Cryogenic refrigeration device

Abstract

Cryogenic refrigeration device comprising an enclosure delimiting a sealed space closed by a cover, the device comprising at least one cryogenic cooler mounted through the cover and having a first end located outside of the enclosure and a second end located inside the enclosure, the cryogenic cooler being configured to produce cold at the second end thereof, the device comprising a set of heat-conducting plates which are arranged inside the enclosure and form thermal stages cooled by the cryogenic cooler, the device comprising a set of passages formed through the cover and plates for the sealed passage of one or more cables and/or equipment into the enclosure, characterised in that at least one part of the cover comprises a flange forming a support for the cryogenic cooler, wherein said flange bearing the cryogenic cooler is attached in a sealed manner and is removable from the remainder of the cover.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A cryogenic refrigeration device comprising:
 an enclosure delimiting a sealed volume closed by a cover;   a cryogenic refrigerator mounted through the cover and having a first end located outside the enclosure and a second end located inside the enclosure, the cryogenic refrigerator being configured to produce cold at the second end thereof;   a set of thermally conductive plates arranged in the enclosure to form thermal stages cooled by the cryogenic refrigerator;   a set of passages formed through the cover and plates for the sealed passage of cables and/or equipment into the enclosure, at least a portion of the cover being a flange forming a support for the cryogenic refrigerator, said flange bearing the cryogenic refrigerator being fastened sealingly and removably in relation to the rest of the cover,   wherein the cryogenic refrigerator further comprises a working fluid circuit subjected to a working cycle, some or all of the components of the cryogenic refrigerator and notably of the working circuit also being rigidly mounted on the flange,   wherein the cryogenic refrigerator further comprises at least one of the following components rigidly mounted on the flange: at least one sheath, a dilution refrigeration system, a set of pipes for the working fluid, a set of stores designed to store the working fluid, a pumping member for the working fluid, a working-fluid injection member, a set of fluidic connections, a pumping member, a set of cables, for example for a thermometry and/or heating system, a thermal bonding braid, a pulse tube refrigerator, one or more thermal switches, one or more impurity getters, a bellows, and a mechanical damping system.   
     
     
         14 . The device as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the flange bears a set of lower components of the cryogenic refrigerator that project from the lower face of the flange and that are seated in the enclosure when the flange is mounted on the cover through a through-hole in the cover, and in that these lower components are dimensioned and/or arranged to pass through the hole to enable mounting or removal of the flange and the associated components of the cryogenic refrigerator in relation to the enclosure through the cover. 
     
     
         15 . The device as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the lower components of the cryogenic refrigerator projecting from the lower face of the flange extend in a longitudinal direction that is vertical when the flange is mounted on the cover, and in that the dimensions of these lower components of the cryogenic refrigerator transverse to the longitudinal direction are smaller than the dimensions of the hole. 
     
     
         16 . The device as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the lower components of the cryogenic refrigerator are aligned in the longitudinal direction up to a terminal end forming a column of components, and in that the transverse dimensions of the column are constant or decrease from the flange toward the terminal end. 
     
     
         17 . The device as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the cover comprises a cutout or a recess delimiting the hole in the cover, and in that the flange sealingly plugs said hole when the flange is fastened to the rest of the cover. 
     
     
         18 . The device as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the cutout or the recess in the cover defines a mating seat for at least a portion of the flange, in the fastened position, the flange fitting at least partially into said seat. 
     
     
         19 . The device as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the flange is fastened to the rest of the cover by a set of fastening pins, for example screws. 
     
     
         20 . The device as claimed in  claim 14 , further comprising a gasket interposed between the flange and the rest of the cover, and/or a gasket interposed between the cryogenic refrigerator and the flange. 
     
     
         21 . The device as claimed in  claim 14 , further comprising several cryogenic refrigerators mounted on respective support flanges. 
     
     
         22 . The device as claimed in  claim 14 , further comprising several cryogenic refrigerators mounted on a single flange. 
     
     
         23 . The device as claimed in  claim 14 , further comprising at least one cryogenic refrigerator that is one of the following: a pulse tube refrigerator, a Gifford-McMahon refrigerator, or a Stirling refrigerator, and/or at least one that is one of the following: a dilution refrigerator, a 3He or 4He Joule-Thompson refrigerator, or an adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator. 
     
     
         24 . The device as claimed in  claim 14 , further comprising at least one cryogenic refrigerator mounted in the central portion of the cover via the flange thereof and a set of several passages formed through the cover and located about the periphery of the at least one cryogenic refrigerator.