US 12,066,233 B2
Remotely driven cryocooler for a superconducting generator
Ernst Wolfgang Stautner, Niskayuna, NY (US)
Assigned to GENERAL ELECTRIC RENOVABLES ESPAÑA, S.L., Barcelona (ES)
Appl. No. 17/256,313
Filed by General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
PCT Filed Jun. 29, 2018, PCT No. PCT/US2018/040492
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 28, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/005300, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 2, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0262701 A1, Aug. 26, 2021
Int. Cl. F25B 9/10 (2006.01); F25B 9/14 (2006.01); F25D 19/00 (2006.01); G01R 33/38 (2006.01); G01R 33/3815 (2006.01); H01F 6/04 (2006.01)
CPC F25B 9/10 (2013.01) [F25B 9/14 (2013.01); F25D 19/006 (2013.01); G01R 33/3804 (2013.01); G01R 33/3815 (2013.01); H01F 6/04 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A cryocooler assembly comprising:
at least one remotely driven cryocooler operable between an ON-state of operation and an OFF-state of operation and defining a first stage of the cryocooler assembly;
the remotely driven cryocooler movable within a sleeve;
a cryogenic fluid reservoir;
a plurality of conduits;
a liquefaction cup in fluidic communication with the cryogenic fluid reservoir, wherein the plurality of conduits thermally couple the liquefaction cup to the cryogenic fluid reservoir and define a second stage of the cryocooler assembly;
a plurality of fins within the liquefaction cup;
a heat path generated by the remotely driven cryocooler between the first stage and the second stage;
a contact plate disposed at a lower end of the sleeve, the contact plate in thermal contact with the plurality of fins when the cryocooler is in the ON-state of operation; and
means for disconnecting the thermal contact between the contact plate and the plurality of fins when the cryocooler is in the OFF-state of operation to disconnect the heat path between the first stage and the second stage during the OFF-state of operation;
wherein the means for disconnecting the thermal contact comprises one of the following:
a gas/liquid switch disposed between the contact plate and the plurality of fins, the gas/liquid switch comprising a cavity that is filled with a gas in a closed state of the gas/liquid switch and is evacuated of the gas in an open state of the gas/liquid switch to disconnect the thermal contact;
a support arm coupled to the liquefaction cup to translate the liquefaction cup to thermally engage and thermally disengage the liquefaction cup from the contact plate; or
a heat pipe coupled at a first end to the first stage of the cryocooler assembly and a second end coupled to the second stage of the cryocooler assembly.