Miniaturized gas refrigeration device with two or more thermal regenerator sections

Abstract

The size of a miniature cryocooler operating on the Stirling refrigeration cycle is further reduced by shortening a first thermal regenerator module (R) disposed on a cold side of a thermal barrier (T) and providing a second thermal regenerator module (R 1 ) disposed on a warm side of the thermal barrier (T). A thermally insulated fluid flow passage is disposed to interconnect the first and second regenerator modules to thermally insulate the fluid passage. In combination, the first and second regenerator modules provide 100% thermal regenerator effectiveness in the device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 flowing a refrigeration gas through a first regenerator matrix disposed entirely within a regenerator tube, wherein the regenerator tube is located in a cold finger tube and forms part of a gas displacing piston; and   flowing the refrigeration gas through at least a second regenerator matrix, wherein the at least second regenerator matrix is physically separated from the first regenerator matrix by a thermal barrier and a first fluid passage extending from the first regenerator matrix.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first regenerator matrix and the at least second regenerator matrix are configured to provide approximately 100% thermal regenerator effectiveness with respect to the refrigeration gas flowing through the first regenerator matrix and the at least second regenerator matrix. 
     
     
         3 . A refrigeration device configured to perform the method of  claim 1 , wherein the refrigeration device comprises an infrared sensor thermally coupled to and cooled by a distal end of the cold finger tube.