Miniaturized gas refrigeration device with two or more thermal regenerator sections

摘要

The size of a miniature cryocooler (100) operating on the Stirling refrigeration cycle is further reduced by shortening a first thermal regenerator module (R) disposed on a cold side of a thermal barrier (T) and providing a second thermal regenerator module (R1) disposed on a warm side of the thermal barrier (T). A thermally insulated fluid flow passage (172) is disposed to interconnect the first and second regenerator modules to thermally insulate the fluid passage (172). In combination, the first and second regenerator modules provide 100% thermal regenerator effectiveness in the device.

主权项

1. A refrigeration device comprising:
a crankcase; a compression cylinder disposed within the crankcase and ending in a cylinder head; a compression piston movably disposed within the compression cylinder, the compression piston separated from the cylinder head by a compression volume and dimensioned with a gas sealing fit with respect to the compression cylinder to prevent pressurized gas from escaping from the compression volume into the crankcase; a cold finger tube extending from the crankcase; an expansion cylinder disposed within the crankcase and extending to the cold finger tube, the expansion cylinder including a first fluid port in fluid communication with the compression volume through a fluid conduit extending from the cylinder head to the first fluid port; a gas displacing piston comprising a fluid control portion disposed in the expansion cylinder and a regenerator tube located in the cold finger tube, the fluid control portion including annular bearing surfaces configured to provide a gas seal between the fluid control portion and the expansion cylinder; a first regenerator matrix disposed entirely within the regenerator tube and characterized by a first diameter; and a second regenerator matrix disposed entirely within a thermally insulated cavity of the fluid control portion and characterized by a second diameter smaller than the first diameter; wherein the second regenerator matrix is physically separated from the first regenerator matrix by a thermal barrier and a first fluid passage extending between the first regenerator matrix and the second regenerator matrix; and wherein the fluid control portion includes a second fluid passage extending between the second regenerator matrix towards the first fluid port.