Flexible transfer line exhaust gas shield

Claim 2

A flexible transfer line for transferring cooling liquid between a first and a second point, comprising: a delivery capillary coupled to a supply of said liquid; an outer flexible support coaxial with said delivery capillary; an inner flexible shield positioned between said outer flexible support and said delivery capillary to provided thermal isolation of said delivery capillary from the ambient, with the shield having a low-thermal conductivity means disposed at its inside surface; and means for removing heat from said shield.

Claim 3

The transfer line of claim 1, wherein said means for removing heat is a heat sink thermally coupled to said shield and exposed to a cooling flow of gas.

Claim 4

The transfer line of claim 1, wherein said means for removing heat comprises a storage dewar containing said supply of said liquid, which dewar is thermally coupled to said shield.

Claim 5

The transfer line of claim 1, wherein said means for removing heat includes a heat sink exposed to a cooling flow of gas and a storage dewar containing the supply of cooling liquid to be transferred, said heat sink and said storage dewar being thermally coupled to said shield.

Claim 6

An arrangement for cooling circuitry, comprising: a housing which surrounds circuitry to be cooled; a storage dewar which contains a supply of coolant coupled to said cooling housing by a flexible transfer line; said flexible transfer line having a delivery capillary which delivers said coolant from said storage dewar into said housing to cool said circuitry, an outer flexible support coaxial with said delivery capillary, an inner flexible shield arranged between said outer flexible support and said delivery capillary to provide thermal isolation of the delivery capillary from the ambient, with the shield having a low-thermal conductivity means disposed at its inside surface; and means for cooling said shield.

Claim 7

An arrangement for cooling circuitry, comprising: a housing which surrounds circuitry to be cooled; a storage dewar which contains a supply of coolant coupled to said cooling housing by a flexible transfer line; said flexible transfer line having a delivery capillary which delivers said coolant from said storage dewar into said housing to cool said circuitry, an outer flexible support coaxial with said delivery capillary, an inner flexible shield arranged between said outer flexible support and said delivery capillary to provide thermal isolation of the delivery capillary from the ambient, with the shield having a low-thermal conductivity means disposed at its inside surface; and means for cooling said shield.

Claim 8

The arrangement of claim 5, wherein said means of the transfer line for cooling is a heat sink exposed to a cooling flow of gas, which said heat sink is thermally coupled to said shield.

Claim 9

The arrangement of claim 5, wherein said means of the transfer line for cooling is a storage dewar containing said supply of said liquid, which said dewar is thermally coupled to said shield.

Claim 10

The arrangement of claim 5, wherein said means of the transfer line for cooling includes a heat sink exposed to a cooling flow of gas and a storage dewar containing said supply of said liquid, which said heat sink and said dewar are thermally coupled to said shield.

Claim 11

A flexible transfer line for transferring coolant between a supply of coolant and a coolant recipient, comprising: a delivery capillary coupled to a supply of coolant; an inner support tube coaxial to said delivery capillary, with the inner support tube to being of a low-thermal conductive material; an outer support coaxial to said inner support tube and said delivery capillary; inner spacers between said inner support tube and said delivery capillary which support said delivery capillary, with a first vacuum space being formed between said inner support tube and said delivery capillary; a cooled flexible shield disposed over said inner support tube and coaxial with said outer support, with said shield and said inner support tube thermally isolating the delivery capillary from ambient; outer spacers between said outer support and said shield, with a second vacuum space being formed between said outer support and said shield; superinsulation in said second vacuum space; and a connector piece, attached to said outer support, which couples a flexible transfer line to said coolant recipient.

Claim 12

A flexible transfer line for transferring coolant between a supply of coolant and a coolant recipient, comprising: a delivery capillary coupled to a supply of coolant; an inner support tube coaxial to said delivery capillary, with the inner support tube to being of a low-thermal conductive material; an outer support coaxial to said inner support tube and said delivery capillary; inner spacers between said inner support tube and said delivery capillary which support said delivery capillary, with a first vacuum space being formed between said inner support tube and said delivery capillary; a cooled flexible shield disposed over said inner support tube and coaxial with said outer support, with said shield and said inner support tube thermally isolating the delivery capillary from ambient; outer spacers between said outer support and said shield, with a second vacuum space being formed between said outer support and said shield; superinsulation in said second vacuum space; and a connector piece, attached to said outer support, which couples a flexible transfer line to said coolant recipient.

Claim 13

The transfer line of claim 9, further comprising a finned heat sink arranged at one end of said connector piece such that fins of said heat sink are exposed to a cooling flow of gas in said coolant recipient, said heat sink having a projection into said connector piece that is thermally coupled to said shield, whereby said cooling flow of gas cools said shield.

Claim 14

The transfer line of claim 9, further comprising a delivery capillary vacuum jacket attached to said connector and coaxially surrounding a portion of said delivery capillary extending out of said connector piece into said coolant recipient such that said vacuum jacket is exposed to a cooling flow of gas in said coolant recipient, which said vacuum jacket projects into said connector piece and is thermally coupled to said shield, whereby said cooling flow of gas cools said shield.

Claim 15

A flexible transfer line for transferring coolant at a low-flow rate, comprising: a low-flow rate delivery capillary couplable to a source of said coolant; an outer flexible support coaxial with said delivery capillary; and a cooled flexible inner shield between said outer flexible support and said delivery capillary, with the shield having a low-thermal conductivity means disposed at its inside surface.

Claim 16

A flexible transfer line for transferring coolant at a low-flow rate, comprising: a low-flow rate delivery capillary couplable to a source of said coolant; an outer flexible support coaxial with said delivery capillary; and a cooled flexible inner shield between said outer flexible support and said delivery capillary, with the shield having a low-thermal conductivity means disposed at its inside surface.

Claim 17

The transfer line of claim 12, wherein said inner shield includes a metal having the characteristics of high thermal conductivity, high flexibility and high reflectivity.

Claim 18

The transfer line of claim 12, wherein said inner shield is at least one of copper and aluminum.

Claim 21

The method of claim 15, wherein the step of extracting heat includes the step of exposing to a cooling flow of gas a heat sink thermally connected to said inner flexible shield.

Claim 22

The method of claim 15, wherein the step of continuously extracting heat includes the step of exposing at least one end of said shield to a cooling flow of gas.