Cryogenic cooling system with precooling stage

A refrigeration system comprising:

• (a) an electrochemical compressor for compressing a first and a second gas;
• (b) a first cooling loop and a second cooling loop, the first cooling loop providing precooling for the second cooling loop, the second cooling loop providing cooling for a primary load at a minimum temperature substantially below that achieved by the first cooling loop;
• (c) means for conveying the first gas in the first cooling loop, including means for expanding the compressed first gas to precool the second gas and means for returning the expanded first gas to the electrochemical compressor;
• and
• (d) means for conveying the second gas in the second cooling loop, including means for expanding the precooled compressed second gas to cool the primary load and means for returning the expanded second gas to the electrochemical compressor.

A method for cooling a primary load to a cryogenic temperature, comprising the steps of:

• (a) compressing a first and a second cryogenic gas with an electrochemical compressor;
• (b) circulating the first cryogenic gas in a first cooling loop;
• (c) circulating the second cryogenic gas in a second cooling loop;
• (d) adiabatically expanding the compressed first cryogenic gas to precool the compressed second cryogenic gas below its inversion temperature;
• (e) adiabatically expanding the precooled compressed second cryogenic gas to cool the primary load;
• and
• (f) returning the expanded first and second cryogenic gases to the electrochemical compressor.

A refrigeration system, comprising:

• (a) a compressor for simultaneously compressing a primary and a second working fluid;
• (b) a precooler heat exchanger connected to the compressor for cooling the primary working fluid with the secondary working fluid;
• (c) a precooling flow path for the secondary working fluid comprising an expander connected between the compressor and precooler heat exchanger and a return line between the compressor and precooler heat exchanger;
• (d) a primary expander connected to the precooler heat exchanger for expanding the primary working fluid after it passes through the precooler heat exchanger;
• (e) a primary heat exchanger connected to the primary expander for cooling a load with the expanded, primary working fluid;
• and
• (f) a conduit between the primary heat exchanger and compressor to return warm, expanded, primary working fluid to the compressor.

A refrigeration system comprising:

• (a) compressor means for simultaneously compressing a first and a second gas, including means for chemically combining and then dissociating the gases;
• (b) a first cooling loop connected to the compressor means, for conveying the first gas to and from the compressor means in a first refrigeration cycle;
• (c) a second cooling loop connected to the compressor means, for conveying the second gas to and from the compressor means in a second refrigeration cycle;
• (d) first and second expansion devices disposed respectively in the first and second cooling loops;
• (e) first heat transfer means, disposed within the first and second cooling loops, said first heat transfer means transferring heat from the second gas to the expanded first gas prior to passage of the second gas through the expansion device in its cooling loop;
• and
• (f) second heat transfer means, disposed within the second cooling loop downstream of the second expansion device, for transferring heat from a primary load to the expanded second gas.

A method for cooling a plurality of loads, comprising the steps of:

• (a) compressing a first and a second gas, said step of compressing including the steps of:
• (i) chemically combining the first and second gases to form a liquid;
• (ii) increasing the pressure of the liquid;
• and
• (iii) dissociating the liquid into the first and second gases at higher pressures than when they were chemically combined;
• (b) circulating the compressed first and second gases through separate closed loop flow paths;
• (c) expanding the compressed first gas to cool a first load;
• and
• (d) expanding the compressed second gas to cool a second load.