A 4 K tactical cryocooler using reverse-Brayton machines

International Cryogenic Materials Conference 2017

Zagarola, M.^1 ; Cragin, K.^1 ; McCormick, J.^1 ; Hill, R.^1

Creare LLC, 16 Great Hollow Road, Hanover

NH

03755, United States^1

关键词: Cryogenic temperatures;    Digital communications;    Environmental requirement;    Low temperatures;    Military missions;    Spatial holography;    Superconducting electronics;    Tactical cryocooler;   

Others  :  https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1757-899X/279/1/012015/pdf
DOI  :  10.1088/1757-899X/279/1/012015

来源: IOP

【 摘 要 】

Superconducting electronics and spectral-spatial holography have the potential to revolutionize digital communications, but must operate at cryogenic temperatures, near 4 K. Liquid helium is undesirable for military missions due to logistics and scarcity, and commercial low temperature cryocoolers are unable to meet size, weight, power, and environmental requirements for many missions. To address this need, Creare is developing a reverse turbo-Brayton cryocooler that provides refrigeration at 4.2 K and rejects heat at 77 K to an upper-stage cryocooler or through boil-off of liquid nitrogen. The cooling system is predicted to reduce size, weight, and input power by at least an order of magnitude as compared to the current state-of-the-art 4.2 K cryocooler. For systems utilizing nitrogen boil-off, the boil-off rate is reasonable. This paper reviews the design of the cryocooler, the key components, and component test results.