A method, a system, and an article of manufacture are disclosed for cryogenic cooling of systems operating at cryogenic temperatures or higher. Applications of this disclosure are as varied as trucking of meat and vegetable to mine sweeping and MRI systems. A cooling network is formed by coupling bl
A method, a system, and an article of manufacture are disclosed for cryogenic cooling of systems operating at cryogenic temperatures or higher. Applications of this disclosure are as varied as trucking of meat and vegetable to mine sweeping and MRI systems. A cooling network is formed by coupling blocks of Thermal Energy Storage (TES) modules together with optional thermal switches or valves and optionally with an active cooling component to maintain a cryogenic temperature in a cryostat. The TES modules are combinations of thermal conducting elements to conduct heat and solid storage elements to absorb heat. The cooling component may be one or more cryocoolers for steady state and transient heat transfer conditions and may be coupled with the TES modules via thermal shunt connections. The thermal switches or valves may be deployed within the thermal shunts to control the flow of heat between different TES modules and cooling components, thus reconfiguring the cooling network.
대표청구항▼
1. A Thermal Energy Storage (TES) unit comprising: a solid conductive substrate structure made of a first material configured to conduct heat at cryogenic temperatures; anda solid thermal storage element made of a second material coupled with the conductive substrate configured to absorb thermal ene
1. A Thermal Energy Storage (TES) unit comprising: a solid conductive substrate structure made of a first material configured to conduct heat at cryogenic temperatures; anda solid thermal storage element made of a second material coupled with the conductive substrate configured to absorb thermal energy at cryogenic temperatures conducted in by the conductive substrate, wherein the thermal storage element remains solid at room temperature, and wherein the solid thermal storage element does not undergo material phase-change at any point in an operation of the TES and wherein the heat conductivity of the first material is higher than the heat conductivity of the second material and the heat capacity of the second material is higher than the heat capacity of the first material. 2. The TES unit of claim 1, further comprising a passage ways within the conductive substrate configured to allow the passage of gaseous material through the conductive substrate to reach and come in contact with the solid thermal storage element. 3. The TES unit of claim 1, further configured to be coupled with a cryocooler to remove heat from the TES unit. 4. The TES unit of claim 1, wherein the TES is coupled with a cryocooler configured to operate in a steady state mode. 5. The TES unit of claim 1, wherein the TES is coupled with a cryocooler configured to operate in a transient mode. 6. The TES unit of claim 1, wherein the TES is coupled with additional TES units, all TES units being coupled with a cryocooler via channels and valves to form a network of TES units. 7. The TES unit of claim 1, wherein the TES is coupled with a second TES unit, and wherein the second TES unit has a different heat capacity than the TES unit. 8. The TES unit of claim 1, wherein the TES is coupled with additional TES units, all TES units being coupled with a cryocooler via channels and valves to form a network of TES units, and wherein the network of TES units is configurable by opening and closing different valves. 9. A cooling system comprising: a Thermal Energy Storage (TES) unit having a solid conductive substrate structure, made of a first material, and a solid thermal storage element, made of a second material, coupled with the conductive substrate operating at cryogenic temperatures, wherein the thermal storage element remains solid at room temperature, and wherein the solid thermal storage element does not undergo material phase-change at any point in an operation of the TES and wherein the heat conductivity of the first material is higher than the heat conductivity of the second material and the heat capacity of the second material is higher than the heat capacity of the first material; anda refrigerant channel coupled with the TES unit via a flow control valve, wherein the flow control valve is usable to reconfigure a coupling of the TES unit to the refrigerant channel. 10. The cooling system of claim 9, further comprising an active cooler coupled with the TES unit to cool down the TES unit. 11. The cooling system of claim 9, further comprising additional TES units, additional refrigerant channels and additional valves, all together forming a cooling network comprising a plurality of TES units, valves, and refrigerants coupled with one or more active coolers. 12. The cooling system of claim 11, wherein the cooling network is dynamically reconfigured using the valves to connect different TES units to different channels and active coolers. 13. The cooling system of claim 11, wherein some of the TES units have different cooling capacities from some of the other TES units. 14. The cooling system of claim 9, further comprising an active cooler coupled with the TES unit, wherein the active cooler is configured to operate in a steady state mode or a transient mode. 15. A method of cooling, the method comprising: using a Thermal Energy Storage (TES) unit to store heat carried away from a cryostat, wherein the TES unit comprises a solid conductive substrate structure made of a first material and a solid thermal storage element, made of a second material, coupled with the conductive substrate operating at cryogenic temperatures, wherein the thermal storage element remains solid at room temperature, and wherein the solid thermal storage element does not undergo material phase-change at any point in an operation of the TES and wherein the heat conductivity of the first material is higher than the heat conductivity of the second material and the heat capacity of the second material is higher than the heat capacity of the first material; andcooling down the TES with an active cooling apparatus when a predetermined threshold temperature is reached. 16. The method of claim 15, further using flow control valves to direct a flow of a refrigerant fluid to the TES unit. 17. The method of claim 15, further coupling additional TES units with the TES unit via a refrigerant channel. 18. The method of claim 15, wherein active cooling apparatus is a cryocooler and is configured to operate in a steady state or a transient mode. 19. The method of claim 15, wherein the TES unit includes passage ways to allow flow of fluid refrigerant through the TES. 20. The method of claim 15, further comprising dynamically reconfiguring additional TES units, additional channels and additional active cooling apparatuses via additional valves.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (2)
Bartlett Allen J. (Milford MA), Remote recondenser with intermediate temperature heat sink.
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