Thermodynamic analysis of cascade microcryocoolers with low pressure ratios

Radebaugh, Ray

doi:10.1063/1.4860693

Title: Thermodynamic analysis of cascade microcryocoolers with low pressure ratios

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Abstract

The vapor-compression cycle for refrigeration near ambient temperature achieves high efficiency because the isenthalpic expansion of the condensed liquid is a rather efficient process. However, temperatures are limited to about 200 K with a single-stage system. Temperatures down to 77 K are possible with many stages. In the case of microcryocoolers using microcompressors, pressure ratios are usually limited to about 6 or less. As a result, even more stages are required to reach 77 K. If the microcompressors can be fabricated with low-cost wafer-level techniques, then the use of many stages with separate compressors may become a viable option for achieving temperatures of 77 K with high efficiency. We analyze the ideal thermodynamic efficiency of a cascade Joule-Thomson system for various temperatures down to 77 K and with low pressure ratios. About nine stages are required for 77 K, but fewer stages are also analyzed for operation at higher temperatures. For 77 K, an ideal second-law efficiency of 83 % of Carnot is possible with perfect recuperative heat exchangers and 65 % of Carnot is possible with no recuperative heat exchangers. The results are compared with calculated efficiencies in mixed-refrigerant cryocoolers over the range of 77 K to 200 K.more »« less

Authors:

Radebaugh, Ray ^[1]

National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, Colorado 80305 (United States)

Publication Date:: Wed Jan 29 00:00:00 EST 2014

OSTI Identifier:: 22262733

Resource Type:: Journal Article

Journal Name:: AIP Conference Proceedings

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 1573; Journal Issue: 1; Conference: Cryogenic engineering conference, Anchorage, AK (United States), 17-21 Jun 2013; Other Information: (c) 2014 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0094-243X

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS; AMBIENT TEMPERATURE; COMPRESSION; COMPRESSORS; EFFICIENCY; HEAT EXCHANGERS; LIQUIDS; OSCILLATIONS; REFRIGERANTS; REFRIGERATION; VAPORS

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                    Radebaugh, Ray. Thermodynamic analysis of cascade microcryocoolers with low pressure ratios.  United States: N. p., 2014. 
        Web.  doi:10.1063/1.4860693.

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                    Radebaugh, Ray. Thermodynamic analysis of cascade microcryocoolers with low pressure ratios.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4860693

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                    Radebaugh, Ray. 2014.  
        "Thermodynamic analysis of cascade microcryocoolers with low pressure ratios".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4860693.

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@article{osti_22262733,

  title        = {Thermodynamic analysis of cascade microcryocoolers with low pressure ratios},

  author       = {Radebaugh, Ray},

  abstractNote = {The vapor-compression cycle for refrigeration near ambient temperature achieves high efficiency because the isenthalpic expansion of the condensed liquid is a rather efficient process. However, temperatures are limited to about 200 K with a single-stage system. Temperatures down to 77 K are possible with many stages. In the case of microcryocoolers using microcompressors, pressure ratios are usually limited to about 6 or less. As a result, even more stages are required to reach 77 K. If the microcompressors can be fabricated with low-cost wafer-level techniques, then the use of many stages with separate compressors may become a viable option for achieving temperatures of 77 K with high efficiency. We analyze the ideal thermodynamic efficiency of a cascade Joule-Thomson system for various temperatures down to 77 K and with low pressure ratios. About nine stages are required for 77 K, but fewer stages are also analyzed for operation at higher temperatures. For 77 K, an ideal second-law efficiency of 83 % of Carnot is possible with perfect recuperative heat exchangers and 65 % of Carnot is possible with no recuperative heat exchangers. The results are compared with calculated efficiencies in mixed-refrigerant cryocoolers over the range of 77 K to 200 K. Refrigeration at intermediate temperatures is also available. The use of single-component fluids in each of the stages is expected to eliminate the problem of pulsating flow and temperature oscillations experienced in microcryocoolers using mixed refrigerants.},

  doi          = {10.1063/1.4860693},

  url          = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22262733},
  journal      = {AIP Conference Proceedings},

  issn         = {0094-243X},

  number       = 1,

  volume       = 1573,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Wed Jan 29 00:00:00 EST 2014},

  month        = {Wed Jan 29 00:00:00 EST 2014}

}

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