The disclosure describes various aspects of a vibrationally isolated cryogenic shield for local high-quality vacuum. More specifically, the disclosure describes a cryogenic vacuum system replicated in a small volume in a mostly room temperature ultra-high vacuum (UHV) system by capping the volume with a suspended cryogenic cold finger coated with a high surface area sorption material to produce a localized extreme high vacuum (XHV) or near-XHV region. The system is designed to ensure that all paths from outgassing materials to the control volume, including multiple bounce paths off other warm surfaces, require at least one bounce off of the high surface area sorption material on the cold finger. The outgassing materials can therefore be pumped before reaching the control volume. To minimize vibrations, the cold finger is only loosely, mechanically connected to the rest of the chamber, and the isolated along with the cryogenic system via soft vacuum bellows.

The disclosure describes various aspects of a vibrationally isolated cryogenic shield for local high-quality vacuum. More specifically, the disclosure describes a cryogenic vacuum system replicated in a small volume in a mostly room temperature ultra-high vacuum (UHV) system by capping the volume with a suspended cryogenic cold finger coated with a high surface area sorption material to produce a localized extreme high vacuum (XHV) or near-XHV region. The system is designed to ensure that all paths from outgassing materials to the control volume, including multiple bounce paths off other warm surfaces, require at least one bounce off of the high surface area sorption material on the cold finger. The outgassing materials can therefore be pumped before reaching the control volume. To minimize vibrations, the cold finger is only loosely, mechanically connected to the rest of the chamber, and the isolated along with the cryogenic system via soft vacuum bellows.

The invention relates to a fluid compression apparatus (1) comprising a sealed enclosure (13) intended to contain a bath (16) of cryogenic fluid, a first (3) and a second (4) compression chambers, an intake system (2) for admission into the first chamber (3), a system (6) for transfer from the first (3) to the second (4) chamber, the apparatus (1) further comprising a communicating discharge orifice (7) for compressed fluid to leave the second chamber, the apparatus (1) further comprising a discharge orifice provided with a valve (9) for discharge from the first compression chamber (3) to the bath (16) so as to let surplus liquid leave during compression of fluid in the first chamber (3), the discharge orifice communicating with the enclosure (13) via at least one flow retarder (10) configured to attenuate the speed and/or intensity of the discharged liquid flow by limiting its pressure drop.

The invention relates to a fluid compression apparatus (1) comprising a sealed enclosure (13) intended to contain a bath (16) of cryogenic fluid, a first (3) and a second (4) compression chambers, an intake system (2) for admission into the first chamber (3), a system (6) for transfer from the first (3) to the second (4) chamber, the apparatus (1) further comprising a communicating discharge orifice (7) for compressed fluid to leave the second chamber, the apparatus (1) further comprising a discharge orifice provided with a valve (9) for discharge from the first compression chamber (3) to the bath (16) so as to let surplus liquid leave during compression of fluid in the first chamber (3), the discharge orifice communicating with the enclosure (13) via at least one flow retarder (10) configured to attenuate the speed and/or intensity of the discharged liquid flow by limiting its pressure drop.

A refrigerator includes: a refrigerator cylinder including a cylindrical first-stage cylinder and a cylindrical second-stage cylinder configured to have a smaller inner diameter than the first-stage cylinder and coupled to the first-stage cylinder; a cylindrical first-stage displacer disposed inside the first-stage cylinder; a first-stage cold storage device disposed inside the first-stage displacer; a cylindrical second-stage displacer configured to have a smaller outer diameter than the first-stage displacer, disposed inside the second-stage cylinder, and coupled to the first-stage displacer; a second-stage cold storage device disposed inside the second-stage displacer; and a reciprocating mechanism that reciprocates, in the refrigerator cylinder into which a coolant gas is introduced, the first- and second-stage displacers in a direction along a central axis line of the refrigerator cylinder. A non-fluorine coating layer is formed on an outer circumferential surface of the second-stage displacer, and a clearance is provided between the coating layer and the second-stage cylinder.

A refrigerator includes: a refrigerator cylinder including a cylindrical first-stage cylinder and a cylindrical second-stage cylinder configured to have a smaller inner diameter than the first-stage cylinder and coupled to the first-stage cylinder; a cylindrical first-stage displacer disposed inside the first-stage cylinder; a first-stage cold storage device disposed inside the first-stage displacer; a cylindrical second-stage displacer configured to have a smaller outer diameter than the first-stage displacer, disposed inside the second-stage cylinder, and coupled to the first-stage displacer; a second-stage cold storage device disposed inside the second-stage displacer; and a reciprocating mechanism that reciprocates, in the refrigerator cylinder into which a coolant gas is introduced, the first- and second-stage displacers in a direction along a central axis line of the refrigerator cylinder. A non-fluorine coating layer is formed on an outer circumferential surface of the second-stage displacer, and a clearance is provided between the coating layer and the second-stage cylinder.

A liquid cryogen stored in a liquid cryogen space of a closed insulated cryogenic storage vessel is subcooled by allowing it to enter into a conduit disposed in the liquid cryogen space where it is expanded by a pressure reducer in the conduit, thereby producing a cooled biphasic mixture of the cryogen in liquid and vaporized forms. The cooled biphasic mixture has a temperature lower than that of the liquid cryogen in the liquid cryogen space. Heat is transferred across the conduit from the liquid cryogen in the liquid cryogen space to the cooled biphasic mixture.

A liquid cryogen stored in a liquid cryogen space of a closed insulated cryogenic storage vessel is subcooled by allowing it to enter into a conduit disposed in the liquid cryogen space where it is expanded by a pressure reducer in the conduit, thereby producing a cooled biphasic mixture of the cryogen in liquid and vaporized forms. The cooled biphasic mixture has a temperature lower than that of the liquid cryogen in the liquid cryogen space. Heat is transferred across the conduit from the liquid cryogen in the liquid cryogen space to the cooled biphasic mixture.

A hydrogen fueling station includes a cryogenic pump with a cold end portion base plate and a cylindrical insulated vacuum jacket attached to the cold end portion base plate and extending away from the cold end portion base plate. Two hydrogen pump cylinders are positioned in parallel within the cylindrical insulated vacuum jacket. A first hydraulic cylinder is positioned outside of the cylindrical insulated vacuum jacket and aligned with the first hydrogen pump cylinder with the cold end portion base plate positioned between the first hydraulic cylinder and the first hydrogen pump cylinder. A second hydraulic cylinder is located outside of the cylindrical insulated vacuum jacket and adjacent to, and oriented parallel to, the first hydraulic cylinder and aligned with the second hydrogen pump cylinder with the cold end portion base plate positioned between the second hydraulic cylinder and the second hydrogen pump cylinder.

A hydrogen fueling station includes a cryogenic pump with a cold end portion base plate and a cylindrical insulated vacuum jacket attached to the cold end portion base plate and extending away from the cold end portion base plate. Two hydrogen pump cylinders are positioned in parallel within the cylindrical insulated vacuum jacket. A first hydraulic cylinder is positioned outside of the cylindrical insulated vacuum jacket and aligned with the first hydrogen pump cylinder with the cold end portion base plate positioned between the first hydraulic cylinder and the first hydrogen pump cylinder. A second hydraulic cylinder is located outside of the cylindrical insulated vacuum jacket and adjacent to, and oriented parallel to, the first hydraulic cylinder and aligned with the second hydrogen pump cylinder with the cold end portion base plate positioned between the second hydraulic cylinder and the second hydrogen pump cylinder.