Cryogenic freezer
AssigneeMVE Biological Solutions US, LLC
InventorsJohn Corey, Keith Gustafson, Buzz Bies
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cryogenic freezer features a dewar defining a storage space. A reservoir is positioned within or adjacent to the storage space and is configured to contain a cryogenic liquid with a headspace above the cryogenic liquid in a reservoir interior space that is sealed with respect to the storage space. A refrigeration module is in heat exchange relationship with the reservoir. A sensor is configured to determine a temperature or pressure within the reservoir. A system controller is connected to the sensor and the refrigeration module and configured so that the refrigeration module is adjusted to provide additional cooling to the reservoir when a pressure or temperature within the headspace increases.
Claims20
A cryogenic freezer comprising:
- a container defining a storage space;
- a reservoir vessel positioned within the storage space and configured to contain a cryogen and a void space in a reservoir interior space that is sealed with respect to the storage space by a wall of the reservoir vessel;
- a refrigeration module that is in a heat exchange relationship with the void space of the reservoir,
- wherein the refrigeration module includes a cold tip that is in the heat exchange relationship with the void space of the reservoir and that is positioned in an upper end of the reservoir vessel;
- a sensor configured to monitor a characteristic of the reservoir interior space;
- and
- a system controller connected to the sensor and the refrigeration module and configured to control an amount of cooling by the refrigeration module to the cold tip in response to a detected value of the characteristic,
- wherein the wall of the reservoir vessel cools the storage space by heat transfer through the wall of the reservoir vessel and prevents fluid communication between the storage space and the reservoir interior space.
A cryogenic freezer comprising:
- a container defining a storage space;
- a reservoir vessel positioned within the storage space and configured to contain a cryogen in a reservoir interior space that is sealed with respect to the storage space by a wall of the reservoir vessel;
- a refrigeration module including a cold tip that is in a heat exchange relationship with the reservoir vessel;
- a content monitoring apparatus configured to monitor the reservoir interior space;
- and
- a system controller connected to the content monitoring apparatus and the refrigeration module and configured to control cooling by the refrigeration module to the reservoir vessel in response to a change in the cryogen in the reservoir interior space,
- wherein the wall of the reservoir vessel cools the storage space by heat transfer through the wall of the reservoir vessel and prevents fluid communication between the storage space and the reservoir interior space.
A freezer comprising:
- a container defining a storage space;
- a reservoir vessel positioned within the storage space and configured to contain a cryogen with a headspace above the cryogen in a reservoir interior space that is sealed with respect to the storage space by a wall of the reservoir vessel;
- a refrigeration module that is in a heat exchange relationship with the headspace,
- wherein the refrigeration module includes a cold tip that is in the heat exchange relationship with the headspace and that is positioned in an upper end of a reservoir neck of the reservoir;
- a sensor configured to determine a pressure or temperature corresponding to a pressure or temperature within the reservoir interior space;
- and
- a system controller connected to the sensor and the refrigeration module and configured to control an amount of cooling by the refrigeration module to the cold tip in the headspace when the pressure or the temperature within the reservoir interior space increases,
- wherein the reservoir vessel cools the storage space by heat transfer and prevents fluid communication between the storage space and the reservoir interior space.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.