Superconducting Meissner-effect bearings for cryogenic turbomachines. Phase 1. Final report, September 1988-March 1989

Technical Report · Mon May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989

OSTI ID:5523211

Iannello, V; Marshall, J S; Stacy, W D

State-of-the-art miniature expansion turbines and centrifugal compressors used in spaceborne sensor cryocoolers employ self-acting gas bearings to achieve high reliability and long operating life. Because these bearings must run at room temperature to achieve adequate stiffness and stability, they result in an avoidable source of heat leak to the process gas, thereby lowering overall cycle efficiency and increasing the system launch weight. This report shows that the gas bearings can be replaced by Meissner-effect bearings fabricated from high-temperature superconducting materials. Analyses are presented to predict Meissner bearing performance, and a preliminary design of a miniature expansion incorporating Meissner-bearings is conceptualized. Because these bearings operate at a cryogenic temperatures, a substantial reduction in heat leak to the process gas can be achieved. For a typical cryocooler providing 1 watt of cooling at 10 K, a 40% reduction in input-cycle power can be achieved by replacing the self-acting gas bearings by Meissner bearings in the cold expansion turbine.

• Research Organization: Creare, Inc., Hanover, NH (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5523211
• Report Number(s): AD-A-209875/4/XAB; CREARE-TM--1352
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

420201* -- Engineering-- Cryogenic Equipment & Devices
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BEARINGS
COMPRESSORS
CRYOGENICS
DOCUMENT TYPES
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY
EXPANSION
GAS BEARINGS
HEAT
MACHINERY
MATERIALS
MEISSNER-OCHSENFELD EFFECT
MINIATURIZATION
PROGRESS REPORT
RELIABILITY
SUPERCONDUCTORS
TURBINES
TURBOMACHINERY
WEIGHT