Cryogenic device with compact exchanger

Abstract

This cold generation device implements the “Joule-Thomson” expansion principle. It includes a heat exchanger having a fluid under high pressure and under low pressure circulating in counterflow therethrough. The heat exchanger is formed of the stack of pellets ( 5 ) made of a porous material, and particularly a sintered material, forming a cylindrical mandrel, having a capillary ( 10 ) wound at the periphery thereof and in contact therewith, the capillary having the high-pressure fluid circulating therethrough, the low-pressure fluid circulating in counterflow inside of the porous mandrel thus formed.

1 . A cold generation device implementing the “Joule-Thomson” expansion principle, comprising a heat exchanger having a fluid under high pressure and under low pressure circulating in counterflow therein,
 wherein the heat exchanger is formed of the stack of pellets made of a porous material, and particularly a sintered material, forming a cylindrical mandrel, having a capillary wound at the periphery thereof and in contact therewith, the capillary having the high-pressure fluid circulating therethrough, the low-pressure fluid circulating in counterflow inside of the porous mandrel thus formed; 
 and wherein a thermally-insulating porous element is interposed between each of the pellets. 
 
     
     
         2 . The cold generation device of  claim 1 , wherein the porous thermally-insulating element is formed of a fabric, particularly made of fiber glass. 
     
     
         3 . The cold generation device of  claim 1 , wherein the pellets have a cylindrical shape, wherein the thermally-insulating intercalary elements have a circular shape, and wherein the diameter of the intercalary elements is smaller than or equal to the external diameter of the pellets. 
     
     
         4 . The cold generation device of  claim 1 , wherein the pellets are made up of sintered silver or copper. 
     
     
         5 . The cold generation device of  claim 1 , wherein the capillary is made of metal, particularly of copper, of stainless steel, or of cupronickel alloy. 
     
     
         6 . The cold generation device of  claim 5 , wherein the capillary receives a silver deposit, which is a function of the nature of the material forming the pellets, said deposit being realized before the winding of the capillary on the mandrel formed by the stack of pellets. 
     
     
         7 . The cold generation device of  claim 1 , wherein the spirals defined by the winding of the capillary around the mandrel formed by the stack of pellets are not in contact with one another. 
     
     
         8 . The cold generation device of  claim 7 , wherein a thermally-insulating yarn is wound on the intervals separating the spirals, said yarn being particularly made up of fiber glass.