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Scientists Exploring How to Make the Large Hadron Collider Safer

An international research team headed by Russia's Ural Federal University has taken on the task of increasing the reliability of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and other complex facilities. Results from the group's experiment were recently published and include proposals for the "second-generation high-temperature superconductors at liquid nitrogen temperatures."

Scientists Chill Nanoelectronics Below a Thousandth of a Kelvin

Tiny electronic chips have been cooled to a record low temperature, dipping below a thousandth of a Kelvin during experiments conducted at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands.

IBM and University of Chicago Collaborate to Advance Quantum Computing

A new research collaboration between the University of Chicago's Enabling Practical-Scale Quantum Computing (EPiQC) project and IBM is projected to bring quantum computing closer to the present by sharing resources and training the next generation of quantum computer scientists.

Biopsy Snap Frozen within Seconds

The standard procedure for rapid freezing a biopsy taken from a patient involves the use of liquid nitrogen. Such a procedure, however, is not allowed inside operating rooms, thus causing frequent challenges and delays. But researchers at the Netherlands' University of Twente have now developed a "snap freezing" apparatus that...

Purdue Clears Hurdle in Race toward Quantum Computing

Qubits are not all created equal, but some researchers believe that topological qubits—which are tougher and less susceptible to environmental noise than other kinds—may be the best medium for pushing quantum computing forward.

RegO’s SK Advantage Series Valve Designs Deliver Safe, Leak-free Operations

While developing stainless steel globe valves for handling cryogenic liquids such as LNG, RegO incorporated several design features to help ensure that valves have a tight seal when closed, superior flow rate when open, simplified maintenance and a longer service life.

Latest in Defining Cryogenics

Joule-Thomson Effect

The Joule-Thomson (JT) effect is a thermodynamic process that occurs when a fluid expands from high pressure to low pressure at constant enthalpy (an isenthalpic process). Such a process can be approximated in the real world by expanding a fluid from high pressure to low pressure across a valve. Under...

Current Leads

One of the challenges of using superconducting magnets is the connection of the magnet to a room temperature power supply. This is accomplished via current leads. The trick is that current leads should ideally have a low heat leak, since they connect room temperature to cryogenic temperature, while at the...

Multilayer Insulation

Multilayer insulation (also referred to as superinsulation) is a key component in the reduction of heat leak to cryogenic systems due to thermal radiation. MLI consists of a series of uncooled reflective surfaces placed in the vacuum space between two surfaces, one warmer than the other. Generally speaking, for ideal...

Latest in Cryo Central

Cryogenic Electronics

Randall Kirschman, consulting physicist, Mountain View, California ExtElect@gmail.com Cryogenic electronics—the operation of electronic devices, circuits, and systems at cryogenic temperatures—has been a valuable technology for decades. Cryogenic electronics (also referred to as low-temperature electronics, or cold electronics) can be based on semiconductive devices, on superconductive devices, or on a combination...

Particle Physics: High Energy Physics

Cryogenics and High-Energy Physics 1. From symmetry magazine: http://www.symmetrymagazine.org/cms/?pid=1000627: Cryogenics is the study of how materials behave at temperatures near absolute zero. In high-energy particle accelerators, such frigid temperatures reduce the electrical resistance of wires in superconducting magnets, increasing the magnet strength and allowing faster particle acceleration. The same holds...

HTS Degaussing Systems

From the Spring 2009 issue of Cold Facts (Volume 25, Number 2): Thanks to a joint project by the US Navy and a number of industry partners, high temperature superconducting (HTS) technology is now at the heart of an advanced degaussing system aboard the USS Higgins at the naval station...

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

From http://www.superconductors.org: An area where superconductors can perform a life-saving function is in the field of biomagnetism. Doctors need a non-invasive means of determining what’s going on inside the human body. By impinging a strong superconductor-derived magnetic field into the body, hydrogen atoms that exist in the body’s water and...

Latest in Ask the Experts

An Issue of Pressure and Flow Rate in a Supply Tank

Please help solve this problem: A supply tank requires a vaporizer to generate sufficient pressure to pump stored fluid up into a vehicle or tank. The available head is limited as the tank level falls and it is important to minimize the system pressure drop to maintain the desired flow...

Using MLI on VJ Line Joints or Cryo Storage Tanks

When installing Multi Layer Insulation (MLI) blankets on VJ line joints or cryo storage tanks should they be wrapped and tied down tight or loose? These are usually pre-cut to size. Also should they have an access hole at the point of where the molecular sieve is installed to help...

Separated layers of ice over a pipe

I want to know that why there are different layers of ice over a pipe carrying a cryogenic fluid, each layer separated with clear marks / lines? What do these layers signify?

Using nitrogen as a cryogen

Is it possible to achieve -200˚C using nitrogen as a cryogen?

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