Patent · US Expired

Laboratory freezer appliance

US5142872A · kind A · utility

36Cited by
25References
26Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJul 8, 1991
Grant dateSep 1, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 8, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF25D2400/10
  • WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A laboratory freezer appliance providing a usable storage space on the order of 5 to 20 cubic feet capable of storage temperatures of -160.degree. C. and lower including an insulated freezer chamber, heat transfer tubes in proximity to the freezer chamber carrying liquid argon at ultra-low temperatures which absorbs heat from the freezer chamber thereby vaporizing the argon in the heat transfer tubes; a closed cycle, hermetically-sealed free piston Stirling cycle heat pump providing a cold end above a vertical displacer driven by a linearly reciprocating piston at a delta T to the freezer chamber of about -13.degree. C.; a condensing chamber surrounding the cold end of the heat pump for condensing argon vapor to the argon liquid; and a distributor for distributing liquid argon from the condensing chamber to the heat transfer tubes and returning argon vapor to the condensing chamber, all without mechanical pumping of the argon, in a continuous, closed cycle refrigeration system.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.