Precooling system for Joule-Thomson probe

US6070415A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• CryoGen, Inc. · US

Inventors

• John D. Dobak, III · Village of La Jolla, US
• Terry L. Brown · San Diego, US
• Kambiz Ghaerzadeh · San Diego, US
• Xiaoyu Yu · Nanhu, CN

Key dates

• Filing date: May 7, 1998
• Grant date: Jun 6, 2000
• Expiry date: May 7, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC —): General

Abstract

A miniature refrigeration system and method of operation. A primary refrigerant is pressurized by a compressor to a relatively low pressure, for safety reasons. The compressed primary refrigerant is passed through a primary-to-secondary heat exchanger, to precool the gas mixture. The secondary side of the primary-to-secondary heat exchanger is cooled by a secondary refrigeration system. The primary refrigerant exiting the primary outlet of the primary-to-secondary heat exchanger passes to a primary Joule-Thomson expansion element where the high pressure gas is expanded to a lower temperature. This low temperature gas cools a heat transfer element mounted in the outer wall of the catheter or cryoprobe, to cool surrounding tissue. Return gas can flow back through a distal primary-to-primary heat exchanger to further cool the incoming high pressure gas mixture. A proximal primary-to-primary heat exchanger can be added between the primary-to-secondary heat exchanger and the primary compressor.