Cryogenic refrigeration system and cryogenic pump

Abstract

A cryogenic refrigeration system and method are disclosed. The cryogenic refrigeration system comprises: a refrigerator unit comprising an expansion unit and a variable speed compressor configured to compress refrigerant. The variable speed compressor is configured to receive refrigerant from the refrigerator unit via a lower pressure line and to supply compressed refrigerant to the refrigerator unit via a higher pressure line. There is also control circuitry configured to control the variable speed compressor to maintain a power consumption of the variable speed compressor below a predetermined threshold value, by during cooldown controlling the compressor to initially operate at a reduced frequency and later increasing a frequency of operation of the variable speed compressor such that the variable speed compressor operates at a higher frequency.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.