Thermal insulation technique for ultra low temperature cryogenic processor

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed to provide a cryogenic processor apparatus with an outer housing; an inner housing coupled to the external housing to define a vacuum region there between; and material disposed in the vacuum region to provide redundant insulation and structural support at a cryogenic temperature.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 ) A cryogenic processor apparatus, comprising:
 a) an outer housing;   b) an inner housing coupled to the external housing to define a vacuum region there between;   c) material disposed in the vacuum region to provide redundant insulation and structural support at a cryogenic temperature.   
     
     
         2 ) The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the material comprises an insulation material with one of: a silica micro balloon, polyisocyanurate. 
     
     
         3 ) The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the vacuum region is processed using a novel method of removing residual water vapor and other partial pressure of contaminants. 
     
     
         4 ) The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the vacuum region is evacuated to a partial pressure of approximately 0.2 milliTorr. 
     
     
         5 ) The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising a cryogenic heat exchanger with one or more tubings. 
     
     
         6 ) The apparatus of  claim 5 , where in the cryogenic heat exchanger comprises one or more tubings including redundant tubings. 
     
     
         7 ) The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the cryogenic heat exchanger comprises U-shaped tubings covering at least three walls of the payload bay. 
     
     
         8 ) The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the cryogenic heat exchanger comprises tubings covering at least four sides of the payload bay. 
     
     
         9 ) The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the cryogenic heat exchanger comprises a port coupled to one or more tubings to provide input and output connections thereto. 
     
     
         10 ) The apparatus of  claim 5 , comprising a door coupled to the payload bay, wherein the door comprises three or more materials having different thermal characteristics. 
     
     
         11 ) A method to provide ultra low temperature processing and/or storage, comprising:
 a) providing insulation and structural support using a material disposed in a vacuum region between an external housing and an inner housing; and   b) cryogenically processing one or more compartments contained in a payload bay.   
     
     
         12 ) The method of  claim 11 , wherein the material comprises an insulation material with silica micro balloon technology. 
     
     
         13 ) The method of  claim 11 , comprising removing water vapor, partial pressure contaminates and atmospheric gases from the vacuum region. 
     
     
         14 ) The method of  claim 11 , comprising evacuating the vacuum region to approximately 0.2 millitorr. 
     
     
         15 ) The method of  claim 11 , wherein the cryogenic heat exchanger comprises one or more heat exchange tubings. 
     
     
         16 ) The method of  claim 11 , wherein the cryogenic heat exchanger comprises primary heat exchange tubings including redundant tubings. 
     
     
         17 ) The method of  claim 16 , wherein the redundant tubings comprise one of: tubings branched from the primary heat exchange tubings, tubings operating in parallel with the primary heat exchange tubings, U-shaped tubings covering at least three walls of the inner housing. 
     
     
         18 ) The method of  claim 11 , comprising providing a door adapted to seal a chamber in the payload bay, wherein the door comprises a plurality of materials each having different thermal characteristics. 
     
     
         19 ) The method of  claim 11 , comprising providing a changeable rack assembly in the chamber. 
     
     
         20 ) The method of  claim 19 , comprising transmitting energy from the payload bay into the heat exchanger through the changeable rack assembly. 
     
     
         21 ) The method of  claim 11 , comprising providing a negative pressure in the payload bay. 
     
     
         22 ) The method of  claim 21 , comprising providing pneumatic seals on the main door assembly and cryogenics vacuum pumping through the heat exchanger to remove thermal energy from the payload bay and into the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         23 ) The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the external housing and the inner housing comprises a flat surface.