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US ATLAS Phase I Upgrade Completed at CERN

The ATLAS experiment at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is ready to begin another chapter in its search for new physics. A significant upgrade to the experiment, the ATLAS Phase I Upgrade, has received Critical Decision-4 approval from the US Department of Energy, signifying the completion of the US portion...

In Memoriam: David Pegg

Former president of the Society for Cryobiology, Dr. David Pegg has died at 86. Pegg helped set up the international Society for Cryobiology in 1964, and start its journal, Cryobiology, of which he later became editor in chief, eventually becoming the society’s president from 1974-75. A pioneer in the field...

ISRO To Test Semi-Cryogenic Engine In Ukraine

ISRO, the Indian space agency, moving on from their not-so-successful moon landing attempt, has started to look ahead to upcoming missions. The next feat is a group of liftoffs, starting with PSLV 47 later this month. The first step is inspection and trial of the semi-cryogenic engine in Ukraine.

KEK Publishes the International Working Group’s Recommendations for International Linear Collider

KEK has received the International Working Group’s report of recommendations regarding the International Linear Collider (ILC) project and published a document, “Recommendations on ILC Project Implementation," outlining the suggestions. The report calls for cost-sharing programs for the civil engineering projects, accelerator components, conventional facilities construction and operating costs. It goes...

World’s First Hydrogen Powered Boat Docks in London

The world's first hydrogen powered boat has docked in London, the last stop of its European tour. The 30-meter Energy Observer acts as a “floating lab” for testing green maritime technology. It harnesses electricity from three renewable energies¬¬¬–hydrogen, solar and wind–to propel the boat and charge its batteries. Using this...

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Dewar

A dewar is a type of cryostat named after Sir James Dewar, the researcher who first developed the concept of a vacuum insulated container with silvered walls to reflect thermal radiation. Dewar was the first to liquefy hydrogen, and he created the device to store his discovery. The thermos bottle...

Stirling and Gifford-McMahon Cryocoolers

Stirling and Gifford-McMahon (GM) cryocoolers are two of the most commonly used cryocoolers in cryogenics. Both devices have a significant industrial base and operate at a wide range of temperatures and capacities. The thermodynamic cycles for both of these cryocoolers are quite similar. The Stirling cycle consists of a compressor,...

Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)

A significant commercial application of cryogenics is the liquefaction, transport and storage of natural gas. Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is generally 95 percent methane with a few percent ethane and much lower concentrations of propane and butane. LNG liquefies at 111.6 K. Unlike many applications of cryogenics, the motivation for...

Magnetic Levitation

From http://www.superconductors.org. Magnetic-levitation is an application where superconductors perform extremely well. Transport vehicles such as trains can be made to “float” on strong superconducting magnets, virtually eliminating friction between the train and its tracks. Not only would conventional electromagnets waste much of the electrical energy as heat, they would have...

Superconductivity

From Superpower website. History of Superconductivity Superconductivity was discovered in 1911 by the Dutch physicist, Heike Kammerlingh Onnes when he was able to liquefy helium by cooling it to 4 Kelvin, or -452°F. This enabled him to cool other materials close to absolute zero and investigate their electrical properties. He...

Medical Applications of Cryogenics

Neutron Therapy Cryogenics is at the heart of nuclear accelerators. Accelerators such as Fermilab’s Tevatron make neutron therapy for cancer possible. From Fermilab Today 4/20/09: Fermilab currently offers neutron therapy. But staff at Fermilab designed and built the proton accelerator used by the nation’s first hospital-based treatment center to use...

Nuclear Physics

Al Zeller National Superconducting Cyclotron Lab (NSCL) at Michigan State University zeller@nscl.msu.edu Cryogenics has a long history in nuclear physics. The technology has its origins in the use of cold traps for maintaining a vacuum, which is required to prevent beam loss and for generating high voltages used in acceleration....