Abstract: A liquid-nitrogen injection system comprises a vacuum-insulated reservoir that is held aloft and to one side of a flexible dosing arm. Such reservoir is completely sealed and capped on its top and sides, the vent, feed, return, and supply conduits enter only from the bottom. The feed and return conduits connect to the dosing arm through a long flexible, stainless steel, vacuum-insulating jacket. Such allows an injection nozzle at the end of the dosing arm to be adjusted up and down, in and out, and even tilted relative to both the assembly line and the reservoir. This also means the hydraulic pressure head at the control nozzle can be adjusted in the field. A metering orifice is positioned within the dosing arm such that it is behind the control nozzle valve. A nitrogen gas purging system is connected to provide a freeze-up shielding gas flow from a liquid nitrogen tap in the reservoir.

Abstract: A cryopump-type water-vapor removal system comprising a vacuum chamber for location within a device-fabrication cleanroom or other similar fabrication area, and a Meissner-type cryocoil for condensation of atmospheric water vapor in the atmosphere inside the chamber. A refrigerant compressor-evaporator is for location outside the device-fabrication cleanroom and is separated from the cryocoil by at least twenty feet. A refrigerant umbilical cord connects between and includes a flexible outer sheath providing for maintaining a thermal-insulation vacuum within. Flexible smooth-bore refrigerant suction and discharge tubes are disposed in the thermal-insulation vacuum of the umbilical. The suction tube has a larger diameter than the discharge to provide for an expansion of the refrigerant that occurs in the cryocoil. Non-turbulent flow through the suction and discharge tubes in the refrigerant umbilical cord may be controlled by use of a smooth-bore wall.

Abstract: A hollow-walled cylindrical stainless steel vacuum-insulated funnel with a flat bottom through which a float valve and screen check and filter the gravity flow of liquid nitrogen out through a drain pipe in the bottom. The bottom of the funnel has a small lip raised all around the small pipe outlet to prevent any water condensation inside the funnel from dripping into the EDX dewar. The pipe outlet pierces a dewar stopper and can be permanently left in place on top of a dewar. The hollow-walls of the funnel are packed with foil-backed film in laminations to reduce radiation heat transfer between the funnel's inside and outside walls. A vacuum is drawn inside the hollow walls to minimize heat conduction.