Methods and apparatus for recycling cryogenic liquid or gas from test chambers
US6711961B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 22, 2001 |
| Grant date | Mar 30, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 22, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01R31/2874
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are presented which allow efficient environmental testing of components such as printed circuit boards, integrated circuits, sub-systems and other components. In one method of the invention, a component can be placed into a chamber having an internal space filled with a gaseous atmosphere. The component is indirectly cooled by smartly positioning one or more cooling coils near the component to be tested, and the cooling coils are fed with a cryogenic fluid from a source of cryogenic fluid. The warm cryogenic fluid is recycled by one of two means: a thermosiphon conduit loop, and a storage and compression facility for reusing the warm cryogenic fluid. The internal space is preferably filled with a dry gas.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.