Cryogenic refrigerator and rotary joint
AssigneeSumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd.
InventorMingyao Xu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cryogenic refrigerator includes a compressor for installation on a stationary component, an expander for installation on a rotating component, and a rotary joint fluidly coupling the compressor with the expander. The rotary joint includes: a rotor fixed to the rotating component and coaxial with its rotational axis; a stator disposed adjacent to the rotor to form a clearance between the rotor and the stator, and fixed to the stationary component; a first high-pressure flowpath and a second high-pressure flowpath, extending between the rotor and stator through the clearance, and a working-gas sealing area dividing the clearance into a first high-pressure section communicating with the first high-pressure flowpath, and into a second high-pressure section communicating with the second high-pressure flowpath.
Claims14
A cryogenic refrigerator for installation on an apparatus including a stationary portion and a rotating portion axially rotatably supported by the stationary portion, the refrigerator comprising:
- a compressor installed on the stationary portion;
- an expander installed on the rotating portion;
- and
- a rotary joint fluidly coupling the compressor with the expander, the rotary joint including
- a rotor fixed to the rotating portion and coaxial with the rotating portion's rotational axis,
- a stator disposed adjacent to the rotor to form a clearance between the rotor and the stator, and fixed to the stationary portion,
- a first high-pressure flowpath, being a flowpath for a first high-pressure working gas having a first high pressure that is higher than ambient pressure of the cryogenic refrigerator, and extending from the stator through the clearance to the rotor,
- a second high-pressure flowpath, being a flowpath for a second high-pressure working gas having a second high pressure that is higher than ambient pressure and is lower than the first high pressure, and extending from the rotor through the clearance to the stator, and
- a working-gas sealing area dividing the clearance into a first high-pressure section communicating with the first high-pressure flowpath, a second high-pressure section adjacent to the first high-pressure section and communicating with the second high-pressure flowpath, and a pressurization section adjacent to the first high-pressure section along an end thereof opposite from its second high-pressure section end, wherein
- the pressurization section has an intermediate pressure that is higher than ambient pressure and that is lower than the first high pressure.
A rotary joint for fluidly coupling a cryogenic-refrigerator compressor and expander, the compressor being installed on a stationary component and the expander being installed on a rotator axially rotatably supported by the stationary component, the rotary joint comprising:
- a rotor fixed to the rotator and coaxial with the rotator's rotational axis;
- a stator disposed adjacent to the rotor to form a clearance between the rotor and the stator, and fixed to the stationary component;
- a flowpath for working gas having a pressure higher than ambient pressure of the cryogenic refrigerator, the working gas flowpath extending from the stator through the clearance to the rotor;
- and
- a working-gas sealing area dividing the clearance into a high-pressure section communicating with the working gas flowpath, a first pressurization section adjacent to the high-pressure section, and a second pressurization section adjacent to the high-pressure section along an end thereof opposite its first pressurization section end,
- wherein the first pressurization section has a first intermediate pressure that is higher than ambient pressure and is lower than the high pressure section, and the second pressurization section has a second intermediate pressure that is higher than ambient pressure and is lower than the high pressure section.
A cryogenic refrigerator for installation on an apparatus including a stationary portion and a rotating portion axially rotatably supported by the stationary portion, the refrigerator comprising:
- a compressor installed on the stationary portion;
- an expander installed on the rotating portion;
- and
- a rotary joint fluidly coupling the compressor with the expander, the rotary joint including
- a rotor fixed to the rotating portion and coaxial with the rotating portion's rotational axis;
- a stator disposed adjacent to the rotor to form a clearance between the rotor and the stator, and fixed to the stationary portion;
- a first high-pressure flowpath being a flowpath for a first high-pressure working gas having a first high pressure that is higher than ambient pressure of the cryogenic refrigerator, and extending from the stator through the clearance to the rotor;
- a second high-pressure flowpath, being a flowpath for a second high-pressure working gas having a second high pressure that is higher than ambient pressure and is lower than the first high pressure, and extending from the rotor through the clearance to the stator;
- and
- a working-gas sealing area dividing the clearance into a first high-pressure section communicating with the first high-pressure flowpath, and a second high-pressure section communicating with the second high-pressure flowpath;
- wherein
- the rotor includes a radially extending annular flat surface surrounding said rotational axis and being perpendicular to said rotational axis,
- the working-gas sealing area includes a seal sleeve disposed about the rotational axis to seal the second high pressure section from ambient pressure, and
- the seal sleeve has a sealing surface contacting the annular flat surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.