Cryogenic refrigeration thermodynamics for a power conditioning electronic component
- UES, Inc., Dayton, OH (United States)
- Wright Lab./POO, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH (United States)
Recent developments in cryogenic technologies have indicated that cryogenically cooling power conditioning equipment in multi-megawatt power systems will reduce system mass, volume and complexity. Most of the mass and volume saving results from the greatly increased electrical conductivity of metals cooled to cryogenic temperatures. Preliminary feasibility studies, based on refrigeration thermodynamics, have been conducted for candidate power conditioning components in a terrestrial/transportable cryogenic power system geared towards a radar application. Based on the analysis, it was found that by operating a general power conditioning component at 150 K instead of at 77 K the overall system efficiency was not jeopardized by way of large input power requirements to dissipate small refrigerator loads. This is an acute problem as some of the current cryogenic refrigeration systems allow for very low levels of energy dissipation while performing at about 7 to 10% of the Carnot coefficient of performance (COP) between 300 K and 77 K. However, there are coolers based on the Stirling cycle, that offer enhanced performance at 150 K (Donovan, 1995). After a general application of the Breakeven Refrigeration Thermodynamics (BRT) to an electronic power conditioning component, BRT was specifically considered for multilayer ceramic capacitors at cryogenic temperatures. It was found that in order not to pay a power penalty for cooling a capacitor to 77 K, the cryocooled Equivalent Series Resistance (ESR) value would have to be a factor of forty lower than that of a conventional capacitor ESR value if using a Gifford-McMahon cooling cycle, or a factor of twelve better for a more efficient Stirling cycle.
- OSTI ID:
- 452131
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-960805-; TRN: IM9715%%163
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 31. intersociety energy conversion engineering conference, Washington, DC (United States), 9-14 Aug 1996; Other Information: PBD: 1996; Related Information: Is Part Of Proceedings of the 31. intersociety energy conversion engineering conference. Volume 2: Conversion technologies, electro-chemical technologies, stirling engines, thermal management; Chetty, P.R.K.; Jackson, W.D.; Dicks, E.B. [eds.]; PB: 867 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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