Methods for Managing Cryogen Within the Core of a Cryogenic Cell

Abstract

A method for managing the cryogen within the core of a cryogenic cell. The method includes causing or allowing a cryogen within the core of the cryogenic cell to vaporize, forming vaporized cryogen, in response to a thermal load in a pressurizable space. The pressurizable space is in at least partial thermal communication with the core according to a pressure within the pressurizable space. The vaporized cryogen is removed from the core and regenerated external to the cryogenic cell. The regenerated cryogen may be returned to the core. The regenerated cryogen may be in liquid form. A manifold may be used to manage the removal and the regeneration for several cryogenic cells. Removal, regeneration, and return of cryogen to cores may be increased or decreased in accordance with the thermal load.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 causing or allowing a cryogen within a core of a cryogenic cell to vaporize, forming a vaporized cryogen, in response to a thermal load in a pressurizable space of the cryogenic cell, the pressurizable space being in at least partial thermal communication with the core according to a pressure within the pressurizable space;   removing the vaporized cryogen from the core; and   regenerating the vaporized cryogen external to the cryogenic cell.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising returning the regenerated cryogen to the core. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said returning comprises returning the regenerated cryogen to the core in liquid phase. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said regenerating comprises compressing the vaporized cryogen. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said removing comprises withdrawing the vaporized cryogen from a first port in the core. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said returning comprises returning the regenerated cryogen to a second port in the core. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising measuring a parameter indicative of the thermal load and adjusting a rate of said removing and said returning in accordance with the measured parameter. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the measured parameter comprises pressure. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the measured parameter comprises temperature. 
     
     
         10 . A method, comprising:
 causing or allowing a cryogen within cores of at least two cryogenic cells to vaporize, forming vaporized cryogen, in response to thermal loads in respective pressurizable spaces of each of the at least two cryogenic cells, the pressurizable spaces being in at least partial thermal communication with the respective cores according to pressures within each of the respective pressurizable spaces;   removing the vaporized cryogen from the cores to a manifold external to the at least two cryogenic cells;   regenerating the vaporized cryogen from the manifold; and   returning the regenerated cryogen from the manifold to the cores of each of the at least two cryogenic cells.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said returning comprises returning the regenerated cryogen to the cores in liquid phase. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said regenerating comprises compressing the vaporized cryogen. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising measuring a mass flow of the vaporized cryogen out of the cores during said removing. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising measuring a mass flow of the regenerated cryogen into the cores during said returning. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising maintaining a mass balance between the mass flow of the vaporized cryogen out of the cores during said removing and the mass flow of the regenerated cryogen into the cores during said returning. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising measuring a parameter indicative of the thermal load in each of the cores of the at least two cryogenic cells and increasing or decreasing said removing and said returning in at least one of the at least two cores in accordance with the measured parameter. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the measured parameter comprises a pressure in each of the cores. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said removing and said returning are performed for all of the at least two cryogenic cells simultaneously. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said removing and said returning are performed for one of the at least two cryogenic cells at a time.