초록 ▼

A cryogenic chamber comprising an outer vacuum vessel ( 9), an inner cryogen vessel (11), a turret (40) housing a neck tube (8) itself providing external access to the inner cryogen vessel (11), and a pulse tube refrigerator (20) itself comprising at least one pulse tube and at least one regenerator

A cryogenic chamber comprising an outer vacuum vessel ( 9), an inner cryogen vessel (11), a turret (40) housing a neck tube (8) itself providing external access to the inner cryogen vessel (11), and a pulse tube refrigerator (20) itself comprising at least one pulse tube and at least one regenerator tube. The pulse tube refrigerator is located within a vacuum contained between the outer vacuum vessel (9) and the inner cryogen vessel (11) and the pulse tube refrigerator (20) and the neck tube (8) share a single turret (40). The cooling stage(s) (6, 7) of the pulse tube refrigerator (20) is/are rigidly mechanically connected to the neck tube (8) by highly conductive thermal links. The pulse tube(s) and regenerator tube(s) are displaced away from the neck tube and from each other.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A cryogenic chamber comprising: an outer vacuum vessel; an inner cryogen vessel; a turret housing a neck tube that provides external access to the inner cryogen vessel; and a pulse tube refrigerator which includes at least one pulse tube and at least one regenerator tub

The invention claimed is: 1. A cryogenic chamber comprising: an outer vacuum vessel; an inner cryogen vessel; a turret housing a neck tube that provides external access to the inner cryogen vessel; and a pulse tube refrigerator which includes at least one pulse tube and at least one regenerator tube; wherein, the pulse tube refrigerator is located within a vacuum contained between the outer vacuum vessel and the inner cryogen vessel; the pulse tube refrigerator and the neck tube share a single turret; at least one cooling stage of the pulse tube refrigerator is rigidly mechanically connected to the neck tube by highly conductive thermal links; and the at least one pulse tube and the at least one regenerator tube are displaced away from the neck tube and from each other. 2. A prefabricated assembly for incorporation into a cryogenic chamber, comprising: a neck tube; and a pulse tube refrigerator that includes at least one pulse tube and at least one regenerator tube; wherein at least one, cooling stage of the pulse tube refrigerator is rigidly mechanically connected to the neck tube by highly conductive thermal links; and the at least one pulse tube and at least one regenerator tube are displaced away from the neck tube and from each other. 3. An assembly according to claim 2, wherein the pulse tube refrigerator comprises first and second pulse tubes, and wherein the neck tube is thermally connected to all three of the following points: a high temperature end of the pulse tubes; a low temperature end of the first pulse tube; and a low temperature end of the second pulse tube and the inner cryogen vessel. 4. An assembly according to claim 3, wherein at each of the three points, a permanent highly thermally conductive link is provided between the neck tube and the relevant point. 5. An assembly according to claim 2, wherein the links form parts of cooling stages of the refrigerator. 6. An assembly according to claim 5 wherein the links are made of copper. 7. An assembly according to claim 2, wherein the neck tube has a diameter that is sufficient only to provide access for cryogen fill, current leads and other services, and to allow safe venting of cryogen in the case of a quench. 8. A cryogenic chamber or assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cooling stage of the pulse tube refrigerator is rigidly mechanically connected to the neck tube by at least one of: welding; soldering; brazing and clamping. 9. A cryogenic chamber according to claim 1, further comprising a radiation shield interposed between the outer vacuum vessel and the inner cryogen vessel. 10. A cryogenic chamber according to claim 9 wherein cooling stage(s) of the pulse tube refrigerator are connected to the inner cryogen vessel and the radiation shield by the highly conductive thermal links. 11. A cryogenic chamber according to claim 9, wherein: the pulse tube refrigerator is a two-stage refrigerator; a high temperature end of a first stage pulse tube is connected to the outer vacuum vessel; a low temperature end of the first stage pulse tube is connected to the radiation shield; and a first stage regenerator tube is connected between the outer vessel and the radiation shield. 12. A cryogenic chamber according to claim 11 wherein: a high temperature end of a second stage pulse tube is connected to the outer vacuum vessel; a low temperature end of the second stage pulse tube is connected to the inner cryogen vessel; and a second stage regenerator tube is connected between the radiation shield at a first low temperature end and the inner cryogen vessel at a second low temperature end. 13. A cryogenic chamber according to claim 9, wherein the pulse tube refrigerator comprises first and second pulse tubes, and wherein the neck tube is thermally connected to all three of the following points: the outer vacuum vessel and a high temperature end of the pulse tubes; the radiation shield and a low temperature end of the first pulse tube; and a low temperature end of the second pulse tube and the inner cryogen vessel. 14. A cryogenic chamber according to claim 13, wherein at each of the three points, a permanent highly thermally conductive link is provided between the neck tube and the relevant point. 15. A cryogenic chamber according to claim 1, wherein the links form parts of cooling stages of the refrigerator. 16. A cryogenic chamber according claim 15 wherein the links are made of copper. 17. A cryogenic chamber according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of the neck tube has a diameter that is sufficient only to provide access for cryogen fill, current leads and other services, and to allow safe venting of cryogen in the case of a quench. 18. A cryogenic chamber according to claim 12, wherein: the cold end of the second stage is part of the cryogen vessel: and a lower part of the neck tube is used as a second stage liquefaction surface.