Temperature-staged cryogenic apparatus

Claim 2

A cryogenic apparatus adapted to deliver refrigeration to an external load through a heat station, comprising a fluidtight housing having a displacer movable therein to define a first fluid chamber of variable volume and a second fluid chamber of variable volume, means to move said displacer, and a fluid flow path providing fluid communication between said chambers, said flow path incorporating first and second heat storage means, said second heat storage means being located within said displacer, characterized in that said first heat storage means is located within a fixed regenerator housing extending from said heat station through a portion of the length of said fluidtight housing, said regenerator housing defining a cavity to with the internal wall of said fluidtight housing, that a portion of said displacer is configured to be movable within said cavity to define said first chamber and that said second chamber is defined within said displacer.

Claim 3

A cryogenic apparatus adapted to deliver refrigeration to an external load through a heat station, comprising a fluidtight housing having a displacer movable therein to define a first fluid chamber of variable volume and a second fluid chamber of variable volume, means to move said displacer, and a fluid flow path providing fluid communication between said chambers, said flow path incorporating first and second heat storage means, said second heat storage means being located within said displacer, characterized in that said first heat storage means is located within a fixed regenerator housing extending from said heat station through a portion of that length of said fluidtight housing and coaxial therewith to define an annular cavity within said housing, that said displacer is formed to have an annular section movable within said annular cavity to define said first chamber in the form of an annulus and that said second chamber is defined within said annular section of said displacer.

Claim 4

A cryogenic apparatus adapted to deliver refrigeration to an external load through a heat station, comprising a fluidtight housing having a displacer movable therein to define a first fluid chamber of variable volume and a second fluid chamber of variable volume, means to move said displacer, and a fluid flow path providing fluid communication between said chambers, said flow path incorporating first and second heat storage means, said second heat storage means being located within said displacer, characterized in that said first heat storage means is located within a fixed regenerator housing extending from said heat station through a portion of that length of said fluidtight housing and coaxial therewith to define an annular cavity within said housing, that said displacer is formed to have an annular section movable within said annular cavity to define said first chamber in the form of an annulus and that said second chamber is defined within said annular section of said displacer.

Claim 5

A cryogenic apparatus, comprising in combination a. a housing terminating at its cold end in means adapted to deliver refrigeration; b. a cylindrical tubing internal of and coaxial with said housing, extending from said cold end through a portion of the length of said housing and defining an annular spacing with the internal wall of said housing; c. a first regenerator within said cylindrical tubing; d. a displacer movable within said housing and comprising a cylindrical portion and an extended annular portion, said annular portion being adapted to move within said annular spacing; e. a second regenerator located within said cylindrical portion of said displacer; f. a first refrigeration chamber within said annular spacing Having a volume variable with the movement of said displacer and in fluid communication with said first regenerator; g. a second refrigeration chamber defined within said annular portion of said displacer, having a volume variable with the movement of said displacer and in fluid communication with said first and second regenerators; h. fluid flow path means including said regenerators and refrigeration chambers and adapted to permit fluid circulation through said apparatus; and i. means to impart motion to said displacer.

Claim 6

A cryogenic apparatus, comprising in combination a. a housing terminating at its cold end in means adapted to deliver refrigeration; b. a cylindrical tubing internal of and coaxial with said housing, extending from said cold end through a portion of the length of said housing and defining an annular spacing with the internal wall of said housing; c. a first regenerator within said cylindrical tubing; d. a displacer movable within said housing and comprising a cylindrical portion and an extended annular portion, said annular portion being adapted to move within said annular spacing; e. a second regenerator located within said cylindrical portion of said displacer; f. a first refrigeration chamber within said annular spacing Having a volume variable with the movement of said displacer and in fluid communication with said first regenerator; g. a second refrigeration chamber defined within said annular portion of said displacer, having a volume variable with the movement of said displacer and in fluid communication with said first and second regenerators; h. fluid flow path means including said regenerators and refrigeration chambers and adapted to permit fluid circulation through said apparatus; and i. means to impart motion to said displacer.

Claim 7

An apparatus in accordance with claim 3 including a third chamber of variable volume, said third chamber being in fluid communication with said second regenerator.

Claim 8

An apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein said third chamber is within said housing and said apparatus includes a piston operating in conjunction with said displacer to vary the volume of said third chamber.

Claim 9

An apparatus in accordance with claim 3 including a second displacer having heat storage means therein and being independently operable to define third and fourth chambers of variable volume, said third and fourth chambers having heat transfer means associated therewith.

Claim 10

An apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein said housing and said cylindrical portion of said displacer are of a stepped configuration, thus having two sections of different diameter and defining a third refrigeration chamber of variable volume, and wherein the larger-diameter section of said displacer contains a third regenerator in fluid communication with said third refrigeration chamber and said third regenerator is part of said fluid flow path means.

Claim 11

An apparatus in accordance with claim 7 including a fourth chamber of variable volume, said fourth chamber being in fluid communication with said third regenerator.

Claim 12

An apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein said cylindrical tubing and the internal configuration of said annular portion of said displacer are stepped, thereby defining a third refrigeration chamber of variable volume within said displacer, and wherein said tubing contains a third regenerator in fluid communication with said second and third refrigeration chambers and said first regenerator.

Claim 13

An apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein said means to impart motion to said displacer comprises a rod and means to drive said rod whereby said displacer is driven mechanically.

Claim 14

An apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein said means to impart motion to said displacer comprises a piston affixed to said displacer, a fluid chamber associated with said piston, and means to introduce into and withdraw a fluid from said fluid chamber whereby said displacer is driven pneumatically.

Claim 15

An apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein that part of said annular portion of said displacer which defines said second refrigeration chamber is formed of a material exhibiting high heat conductivity whereby heat may be exchanged between the fluid in said second refrigeration chamber and an external load.

Claim 16

An apparatus in accordance with claim 3 including high-pressure fluid supply means, a low-pressure fluid reservoir, and valve-controlled fluid conduit means providing fluid communication between said fluid supply means and said fluid reservoir and said second regenerator.

Claim 17

An apparatus in accordance with claim 13 wherein said high-pressure fluid supply means and said low-pressure fluid reservoir are combined in the form of a fluid compressor.

Claim 18

An apparatus in accordance with claim 13 including a third chamber of variable volume positioned in said fluid flow path between said valve-controlled fluid conduit means and said second regenerator.

Claim 19

A cryogenic apparatus adapted to deliver refrigeration to an external load at a plurality of temperature levels, comprising in combination a. a housing formed in a stepped configuration and having two coaxial sections of different diameters, the end of the smaller-diameter section beinG the cold end and being adapted to deliver refrigeration at the lowest temperature; b. a cylindrical tubing internal of said smaller-diameter section, extending from said cold end through a portion of the length of said smaller-diameter section and defining an annular spacing with the internal wall thereof; c. a first regenerator within said cylindrical tubing; d. a displacer of stepped configuration formed of two sections of different diameters, the larger-diameter section being movable in the larger-diameter housing section and the smaller-diameter section being movable in the smaller-diameter housing section, the smaller-diameter section having a cylindrical portion and an extended annular portion, said annular portion being adapted to move within said annular spacing; e. a second regenerator located within said cylindrical portion of said smaller-diameter section of said displacer; f. a third regenerator located within said larger-diameter section of said displacer; g. a first refrigeration chamber within said annular spacing having a volume variable with the movement of said displacer and in fluid communication with said first regenerator; h. a second refrigeration chamber defined within said annular portion of said displacer, having a volume variable with the movement of said displacer and in fluid communication with said first and second regenerators; i. a third refrigeration chamber defined in said larger-diameter housing section, having a volume variable with the movement of said displacer and in fluid communication with said second and third regenerators; j. fluid flow path means including said regenerators and refrigeration chambers and adapted to permit fluid circulation through said apparatus; k. heat station means associated with at least said first refrigeration chamber and said third refrigeration chamber and adapted to effect heat exchange between fluid in said chambers and an external load; and l. means to impart motion to said displacer.

Claim 20

A cryogenic apparatus adapted to deliver refrigeration to an external load at a plurality of temperature levels, comprising in combination a. a housing formed in a stepped configuration and having two coaxial sections of different diameters, the end of the smaller-diameter section beinG the cold end and being adapted to deliver refrigeration at the lowest temperature; b. a cylindrical tubing internal of said smaller-diameter section, extending from said cold end through a portion of the length of said smaller-diameter section and defining an annular spacing with the internal wall thereof; c. a first regenerator within said cylindrical tubing; d. a displacer of stepped configuration formed of two sections of different diameters, the larger-diameter section being movable in the larger-diameter housing section and the smaller-diameter section being movable in the smaller-diameter housing section, the smaller-diameter section having a cylindrical portion and an extended annular portion, said annular portion being adapted to move within said annular spacing; e. a second regenerator located within said cylindrical portion of said smaller-diameter section of said displacer; f. a third regenerator located within said larger-diameter section of said displacer; g. a first refrigeration chamber within said annular spacing having a volume variable with the movement of said displacer and in fluid communication with said first regenerator; h. a second refrigeration chamber defined within said annular portion of said displacer, having a volume variable with the movement of said displacer and in fluid communication with said first and second regenerators; i. a third refrigeration chamber defined in said larger-diameter housing section, having a volume variable with the movement of said displacer and in fluid communication with said second and third regenerators; j. fluid flow path means including said regenerators and refrigeration chambers and adapted to permit fluid circulation through said apparatus; k. heat station means associated with at least said first refrigeration chamber and said third refrigeration chamber and adapted to effect heat exchange between fluid in said chambers and an external load; and l. means to impart motion to said displacer.

Claim 21

An apparatus in accordance with claim 16 wherein heat station means are associated with said second refrigeration chamber and wherein that part of said annular portion of said displacer which defines said second refrigeration chamber is formed of a material exhibiting high heat conductivity whereby heat may be exchanged between the fluid in said second refrigeration chamber and said heat station means associated therewith.

Claim 22

An apparatus in accordance with claim 16 wherein said external load comprises a Joule-Thomson loop.

Claim 23

An apparatus in accordance with claim 16 including a fourth chamber of variable volume, said fourth chamber being in fluid communication with said third regenerator.

Claim 24

An apparatus in accordance with claim 19 wherein said fourth chamber is within said housing and said apparatus includes a piston operating in conjunction with said displacer to vary the volume of said fourth chamber.

Claim 25

An apparatus in accordance with claim 16 including a second displacer having heat storage means therein and being independently operable to define fourth and fifth chambers of variable volume, said fourth and fifth chambers having heat transfer means associated therewith.

Claim 26

An apparatus in accordance with claim 16 including high-pressure fluid supply means, a low-pressure fluid reservoir, and valve-controlled fluid conduit means providing fluid communication between said fluid supply means and said fluid reservoir and said second regenerator.

Claim 27

An apparatus in accordance with claim 22 wherein said high-pressure fluid supply means and said low-pressure fluid reservoir are combined in the form of a fluid compressor.

Claim 28

An apparatus in accordance with claim 22 including a fourth chamber of variable volume positioned in said fluid flow path between said valve-controlled fluid conduit means and said second regenerator.