MEMS cryocooler systems and methods
AssigneeFLIR Systems, Inc.
InventorAndreas Fiedler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods using microelectromechanical systems MEMS techniques to provide cryogenic and/or general cooling of a device or sensor system. In one embodiment, a system includes a compressor assembly and MEMS expander assembly in fluid communication with the compressor assembly via a gas transfer line configured to physically separate and thermally decouple the MEMS expander assembly from the compressor assembly. The MEMS expander assembly includes a plurality of expander cells each including a MEMS displacer, a cell regenerator, and an expansion volume disposed between the MEMS displacer and the cell regenerator, and the plurality of cell regenerators are configured to combine to form a contiguous shared regenerator for the MEMS expander assembly.
Claims20
A system comprising:
- a compressor assembly;
- and
- a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) expander assembly in fluid communication with the compressor assembly via a gas transfer line configured to physically separate and thermally decouple the MEMS expander assembly from the compressor assembly, wherein:
- the MEMS expander assembly comprises a plurality of expander cells each comprising a MEMS displacer, a cell regenerator, and an expansion volume disposed between the MEMS displacer and the cell regenerator, and
- the plurality of cell regenerators are configured to combine to form a contiguous shared regenerator for the MEMS expander assembly.
A method comprising:
- forming a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) expander assembly, wherein the MEMS expander assembly comprises a plurality of expander cells each comprising a MEMS displacer, a cell regenerator, and an expansion volume disposed between the MEMS displacer and the cell regenerator, and wherein the plurality of cell regenerators are configured to combine to form a contiguous shared regenerator for the MEMS expander assembly;
- placing the MEMS expander assembly in fluid communication with a compressor assembly via a gas transfer line, wherein the gas transfer line is configured to physically separate and thermally decouple the MEMS expander assembly from the compressor assembly.
A method comprising:
- displacing at least a first portion of a working gas of a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) refrigerator into a MEMS expander assembly of the MEMS refrigerator, wherein the MEMS expander assembly comprises a plurality of expander cells each comprising a MEMS displacer, a cell regenerator, and an expansion volume disposed between the MEMS displacer and the cell regenerator, and wherein the plurality of cell regenerators are configured to combine to form a contiguous shared regenerator for the MEMS expander assembly;
- and
- expanding the working gas within the MEMS refrigerator using the MEMS expander assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.