Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and device, for a cryogenic storage system that stores and/or transports a liquid or gas at a temperature below ambient temperature. The cryogenic storage system has an enclosure and a cavity. The cryogenic storage system has a dewar that is positioned within the cavity of the enclosure. The dewar has a payload area that is configured to hold a liquid below ambient temperature. The dewar is configured to hold a liquid below ambient temperature and passively stabilize in an upright position. The dewar is formed with an inner wall and an outer wall and has an opening that allows access to the payload area.

Abstract: A multi-step method is disclosed for exchanging heat in a vapor compression heat transfer system having a working fluid circulating therethrough. The method includes the step of circulating a working fluid comprising a fluoroolefin to an inlet of a first tube of an internal heat exchanger, through the internal heat exchanger and to an outlet thereof. Also disclosed are vapor compression heat transfer systems for exchanging heat. The systems include an evaporator, a compressor, a dual-row condenser and an intermediate heat exchanger having a first tube and a second tube. A disclosed system involves a dual-row condenser connected to the first and second intermediate heat exchanger tubes. Another disclosed system involves a dual-row evaporator connected to the first and second intermediate heat exchanger tubes.

Abstract: A heating and cooling device is disclosed comprising at least one integral low voltage heating and cooling source and an efficient flexible heat distribution means having a thermal conductivity of from 375 to 4000 W/mK for distributing the heat and cool across a surface. Further aspects include thermal interface compounds to provide full thermal contact as well as the use of a phase change material to provide a long lasting heating and/or cooling effect without the use of external electrical input. Preferred applications include automotive and furniture seating heating and cooling, along with outdoor garments having distributed heating and cooling effects.

Abstract: An expander unit of a cryogenic refrigerator device includes a moving assembly with a porous regenerative heat exchanger configured to move back and forth along a longitudinal axis. A magnetic spring assembly includes a stationary magnetic assembly fixed to the cold finger base that includes one or more magnetic rings fixedly arranged about a bore. A movable magnetic assembly includes one or more movable magnetic rings fixed to the moving assembly. An outer lateral dimension of each of the movable magnetic rings is less than an inner lateral dimension of the bore. The stationary magnetic assembly and the movable magnetic assembly are configured such that, when the moving assembly is displaced along the longitudinal axis from an equilibrium position, attractive and repulsive forces between the movable magnetic assembly and the stationary magnetic assembly yield a restoring force that is directed to restore the moving assembly to the equilibrium position.

Abstract: The disclosure describes various aspects of a vibrationally isolated cryogenic shield for local high-quality vacuum. More specifically, the disclosure describes a cryogenic vacuum system replicated in a small volume in a mostly room temperature ultra-high vacuum (UHV) system by capping the volume with a suspended cryogenic cold finger coated with a high surface area sorption material to produce a localized extreme high vacuum (XHV) or near-XHV region. The system is designed to ensure that all paths from outgassing materials to the control volume, including multiple bounce paths off other warm surfaces, require at least one bounce off of the high surface area sorption material on the cold finger. The outgassing materials can therefore be pumped before reaching the control volume. To minimize vibrations, the cold finger is only loosely, mechanically connected to the rest of the chamber, and the isolated along with the cryogenic system via soft vacuum bellows.

Abstract: A detachable cryostat includes many novel structures. Two radiation shields are installed in the detachable cryostat. One of the radiation shields is cooled by the second-stage cold chamber utilized to contain a cryogen, and the other one is cooled by the first-stage cold head of the cryocooler. These structures are both used for reducing heat loads from an outside. The resilient supporting device, the resilient circular sleeve, the bellows and the conductive blocks are utilized to achieve excellent thermal contact and complete thermal isolation between the cryocooler and the cryogen. A detachable binary current lead device can be introduced in the detachable cryostat, wherein, the detachable binary current lead includes a superconducting current lead and a copper current lead. When the installation adjustment mechanism is tightly pressed and loosened, it can enable the superconducting current lead to contact and separate from the copper current lead.

Abstract: A system including an optical system having at least one refractive or reflective element, the optical system configured to substantially receive electromagnetic radiation emanating from a source, the optical system being located within a Dewar, a support structure, support structure being mechanically disposed between the optical system and a surface of the Dewar, the support structure having substantially low thermal conductance, a cold source; the cold source being located within the Dewar, a thermal link, the thermal link being mechanically disposed between the optical system and the cold source, the thermal link being substantially flexible and having substantially high thermal conductance.

Abstract: A cryocooler includes a compressor, an expander that includes a motor and is driven by the motor, an inverter that controls an operation frequency of the motor, a high pressure line that connects the compressor to the expander such that a working gas is supplied from the compressor to the expander, a low pressure line that connects the compressor to the expander such that a working gas is collected from the expander to the compressor, a pressure measurement unit that is configured to measure pressures of the high pressure line and the low pressure line or to measure a differential pressure between the high pressure line and the low pressure line, and a controller that compares the differential pressure to a target pressure and controls the inverter such that the operation frequency of the motor is increased when the differential pressure exceeds the target pressure.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transferring a first liquid removed from an outlet of a first distillation column to an inlet of a second distillation column is provided. The second distillation column operates at a higher pressure than the first distillation column, and the inlet of the second distillation column is at higher elevation as compared to the outlet of the first distillation column. The method advantageously transfers the first liquid from the outlet to the inlet by mixing with a sufficient amount of a lower density second liquid that results in a mixed liquid having a reduced density as compared to the first liquid.

Abstract: The systems and methods described herein integrate a supercritical fluid power generation system with a LNG production/NGL separation system. A heat exchanger thermally couples the supercritical fluid power generation system with the LNG production/NGL separation system. A relatively cool heat transfer medium, such as carbon dioxide, passes through the heat exchanger and cools a first portion of extracted natural gas. The relatively warm heat transfer medium returns to the supercritical fluid power generation system where a compressor and a thermal input device, such as a combustor, are used to increase the pressure and temperature of the heat transfer medium above its critical point to provide a supercritical heat transfer medium. A second portion of the extracted natural gas may be used as fuel for the thermal input device.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of storing and transporting, in a dual-use cryogenic storage tank, a cryogenic liquid having a liquefaction temperature. A first pump empties the tank of a first portion of the cryogenic liquid, thereby leaving a second portion of the cryogenic liquid in the cryogenic storage tank. A second portion of the cryogenic liquid is focused at a location on a bottom of the cryogenic storage tank. Using a second pump located at the location, the cryogenic storage tank is emptied of the second portion of the cryogenic liquid, whereby a residual portion of the cryogenic liquid is left therein. Using a focused heating structure, heat may be delivered to the location to raise the temperature of the residual portion above the liquefaction temperature, thereby vaporizing all of the residual portion.

Abstract: Methods and systems for separating a desublimatable compound from hydrocarbons is disclosed. A feed fluid stream, consisting of a hydrocarbon and a desublimatable compound, is passed into an upper chamber of a vessel. The feed fluid stream is cooled in the upper chamber, thereby desublimating a portion of the desublimatable compound out of the feed liquid stream to form a product gas stream and a desublimatable compound snow which is collected in the lower chamber of the vessel. A lower portion of the desublimatable compound snow is melted to form a liquid desublimatable compound stream such that an upper portion of the solid desublimatable compound snow remains as an insulative barrier between the upper chamber and the liquid desublimatable compound stream. The liquid desublimatable compound stream is removed at a rate that matches a production rate of the solid desublimatable compound snow, thereby maintaining the insulative barrier.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of and apparatus for preparing a sample for imaging or diffraction experiments under cryogenic conditions, comprising the steps of applying a sample to sample carrier, such as a film on a support, in particular a grid comprising such a film on a support, or removing residual medium, typically liquid, from an incubated sample on a film on a support, and vitrifying the sample. The sample is vitrified by directing a jet of liquid coolant to the center of the film and onto the sample.

Abstract: A cryogenic freezer features a dewar defining a storage space. A reservoir is positioned within or adjacent to the storage space and is configured to contain a cryogenic liquid with a headspace above the cryogenic liquid in a reservoir interior space that is sealed with respect to the storage space. A refrigeration module is in heat exchange relationship with the reservoir. A sensor is configured to determine a temperature or pressure within the reservoir. A system controller is connected to the sensor and the refrigeration module and configured so that the refrigeration module is adjusted to provide additional cooling to the reservoir when a pressure or temperature within the headspace increases.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus for facilitating transferring fluids between containers, in accordance with some embodiments. Accordingly, the apparatus comprises a first container and a regulator. Further, the first container contains a first fluid at a first pressure and transfers the first fluid to a second container. Further, the second container transfers the second fluid to a third container based on the transferring. Further, the second pressure is greater than a third pressure of a third fluid contained in the third container. Further, the regulator is operatably coupled with the first container. Further, the regulator controls a mass flow rate of the first fluid transferred from the first container. Further, the transferring of the first fluid to the second container is based on the controlling. Further, the controlling facilitates maintaining a differential pressure between the second pressure and the third pressure within a differential pressure range.

Abstract: A drive system for liquefied natural gas (LNG) refrigeration compressors in a LNG liquefaction plant. Each of three refrigeration compression strings include refrigeration compressors and a multi-shaft gas turbine capable of non-synchronous operation. The multi-shaft gas turbine is operationally connected to the refrigeration compressors and is configured to drive the one or more refrigeration compressors. The multi-shaft gas turbine uses its inherent speed turndown range to start the one or more refrigeration compressors from rest, bring the one or more refrigeration compressors up to an operating rotational speed, and adjust compressor operating points to maximize efficiency of the one or more refrigeration compressors, without assistance from electrical motors with drive-through capability and variable frequency drives.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of separation of LOX and other commercially valuable components, such as LAr from liquefied air, which consists primarily of LN2. Strong magnetic field gradient and gravity are used to separate LOX from liquefied air, based upon the different magnetic properties of LOX and LN2. The apparatus and method employ a magnetic field gradient to levitate the LN2 and LAr diamagnetic components of liquid air while accelerating the paramagnetic LOX component toward the bottom to achieve oxygen separation. In other embodiments, a leak valve system can be used.

Abstract: An air separation unit using cryogenic distillation comprises a first column, a second column thermally linked to the first column, a first argon column, a second argon column, means for sending cooled, compressed and purified air to at least the first column, means for sending at least one fluid enriched in nitrogen from the first column to the second column and at least one fluid enriched in oxygen from the first column to the second column, means for sending a gas enriched in argon from the second column to a first end of the first argon column, means for sending gas from a second end of the first argon column to a first end of the second argon column, means for removing argon rich fluid from a second end of the second argon column, a pump, means for removing argon enriched liquid from the first end of the second argon column and sending it to the second end of the first argon column via the pump, the first end of the first argon column being raised above the ground by a first supporting structure, the pum

Abstract: Liquefier arrangements configured for flexible co-production of both liquid natural gas (LNG) and liquid nitrogen (LIN) are provided. Each liquefier arrangement comprises separate and independent nitrogen recycle circuits or loops, including a warm recycle circuit and a cold recycle circuit with a means for diverting nitrogen refrigerant between the two recycle circuits or loops. The warm recycle circuit includes a booster loaded warm turbine, a warm booster compressor and warm recycle compression whereas the cold recycle circuit includes a booster loaded cold turbine, a cold booster compressor and a separate cold recycle compression.

Abstract: The invention relates to a hydrogen pressure tank using a metal hydride arranged in a porous matrix material. It is provided that the metal hydride is fixed in the structure of the matrix material.