Title:
COOLING APPARATUS AND METHOD
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2012/066312
Kind Code:
A3
Abstract:
Cooling apparatus is provided which comprises a mechanical refrigerator and a heat pipe. The mechanical refrigerator has a first cooled stage and a second cooled stage, the second cooled stage being adapted to be coupled thermally with target apparatus to be cooled. The heat pipe has a first part coupled thermally to the first stage of the mechanical refrigerator and a second part coupled thermally to a cooled member which may comprise the second stage of the mechanical refrigerator. The heat pipe is adapted to contain a condensable gaseous coolant when in use. An example coolant is Krypton. The apparatus is operated in a first cooling mode in which the temperature of the cooled member causes the coolant within the second part of the heat pipe to be gaseous and the temperature of the first stage causes the coolant in the first part to condense, whereby the cooled member is cooled by the movement of the condensed liquid from the first part to the second part of the heat pipe. When the cooled member is the second stage of the mechanical refrigerator, the heat pipe provides heat between the higher and lower temperature cooled stages during cooling. An associated method of operating such apparatus is also described.
Inventors:
TELEBERG PAER GUSTAV (GB)
MATTHEWS ANTHONY (GB)
ELFORD JUSTIN (GB)
MIKHEEV VLADIMIR (GB)
MATTHEWS ANTHONY (GB)
ELFORD JUSTIN (GB)
MIKHEEV VLADIMIR (GB)
Application Number:
PCT/GB2011/052201
Publication Date:
January 24, 2013
Filing Date:
November 11, 2011
Export Citation:
Assignee:
OXFORD INSTR NANOTECHNOLOGY TOOLS LTD (GB)
TELEBERG PAER GUSTAV (GB)
MATTHEWS ANTHONY (GB)
ELFORD JUSTIN (GB)
MIKHEEV VLADIMIR (GB)
TELEBERG PAER GUSTAV (GB)
MATTHEWS ANTHONY (GB)
ELFORD JUSTIN (GB)
MIKHEEV VLADIMIR (GB)
International Classes:
F25D19/00; F25B9/10
Domestic Patent References:
| WO2009074920A1 | 2009-06-18 |
Foreign References:
| JPH09166365A | 1997-06-24 | |||
| DE102006059139A1 | 2008-06-19 | |||
| EP0905436A2 | 1999-03-31 | |||
| EP2390884A2 | 2011-11-30 | |||
| US20100248968A1 | 2010-09-30 |
Other References:
JEONG S ET AL: "Experimental investigation on the detachable thermosiphon for conduction-cooled superconducting magnets", CRYOGENICS, ELSEVIER, KIDLINGTON, GB, vol. 46, no. 10, 1 October 2006 (2006-10-01), pages 705 - 710, XP028025956, ISSN: 0011-2275, [retrieved on 20061001], DOI: 10.1016/J.CRYOGENICS.2006.05.005
UHLIG K: "Thermal shunt for quick cool-down of two-stage closed-cycle refrigerator", CRYOGENICS, ELSEVIER, KIDLINGTON, GB, vol. 42, no. 1, 1 January 2002 (2002-01-01), pages 67 - 69, XP004341903, ISSN: 0011-2275
PRENGER F C ET AL: "Nitrogen heat pipe for cryocooler thermal shunt", ADVANCES IN CRYOGENIC ENGINEERING; PROCEEDINGS OF THE 1995 CRYOGENIC ENGINEERING CONFERENCE, PLENUM PRESS, NEW YORK, NY, US; COLUMBUS, OHIO, USA, vol. 41A, 1 January 1996 (1996-01-01), pages 147 - 154, XP008156664, ISSN: 0065-2482
CHANG H-M ET AL: "DEVELOPMENT OF A THERMAL SWITCH FOR FASTER COOL-DOWN BY TWO-STAGE CRYOCOOLER", CRYOGENICS, ELSEVIER, KIDLINGTON, GB, vol. 40, no. 12, 1 December 2000 (2000-12-01), pages 769 - 777, XP001150405, ISSN: 0011-2275, DOI: 10.1016/S0011-2275(01)00034-0
RAVEX A ET AL: "A simple and efficient thermal link assembly for cryocoolers", CRYOGENICS, ELSEVIER, KIDLINGTON, GB, vol. 39, no. 12, 1 December 1999 (1999-12-01), pages 997 - 1001, XP004202473, ISSN: 0011-2275, DOI: 10.1016/S0011-2275(99)00106-X
UHLIG K: "Thermal shunt for quick cool-down of two-stage closed-cycle refrigerator", CRYOGENICS, ELSEVIER, KIDLINGTON, GB, vol. 42, no. 1, 1 January 2002 (2002-01-01), pages 67 - 69, XP004341903, ISSN: 0011-2275
PRENGER F C ET AL: "Nitrogen heat pipe for cryocooler thermal shunt", ADVANCES IN CRYOGENIC ENGINEERING; PROCEEDINGS OF THE 1995 CRYOGENIC ENGINEERING CONFERENCE, PLENUM PRESS, NEW YORK, NY, US; COLUMBUS, OHIO, USA, vol. 41A, 1 January 1996 (1996-01-01), pages 147 - 154, XP008156664, ISSN: 0065-2482
CHANG H-M ET AL: "DEVELOPMENT OF A THERMAL SWITCH FOR FASTER COOL-DOWN BY TWO-STAGE CRYOCOOLER", CRYOGENICS, ELSEVIER, KIDLINGTON, GB, vol. 40, no. 12, 1 December 2000 (2000-12-01), pages 769 - 777, XP001150405, ISSN: 0011-2275, DOI: 10.1016/S0011-2275(01)00034-0
RAVEX A ET AL: "A simple and efficient thermal link assembly for cryocoolers", CRYOGENICS, ELSEVIER, KIDLINGTON, GB, vol. 39, no. 12, 1 December 1999 (1999-12-01), pages 997 - 1001, XP004202473, ISSN: 0011-2275, DOI: 10.1016/S0011-2275(99)00106-X
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
GILL JENNINGS & EVERY LLP (20 Primrose Street, London EC2A 2ES, GB)
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