CRYOCOOLER CONTROLLER SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• Main Authors: TAUBER, Sean, HORIKIRI, Tadashi, BECKER, Jeff R
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 19.08.2020
• Subjects: BLASTING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; CONTROL OR REGULATION OF ELECTRIC MOTORS, ELECTRIC GENERATORSOR DYNAMO-ELECTRIC CONVERTERS; CONTROLLING TRANSFORMERS, REACTORS OR CHOKE COILS; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER; ELECTRICITY; GENERATION; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; HEATING; LIGHTING; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; WEAPONS

Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to control operation of a cryocooler/refrigeration system to provide cryogenic and/or general cooling of a device or sensor system. A cryocooler controller includes a motor driver controller configured to generate motor driver control signals based on operational parameters corresponding to operation of a cryocooler controlled by the controller, and a motor driver configured to generate corresponding drive signals to drive a motor of the cryocooler. The motor driver includes a first stage with a first pair of switches coupled serially between an input of the motor driver and a ground of the motor driver, a second pair of switches coupled serially between an output of the first stage and the ground of the motor driver, and an inductor coupled between the first and second pairs of switches, where operation of each switch is independently controlled by the motor driver control signals.