Provided is a helium recondensation apparatus for a cryostat, which can stably recondense vapor of helium in the cryostat while preventing a pipeline for the recondensation from being clogged. A recondensation apparatus includes a freezer, a first heat exchanger, a first recondensing chamber, and a first connection part. The first heat exchanger stores heat-exchanging helium in a helium tank included in an NMR apparatus, and permits the heat-exchanging helium to evaporate owing to heat of vaporization taken from vapor of coolant helium in the helium tank, thereby permitting the coolant helium to recondense through heat exchange with the heat-exchanging helium. The first connection part is separated from the coolant helium in the helium tank and permits the heat-exchanging helium to flow between the first heat exchanger and the first recondensing chamber therethrough.

A cryocooler assembly including at least one remotely driven cryocooler operable between an ON-state of operation and an OFF-state of operation and defining a first stage of the cryocooler assembly. A liquefaction cup in fluidic communication with a cryogenic fluid reservoir, wherein a plurality of conduits thermally couple the liquefaction cup to the fluid reservoir and define a second stage of the cryocooler assembly. The cryocooler assembly further including one or more of a valve, a gas/liquid switch, an actuating support arm and a heat pipe coupled to the second stage of the cryocooler assembly to remotely disconnect a heat path generated by the at least one remotely driven cryocooler between the first stage and the second stage during the OFF-state of operation. A superconducting generator including at least one remotely driven cryocooler assembly and method of operating a cooling assembly for a superconducting generator utilizing at least one remotely driven cryocooler assembly are disclosed.

Disclosed are a helium gas liquefier and a method for liquefying a helium gas. The disclosed helium gas liquefier includes: a first cooling part including a first cooling column; a first cold head installed on the first cooling column, and a first cylinder in which the first cooling column and the first cold head are built; a second cooling part including a second cooling column, a second cold head installed on the second cooling column, and a second cylinder in which the second cooling column and the second cold head are built; and a liquid helium storage disposed under the second cooling part.

The present invention relates to a cryocooler suitable for gas liquefaction applications, that comprises a coldhead (1) with one or more refrigeration stages (2, 3); further comprising: a refrigerator compressor (4) for distributing compressed gas-phase cryogen inside the coldhead (1); a heat exchanging coil (9) arranged at least partially around the external region of the coldhead (1); at least one extraction orifice (8) communicating a gas circulation circuit (5) inside the coldhead (1) with the heat exchanging coil (9); acting said extraction orifice/s (8) as pass-through port/s which allow the gas inside the coldhead (1) to flow through the inside of the heat exchanger coil (9) for exchanging heat with the exterior thereof, and wherein the heat exchanging coil (9) is adapted to connect and redirect the gas to one return port (8) connected to the gas circulation circuit (5). Another object of the invention relates to a cryogen-gas liquefaction system (11) and a method for liquefaction of gases that comprises said system (11).

A fault-tolerant cryogenically cooled system including an outer vacuum chamber defining a vacuum region in its interior volume; a cryogenic refrigerator; equipment to be cooled, housed within the vacuum region; a free volume delimited within the vacuum region and containing a cryogen; a cold plate exposed to the free volume and thermally linked to the equipment to be cooled; a heat exchanger thermally linked to a coldest stage of the refrigerator and exposed to the free volume; a cryogen buffer vessel delimiting a buffer volume; and a passage linking the buffer volume with the free volume.

Disclosed are containers (100) for cryopreserved biological samples (102), which comprise an insulated housing comprising a cavity (108) for containing at least one cryopreserved biological sample; and a sealed reservoir (106) at least partly surrounding the cavity, the sealed reservoir comprising liquified gas (120) such as liqified air, the gas being kept largely liquified by means of a heat transfer engine (112) such as a Stirling cryocooler. A valve (114) may be provided to function as both a pressure relief valve and an inlet valve. The inlet valve may be coupled to a sensor (122) for sensing a volume of liquified gas within the sealed reservoir. The container may further comprise a heat exchanger (116) coupled to the heat engine and extending into the sealed reservoir.

An arrangement for cryogenic cooling includes a cryogen tank, a cryogenic recondensing refrigerator arranged to cool a heat exchanger that is exposed to the interior of the cryogen tank, and an arrangement for conducting heat from a cooled article to the cryogen tank. A further cryogen tank is provided below the heat exchanger and arranged to receive cryogen liquid recondensed on the heat exchanger.

A cryogenic apparatus (10) includes an enclosure (12), a first thermo-mechanical cooler (20) and a second thermo-mechanical cooler (22) which project into the enclosure (12), at least the second thermo-mechanical cooler (22) being a two-stage cooler, and each cooler (20, 22) having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet for each stage, and a helium gas extraction flow duct (40) which extends into the enclosure (12) and which communicates with a vessel (42) to contain liquid helium within the enclosure (12). There is a first heat exchanger (62) within the gas flow duct (40). A first duct (74) carries cold helium gas from a fluid outlet (73) of the first thermo-mechanical cooler (20) and through the first heat exchanger (62) to the fluid inlet (75) of the second stage of the second thermo-mechanical cooler (22).

A cryogenic cooling system is provided comprising: a mechanical refrigerator, a heat pipe and a heat switch assembly. The mechanical refrigerator has a first cooled stage and a second cooled stage. The heat pipe has a first part coupled thermally to the second cooled stage and a second part coupled thermally to a target assembly. The heat pipe is adapted to contain a condensable gaseous coolant when in use. The heat switch assembly comprises one or more gas gap heat switches, a first end coupled thermally to the second cooled stage and a second end coupled thermally to the target assembly. The cryogenic cooling system is adapted to be operated in a heat pipe cooling mode in which the temperature of the second cooled stage is lower than the first cooled stage and wherein the temperature of the target assembly causes the coolant within the second part of the heat pipe to be gaseous and the temperature of the second cooled stage causes the coolant in the first part of the heat pipe to condense. The target assembly is cooled by the movement of the condensed liquid coolant from the first part of the heat pipe to the second part of the heat pipe during the heat pipe cooling mode. The cryogenic cooling system is further adapted to be operated in a gas gap cooling mode in which the temperature of the second cooled stage causes freezing of the coolant. The heat switch assembly is adapted to provide cooling from the second cooled stage to the target assembly during the gas gap cooling mode via the one or more gas gap heat switches.

Disclosed are a helium gas liquefier and a method for liquefying a helium gas. The disclosed helium gas liquefier includes: a first cooling part including a first cooling column; a first cold head installed on the first cooling column, and a first cylinder in which the first cooling column and the first cold head are built; a second cooling part including a second cooling column, a second cold head installed on the second cooling column, and a second cylinder in which the second cooling column and the second cold head are built; and a liquid helium storage disposed under the second cooling part.