Helium gas liquefier and method for liquefying helium gas

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11965693-B2
Application number	US-202017126036-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2020
Priority date	Dec 27, 2019
Publication date	Apr 23, 2024
Grant date	Apr 23, 2024

Abstract

Disclosed are a helium gas liquefier and a method for liquefying a helium gas. The disclosed helium gas liquefier includes: a first cooling part including a first cooling column; a first cold head installed on the first cooling column, and a first cylinder in which the first cooling column and the first cold head are built; a second cooling part including a second cooling column, a second cold head installed on the second cooling column, and a second cylinder in which the second cooling column and the second cold head are built; and a liquid helium storage disposed under the second cooling part.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A helium gas liquefier comprising:
a first cooling part comprising a first cooling column, a first cold head installed on the first cooling column, and a first cylinder in which the first cooling column and the first cold head are built;
a second cooling part comprising a second cooling column, a second cold head installed on the second cooling column, and a second cylinder in which the second cooling column and the second cold head are built;
a liquid helium storage disposed under the second cooling part;
an ultralow temperature cooling part disposed under the liquid helium storage and configured to receive liquid helium stored in the liquid helium storage and perform a cooling function;
a first hose transferring a helium gas vaporized in the ultralow temperature cooling part;
a compressor configured to increase a pressure of a helium gas wherein the helium gas comprises a helium gas transferred through a supply hose from a helium gas supply part and the helium gas transferred through the first hose; and
a second hose connected to the compressor and configured to cause the helium gas discharged from the compressor to be injected into the first cylinder, wherein the compressor is connected to the first hose,
wherein a plurality of radially formed fins are formed on an outer circumferential surface of at least one among the second cooling column and the second cold head,
wherein the compressor comprises:
a first storage configured to accommodate the helium gas supplied from the helium gas supply part and connected to the second hose; and
a second storage in which the first storage is built and which is connected to the first hose and to the second hose;
a first mass body provided in an entrance where the second storage is connected to the first hose, a second mass body provided in an entrance where the first storage is connected to the second hose, and a third mass body provided in an entrance where the second storage is connected to the second hose,
wherein the first mass body is connected to the bottom of the first storage, and when the first mass body is raised, a length of the first storage decreases.

2. The helium gas liquefier of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of fins formed on a surface of the second cold head toward the liquid helium storage from the second cold head.

3. The helium gas liquefier of claim 1 , wherein the first cylinder comprises wrinkles on a surface thereof and is flexible in a lengthwise direction thereof.

4. The helium gas liquefier of claim 1 , further comprising a flange configured to connect the first cold head and the second cooling column,
wherein the flange comprises therein a pass hole through which a helium gas passes, and the pass hole is formed in a position adjacent to an edge of the first cold head.

5. The helium gas liquefier of claim 1 , further comprising:
a radiation shield configured to accommodate the second cooling part and the liquid helium storage; and
a chamber configured to accommodate the first cooling part and the radiation shield.

6. The helium gas liquefier of claim 1 , wherein an ultralow temperature is lower than approximately 4.2 K.

Assignees

• Korea Basic Science Inst

Inventors

• Choi Yeon Suk
• Kim Myung Su

Classifications

• F25J1/0007 Primary

  Helium · CPC title

• F17C13/007

  used for superconducting phenomena (investigating by nuclear magnetic resonance G01N24/08; magnets having superconductive winding H01F6/00) · CPC title

• F25B9/10

  with several cooling stages · CPC title

• F25J1/0237

  integrating refrigeration provided for liquefaction and purification/treatment of the gas to be liquefied, e.g. heavy hydrocarbon removal from natural gas (details related to rectification F25J3/02; details related to partial condensation F25J3/06; working-up natural gas C10L3/10) · CPC title

• F25J1/0279

  Compression of refrigerant or internal recycle fluid, e.g. kind of compressor, accumulator, suction drum etc. · CPC title