Hybrid gas cryogenic cooler

Claim 2

A hybrid gas cryogenic cooler comprising: at least a first stage including a pressurized gas cryogenic storage vessel, a pressure regulator coupled to said vessel, a first counter-flow heat exchanger coupled to said regulator, and a radiant cooler refrigerator stage coupled to said first heat exchanger; and at least a second stage including a Joule-Thomson cooler stage coupled to said refrigeration stage.

Claim 3

A cooler according to claim 1, wherein said refrigeration stage includes an on-off control valve coupled to said Joule-Thomson cooler stage.

Claim 4

A cooler according to claim 1, wherein said Joule-Thomson cooler stage includes a Joule-Thomson throttling valve coupled to said refrigeration stage.

Claim 5

A cooler according to claim 1, wherein said refrigeration stage includes an on-off control valve controlled by said Joule-Thomson cooler stage; and said Joule-Thomson cooler stage includes a Joule-Thomson throttling valve coupled to said on-off control valve.

Claim 6

A cooler according to claim 4, wherein said Joule-Thomson cooler stage includes a liquid sensor coupled to said on-off control valve for control thereof.

Claim 7

A cooler according to claim 1, wherein said radiant cooler refrigeration stage includes an on-off control valve coupled to said first heat exchanger.

Claim 8

A cooler according to claim 1, wherein said second stage further includes a second counter-flow heat exchanger coupled between said radiant cooler refrigeration stage and said Joule-Thomson cooler stage.

Claim 9

A cooler according to claim 1, wherein said radiant cooler refrigeration stage includes an on-off control valve coupled to said first heat exchanger, and said Joule-Thomson cooler stage includes a Joule-Thomson throttling valve, said second heat exchanger being coupled between said on-off control valve and said Joule-Thomson throttling valve.

Claim 10

A cooler according to claim 8, wherein said Joule-Thomson cooler stage includes a liquid sensor coupled to said on-off control valve for control thereof.

Claim 11

A cooler according to claim 9, further including a gas cryogen exhaust, a pressure relief valve coupled to said exhaust, a first return flow gas conductor contained in said first heat exchanger coupled to said relief valve, a second return flow gas conductor contained in said radiant cooler refrigeration stage coupled to said first return conductor, a third return flow gas conductor contained in said second heat exchanger coupled between said Joule-Thomson cooler stage and said second return conductor.

Claim 12

A cooler according to claim 9, wherein said gas cryogen is selected from the group of gas cryogens consisting of oxygen (O 2 ), fluorine (F 2 ), nitrogen (N 2 ), carbon monoxide (CO), argon (A), methane (CH 4 ), ethylene (C 2 H 4 ) and carbon tetra fluoride (CF 4 ).

Claim 13

A cooler according to claim 9, wherein said gas cryogen is selected from the group of gas cryogens consisting of oxygen (O 2 ), methane (CH 4 ) and ethylene (C 2 H 4 ) to enable said hybrid cooler to operate between 55° Kelvin and 125° Kelvin.

Claim 14

A cooler according to claim 9, further including a bypass valve connected in shunt relation with said pressure regulator, said bypass valve being activated when the pressure of said storage vessel equals a control pressure.

Claim 15

A cooler according to claim 8, further including a gas cryogen exhaust, a pressure relief valve coupled to said exhaust, a first return flow gas conductor contained in said first heat exchanger coupled to said relief valve, a second return flow gas conductor contained in said radiant cooler refrigeration stage coupled to said first return conductor, a third return flow gas conductor contained in said second heat exchanger coupled between said Joule-Thomson cooler stage and said second return conductor.

Claim 16

A cooler according to claim 14, wherein said gas cryogen is selected from the group of gas cryogens consisting of oxygen (O 2 ), fluorine (F 2 ), nitrogen (N 2 ), carbon monoxide (CO), argon (A), methane (CH 4 ), ethylene (C 2 H 4 ) and carbon tetra fluoride (CF 4 ).

Claim 17

A cooler according to claim 14, wherein said gas cryogen is selected from the group of gas cryogens consisting of oxygen (O 2 ), methane (CH 4 ) and ethylene (C 2 H 4 ) to enable said hybrid cooler to operate between 55° Kelvin and 125° Kelvin.

Claim 18

A cooler according to claim 7, wherein said gas oxygen cryogen is selected from the group of gas cryogens consisting of oxygen (O 2 ), fluorine (F 2 ), nitrogen (N 2 ), carbon monoxide (CO), argon (A), methane (CH 4 ), ethylene (C 2 H 4 ) and carbon tetra fluoride (CF 4 ).

Claim 19

A cooler according to claim 7, wherein said gas cryogen is selected from the group of gas cryogens consisting of oxygen (O 2 ), methane (CH 4 ) and ethylene (C 2 H 4 ) to enable said hybrid cooler to operate between 55° Kelvin and 125° Kelvin.

Claim 20

A cooler according to claim 1, wherein said gas cryogen is selected from the group of gas cryogens consisting of oxygen (O 2 ), fluorine (F 2 ), nitrogen (N 2 ), carbon monoxide (CO), argon (A), methane (CH 4 ), ethylene (C 2 H 4 ) and carbon tetra fluoride (CF 4 ).

Claim 21

A cooler according to claim 1, wherein said gas cryogen is selected from the group of gas cryogens consisting of oxygen (O 2 ), methane (CH 4 ) and ethylene (C 2 H 4 ) to enable said hybrid cooler to operate between 55° Kelvin and 125° Kelvin.

Claim 24

A method according to claim 21, wherein said gas cryogen is selected from the group of gas cryogens consisting of oxygen (O 2 ), fluorine (F 2 ), nitrogen (N 2 ), carbon monoxide (CO), argon (A), methane (CH 4 ), ethylene (C 2 H 4 ) and carbon tetra fluoride (CF 4 ).

Claim 25

A method according to claim 21, wherein said gas cryogen is selected from the group of gas cryogens consisting of oxygen (O 2 ), methane (CH 4 ) and ethylene (C 2 H 4 ) to enable cooling in a temperature range between 55° Kelvin and 125° Kelvin.