect distribution and the optimal cooling of the high pressure side achieved.
  • This type of configuration can preferably also be set up in one of the subsequent cooling stages of the device. It is particularly advantageous that this enables autonomous operation of the device for generating cryogenic temperatures.
  • the present invention relates to a method for generating cryogenic temperatures, which can be carried out in particular using the device described herein for generating cryogenic temperatures.
  • the present method comprises method steps a) to e), which can be carried out for a considered volume of the refrigerant mixture, preferably as a cycle process with the sequence a), b), c), d) and e) for as long as desired.
  • the method can preferably be carried out anew with a further volume of the refrigerant mixture for the relevant cooling stage in the specified order, so that during or after the execution of step a) for a previously provided volume of the refrigerant mixture, the method can be repeated in parallel with another Volume of the refrigerant mixture can be carried out.
  • the steps of the present method for generating cryogenic temperatures are in detail: a) Introducing a refrigerant mixture set up for a cooling stage of a device for generating cryogenic temperatures at high pressure level from a warm area of the cooling stage into a high pressure side of a first heat exchanger, the refrigerant mixture at least two Has components with different boiling temperatures from one another; b) expanding and cooling the refrigerant mixture to the low-pressure level by means of a first expansion device; c) From cooling and partial condensation of at least one component of a portion of the refrigerant mixture located in a buffer volume by means of a second heat exchanger by releasing thermal energy to the refrigerant mixture at the low-pressure level, the buffer volume being set up to limit the pressure exerted by the refrigerant mixture; d) supplying a condensed liquid phase from the buffer volume via the second expansion device to the refrigerant mixture at the low pressure level until a desired steady operating state or a pressure equalization between the buffer volume and the low pressure level is reached
  • the present method for generating cryogenic temperatures can optionally include the following steps f) and g), steps f) and g) preferably taking place between steps c) and e), step d) before step f) , after step f) or after step g): f) cooling an application by means of a third heat exchanger; g) Separating a two-phase refrigerant mixture at the low pressure level into a liquid phase and a gaseous phase and separately supplying the liquid phase and the gaseous phase separated from one another to the low pressure side of the first heat exchanger.
  • a refrigerant mixture at high pressure level from a warm area of a cooling stage of a device for generating cryogenic temperatures is introduced into a high pressure side of a first heat exchanger, preferably a countercurrent heat exchanger, whereby the refrigerant mixture in question is cooled to a lower temperature compared to the warm area of the cooling stage.
  • a previously used volume of refrigerant mixture which is already present and which is introduced into the low-pressure side of the first heat exchanger, preferably the countercurrent heat exchanger, according to step d) serves for cooling.
  • the refrigerant mixture comprises at least two components with boiling temperatures that differ from one another.
  • step b) the refrigerant mixture is expanded and cooled to the low-pressure level by means of a first expansion device, as a result of which the refrigerant mixture is now at low pressure and a lower temperature compared to the outlet of the first heat exchanger.
  • step c) cooling and partial condensation of at least one component in a buffer volume now take place
  • the proportion of the refrigerant mixture located by means of a second heat exchanger by releasing thermal energy to the refrigerant mixture flowing through the second heat exchanger at low pressure level, which flows through the second heat exchanger after the first expansion device, whereby a liquid phase with at least one higher-boiling component is created, in particular at the bottom of the buffer volume forms.
  • the following step d) is also carried out, in which a condensed liquid phase from the buffer volume is gradually or continuously fed to the refrigerant mixture at the low pressure level by means of the second expansion device until a desired steady operating state or a pressure equalization between the buffer volume and the low pressure level is achieved.
  • concentration of higher-boiling components in the refrigerant mixture of the stage can be increased at the beginning of the cooling process and thus a higher cooling capacity can be achieved, while towards the end of the cooling process and in stationary operation, a higher concentration of lower-boiling components in the refrigerant mixture of the stage and thus a lower temperature , preferably a cryogenic temperature, can be achieved.
  • feeding the at least one condensed component into the lines for circulating the refrigerant mixture at the low-pressure level can bring about a change in a momentary concentration of the components in the respective refrigerant mixture.
  • the current concentration of the components in this refrigerant mixture can preferably be changed in such a way that initially at least one higher-boiling component of the refrigerant mixture and increasingly at least one lower-boiling component of the refrigerant mixture condenses.
  • the refrigerant mixture is now released from a low-pressure side of the first heat exchanger to the warm area of the cooling stage, but can be used here to transfer a further volume of refrigerant mixture provided according to step a) by means of the first heat exchanger, preferably the countercurrent heat exchanger, to cool down for the first time.
  • an application in an additional step f), can be cooled by means of a third heat exchanger.
  • the application can in particular a cooling or liquefaction of low-boiling fluids at a temperature preferably from 15 K to 120 K or a cooling of high-temperature superconductors or a component which has at least one high-temperature superconductor to a temperature preferably of 15 K to 90 K.
  • step g) can also be carried out, preferably during the cycle described above, wherein the separation of a two-phase refrigerant mixture at low pressure level is preferably carried out by means of a phase separator into a liquid phase and a gaseous phase can, which can be fed to the first heat exchanger as separate low-pressure material flows and so can flow through the first heat exchanger on the low-pressure side separately in parallel, whereby a uniform flow and cooling as well as a high efficiency of the first heat exchanger can be ensured.
  • the present method for generating cryogenic temperatures can optionally include at least one further step, in particular selected from:
  • the present invention relates to a use of a device for generating cryogenic temperatures.
  • the use can be selected with particular preference from liquefying low-boiling fluids at temperatures from 15 K to 120 K and cooling high-temperature superconductors to temperatures from 15 K to 90 K.
  • FIGS. 1 to 5 each show a schematic representation of a cold area of a preferred exemplary embodiment of a device according to the invention for generating cryogenic temperatures
  • FIG. 6 shows a schematic representation of a preferred exemplary embodiment of a method according to the invention for generating cryogenic temperatures.
  • FIGS I to 5 each show a schematic representation of a preferred embodiment of a cold area HO of a cooling stage I I I of a device 112 for generating cryogenic temperatures, which can also be referred to as a “refrigeration system”.
  • cryogenic temperature relates to a temperature of 10 K, preferably 15 K, to 120 K, preferably up to 90 K.
  • the cold region 110 of the cooling stage 111 is preferably introduced into a vacuum-insulated cryostat 114.
  • the cooling stage 111 of the device 112 further comprises a warm area 116, which has a higher temperature compared to the cold area 110.
  • the device 112 shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 is designed in a single stage and thus comprises exactly one cooling stage 111 with the cold area 110 and the warm area 116.
  • the warm area 116 of the cooling stage 111 is preferred set up for ambient temperature and is usually kept at ambient temperature.
  • ambient temperature reference is made to the definition above.
  • a refrigerant mixture is provided in the warm region 116, which comprises a mixture of at least two components of refrigerants set up for the cooling stage 111, at least two of the components having a boiling point that differs from one another.
  • a high-boiling refrigerant mixture which comprises both at least one higher-boiling component and at least one lower-boiling component.
  • the at least one higher-boiling component can preferably be selected from a hydrocarbon and a fluorinated hydrocarbon, while the at least one lower-boiling component can preferably be selected from oxygen, nitrogen, argon, neon, hydrogen and helium.
  • other substances are possible.
  • the warm refrigerant mixture is introduced from the warm area 116 into the cold area 110 at high pressure level by means of a feed line 118 which opens into a high pressure side 120 of a first heat exchanger 122, which is designed as a countercurrent heat exchanger 124 in the exemplary illustration according to FIG. Furthermore, the first heat exchanger 122 has a low-pressure side 126, which is designed to deliver the cold refrigerant mixture to the warm region 116 by means of a discharge line 128.
  • the warm refrigerant mixture supplied from the warm region 116 to the high-pressure side 120 thus has a higher temperature compared to the refrigerant mixture provided on the low-pressure side 126 for delivery to the warm region 116.
  • the cold refrigerant mixture provided on the low-pressure side 126 contributes significantly to the cooling of the warm refrigerant mixture supplied to the high-pressure side 120 from the warm area 116, whereby a transfer of thermal energy through the countercurrent heat exchanger 124 can be configured more efficiently that the high-pressure side 120
  • the warm refrigerant mixture supplied from the warm region 116 flows in a direction 130 which is opposite to a direction 132 of the cold refrigerant mixture provided on the low-pressure side 126.
  • the warm refrigerant mixture which was already partially cooled on the high pressure side 120 in the first heat exchanger 122 and originally supplied from the warm region 116, then passes via a line 134 into a first expansion device 136, which is designed here as an expansion valve.
  • a first expansion device 136 as a throttle capillary, diaphragm or sintered element is possible.
  • the first expansion device 136 is also located in the cold area 110 and is set up to cool the refrigerant mixture to the low-pressure level.
  • the first expansion valve 136 can preferably be set up to to achieve the desired cooling of the refrigerant mixture by means of the Joule-Thomson effect, because the refrigerant mixture of the cooling stage 111 was adjusted so that the equation (1) defined Joule-Thomson coefficient ⁇ i JT of the refrigerant mixture at the temperature of the cold side 110 of the cooling stage 111 has a positive value.
  • the first expansion valve 136 thus effects, on the one hand, the reduction of the pressure acting on the refrigerant mixture from the high pressure level to the low pressure level and, on the other hand, the desired further cooling of the refrigerant mixture.
  • the further cooled and expanded refrigerant mixture then reaches a second heat exchanger 148 via a further line 138 and an inlet 147 and exits the second heat exchanger 148 at an outlet 149.
  • the second heat exchanger 148 is thermally coupled to a second volume 146.
  • the second volume 146 is part of a buffer volume 140 which is set up to limit the pressure exerted by the refrigerant mixture.
  • the buffer volume 140 comprises a buffer container 142 which is arranged in the warm region 116 of the device 112 and which is connected to the second volume 146 via a line 144.
  • FIG. 1 the buffer volume 140 comprises a buffer container 142 which is arranged in the warm region 116 of the device 112 and which is connected to the second volume 146 via a line 144.
  • the buffer container 142 is also arranged in the cold area 110, the second heat exchanger 148 being integrated into the buffer container 142 and thus introduced into the buffer container 142 in such a way that the buffer container 142 completely encompasses the second heat exchanger 148 .
  • the second heat exchanger 148 is set up for cooling and partial condensation of the refrigerant mixture in the buffer volume 140 in order in this way to further increase the efficiency of the cooling by the present device.
  • the second heat exchanger 148 is set up for partial condensation of at least one of the components of a part of the refrigerant mixture which is located in the buffer volume 140 to form at least one condensed component.
  • the second heat exchanger 148 can preferably be set up in the form of a condenser, with the generation of the at least one condensed component in the buffer volume 140 by removing the enthalpy of vaporization from the condensed component, which is removed from the circulating refrigerant mixture at low pressure level between the inlet 147 and is fed to the outlet 149 of the second heat exchanger 148.
  • the refrigerant mixture cooled in the first expansion valve 136 enters the second heat exchanger 148 in such a way that from the part of the refrigerant mixture that is located in the buffer volume 140 initially, ie at the beginning the cooling phase, only at least one higher-boiling component condenses, which forms a condensed component in the form of a liquid phase (not shown).
  • the cold area 110 of the device 112 comprises a second expansion device 150, which is used for the gradual or continuous feeding of the liquid phase formed or present in the buffer volume 140 into a further line 156 for the circulation of the refrigerant mixture at low pressure. Level serves.
  • the second expansion device 150 is also designed here as an expansion valve; however, an alternative design as a combination of a solenoid valve and a throttle capillary, diaphragm or sintered element is possible.
  • the second expansion device 150 is arranged in particular at an outlet 152 of the buffer volume 140 in a line 154.
  • the expansion device 150 can be closed at the beginning of the cooling process until a liquid phase is formed in the buffer volume 140.
  • the liquid phase can be supplied completely or partially from the buffer volume 140 via the line 154 to the refrigerant mixture circulating in the line 156 at low pressure level. In this way, especially at the beginning of the cooling phase, starting from the equalizing concentration corresponding to the filling of the cooling stage at standstill, the concentration of higher-boiling components in the circulating refrigerant mixture of the stage can automatically be increased.
  • the expansion device 150 can subsequently be closed or dimensioned such that a liquid phase is again formed in the buffer volume 140 in front of the outlet 152 or a liquid phase is continuously present.
  • the liquid phase formed or present in the buffer volume 140 can preferably take up the at least one further condensed component.
  • the liquid phase present in the buffer volume 140 can also continue to be fed completely or partially via the second expansion device 150 step by step or continuously to the line 156 for the circulation of the refrigerant mixture at the low pressure level.
  • the concentration of higher-boiling components in the refrigerant mixture in the buffer volume 140 and gradually decreases as a result and gradually the concentration of lower-boiling components in the refrigerant mixture in the buffer volume 140 increases.
  • the concentration of higher-boiling components in the circulating refrigerant mixture is automatically reduced again and gradually the concentration of lower-boiling components in the Refrigerant mixture can be increased again until the cooling phase has ended.
  • the second expansion device 150 can be closed or remain open in order to set stationary operation of the device 112.
  • the buffer volume 140 can thus be set up to enable the desired autonomous operation of the device 112 in that the device 112 can be filled with a predefined refrigerant mixture at any time and operated continuously, the circulating Refrigerant mixture at the beginning of the cooling phase has the equalization concentration corresponding to the filling of the cooling stage, then has a higher concentration of higher boiling components by adding higher boiling components from the buffer volume 140, which gradually, ie during the course of the cooling phase, in favor of the concentration of lower boiling components Components is reduced again.
  • the device 112 can also have a third expansion device 160 in the cold region 110, which is set up to relieve pressure on the low-pressure side of the cooling stage 111 in the buffer volume 140.
  • the expansion device 160 is preferably connected to the line 138; however, a connection to any other suitable line on the low-pressure side of the cooling stage 111 is possible.
  • the third expansion device 160 can in particular be designed as a backflow preventer, which has an inlet side 162 marked by a dot, which only opens when the pressure on the low-pressure side is greater than in the buffer volume 140.
  • the third expansion device 160 can in particular be selected a check valve, a check valve, an overflow valve and a safety valve; however, another design is possible.
  • the third expansion device 160 can therefore preferably be used as a safety device for pressure protection on the low-pressure side, for example in the event of a quenching of a superconducting application or a break in the insulation vacuum.
  • the refrigerant mixture that circulates in the line 156 shown schematically in FIGS. 1 to 5 can finally enter the low-pressure side 126 of the first heat exchanger 122, from which it is released to the warm region 116 of the cooling stage 111.
  • the device 112 can also have a third heat exchanger 164 in the cold region 110, which is introduced into the line 156 for circulating the refrigerant mixture and which is set up to cool an application 166, the Application 166 comprises a substance or a component, the temperature of which can be reduced to a cryogenic temperature by means of the device 112.
  • the third heat exchanger 164 is preferably designed as an evaporator, with at least one component of the circulating refrigerant mixture being partially evaporated at the low pressure level in that the required enthalpy of evaporation is taken from the application 166 to be cooled.
  • other designs of the third heat exchanger 164 are conceivable.
  • the device 112 can also have a phase separator 170 in the cold area 110, which is used to separate a two-phase refrigerant mixture that is produced by partial evaporation in the second heat exchanger 148 and / or in the third heat exchanger 164 is formed, is set up in a liquid phase and in a vapor phase as well as for separate supply of the liquid phase and the vapor phase to the low-pressure side 126 of the first heat exchanger 122.
  • a phase separator 170 in the cold area 110 which is used to separate a two-phase refrigerant mixture that is produced by partial evaporation in the second heat exchanger 148 and / or in the third heat exchanger 164 is formed, is set up in a liquid phase and in a vapor phase as well as for separate supply of the liquid phase and the vapor phase to the low-pressure side 126 of the first heat exchanger 122.
  • the liquid phase is fed to a first low-pressure stream 176 by means of a line 172 and the vaporous phase is fed to a second low-pressure stream 178 of the low-pressure side 126 of the first heat exchanger 122 by means of a separate line 174.
  • the first low-pressure stream 176 which absorbs the liquid phase with the higher cooling capacity from the two-phase refrigerant mixture due to the enthalpy of evaporation, is preferably conducted closer to the high-pressure side 120, which is used to cool the refrigerant mixture from the warm area 116 via the line 118 in the first heat exchanger 122 is set up in the cold area 110.
  • the cold area 110 of the cooling stage 111 of the device 112 is set up in such a way that the cold liquid component of the refrigerant mixture is mainly used to cool the warm refrigerant mixture entering the first heat exchanger 122 from the warm area 116, even during the cooling phase, whereby can further increase the efficiency of the cooling of the device 112.
  • the cold gaseous component of the refrigerant mixture is also used to a lesser extent via the second low-pressure flow 178 on the low-pressure side 126 of the first heat exchanger 122 to cool the warm refrigerant mixture entering the first heat exchanger 122 in the warm region 116.
  • the first heat exchanger 122 is designed in the form of a microstructure heat exchanger with a plurality of parallel, microstructured flow channels in which strands arranged parallel to one another can be cooled at the same speed.
  • a refrigerant mixture is first generated and provided automatically, which mainly comprises higher-boiling components that can liquefy at the cold end of the heat exchanger 122.
  • the inventive design of the buffer volume 140 automatically adds lower-boiling components to the refrigerant mixture, so that the first heat exchanger 122 is optimal in the further course even at cryogenic temperatures without misdistribution of the refrigerant at the cold end of the heat exchanger 122 can be operated. Autonomous operation of the device for generating cryogenic temperatures is thereby made possible in a particularly advantageous manner.
  • FIG. 6 shows a schematic representation of a preferred exemplary embodiment of a method 210 for generating cryogenic temperatures, which can in particular be carried out using the device 112 described herein.
  • a refrigerant mixture according to step a) is introduced at high pressure level from the warm area 116 of the cooling stage 111 of the device 112 for generating cryogenic temperatures into the high pressure side 120 of the first heat exchanger 122, preferably of the countercurrent heat exchanger 124, and is transferred there to an im Cooled compared to the warm area 116 lower temperature.
  • step 214 the refrigerant mixture is expanded and cooled to low pressure level by means of the first expansion device 136, whereby the refrigerant mixture is now at low pressure and a lower temperature compared to the high pressure output of the first heat exchanger 122.
  • a condensation step 216 there is a cooling and partial condensation of at least one component of a portion of the buffer volume 140 located refrigerant mixture by means of the second heat exchanger 148 by releasing thermal energy to the refrigerant mixture at low pressure level, which flows through the second heat exchanger 148 after the first expansion device 136.
  • a feed s step 218 there is a gradual or continuous feed of a condensed liquid phase from the buffer volume 140 via the second expansion device 150 to the circulating refrigerant mixture at low pressure level until a steady operating state or a pressure equalization between the buffer volume 140 and the low pressure level is reached.
  • the application 166 can be cooled by means of the third heat exchanger 164.
  • application 166 can in particular liquefy low-boiling fluids at a temperature of 15 K to 120 K, or cool high-temperature superconductors or a component that has at least one high-temperature superconductor to a temperature of 15 K. up to 90 K.
  • a two-phase refrigerant mixture at low pressure level can be separated into a liquid phase and a gaseous phase, for which the phase separator 170 can preferably be used, with a separate supply of the one another separate liquid phase and the gaseous phase in the lines 172, 174 to the low-pressure flows 176, 178 of the low-pressure side 126 of the first heat exchanger 122 can take place.
  • a dispensing step 224 the refrigerant mixture is now dispensed from the low-pressure side 126 of the first heat exchanger 122 to the warm region 116 and, as described above, can be used to add a further volume of refrigerant mixture provided in the preparation step 212 by means of the first heat exchanger 122, preferably the countercurrent heat exchanger 124, to cool down for the first time.
  • the present method 210 for generating cryogenic temperatures can optionally include at least one further step (not shown), in particular selected from: - Pre-cooling and warming up of an additional refrigerant mixture of a downstream cooling stage in at least one additional high pressure side and at least one additional low pressure side in the first heat exchanger 122,

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Separation By Low-Temperature Treatments (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un appareil (112) et un procédé (210) pour générer des températures cryogéniques. L'appareil (112) comprend au moins un étage de refroidissement (111) qui présente une zone froide (110) et une zone chaude (116) et un mélange réfrigérant conçu spécifiquement pour l'étage de refroidissement (111) étant disposé dans la zone chaude (116), le mélange réfrigérant présentant au moins deux constituants présentant chacun une température d'ébullition différente, et la zone froide (110) comprenant au moins un étage de refroidissement (111) : - un premier échangeur de chaleur (122) qui présente un côté haute pression (120) pour recevoir le mélange réfrigérant à un niveau de haute pression à partir de la zone chaude (116) de l'étage de refroidissement (111) et un côté basse pression (126) pour distribuer le mélange réfrigérant à la zone chaude (116) de l'étage de refroidissement (111) ; - un premier dispositif d'expansion (136), qui est conçu pour l'expansion et pour le refroidissement du mélange réfrigérant à un niveau de basse pression ; - un deuxième échangeur de chaleur (148), qui est conçu pour refroidir et pour condenser partiellement une partie du mélange réfrigérant situé dans un volume tampon (140), le volume tampon (140) étant conçu pour limiter la pression exercée par le mélange réfrigérant ; et - un deuxième dispositif d'expansion (150), qui est conçu pour séparer le volume tampon (140) du niveau de basse pression de l'étage de refroidissement (111) ou la liaison du volume tampon (140) audit niveau de basse pression. L'invention permet un fonctionnement autonome de l'appareil (112) et du procédé (210) pour générer des températures cryogéniques, dans lequel chaque étage de refroidissement (111) de l'appareil (112) peut être rempli d'un mélange réfrigérant prédéfini et peut fonctionner en permanence et, en particulier dans la phase de refroidissement, la capacité de réfrigération peut être augmentée, tandis qu'une distribution incorrecte du réfrigérant de l'étage de refroidissement (111) en question parmi des canaux d'écoulement parallèles au niveau de l'extrémité froide du premier échangeur de chaleur (122) peut être empêchée.
EP21721896.5A 2020-04-23 2021-04-22 Appareil et procédé de génération de températures cryogéniques et utilisation correspondante Pending EP4139613A1 (fr)

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DE102020205183.6A DE102020205183A1 (de) 2020-04-23 2020-04-23 Vorrichtung und Verfahren zur Erzeugung kryogener Temperaturen und ihre Verwendung
PCT/EP2021/060539 WO2021214225A1 (fr) 2020-04-23 2021-04-22 Appareil et procédé de génération de températures cryogéniques et utilisation correspondante

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US (1) US20230204258A1 (fr)
EP (1) EP4139613A1 (fr)
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DE (1) DE102020205183A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2021214225A1 (fr)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5063747A (en) 1990-06-28 1991-11-12 United States Of America As Represented By The United States National Aeronautics And Space Administration Multicomponent gas sorption Joule-Thomson refrigeration
US6380544B1 (en) * 2000-03-21 2002-04-30 Perkinelmer, Inc. Germanium gamma-ray detector
EP2351976B1 (fr) * 2000-05-30 2015-09-09 Brooks Automation, Inc. Système de réfrigération basse température
WO2003060390A1 (fr) 2002-01-08 2003-07-24 Shi-Apd Cryogenics, Inc. Cryopompe dotee d'un refrigerateur de tube emetteur d'impulsions a deux etages
US7404295B2 (en) 2002-03-22 2008-07-29 Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd. Ultra-low temperature regenerator and refrigerator
US6595009B1 (en) 2002-07-17 2003-07-22 Praxair Technology, Inc. Method for providing refrigeration using two circuits with differing multicomponent refrigerants
US6666046B1 (en) 2002-09-30 2003-12-23 Praxair Technology, Inc. Dual section refrigeration system
WO2006051622A1 (fr) * 2004-11-15 2006-05-18 Mayekawa Mfg. Co., Ltd Procede et dispositif de refrigeration et liquefaction cryogeniques
NO328493B1 (no) * 2007-12-06 2010-03-01 Kanfa Aragon As System og fremgangsmåte for regulering av kjøleprosess
EP2562489B1 (fr) * 2010-04-23 2020-03-04 Sumitomo Heavy Industries, LTD. Système de refroidissement et procédé de refroidissement
US20190226724A1 (en) * 2018-01-24 2019-07-25 National Institute Of Standards And Technology (Nist) Compact Low-power Cryo-Cooling Systems for Superconducting Elements

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JP2023522465A (ja) 2023-05-30
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US20230204258A1 (en) 2023-06-29

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