US Patent:
20120096873, Apr 26, 2012
Inventors:
Robert J. Webber - Clinton Corners NY, US
Jean Delmas - Fishkill NY, US
International Classification:
F17C 7/00
F25B 19/00
Abstract:
A fluid control assembly is connected between a cold gas container intended to be operated at deep cryogenic temperatures (e.g., 4K) and a gas reservoir for controlling the flow of fluid between the container and the reservoir. The fluid control assembly may be a passive valve assembly or an electrically controlled valve assembly which controls fluid flow between the reservoir and the container as a function of temperature and/or pressure differentials. The fluid control assembly enables the container to be rapidly cooled by restricting the amount of fluid flow from the reservoir into the container when the container is subjected to thermal cycling within a limited temperature range (e.g., 4K to 11K). The fluid control assembly together with the gas reservoir and the container form a thermal damper which is suited for use in a cryocooling system for producing the cryogenic temperatures (e.g., 4K) to operate superconducting devices which may need to be thermally cycled to remove trapped flux.
