Superfluid thermodynamic cycle refrigerator
Abstract
A cryogenic refrigerator cools a heat source by cyclically concentrating and diluting the amount of .sup.3 He in a single phase .sup.3 He-.sup.4 He solution. The .sup.3 He in superfluid .sup.4 He acts in a manner of an ideal gas in a vacuum. Thus, refrigeration is obtained using any conventional thermal cycle, but preferably a Stirling or Carnot cycle. A single phase solution of liquid .sup.3 He at an initial concentration in superfluid .sup.4 He is contained in a first variable volume connected to a second variable volume through a superleak device that enables free passage of .sup.4 He while restricting passage of .sup.3 He. The .sup.3 He is compressed (concentrated) and expanded (diluted) in a phased manner to carry out the selected thermal cycle to remove heat from the heat load for cooling below 1 K.
- Inventors:
-
- Santa Fe, NM
- La Canada, CA
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 868601
- Patent Number(s):
- 5172554
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F25 - REFRIGERATION OR COOLING F25B - REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- superfluid; thermodynamic; cycle; refrigerator; cryogenic; cools; heat; source; cyclically; concentrating; diluting; amount; single; phase; he-; solution; manner; ideal; gas; vacuum; refrigeration; obtained; conventional; thermal; preferably; stirling; carnot; liquid; initial; concentration; contained; variable; volume; connected; superleak; device; enables; free; passage; restricting; compressed; concentrated; expanded; diluted; phased; carry; selected; remove; load; cooling; below; heat load; remove heat; heat source; single phase; thermal cycle; thermodynamic cycle; cooling below; cryogenic refrigerator; initial concentration; free passage; cycle refrigerator; /62/60/
Citation Formats
Swift, Gregory W, and Kotsubo, Vincent Y. Superfluid thermodynamic cycle refrigerator. United States: N. p., 1992.
Web.
Swift, Gregory W, & Kotsubo, Vincent Y. Superfluid thermodynamic cycle refrigerator. United States.
Swift, Gregory W, and Kotsubo, Vincent Y. Wed .
"Superfluid thermodynamic cycle refrigerator". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/868601.
@article{osti_868601,
title = {Superfluid thermodynamic cycle refrigerator},
author = {Swift, Gregory W and Kotsubo, Vincent Y},
abstractNote = {A cryogenic refrigerator cools a heat source by cyclically concentrating and diluting the amount of .sup.3 He in a single phase .sup.3 He-.sup.4 He solution. The .sup.3 He in superfluid .sup.4 He acts in a manner of an ideal gas in a vacuum. Thus, refrigeration is obtained using any conventional thermal cycle, but preferably a Stirling or Carnot cycle. A single phase solution of liquid .sup.3 He at an initial concentration in superfluid .sup.4 He is contained in a first variable volume connected to a second variable volume through a superleak device that enables free passage of .sup.4 He while restricting passage of .sup.3 He. The .sup.3 He is compressed (concentrated) and expanded (diluted) in a phased manner to carry out the selected thermal cycle to remove heat from the heat load for cooling below 1 K.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1992},
month = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1992}
}
Works referenced in this record:
Pulse Tube Refrigeration–A New Type of Cryocooler
journal, January 1987
- Radebaugh, Ray
- Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 26, Issue S3-3