Blanket for cryogenically cooling at least a portion of a workpiece

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9228770-B2
Application number	US-201313757549-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 1, 2013
Priority date	Feb 1, 2013
Publication date	Jan 5, 2016
Grant date	Jan 5, 2016

Abstract

A blanket for cryogenically cooling at least a portion of a workpiece is provided. The blanket includes a body having an interior surface configured to face the workpiece. The blanket also includes a plurality of nozzles located on the interior surface of the body. The blanket further includes one or more tubes configured to deliver cryogenic liquid to the plurality of nozzles for spraying upon at least a portion of the workpiece. A method and system for cryogenically cooling at least a portion of a workpiece utilizing a blanket are also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for cryogenically cooling at least a portion of a workpiece, the system comprising:
a blanket having an exterior surface and an opposed inner surface configured to face the workpiece, wherein the inner surface of the blanket comprises a plurality of nozzles, and wherein the blanket is discrete and separable from the workpiece and is portable so as to be movable to a location of the workpiece;
one or more sources of a liquid cryogen; and
one or more tubes connecting the one or more sources of the liquid cryogen to the plurality of nozzles in order to permit the liquid cryogen to be sprayed upon at least a portion of the workpiece via the plurality of nozzles such that the liquid cryogen is sprayed directly onto and into direct contact with at least the portion of the workpiece.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the blanket comprises a pliable material to conform to at least the portion of the workpiece.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein the blanket comprises a rigid material.

4. The system according to claim 3 wherein the rigid material of the blanket has a shape that matches at least the portion of the workpiece.

5. The system according to claim 1 wherein the one or more tubes comprises a manifold for directing the liquid cryogen to the plurality of nozzles.

6. The system according to claim 1 wherein the one or more tubes comprises a plurality of tubes extending from the one or more sources of the liquid cryogen to the blanket, each tube configured to provide the liquid cryogen to a corresponding nozzle of the plurality of nozzles.

7. The system according to claim 1 wherein the one or more sources of the liquid cryogen are positioned relative to the blanket such that the liquid cryogen is gravity fed to the nozzles.

8. A blanket for cryogenically cooling at least a portion of a workpiece, the blanket comprising:
a body having an exterior surface and an opposed interior surface configured to face the workpiece;
a plurality of nozzles on the interior surface of the body; and
one or more tubes configured to deliver cryogenic liquid to the plurality of nozzles for spraying upon at least the portion of the workpiece such that the cryogenic liquid is sprayed directly onto and into direct contact with at least the portion of the workpiece,
wherein the blanket is discrete and separable from the workpiece and is portable so as to be movable to a location of the workpiece.

9. The blanket according to claim 8 wherein the blanket comprises a pliable material to conform to at least the portion of the workpiece.

10. The blanket according to claim 8 wherein the blanket comprises a rigid material.

11. The blanket according to claim 10 wherein the rigid material of the blanket has a shape that matches at least the portion of the workpiece.

12. The blanket according to claim 8 wherein the one or more tubes comprises a manifold for directing the cryogenic liquid to the plurality of nozzles.

13. A method for cryogenically cooling at least a portion of a workpiece, the method comprising:
positioning a blanket upon at least a portion of the workpiece such that an inner surface of the blanket that comprises a plurality of nozzles faces the workpiece, wherein the blanket has an exterior surface opposite the inner surface, and wherein the blanket is discrete and separable from the workpiece and is portable such that positioning the blanket upon at least a portion of the workpiece comprises moving the blanket to a location of the workpiece;
providing one or more sources of a liquid cryogen;
causing the liquid cryogen to be delivered from the one or more sources to the plurality of nozzles; and
spraying the liquid cryogen upon at least a portion of the workpiece via the plurality of nozzles such that the liquid cryogen is sprayed directly onto and into direct contact with at least the portion of the workpiece.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein positioning the blanket comprises positioning the blanket formed of a pliable material adjacent at least a portion of the workpiece such that the blanket conforms to at least the portion of the workpiece.

15. The method according to claim 13 wherein positioning the blanket comprises positioning the blanket formed of a rigid material adjacent at least a portion of the workpiece.

16. The method according to claim 15 wherein the rigid material of the blanket has a shape that matches at least the portion of the workpiece.

17. The method according to claim 13 wherein causing the liquid cryogen to be delivered from the one or more sources to the plurality of nozzles comprises splitting the liquid cryogen provided by the one or more sources with a manifold and thereafter directing the liquid cryogen to the plurality of nozzles.

18. The method according to claim 13 wherein causing the liquid cryogen to be delivered from the one or more sources to the plurality of nozzles comprises delivering the liquid cryogen to each of the plurality of nozzles via at least one tube that extends from the one or more sources of the liquid cryogen.

19. The method according to claim 13 wherein causing the liquid cryogen to be delivered from the one or more sources to the plurality of nozzles comprises gravity feeding the liquid cryogen from the one or more sources to the plurality of nozzles.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Owens Helen M

Classifications

• F25D3/10 Primary

  using liquefied gases, e.g. liquid air {(for cooling semiconductor devices H10W40/305)} · CPC title