US3199304A - Methods for producing low temperature refrigeration - Google Patents

Methods for producing low temperature refrigeration Download PDF

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Publication number
US3199304A
US3199304A US252359A US25235963A US3199304A US 3199304 A US3199304 A US 3199304A US 252359 A US252359 A US 252359A US 25235963 A US25235963 A US 25235963A US 3199304 A US3199304 A US 3199304A
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United States
Prior art keywords
gas
compressed
stream
low temperature
heat interchange
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Expired - Lifetime
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US252359A
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English (en)
Inventor
Zeitz Kenneth
Jacob M Geist
Peter K Lashmet
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Air Products and Chemicals Inc
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Air Products and Chemicals Inc
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Filing date
Publication date
Priority to GB1054993D priority Critical patent/GB1054993A/en
Application filed by Air Products and Chemicals Inc filed Critical Air Products and Chemicals Inc
Priority to US252359A priority patent/US3199304A/en
Priority to FR960689A priority patent/FR1391846A/fr
Priority to NL6400312A priority patent/NL6400312A/xx
Priority to DE19641426924 priority patent/DE1426924A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3199304A publication Critical patent/US3199304A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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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
    • F25B9/10—Compression machines, plants or systems, in which the refrigerant is air or other gas of low boiling point with several cooling stages
    • 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
    • F25B9/06—Compression machines, plants or systems, in which the refrigerant is air or other gas of low boiling point using expanders
    • 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
    • F25B7/00—Compression machines, plants or systems, with cascade operation, i.e. with two or more circuits, the heat from the condenser of one circuit being absorbed by the evaporator of the next circuit

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to low temperature refrigeration, more particularly to methods for producing refrigeration at low temperature levels by the expansion of gas.
  • Another object of the invention is the provision of low temperature refrigeration techniques that produce a maximum of refrigeration with a maximum expenditure of energy.
  • the present invention comprises the discovery that low temperature refrigeration is achieved with the concomitant achievement of the above objects by providing first and second streams of compressed gas, expanding a first portion of the first stream, cooling the second stream by heat exchange with said expanded first portion, expanding a second portion of the first stream, further cooling the second stream by heat exchange with said expanded second portion, and expanding the further cooled second stream.
  • the invention is characterized in that the second portion is cooled by heat exchange with the expanded first portion prior to expansion of the second portion, the pressure of the first stream before expansion is substantially greater than the pressure of the second stream before expansion, the pressure of the first stream after expansion is substantially greater than the pressure of the second stream after expansion, the first and second portions constitute the whole of the first stream, the first and second portions are expanded isentropically and the second stream is expanded adiabatically, and both streams are helium.
  • a low temperature refrigeration system in which two streams of normally gaseous material move in closed cycles and in heat-exchange relationship with each other.
  • the first stream is compressed by a compressor 1 and discharged at an elevated pressure to a conduit 3, through which it passes through heat exchanger 5.
  • a branch conduit 7 oil conduit 3 downstream from exchanger 5 removes a portion of the stream in conduit 3 and passes it to an expansion engine 9 in which the branch stream is expanded with work and cooled.
  • the expanded branch stream in conduit 7 then passes through a heat exchanger 11 in which it is warmed in heat-exchange relationship with the other stream, and thence passes to a return conduit 13 in which it passes through heat exchanger 15 in heatexchange relationship with the remainder of the ma terial passing through conduit 3, and then through heat exchanger 5 in which it is warmed in heat exchange with the compressor output, and then to the intake of compressor 1.
  • the other or second closed cycle stream whose volume of flow is only a minor proportion of the how of the first stream, leaves compressor 23 at elevated pressure and passes through conduit 25 and heat exchanger 27 and thence through exchanger 11 in countercurrent with the stream in conduit 7.
  • This material in the second cycle then passes through exchanger 2? and through exchanger 21, and then to an exchanger 31 in which the second stream is exchanged with itself before and after expansion.
  • Expansion and partial liquefaction of this second closed cycle gas is effected through an expansion valve 33, whence the cooled and expanded and partially liquefied stream passes in heat-exchange relationship through a device to be cooled, designated at 35, when it returns through return conduit 37 through exchangers 31, 29 and 27, in that order, and thence to the intake of compressor 23.
  • the fiuid in both closed cycles is helium.
  • the helium in this illustrative example is compressed in compressor 1 to 353 pounds per square inch absolute (p.s.i.a.) and enters exchanger 5 at 160 F. It leaves exchanger 5 at 300 F. and a pressure of 331 p.s.i.a.
  • the side stream withdrawn through conduit 7 amounts to 36% of the whole and is expanded in expansion engine 9 to a pressure of 35.5 p.s.i.a. and a temperature of -353 F. In exchanger 11, this side stream is warmed to 350 F.
  • the working fluid is of much smaller volume than in the cycle previously described, and in the described embodiment amounts to only 5% of the fluid on the other side.
  • This stream leaves compressor 23 at a pressure of 78.5 p.s.i.a. at a temperature of F., and leaves exchanger 27 at 331 F.
  • expansion'valve 33 Through expansion'valve 33, the pressure of the material in stream 2-5 is reduced to 1.5 p.s.i.a. and the temperature falls to 455.2 E, at which time, under equilibrium conditions, it is mostly in liquid phase and partly in vapor phase. Actually, of course, the inherent inefficiency of expansion valve 33 prevents equilibrium conditions of liquefaction from being quite achieved.
  • the partly liquefied helium cools device 35 with concomitant at least partial vaporization of the liquefied helium, and leaves device 35 under the same conditions of temperature and pressure and is warmed in exchanger 31 to a temperature of -446 F, in exchanger 29 to -357 F., and in exchanger 27 to 151 B, after which it enters the suction side of compressor 23 and is recompressed to repeat the cycle. 7
  • An important feature of the invention is the fact that two compressors in two completely different circuits permit different modes of operation to meet specific circumstances. Moreover, if the'expansion engines of the first circuit were obliged to, expand all the working fluid to the pressure of the other circuit, for example to 1.5 p.s.i.a., then the expansion equipment would have to be enormous in size.
  • a low temperature process for refrigerating a device to be cooled comprising the steps of compressing and expandingafirst gas in a closed cycle in which the compressed first gas is expanded in a plurality of work expansion steps at progressively decreasing temperature levels and in which effiuent from the work expansion steps is passed in heat interchange with compressed first gas to cool compressed first gas prior to-the work expansion step, compressing a second gas,
  • the compressed second gas being passedin heat interchange with efiluent of the Work expansion steps prior to the heat interchange between the. efiluent of the work expansion steps and the compressed first gas.
  • a low temperature process for refrigerating a device to be cooled comprising the steps of compressing a first gas
  • a low temperature refrigeration process which proc: ess comprises the continuous steps of (a) compressing first and second streams of gas in first and second compressing Zone;
  • step (f) passing the-heat exchanged cooled first portion from step (e) into heat exchange with the second portion, thereby cooling said second portion;
  • step (i) further cooling said cooled second compressed stream from step'(e) by heat exchange with the low temperature expanded second portion of step (h);
  • step (k) utilizing the heat exchanged low temperature expanded second portion of step (h) as the expanded second portion of step g) (l) additionally cooling the second portion in step (f) with the heat exchanged expanded second portion from step (k); t V A (m).utilizing the expanded first and second portions from steps (f) and (l) as the expanded first stream gas of step (b); 1
  • step (n) recycling the heat exchanged expanded first stream .gas from step (m) to said first compressing zone;
  • step (e) ing cooling step (e); and (r) recycling the resultant stream from step (q) to MEYER PERLIN, Examiner.

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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)
US252359A 1963-01-18 1963-01-18 Methods for producing low temperature refrigeration Expired - Lifetime US3199304A (en)

Priority Applications (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1054993D GB1054993A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1963-01-18
US252359A US3199304A (en) 1963-01-18 1963-01-18 Methods for producing low temperature refrigeration
FR960689A FR1391846A (fr) 1963-01-18 1964-01-17 Procédé et appareil pour la production de très basses températures
NL6400312A NL6400312A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1963-01-18 1964-01-17
DE19641426924 DE1426924A1 (de) 1963-01-18 1964-01-17 Tiefkuehlung

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US252359A US3199304A (en) 1963-01-18 1963-01-18 Methods for producing low temperature refrigeration

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3199304A true US3199304A (en) 1965-08-10

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US252359A Expired - Lifetime US3199304A (en) 1963-01-18 1963-01-18 Methods for producing low temperature refrigeration

Country Status (4)

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US (1) US3199304A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE1426924A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1054993A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
NL (1) NL6400312A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3285028A (en) * 1964-01-06 1966-11-15 Air Prod & Chem Refrigeration method
US3360955A (en) * 1965-08-23 1968-01-02 Carroll E. Witter Helium fluid refrigerator
US3456453A (en) * 1967-03-31 1969-07-22 Air Liquide Method of maintaining electrical apparatus at very low temperature
US3520146A (en) * 1968-07-01 1970-07-14 Carrier Corp Refrigeration system
US3677019A (en) * 1969-08-01 1972-07-18 Union Carbide Corp Gas liquefaction process and apparatus
JPS49124655A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1972-09-01 1974-11-28
US4048814A (en) * 1975-04-15 1977-09-20 Sulzer Brothers Ltd. Refrigerating plant using helium as a refrigerant
US4267701A (en) * 1979-11-09 1981-05-19 Helix Technology Corporation Helium liquefaction plant
US4835979A (en) * 1987-12-18 1989-06-06 Allied-Signal Inc. Surge control system for a closed cycle cryocooler
US5524442A (en) * 1994-06-27 1996-06-11 Praxair Technology, Inc. Cooling system employing a primary, high pressure closed refrigeration loop and a secondary refrigeration loop
EP1318363A3 (en) * 2001-12-07 2004-06-16 Air Products And Chemicals, Inc. Method and system for cryogenic refrigeration
US20080196431A1 (en) * 2004-11-26 2008-08-21 Hans-Goran Goransson Heating Installation and Heating Method
WO2008150289A1 (en) * 2007-06-04 2008-12-11 Carrier Corporation Refrigerant system with cascaded circuits and performance enhancement features
US20090025404A1 (en) * 2007-07-23 2009-01-29 Hussmann Corporation Combined receiver and heat exchanger for a secondary refrigerant
WO2019244144A1 (en) * 2018-06-19 2019-12-26 N. A. M. Technology Ltd. Multi cascade cooling system

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1088052A (en) * 1911-05-16 1914-02-24 Emmanuel Felix Aumont Apparatus for the manufacture of oxygen.
GB882211A (en) * 1958-05-27 1961-11-15 Netzschkau Maschf Nema Low temperature cold-treatment plant

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1088052A (en) * 1911-05-16 1914-02-24 Emmanuel Felix Aumont Apparatus for the manufacture of oxygen.
GB882211A (en) * 1958-05-27 1961-11-15 Netzschkau Maschf Nema Low temperature cold-treatment plant

Cited By (18)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3285028A (en) * 1964-01-06 1966-11-15 Air Prod & Chem Refrigeration method
US3360955A (en) * 1965-08-23 1968-01-02 Carroll E. Witter Helium fluid refrigerator
US3456453A (en) * 1967-03-31 1969-07-22 Air Liquide Method of maintaining electrical apparatus at very low temperature
US3520146A (en) * 1968-07-01 1970-07-14 Carrier Corp Refrigeration system
US3677019A (en) * 1969-08-01 1972-07-18 Union Carbide Corp Gas liquefaction process and apparatus
JPS49124655A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1972-09-01 1974-11-28
US4048814A (en) * 1975-04-15 1977-09-20 Sulzer Brothers Ltd. Refrigerating plant using helium as a refrigerant
US4267701A (en) * 1979-11-09 1981-05-19 Helix Technology Corporation Helium liquefaction plant
US4835979A (en) * 1987-12-18 1989-06-06 Allied-Signal Inc. Surge control system for a closed cycle cryocooler
US5524442A (en) * 1994-06-27 1996-06-11 Praxair Technology, Inc. Cooling system employing a primary, high pressure closed refrigeration loop and a secondary refrigeration loop
EP1318363A3 (en) * 2001-12-07 2004-06-16 Air Products And Chemicals, Inc. Method and system for cryogenic refrigeration
US20080196431A1 (en) * 2004-11-26 2008-08-21 Hans-Goran Goransson Heating Installation and Heating Method
US8904815B2 (en) * 2004-11-26 2014-12-09 Energy Machines S.A. Heating installation and heating method
WO2008150289A1 (en) * 2007-06-04 2008-12-11 Carrier Corporation Refrigerant system with cascaded circuits and performance enhancement features
US20100147006A1 (en) * 2007-06-04 2010-06-17 Taras Michael F Refrigerant system with cascaded circuits and performance enhancement features
US20090025404A1 (en) * 2007-07-23 2009-01-29 Hussmann Corporation Combined receiver and heat exchanger for a secondary refrigerant
US7900467B2 (en) * 2007-07-23 2011-03-08 Hussmann Corporation Combined receiver and heat exchanger for a secondary refrigerant
WO2019244144A1 (en) * 2018-06-19 2019-12-26 N. A. M. Technology Ltd. Multi cascade cooling system

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NL6400312A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1964-07-20
GB1054993A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1900-01-01
DE1426924A1 (de) 1969-02-27

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