Cooling system

Abstract

Cooling system, preferably adapted for use in or including a refrigeration plant and/or liquefier plant, having a refrigeration circuit (1) configured to use a refrigerant including a mixture of helium and neon; wherein the refrigerant is based on a raw mixture, preferably is the raw mixture, including helium and neon, extracted from air by an air separation plant (2). Method for producing a refrigerant usable in a refrigeration circuit (1), comprising: extracting a raw mixture including helium and neon from air, wherein the raw mixture preferably further includes nitrogen and hydrogen; and using the raw mixture as the refrigerant or obtaining the refrigerant from the raw mixture.

1 . Cooling system, preferably adapted for use in or including a refrigeration plant and/or liquefier plant,
 the cooling system including a refrigeration circuit ( 1 ) configured to use a refrigerant including a mixture of helium and neon; wherein
 the refrigerant is based on a raw mixture, preferably the refrigerant comprises the raw mixture, and wherein the raw mixture extracted from air by an air separation plant ( 2 ). 
   
     
     
         2 . Cooling system according to  claim 1 , further including an air separation plant ( 2 ) configured to extract the raw mixture including helium and neon from air, wherein the raw mixture is used as the refrigerant or forms the basis of the refrigerant. 
     
     
         3 . Cooling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the raw mixture further includes nitrogen and/or hydrogen. 
     
     
         4 . Cooling system according to  claim 1 , further including a purification device ( 3 ) configured to remove impurities, preferably nitrogen, from the raw mixture. 
     
     
         5 . Cooling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the air separation plant ( 2 ) is configured to extract the raw mixture from ambient air and the raw mixture preferably includes a neon/helium-ratio which is approximately equal to the neon/helium-ratio present in the ambient air, preferably of approximately 3.5. 
     
     
         6 . Cooling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the cooling system and the refrigerant are configured for cooling temperatures below 80 K, preferably below 70 K or 63 K, to approximately 25 K. 
     
     
         7 . Cooling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the refrigeration circuit ( 1 ) is configured to implement a Brayton cycle or a Claude cycle and/or the refrigeration circuit ( 1 ) includes one or more turbo-compressors ( 11 ). 
     
     
         8 . Cooling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the raw mixture including helium and neon is extracted from air in rectification columns of the cryogenic air separation plant ( 2 ). 
     
     
         9 . Cooling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the cooling system is configured such that neither helium nor neon included in the raw mixture, preferably also in the refrigerant, is added by a source different from the air separation plant ( 2 ). 
     
     
         10 . Cooling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the refrigeration circuit ( 1 ) is configured for cooling and/or liquefaction of gases, preferably helium and/or neon and/or hydrogen. 
     
     
         11 . Method for producing a refrigerant usable in a refrigeration circuit ( 1 ), comprising:
 extracting a raw mixture including helium and neon from air, wherein the raw mixture preferably further includes nitrogen and hydrogen; and   using the raw mixture as the refrigerant or obtaining the refrigerant from the raw mixture.   
     
     
         12 . Method according to  claim 11 , further comprising removing impurities, preferably nitrogen, from the raw mixture. 
     
     
         13 . Method according to  claim 11 , wherein the raw mixture is extracted from ambient air, and the raw mixture includes a neon/helium-ratio which is approximately equal to the neon/helium-ratio included in the ambient air, preferably of approximately 3.5. 
     
     
         14 . Cooling method, comprising:
 a method for producing a refrigerant according to  claim 11 ; and   circulating the refrigerant in a refrigeration circuit ( 1 ), preferably the refrigerant circuit being used in or including a refrigeration plant and/or a liquefier plant.   
     
     
         15 . Cooling method according to  claim 14 , wherein the refrigeration circuit ( 1 ) implements a Brayton cycle or a Claude cycle, and the refrigeration circuit ( 1 ) preferably includes one or more turbo-compressors ( 11 ).