Superfluid thermodynamic cycle refrigerator

Patent · Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:868601

Swift, Gregory W ^[1]; Kotsubo, Vincent Y ^[2]

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1. Santa Fe, NM
2. La Canada, CA

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.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 5172554
• OSTI ID: 868601
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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
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