Patent ID: 8387402

Claim:
A system for cooling an object with a cryogen having a critical point defined by a critical-point pressure and a critical-point temperature, the system comprising: a cryogen generator adapted to increase a pressure of the cryogen; a valve provided at an outlet of the cryogen generator and adapted to release a flow of the cryogen when the pressure of the cryogen exceeds a predetermined pressure within the cryogen generator, the predetermined pressure being greater than a pressure value determined to provide the cryogen at a reduced molar volume that prevents vapor lock; a cryogenic application device adapted to be brought into thermal communication with the object; a conduit connecting the valve with the cryogenic application device for transporting the cryogen from the valve to the cryogenic application device; and a flow controller to regulate flow of cryogen through the conduit and cryogenic application device, wherein the cryogen increases in temperature when the application device is in thermal communication with the object along a thermodynamic path that maintains the pressure of the cryogen above the predetermined pressure for a duration that the application device and cryogen are in thermal communication.