公开(公告)号：WO9817167A3

公开(公告)日：1998-09-03

申请号：PCT/US9718054

申请日：1997-10-07

Applicant: CRYOGEN INC

Inventor： DOBAK JOHN D III ,  BROWN TERRY L ,  GHAERZADEH KAMBIZ ,  YU XIAOYU

IPC: F25D3/10 ,  A61B18/02 ,  C09K5/04 ,  F25B7/00 ,  F25B9/00 ,  F25B9/02 ,  A61B

CPC classification number: F25B9/006 ,  A61B18/02 ,  A61B2018/0212 ,  A61B2018/0275 ,  A61B2018/0281 ,  C09K5/045 ,  C09K2205/12 ,  C09K2205/122 ,  C09K2205/13 ,  C09K2205/132 ,  F25B7/00 ,  F25B9/02 ,  F25B2309/003 ,  F25B2309/021 ,  F25B2309/022 ,  F25B2309/023 ,  F25B2400/12

Abstract: A miniature mixed gas refrigeration system and method is disclosed. A selected gas mixture is compressed to less than 420 psia for safety reasons. The compressed gas mixture is passed through a primary heat exchanger (140) and a primary/secondary heat exchanger (240) to precool the gas mixture. The secondary side of the primary/secondary heat exchanger is cooled by a secondary Joule-Thomson refrigeration system (200). Flow restrictions in the primary side of the primary/secondary heat exchanger (240) can solidify and trap liquid contaminants. The gas mixture exiting the primary outlet of the primary/secondary heat exchanger (240) passes to a primary expansion element (150) to expand isenthalpically to a to 183K or below to cool a heat transfer element. Return gas through the primary heat exchanger (140) precools the incoming high pressure gas mixture. A distal primary heat exchanger (160) can be added between the primary/secondary heat exchanger (240) and the primary expansion element (150).