US20100140510A1 - Method and device for cooling a gas - Google Patents

Method and device for cooling a gas Download PDF

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Publication number
US20100140510A1
US20100140510A1 US12/450,219 US45021908A US2010140510A1 US 20100140510 A1 US20100140510 A1 US 20100140510A1 US 45021908 A US45021908 A US 45021908A US 2010140510 A1 US2010140510 A1 US 2010140510A1
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Prior art keywords
gas
vacuum
nozzle
cooling medium
liquefier
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Markus Buescher
Alexander Boukharov
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Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH
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Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH
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Publication of US20100140510A1 publication Critical patent/US20100140510A1/en
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    • 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
    • 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
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D19/00—Arrangement or mounting of refrigeration units with respect to devices or objects to be refrigerated, e.g. infrared detectors
    • 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
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
    • F25J1/0002—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures characterised by the fluid to be liquefied
    • F25J1/0005—Light or noble gases
    • F25J1/001—Hydrogen
    • 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
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
    • F25J1/02—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process
    • F25J1/0221—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process using the cold stored in an external cryogenic component in an open refrigeration loop
    • 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
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
    • F25J1/02—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process
    • F25J1/0243—Start-up or control of the process; Details of the apparatus used; Details of the refrigerant compression system used
    • F25J1/0257—Construction and layout of liquefaction equipments, e.g. valves, machines
    • F25J1/0275—Construction and layout of liquefaction equipments, e.g. valves, machines adapted for special use of the liquefaction unit, e.g. portable or transportable devices
    • F25J1/0276—Laboratory or other miniature devices
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21B—FUSION REACTORS
    • G21B1/00—Thermonuclear fusion reactors
    • G21B1/11—Details
    • G21B1/19—Targets for producing thermonuclear fusion reactions, e.g. pellets for irradiation by laser or charged particle beams
    • 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
    • F25B2400/17—Re-condensers
    • 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
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J2205/00—Processes or apparatus using other separation and/or other processing means
    • F25J2205/20—Processes or apparatus using other separation and/or other processing means using solidification of components
    • 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
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J2210/00—Processes characterised by the type or other details of the feed stream
    • F25J2210/42—Nitrogen
    • 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
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J2240/00—Processes or apparatus involving steps for expanding of process streams
    • F25J2240/40—Expansion without extracting work, i.e. isenthalpic throttling, e.g. JT valve, regulating valve or venturi, or isentropic nozzle, e.g. Laval
    • 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
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J2290/00—Other details not covered by groups F25J2200/00 - F25J2280/00
    • F25J2290/12—Particular process parameters like pressure, temperature, ratios
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E30/00—Energy generation of nuclear origin
    • Y02E30/10—Nuclear fusion reactors

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a method and to a device for cooling a gas, and particularly for liquefying a gas.
  • a variety of materials can be used to produce a plasma by bombardment with intensive laser light.
  • a plasma among other things, emits X-rays and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light.
  • EUV extreme ultraviolet
  • it can also accelerate charged particles, such as electrons or protons.
  • the pellets produced in this way are disadvantageous, and the plasmas generated therefrom exhibit sharply fluctuating quality levels.
  • the objects of the invention are therefore to provide a method and a device for cooling a gas, the end product of which has fewer quality fluctuations and is therefore better suited as a raw material for the production of pellet targets for laser bombardment than the gas cooled according to the state of the art.
  • a method for cooling a gas was developed. To this end, in a first cooling step, the gas is conducted through a line, which is in thermal contact with a first cooling medium.
  • any medium having a lower temperature than the gas is suited as the cooling medium, the temperature preferably being both homogeneous spatially across the medium and constant across time.
  • the cooling medium can be a cooled solid body, through which the line runs. It can also be a fluid bath, through which the line runs. This fluid can in particular be a liquefied cryogas.
  • a liquefied cryogas which is able to exchange vapor with the surrounding area, as the first cooling medium. Since the evaporation heat absorbed during the generation thereof is also dissipated to the surrounding area with the escaping vapor, the temperature of the liquefied cryogas does not increase to above the boiling point thereof until it is completely evaporated.
  • the gas is conducted through a liquefier, which is in thermal contact with a second cooling medium.
  • the second cooling medium is generally colder than the first. However, it can also have the same temperature as the first cooling medium, and in particular it can be identical therewith.
  • the gas in the second cooling step, is cooled by no more than twice, preferably by no more than 1.5 times, and particularly preferably by no more than 1 times the temperature difference between the melting point and the boiling point thereof.
  • the temperature difference between the melting point and the boiling point is a material property inherent to the gas. It is, for example, 6K for H 2 , 14K for N 2 , and 4K each for Ar, Kr, and Xe.
  • the quality of the liquefied gas is best if a constant volume of this gas is present in the liquefier.
  • This can advantageously be achieved in that the gas is fed to the liquefier exclusively during the gas phase.
  • the gas must not be cooled upstream of the liquefier so much that the temperature drops below the boiling point.
  • the gas is fed to the liquefier at a temperature that is just slightly above the boiling point thereof, so that the temperature thereof in the liquefier has to be changed only by a small amount.
  • the liquefier then substantially absorbs the difference in energy between the gas phase and the liquid phase of the gas.
  • the gas should not freeze in the liquefier, because otherwise the liquefier can become clogged.
  • the liquefier can be, for example, a cooled solid body, into which a line for the gas has been introduced. It is particularly advantageous to conduct the second cooling medium through the liquefier. In this way fewer vibrations are transmitted to the gas than, for example, by the cooling of the liquefier using a chiller. It was found that vibrations transmitted by the liquefier impair the homogeneity and laminarity of the gas flow in the liquefier and should therefore be eliminated.
  • the liquefier, and the gas conducted through it, can be cooled in a particularly low-vibration manner if a gaseous second cooling medium is selected.
  • a single gas particle does not then have sufficient momentum to cause a measurable movement of the solid liquefier.
  • Collectively the momentum transfers by the particles are statistically distributed such that they compensate each other almost completely, and the liquefier is not moved in the overall by a measurable degree.
  • the vapor phase over a liquefied cryogas is suitable as the gaseous second cooling medium.
  • the evaporation heat is dissipated with the vapor. If the pressure in the reservoir of the second cooling medium is constant, the evaporation rate and thus the temperatures of both the remaining liquefied gas supply and the vapor phase are nearly constant.
  • the evaporation rate, and thus the temperature of the vapor phase of the second cooling medium can be roughly regulated by way of the pressure in the reservoir. At the same time, the pressure determines the flow of the second cooling medium, which is crucial for the cooling power in the liquefier and therefore for the volume of gas that can be cooled per unit of time.
  • the gas and the second cooling medium are conducted in opposite directions through the liquefier. This limits the maximum temperature difference occurring between the two flows, which can cause turbulence in the flow of the gas, particularly if it is liquefied in the second cooling step.
  • the gas before entering the liquefier, the gas is brought into thermal contact with the second cooling medium exiting the liquefier, in an intermediate cooler, for example by way of a heat exchanger. This reduces the temperature difference that must be bridged in the second cooling step in the liquefier. At the same time, the residual cold energy of the second cooling medium exiting the liquefier is utilized, so that less of this cooling medium is consumed.
  • the gas is heated between the first cooling step and the intermediate cooler, for example by way of an electric heater.
  • the inlet temperature of the gas into the liquefier can be regulated particularly precisely, and also quickly.
  • the temperature of the gas directly after the first cooling step can only be changed relatively slowly because the entire supply of the first cooling medium would have to be heated or cooled, for this purpose.
  • the cooling caused in the intermediate cooler depends on the outlet temperature of the second cooling medium from the liquefier and cannot, therefore, be influenced directly, without changing the temperature conditions in the liquefier at the same time.
  • the temperature of the second cooling medium can be roughly regulated by the pressure in the cryogas reservoir, which in turn determines the evaporation rate thereof.
  • the second cooling medium is heated before entering the liquefier, for example by way of an electric heater. This heating can be carried out both more precisely and more quickly than an indirect temperature change that is brought about by changing the pressure in the reservoir.
  • a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention provides for conducting it through a vibrating nozzle in the liquefied state.
  • This nozzle preferably vibrates parallel to the direction of flow of the liquefied gas and preferably has an amplitude between 100 and 1000 nm.
  • the velocity of the outflowing liquefied gas is determined by the pressure at which the gas is supplied to the first cooling step and can be regulated by varying this pressure.
  • vibrations during the cooling of the gas according to the state of the art were the limiting factor for the quality of the drops and for the consistency of the quality.
  • Such vibrations were introduced into the gas and the apparatus, for example, by using cooling heads.
  • the vibration-free cooling according to the invention avoids such disturbances and thus enables the production of drops having a quality that is not only in higher, but also more consistent (particularly size) than was possible according to the state of the art.
  • the drops produced at the vibrating nozzle can be used to generate a plasma, for example by bombardment with intense laser pulses, the plasma radiating X-rays and/or extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light.
  • a plasma for example by bombardment with intense laser pulses, the plasma radiating X-rays and/or extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light.
  • EUV extreme ultraviolet
  • the liquefied gas is transferred from the vibrating nozzle into a vacuum.
  • the transfer into the vacuum from the vibrating nozzle takes place at a distance; in particular, the liquefied gas can be transferred into the vacuum by a chamber, in which the same gas is present in a gaseous state, the gas in the chamber preferably being close to the triple point.
  • the inside diameter of the nozzle steadily decreasing in the direction of the vacuum.
  • the inside diameter of the nozzle upon entry of the gas should be greater by a factor of no more than 10, and preferably by a factor between 3 and 4, than on the vacuum side.
  • This homogeneity and collimation are at the maximum when the pressure gradient approaches the minimum along the nozzle. This can be achieved if the diameter of the nozzle decreases exponentially along the length thereof and the nozzle is also advantageously at least ten times longer than the outlet diameter thereof.
  • the gas is transferred into the vacuum in at least two stages.
  • a pressure of 10 ⁇ 5 mbar or more, and preferably 10 ⁇ 4 mbar or more is provided in the first stage, so that the shape of the gas drops is maintained when frozen into pellets.
  • a pressure of 10 ⁇ 6 mbar, and preferably 10 ⁇ 4 mbar or less is provided, as these are typical base pressures for accelerator systems and EUV light generation systems, and the pellets can then be transferred directly into these systems.
  • the stages for example several vacuum chambers having graduated pressures, which each are connected to each other by openings or nozzles through which the pellets can pass, are disposed one after the other in the travel direction of the pellets.
  • the pressure difference between the chambers can be utilized as a propulsion force for the pellets.
  • the transition from the triple point chamber into the first vacuum chamber provides the pellets with significantly greater acceleration than the transitions between the remaining chambers.
  • the earth's gravitational field can also be used as an additional propulsion force, this effect being comparatively low (approximately 15 m/s velocity increase per 10 m of drop distance).
  • the pellets advantageously have a velocity of at least 50 m/s, and preferably at least 100 m/s.
  • the pellets are evaporated and thereby consumed. The velocity of the pellet flow and the distances between the pellets in the pellet flow determine the possible repetition rate.
  • He, N 2 , Ar, Kr, and Xe in gaseous and liquid forms are particularly suitable cooling agents.
  • the method according to the invention can, for example, be used to produce liquid drops and solid pellets from H 2 , N 2 , Ar, Kr, and Xe.
  • a device for cooling a gas was also developed, which is particularly suitable for carrying out the method according to the invention.
  • This device is characterized by a liquefier, comprising at least two lines, through which the gas and a primary cooling medium can flow in opposite directions, and which are in thermal contact with each other.
  • This means has the effect of allowing a small temperature difference to be established between these two lines, along the entire lengths of the two lines, during operation of the liquefier. If the gas is in the hottest, or coldest, state thereof, so is the second cooling medium. In this way, a small temperature gradient can be achieved over the cross-section of the first line, which improves the homogeneity and laminarity of the flow in this first line.
  • a pre-cooling medium is disposed upstream of the liquefier, so that the medium can be brought into thermal contact with the gas.
  • This solution has the effect of allowing the gas to cover the majority of the temperature difference between the original temperature thereof and the desired target temperature while in thermal contact with the pre-cooling medium. If in addition to the original temperature of the gas, the maximum temperature reduction thereof in the liquefier is specified, a lower end temperature can be reached.
  • the pre-cooling medium is disposed in a receptacle, which is traversed by a line through which gas can flow. Such an arrangement maximizes the thermal contact between the gas and the pre-cooling medium.
  • the receptacle advantageously has a ring shape.
  • a ring shape in this context shall be understood as any closed shape, which delimits a region at the interior thereof. This region does not have to be circular, but can also have an oval or angular shape; it is protected from thermal radiation from the surrounding area by the pre-cooling medium.
  • the supply of the primary cooling medium is disposed in this defined region.
  • the pre-cooling medium can be inexpensive liquid nitrogen and the primary cooling medium can be much more expensive liquid helium.
  • thermal radiation from the surrounding area consumes additional nitrogen, but not additional helium.
  • the device comprises a nozzle, which is disposed downstream of the liquefier and comprises means for producing vibration.
  • Piezoelectric means are particularly suitable as means for producing the vibration.
  • a laminar flow of liquefied gas produced in the liquefier can be broken up into drops in a defined manner by this nozzle with a suitable selection of the vibration amplitude.
  • the device comprises at least one vacuum chamber that is disposed downstream of the nozzle.
  • the drops of liquefied gas exiting the nozzle can then freeze into pellets during the transition into the vacuum chamber. It was found that solid pellets can cover a longer distance between the site of generation thereof and the site of the use thereof than drops of liquefied gas.
  • the pellets can then form a pellet target, for example, which interacts with radiation from a radiation source in a defined interaction zone.
  • a pellet target has the advantage that the target material can be continuously supplied to the interaction zone.
  • the vacuum chamber is disposed spatially distanced from the nozzle, for example by a triple point chamber, in which conditions close to the triple point of the gas are present.
  • the fluid drops are allowed to stabilize before they are solidified into pellets.
  • the inlet into vacuum chamber is configured as a further nozzle, the inside diameter of which decreases steadily in the direction of the vacuum.
  • the inside diameter of the further nozzle on the inlet side should be larger by a factor of no more than 10 than on the vacuum side.
  • a plasma source As part of the invention, a plasma source was realized.
  • This comprises a radiation source, which is directed at an interaction zone, and the device according to the invention for cooling a gas.
  • the device is disposed such that it is able to emit cooled gas into the interaction zone.
  • a laser is particularly suitable as the radiation source.
  • the device can advantageously be disposed at a great distance (roughly 1 m or more) from the interaction zone. Thus, it is not damaged by the heat and radioactive radiation of the plasma.
  • the plasma source advantageously comprises a cooling trap, which receives the portion of the gases that does not interact with the beam from the radiation source.
  • the cooling trap is preferably disposed downstream from the zone in which the gas interacts, or the pellets interact, with the beam, in the direction of flow of the gas, or in the travel direction of the solid pellets. The trapping of excess gas residue and unused pellets in the cooling trap improves the vacuum in the plasma source and reduces the pumping power required for maintaining this vacuum.
  • the plasma generated with the plasma source can generate X-ray and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation.
  • EUV extreme ultraviolet
  • the plasma source can serve as a source of EUV radiation, for example in a device for the photolithographic structuring of semi-conductors.
  • it can also be used in a particle accelerator, for example.
  • the zone in which the cooled gas (preferably in the form of pellets) and the accelerator beam interact should then be built with an extremely compact design.
  • FIG. 1 Exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention and the method according to the invention
  • FIG. 2 Hydrogen drops generated with the method according to the invention.
  • FIG. 3 Local distribution of hydrogen pellets having a diameter of 20 ⁇ m at a distance of approximately 1.2 m from the triple point chamber.
  • FIG. 4 Exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention having multiple vacuum chambers.
  • FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention, and of the method according to the invention.
  • a coil line 3 in which the gas 4 to be cooled is cooled in a first cooling step, runs through a receptacle 1 for the liquid pre-cooling medium (first cooling medium) 2 .
  • Another receptacle having a supply of primary cooling medium (second cooling medium) 6 is provided inside a region 5 defined by the receptacle 1 .
  • the gas 4 can optionally be heated by a heater 7 before it is brought into thermal contact with the primary cooling medium 6 exiting the liquefier 9 by a heat exchanger 8 . Subsequently, the gas enters the liquefier 9 . From the primary cooling medium 6 , the vapor phase is fed to the liquefier by way of a line 10 . The liquefier 9 converts the gas 4 into a fluid flow, which is broken up into drops by a vibrating nozzle 11 . These drops can then be solidified during the transfer into the vacuum by means of surface evaporation.
  • hydrogen is used as the gas 4 .
  • the pre-cooling medium 2 is liquid nitrogen
  • the primary cooling medium 6 is liquid helium.
  • the hydrogen is cooled down from room temperature (293 K) to 81 K.
  • the heater 7 is not used.
  • the vapor phase of the helium has a temperature of 4.5 K
  • the liquefier 9 it has a temperature of 5.05 K.
  • this Upon entering the heat exchanger 8 , this has a temperature of 16.2 K and it cools the entering hydrogen to 21 K before the hydrogen is cooled to 16.9 K in the liquefier and thereby liquefied.
  • the vibrating nozzle 11 breaks the jet of liquid hydrogen into drops 12 having the same size, which are introduced into a triple point chamber (70 mbar, 14 K) filled with gaseous hydrogen.
  • Two different types of vibrating nozzles were used: glass nozzles enclosed in brass having internal diameters between 12 and 40 ⁇ m and stainless steel nozzles having internal diameters between 16 and 40 ⁇ m.
  • Glass nozzles have smoother internal surfaces and, because they are transparent, allow visual inspection of the function thereof during operation.
  • Stainless steel nozzles can be manufactured reproducibly, and the outlet openings thereof have a better (which is to say smaller) length-to-diameter ratio. As a result, less pressure is required to drive liquefied gas through stainless steel nozzles.
  • FIG. 2 shows the hydrogen drops exiting the vibrating nozzle 11 and entering the triple point chamber. They travel from the chamber through another nozzle having an internal diameter on the vacuum side of 600 ⁇ m into a first vacuum of 10 ⁇ 2 mbar, and in the process freeze into pellets. The drops, or pellets, are accelerated in the direction of the vacuum by the gas flow out of the triple point chamber. The pellets reach a second vacuum of 10 ⁇ 4 mbar through another nozzle, and from there pass through a pipe with a diameter of 2 cm into an interaction zone, in which they are bombarded with laser light. This interaction zone can be disposed several meters away from the triple point chamber. Pellets having consistent quality and diameters between 18 and 60 ⁇ m were observed at a distance of 1.2 m from the triple point chamber. The pellet diameter substantially corresponds to the final diameter of the vibrating nozzle 11 between the liquefier and triple point chamber.
  • pellets having a size of 30 ⁇ m have an average velocity of approximately 70 m/s. Over a period of several seconds, the size of the pellets is stable to within 1%, over a period of several hours it is still within 10%.
  • R c R 1 +R 2 ⁇ exp( ⁇ )
  • ⁇ is a free tapering parameter
  • R 1 and R 2 depend as follows on the radius R max on the inlet side and on the radius R min on the vacuum side:
  • R 1 R min - R max ⁇ exp ⁇ ( - ⁇ ⁇ l ) 1 - exp ⁇ ( - ⁇ ⁇ l )
  • R 2 R max - R min 1 - exp ⁇ ( - ⁇ ⁇ l )
  • FIG. 3 shows the local distribution of hydrogen pellets having a diameter of 20 ⁇ m in a plane perpendicular to the travel direction at a distance of approximately 1.2 m from the triple point chamber.
  • the relative frequency n is applied in arbitrary units over the deviation ⁇ x of the pellets from the primary travel direction.
  • the pellet jet is very well collimated; the great majority of the pellets deviate from the primary travel direction by less than 200 ⁇ m. This can be attributed to the fact that the liquid hydrogen jet is broken up very regularly into drops. This, in turn, is due to the vibrating nozzle 11 being fed a homogeneous and laminar hydrogen flow. Presently, approximately 30% of all pellets produced at the vibrating nozzle 11 reach the interaction zone.
  • FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention.
  • the nozzle 11 opens into a triple point chamber 20 .
  • this has a pressure of between 0.2 times and 3 times the triple point pressure.
  • the temperature ranges between 1 times and 1.2 times the triple point temperature.
  • Vacuum chambers 21 , 22 , and 23 are disposed in the direction of travel of the drops 12 one after the other, whereby the drops 12 can be transferred in stages into the vacuum.
  • the drops 12 in the triple point chamber 20 are still liquid and freeze during transfer into the chamber 21 .
  • the chambers 21 , 22 and 23 are separated from each other and from the triple point chamber 20 by nozzles 24 through which the pellets can pass.
  • the first chamber 21 has a pressure on the order of 10 ⁇ 4 mbar and the last chamber 23 has a pressure on the order of 10 ⁇ 7 mbar.
  • the device comprises a laser (not shown), the beam 25 of which interacts with the drops 12 , which are frozen into pellets, in an interaction zone. Unused pellets are collected in a cooling trap 27 .

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • High Energy & Nuclear Physics (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Clinical Laboratory Science (AREA)
  • X-Ray Techniques (AREA)
  • Exposure And Positioning Against Photoresist Photosensitive Materials (AREA)
  • Particle Accelerators (AREA)
  • Separation By Low-Temperature Treatments (AREA)
  • Physical Or Chemical Processes And Apparatus (AREA)
US12/450,219 2007-04-12 2008-04-02 Method and device for cooling a gas Abandoned US20100140510A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE102007017212.7 2007-04-12
DE102007017212A DE102007017212A1 (de) 2007-04-12 2007-04-12 Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Kühlung eines Gases
PCT/DE2008/000557 WO2008125078A2 (fr) 2007-04-12 2008-04-02 Procédé et dispositif pour refroidir un gaz

Publications (1)

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US20100140510A1 true US20100140510A1 (en) 2010-06-10

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US12/450,219 Abandoned US20100140510A1 (en) 2007-04-12 2008-04-02 Method and device for cooling a gas

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US20100140510A1 (fr)
EP (1) EP2132507A2 (fr)
JP (1) JP2010533964A (fr)
CN (1) CN102066860A (fr)
DE (2) DE102007017212A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2008125078A2 (fr)

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US20130048878A1 (en) * 2011-08-31 2013-02-28 Gigaphoton Inc Target supply unit
US9269466B2 (en) 2011-06-17 2016-02-23 General Electric Company Target apparatus and isotope production systems and methods using the same
US9924585B2 (en) 2013-12-13 2018-03-20 Asml Netherlands B.V. Radiation source, metrology apparatus, lithographic system and device manufacturing method

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US3473342A (en) * 1966-04-01 1969-10-21 Nautchno Izsledovatelski Sekto Method and apparatus for liquefaction of neon
US4765813A (en) * 1987-01-07 1988-08-23 Air Products And Chemicals, Inc. Hydrogen liquefaction using a dense fluid expander and neon as a precoolant refrigerant
US5249424A (en) * 1992-06-05 1993-10-05 Astronautics Corporation Of America Active magnetic regenerator method and apparatus
US5512106A (en) * 1993-01-27 1996-04-30 Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd. Surface cleaning with argon
US20050210914A1 (en) * 2004-03-24 2005-09-29 Allam Rodney J Process and apparatus for liquefying hydrogen
US20060078017A1 (en) * 2004-10-07 2006-04-13 Akira Endo LPP type extreme ultra violet light source apparatus and driver laser for the same

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US6835944B2 (en) * 2002-10-11 2004-12-28 University Of Central Florida Research Foundation Low vapor pressure, low debris solid target for EUV production

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US3237416A (en) * 1962-12-04 1966-03-01 Petrocarbon Dev Ltd Liquefaction of gases
US3473342A (en) * 1966-04-01 1969-10-21 Nautchno Izsledovatelski Sekto Method and apparatus for liquefaction of neon
US4765813A (en) * 1987-01-07 1988-08-23 Air Products And Chemicals, Inc. Hydrogen liquefaction using a dense fluid expander and neon as a precoolant refrigerant
US5249424A (en) * 1992-06-05 1993-10-05 Astronautics Corporation Of America Active magnetic regenerator method and apparatus
US5512106A (en) * 1993-01-27 1996-04-30 Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd. Surface cleaning with argon
US20050210914A1 (en) * 2004-03-24 2005-09-29 Allam Rodney J Process and apparatus for liquefying hydrogen
US20060078017A1 (en) * 2004-10-07 2006-04-13 Akira Endo LPP type extreme ultra violet light source apparatus and driver laser for the same

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9269466B2 (en) 2011-06-17 2016-02-23 General Electric Company Target apparatus and isotope production systems and methods using the same
US9336915B2 (en) 2011-06-17 2016-05-10 General Electric Company Target apparatus and isotope production systems and methods using the same
US20130048878A1 (en) * 2011-08-31 2013-02-28 Gigaphoton Inc Target supply unit
US8779401B2 (en) * 2011-08-31 2014-07-15 Gigaphoton Inc. Target supply unit
US9924585B2 (en) 2013-12-13 2018-03-20 Asml Netherlands B.V. Radiation source, metrology apparatus, lithographic system and device manufacturing method
US10420197B2 (en) 2013-12-13 2019-09-17 Asml Netherlands B.V. Radiation source, metrology apparatus, lithographic system and device manufacturing method

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE102007017212A1 (de) 2008-10-16
JP2010533964A (ja) 2010-10-28
EP2132507A2 (fr) 2009-12-16
CN102066860A (zh) 2011-05-18
WO2008125078A2 (fr) 2008-10-23
WO2008125078A3 (fr) 2012-01-26
DE112008000917A5 (de) 2010-01-07

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