Cooling system, air-conditioning system, motor assembly and associated methods

Abstract

The invention relates to a cooling system ( 1 ) comprising at least: a Stirling heat pump ( 2 ) designed to cool an inlet gas (G e ) down to a cryogenic temperature so as to form a cryogenic liquid (L), a primary electric motor ( 3 ), intended to put said Stirling heat pump ( 2 ) into operation, a primary pump ( 4 ) intended to cause said cryogenic liquid (L) to circulate under pressure, and a cooling means ( 5 ) intended to cool said primary electric motor ( 3 ) with the aid of the cryogenic liquid (L) output by said primary pump ( 4 ). The invention is particularly suitable for the production of a cryogenic liquid and the applications thereof.

1 - A cooling system ( 1 ) comprising at least:
 a Stirling heat pump ( 2 ) designed to cool an inlet gas (G e ) down to a cryogenic temperature in order to form a cryogenic liquid (L),   a primary electric motor ( 3 ), intended to operate said Stirling heat pump ( 2 ),   a primary pump ( 4 ) intended to circulate said cryogenic liquid (L) under pressure, and   a cooling means ( 5 ), intended to cool said primary electric motor ( 3 ) by means of the cryogenic liquid (L) coming from said primary pump ( 4 ).   
     
     
         2 - The cooling system ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the primary pump ( 4 ) comprises a secondary electric motor, the cooling system ( 1 ) being designed to cool said secondary electric motor by means of the cryogenic liquid (L) coming from said Stirling heat pump ( 2 ). 
     
     
         3 - The cooling system ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises a helium liquefaction device ( 30 ), which comprises at least:
 a heat exchanger ( 31 ) intended to collect, on the one hand, gaseous helium to cool it to a cryotemperature, for example 120 K or less, and on the other hand, the pressurized cryogenic liquid (L) coming from the primary electric motor ( 3 ) to heat it,   an isenthalpic expansion module ( 32 ), intended to carry out the isenthalpic expansion of the cooled gaseous helium (He) coming from the heat exchanger ( 31 ), in order to liquefy said gaseous helium (He).   
     
     
         4 - The cooling system ( 1 ) according to  claim 3 , characterized in that said helium liquefaction device ( 30 ) further comprises:
 a cooling circuit ( 33 ) of a magnetic element ( 34 ), such as a medical imaging magnet, using liquefied helium (He) coming from said isenthalpic expansion module ( 32 ), in such a way that the liquefied helium (He) is heated enough to be vaporized into gaseous helium (He),   a secondary compressor ( 36 ), intended to compress the gaseous helium (He) coming from said cooling circuit ( 30 ) and to send it to said heat exchanger ( 31 ), and   a secondary turbine ( 35 ), positioned upstream from said isenthalpic expansion module ( 32 ) and intended to recover mechanical energy from the cooled gaseous helium (He) coming from the heat exchanger ( 31 ), said secondary turbine ( 35 ) powering said secondary compressor ( 36 ).   
     
     
         5 - The cooling system ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises an evaporator ( 6 ) intended to evaporate at least part of said pressurized cryogenic liquid (L) coming from said primary electric motor ( 3 ), in order to form an outlet gas (G s ) and to collect cooling energy. 
     
     
         6 - The cooling system ( 1 ) according to  claim 5 , characterized in that said evaporator ( 6 ) comprises at least one primary heat exchanger ( 7 ) intended to collect, on the one hand, said inlet gas (G e ) to cool it before it enters said Stirling heat pump ( 2 ), and on the other hand, at least part of said cryogenic liquid (L), coming from said primary electric motor ( 3 ), to heat it. 
     
     
         7 - The cooling system ( 1 ) according to  claim 6 , characterized in that said evaporator ( 6 ) further comprises at least one secondary heat exchanger ( 8 ) intended to heat said outlet gas (G s ) or at least part of said cryogenic liquid (L) coming from said primary heat exchanger ( 7 ) by means of a heat source (Q). 
     
     
         8 - The cooling system ( 1 ) according to  claim 7 , characterized in that it comprises a module ( 9 ) for supplying said heat source (Q), said supply module ( 9 ) being formed by a solar energy production device ( 10 ), a system ( 51 ) for recovering combustion heat, or a device for recovering waste heat from the cooling system ( 1 ) or from another system. 
     
     
         9 - The cooling system ( 1 ) according to  claim 5 , characterized in that it comprises a mechanical energy recovery device ( 12 ) to recover the mechanical energy produced by a displacement of said outlet gas (G s ). 
     
     
         10 - The cooling system ( 1 ) according to  claim 9 , characterized in that it comprises, upstream from said Stirling heat pump ( 2 ), a primary compressor ( 15 ) designed to compress said inlet gas (G e ), said primary compressor ( 15 ) being at least partly operated by means of said mechanical energy recovery device ( 12 ). 
     
     
         11 - The cooling system ( 1 ) according to  claim 9 , characterized in that said mechanical energy recovery device ( 34 ) comprises at least one electrical generator ( 13 ), the cooling system ( 1 ) further comprising a module ( 16 ) for electrolysing water into dihydrogen (H 2 ) and dioxygen (O 2 ), powered by at least said electric generator ( 13 ). 
     
     
         12 - The cooling system ( 1 ) according to  claim 11 , characterized in that it further comprises a heat exchange module ( 17 ) designed to:
 cool at least down to liquefaction the dioxygen (O 2 ) coming from the electrolyse module ( 16 ) in order to form liquefied dioxygen (O 2 ), and   heating the outlet gas (G s ) coming from the mechanical energy recovery device ( 12 ).   
     
     
         13 - The cooling system ( 1 ) according to  claim 11 , characterized in that it also comprises a methane reforming unit ( 18 ), designed to react carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) with dihydrogen (H 2 ) coming from said water electrolysis module ( 16 ) in order to form methane (CH 4 ) and water (H 2 O). 
     
     
         14 - The cooling system ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said cryogenic liquid (L) coming from said primary electric motor ( 3 ) is formed of at least a first component (C 1 ) and a second component (C 2 ) distinct from each other and in the liquid state, the cooling system ( 1 ) further comprising a separation device ( 19 ) designed to separate by magnetism said first and second components (C 1 , C 2 ) in the liquid state, one of said first and second components (C 1 , C 2 ) in the liquid state having a paramagnetic character far greater than that of the other of said first and second components (C 1 , C 2 ). 
     
     
         15 - The cooling system ( 1 ) according to  claim 14 , characterized in that it comprises an evaporator ( 6 ) intended to evaporate at least part of said pressurized cryogenic liquid (L) coming from said primary electric motor ( 3 ), in order to form an outlet gas (G s ) and to collect cooling energy, and in that said separation device ( 19 ) is designed to inject said second component (C 2 ) in the liquid state into said evaporator ( 6 ) and not to inject said first component (C 1 ) in the liquid state into the evaporator ( 6 ). 
     
     
         16 - The cooling system ( 1 ) according  claim 14 , characterized in that said separation device ( 19 ) further comprises an induction pump ( 20 ), for example single-phase or three-phase, designed to expel from the separation device ( 19 ) said most paramagnetic component, among said first and second components (C 1 , C 2 ), preferably while pressurizing it. 
     
     
         17 - The cooling system ( 1 ) according to  claim 14 , characterized in that said separation device ( 19 ) comprises a magnetic trap ( 21 ) designed to emit a magnetic field ( 100 ) in order to retain the most paramagnetic component, among said first and second components (C 1 , C 2 ), substantially within a trap portion ( 22 ) of said separation device ( 19 ). 
     
     
         18 - The cooling system ( 1 ) according to the  claim 17 , characterized in that said separation device ( 19 ) comprises a means ( 24 ) for settling said cryogenic liquid (L), a portion a least of said settling means ( 24 ) forming said trap portion ( 22 ). 
     
     
         19 - The cooling system ( 1 ) according to  claim 14 , characterized in that said inlet gas (G e ) is formed by air, said first component (C 1 ) being mainly formed by dioxygen (O 2 ), whereas said second component (C 2 ) is mostly formed by dinitrogen (N 2 ). 
     
     
         20 - The cooling system ( 1 ) according to  claim 14 , characterized in that it is connected to a internal combustion engine ( 50 ) comprising a combustion chamber ( 25 ), the cooling system ( 1 ) being designed to inject, into said combustion chamber ( 25 ), the first component (C 1 ) coming from the separation device ( 19 ). 
     
     
         21 - The cooling system ( 1 ) according to the  claim 20 , characterized in that said first injected component (C 1 ) is intended to serve as an oxidizer in the internal combustion engine ( 50 ). 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 - A motor assembly ( 60 ) characterized in that it comprises at least:
 the cooling system ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , said cooling system ( 1 ) being designed to produce liquefied dioxygen (O 2 ), and   an internal combustion engine ( 50 ), downstream from said cooling system ( 1 ) and comprising a combustion chamber ( 25 ), the cooling system ( 1 ) being connected to said internal combustion engine ( 50 ) in order to be able to inject said liquefied dioxygen (O 2 ) into said combustion chamber ( 25 ).   
     
     
         24 - A motor assembly ( 60 ) according to  claim 23 , characterized in that said cryogenic liquid (L) coming from said primary electric motor ( 3 ) is formed of at least a first component (C 1 ) and a second component (C 2 ) distinct from each other and in the liquid state, the cooling system ( 1 ) further comprising a separation device ( 19 ) designed to separate by magnetism said first and second components (C 1 , C 2 ) in the liquid state, one of said first and second components (C 1 , C 2 ) in the liquid state having a paramagnetic character far greater than that of the other of said first and second components (C 1 , C 2 ), and that he motor assembly is designed in such a way that the cooling system ( 1 ) can inject, into said combustion chamber ( 25 ), the first component (C 1 ) in the liquid state coming from the separation device ( 19 ), said first component (C 1 ) in the liquid state advantageously forming said liquefied dioxygen (O 2 ). 
     
     
         25 - The motor assembly ( 60 ) according to  claim 24 , characterized in that said mechanical energy recovery device ( 34 ) comprises at least one electrical generator ( 13 ), the cooling system ( 1 ) further comprising a module ( 16 ) for electrolysing water into dihydrogen (H 2 ) and dioxygen (O 2 ), powered by at least said electric generator ( 13 ), and in that said liquefied dioxygen (O 2 ) comes from said water electrolyse module ( 16 ). 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 - A cooling method comprising at least:
 a step of cooling an inlet gas (G e ) by means of at least one Stirling heat pump ( 2 ), in order to form a cryogenic liquid (L), said Stirling heat pump ( 2 ) being powered by a primary electric motor ( 3 ),   a pumping step to circulate said cryogenic liquid (L) under pressure, and   a cooling step, during which said primary electric motor ( 3 ) is cooled by means of the cryogenic liquid (L) coming from said pumping step.   
     
     
         29 - The cooling method according to  claim 28 , characterized in that said cryogenic liquid (L) coming from said primary electric motor ( 3 ) is formed of at least a first component (C 1 ) and a second component (C 2 ), distinct from each other and in the liquid state, the cooling method further comprising a step of separating by magnetism said first and second components (C 1 , C 2 ) in the liquid state, one of said first and second components (C 1 , C 2 ) in the liquid state having a paramagnetic character far greater than that of the other of said first and second components (C 1 , C 2 ). 
     
     
         30 . (canceled)