Refrigeration – Using electrical or magnetic effect
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-18
2001-09-25
Doerrler, William (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
Using electrical or magnetic effect
Reexamination Certificate
active
06293106
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to refrigeration and, more particularly, to the generation and provision of refrigeration at a very cold temperature such as to liquefy gases such as hydrogen.
BACKGROUND ART
The liquefaction of certain gases such as neon, hydrogen or helium requires the generation of very low temperature refrigeration. For example, at atmospheric pressure neon liquefies at 27.1 K, hydrogen liquefies at 20.39 K, and helium liquefies at 4.21 K. The generation of such very low temperature refrigeration is very expensive. Inasmuch as the use of fluids such as neon, hydrogen and helium are becoming increasingly important in such fields as energy generation, energy transmission, and electronics, any improvement in systems for the liquefaction of such fluids would be very desirable. Systems which generate refrigeration at very low temperatures are known but generally are effective only on a relatively small scale.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a system which can generate and provide refrigeration effectively at very cold temperature.
It is another object of this invention to provide an improved system for generating refrigeration sufficient to liquefy hard to liquefy fluids such as neon, hydrogen or helium.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a system for liquefying hard to liquefy fluids such as neon, hydrogen or helium which can operate at a relatively high production level.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above and other objects, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of this disclosure, are attained by the present invention, one aspect of which is:
A method for providing refrigeration at a very cold temperature comprising:
(A) compressing a multicomponent refrigerant fluid, cooling the compressed multicomponent refrigerant fluid to produce cooled multicomponent refrigerant fluid, and expanding the cooled multicomponent refrigerant fluid;
(B) magnetizing a regenerator bed of a magnetic refrigerator system to warm the regenerator bed, warming working fluid by passing it through the magnetic refrigerator system, and then passing the working fluid from the magnetic refrigerator system in indirect heat exchange with the cooled expanded multicomponent refrigerant fluid to produce cooled working fluid;
(C) demagnetizing the regenerator bed to cool the regenerator bed, and passing the cooled working fluid through the magnetic refrigerator system to further cool the working fluid to be at a very cold temperature; and
(D) passing refrigeration from the very cold temperature working fluid to a heat load.
Another aspect of the invention is:
Apparatus for providing refrigeration at a very cold temperature comprising:
(A) a compressor, a multicomponent refrigerant fluid heat exchanger, means for passing fluid from the compressor to the multicomponent refrigerant fluid heat exchanger, an expansion device, and means for passing fluid from the multicomponent refrigerant fluid heat exchanger to the expansion device;
(B) an intermediate temperature heat exchanger and means for passing fluid from the multicomponent refrigerant fluid heat exchanger to the intermediate temperature heat exchanger;
(C) a magnetic refrigerator system comprising a bed of magnetizable bed material, means for magnetizing the magnetizable bed material, means for passing fluid from the magnetic refrigerator system to the intermediate temperature heat exchanger, and means for passing fluid from the intermediate temperature heat exchanger to the magnetic refrigerator system; and
(D) a heat load and means for passing fluid from the magnetic refrigerator system in heat exchange with the heat load.
As used herein the term “multicomponent refrigerant fluid” means a fluid comprising two or more species and capable of generating refrigeration.
As used herein the term “variable load refrigerant” means a mixture of two or more components in proportions such that the liquid phase of those components undergoes a continuous and increasing temperature change between the bubble point and the dew point of the mixture. The bubble point of the mixture is the temperature, at a given pressure, wherein the mixture is all in the liquid phase but addition of heat will initiate formation of a vapor phase in equilibrium with the liquid phase. The dew point of the mixture is the temperature, at a given pressure, wherein the mixture is all in the vapor phase but extraction of heat will initiate formation of a liquid phase in equilibrium with the vapor phase. Hence, the temperature region between the bubble point and the dew point of the mixture is the region wherein both liquid and vapor phases coexist in equilibrium. In the practice of this invention the temperature differences between the bubble point and the dew point for the variable load refrigerant generally is at least 10° C., preferably at least 20° C. and most preferably at least 50° C.
As used herein the term “very cold temperature” means a temperature of 90K or less.
As used herein the term “indirect heat exchange” means the bringing of fluids into heat exchange relation without any physical contact or intermixing of the fluids with each other.
As used herein the term “direct heat exchange” means the transfer of refrigeration through contact of the cooling and heating entities.
As used herein the term “expansion” means to effect a reduction in pressure.
As used herein the term “atmospheric gas” means one of the following: nitrogen (N
2
), argon (Ar), krypton (Kr), xenon (Xe), neon (Ne), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO
2
), oxygen (O
2
) , deuterium (D
2
), hydrogen (H
2
) and helium (He).
As used herein the term “magnetize” means to induce magnetic properties to a substance by use of an externally applied electrical field.
As used herein the term “heat load” means the application of a given quantity of heat to a particular body or substance.
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Acharya Arun
Arman Bayram
Doerrler William
Drake Malik N.
Ktorides Stanley
Praxair Technology Inc.
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