Cryogenic assembly including carbon nanotube electrical interconnect

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016040830-A1
Application number	US-201414565513-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 10, 2014
Priority date	Aug 11, 2014
Publication date	Feb 11, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A cryogenic assembly includes a platform configured to support at least one electronic component. A cryocooler is thermally connected to the platform to cool the platform to a cryogenic temperature. A vacuum unit includes a housing that surrounds a cavity configured to receive the platform. The vacuum unit is configured to thermally insulate the cavity from surrounding ambient air surrounding. At least one connector is configured to deliver an electrical signal from a power supply to the cryogenic assembly. The connector includes at least one carbon nanotube interconnect that inhibits heat flow into cryogenic assembly while delivering the electrical signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A cryogenic heat flow reduction assembly, comprising:
a platform configured to support at least one electronic component; a housing that defines a cavity in which the platform is disposed, the housing configured to thermally insulate the cavity from surrounding ambient air such that the cavity is maintained at a cryogenic temperature; and at least one connector configured to deliver an electrical signal from a source external to the housing, the at least one connector including at least one carbon nanotube interconnect that inhibits heat flow into the cavity while delivering the electrical signal.

2 . The cryogenic assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a cryocooler including a vacuum unit coupled to the housing, and configured to cool the cavity to the cryogenic temperature, wherein the at least one connector includes a first portion having a first thermal conductivity and a second portion having a second thermal conductivity that is less than the first thermal conductivity.

3 . The cryogenic assembly of claim 2 , further comprising:
an electronic power control module configured to generate the power, wherein the at least one connector includes a first end electrically connected to the electronic power control module and a second end electrically connected to the vacuum unit.

4 . The cryogenic assembly of claim 3 , wherein the first end of the connector is configured to emit a first temperature and the second end of the connector is configured to emit a second temperature that is less than the first temperature.

5 . The cryogenic assembly of claim 4 , wherein the at least one connector includes at least one carbon nanotube interconnect interposed between the first end and the second end, the at least one carbon nanotube interconnect configured to inhibit heat flow to the second end while delivering an electrical signal to the second end.

6 . The cryogenic assembly of claim 5 , wherein the connector further comprises:
at least one conductive element including a first element end electrically connected to the electronic power control module, and a second element end located opposite the first element end; the at least one carbon nanotube interconnect having a first nanotube end electrically connected to the second element end, and a second nanotube end located opposite the first nanotube end; and at least one conductive segment having a first segment end electrically connected to the second nanotube end, and a second segment end electrically connected to the cryogenic interface of the vacuum unit.

7 . The cryogenic assembly of claim 6 , wherein the at least one conductive element has the first thermal conductivity, and wherein the at least one carbon nanotube interconnect has the second thermal conductivity.

8 . The cryogenic assembly of claim 7 wherein the at least one conductive element is disposed within the cryogenic interface of the vacuum unit.

9 . A connector, comprising:
at least one conductive element including a first end configured to receive an electrical signal and a second end configured to output the electrical signal to a cryogenic assembly; and at least one carbon nanotube interconnect interposed between the first end and the second end, the at least one carbon nanotube interconnect configured to inhibit heat flow to the second end while maintaining electrical conductivity between the first end and the second end.

10 . The connector of claim 9 , wherein the at least one conductive element has a first thermal conductivity and the at least one carbon nanotube interconnect has a second thermal conductivity that is less than the first thermal conductivity.

11 . The connector of claim 10 , wherein the at least one conductive element is configured to emit a first temperature and the at least one carbon nanotube interconnect is configured to emit a second temperature that is less than the first temperature.

12 . The connector of claim 11 , wherein the at least one carbon nanotube interconnect has a first nanotube end electrically connected to an element end of the at least one conductive element, and a second nanotube end located opposite the first nanotube end, and wherein the connector further comprises:
at least one conductive segment having a first segment end electrically connected to the second nanotube end, and a second segment end electrically configured to output at least one electrical signal.

13 . The connector of claim 12 , wherein the at least one conductive element has the first thermal conductivity, and the at least one carbon nanotube interconnect has the second thermal conductivity.

14 . The connector of claim 13 , wherein the at least one conductive element is a metal wire.

15 . A method of improving power efficiency of a cryogenic assembly, the method comprising:
outputting an electrical signal to a first portion of an electrical connector, the electrical signal inducing a heat flow through the first portion of the electrical connector; inhibiting the heat flow from flowing to a second portion of the electrical connector, the second portion of the electrical connector existing at a cryogenic temperature; and delivering the electrical signal to the second portion of the electrical connector, the second portion electrically connected to the cryogenic assembly such that the power efficiency is improved.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
outputting an electrical signal to a first end of at least one conductive element, the electrical signal inducing the heat flow through the at least one conductive element; delivering the electrical signal to at least one carbon nanotube interconnect electrically connected to a second end of the at least one conductive element; and inhibiting the heat flow through the at least one conductive element via the at least one carbon nanotube interconnect to reduce parasitic heat flow in the cryogenic assembly.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising delivering the electrical signal through the carbon nanotube interconnect while simultaneously blocking the heat flow through the carbon nanotube interconnect.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising delivering the electrical signal through the carbon nanotube interconnect to a conductive segment having a first end connected to the carbon nanotube interconnect and a second end connected to the cryogenic assembly.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising emitting a first temperature from the at least one conductive element and emitting a second temperature from the conductive segment, the second temperature being less than the first temperature.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the first temperature is based on a first heat flow of the at least one conductive element and the second temperature is based on a second heat flow of the carbon nanotube interconnect, the second heat flow being less than the first heat flow.

Assignees

• Raytheon Co

Inventors

• Chow James R
• Conrad Theodore J
• La Komski David M

Classifications

• F17C7/02 Primary

  Discharging liquefied gases · CPC title

• H01B9/006

  Constructional features relating to the conductors · CPC title

• H01B1/04

  mainly consisting of carbon-silicon compounds, carbon or silicon · CPC title

• F25D19/006 Primary

  Thermal coupling structure or interface · CPC title

• H01F6/065

  Feed-through bushings, terminals and joints (leading of conductors or axles through casings of transformers H01F27/04) · CPC title