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Undergrads Construct Cryogenic Star-Tracking Instrument

A team of undergraduates from the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) will soon deploy its Cryogenic Star Tracking Attitude Regulation System, a telescope and camera based “compass” for rockets that will orient the payload based on the images of stars. CSTARS uses a new kind of detector technology and will...

19th International Cryocooler Conference

A group of 180 researchers and engineers from 12 countries gathered in San Diego June 20-23 for the 19th International Cryocooler Conference (ICC19), coordinated by the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and held at the Town and Country Resort and Convention Center. The conference included a combination of 80 oral...

LIGO Collaboration Prepares Cryogenic Update

In the past year, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) has twice observed gravitational waves from the merger of black holes in deep space. Thermal noise, however, limits how small a motion the system can detect. In order to address this issue, and thus take the next big step in...

SCW Student Scholarship Established

CSA has established the T.H.K. Frederking Space Cryogenics Workshop (SCW) Student Scholarship, an award honoring our first CSA Fellow, Dr. Traugott Frederking, who generously sponsored selected students to attend SCW to help develop their technical maturity by exposing them to current leaders and emerging developments in the field.

Experts Engineer New Cryostat Design Volume

The proper design of cryostats requires knowledge of many disciplines including: cryogenic properties of materials, heat transfer and thermal insulation, instrumentation, safety, structures and seals. One of the best ways to learn about cryostat design is to study the design choices and resulting performance of previous designs. This book provides...

Technifab Restructures, Announces Three Divisions

Technifab Products, Inc. (CSA CSM) has announced organizational changes, segmenting its business into three distinct divisions—Technifab Cryogenics, Technifab CNC Manufacturing and Technifab Cryodewars.

Latest in Defining Cryogenics

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...

Latest in Cryo Central

History of Cryogenics

From the Fall 1999 issue of Cold Facts magazine Millennium Breakthroughs A variety of CSA members give different perspectives on the past millennium: What were the most significant breakthroughs in cryogenics during the past millennium? Prof. R.G. Scurlock, Kryos Technology, scurlock@soton.ac.uk (“Breakthrough” = way through obstacles — Oxford English Dictionary)...

Cryobiology

Andreas Sputtek Past President Society for Cryobiology sputtek@uke.uni-hamburg.de or http://www.sputtek.de/. The word cryobiology (from the Greek words “cryo” = cold, “bios” = life, and “logos” = science) literally signifies the science of life at low temperatures. In practice, this field comprises the study of any biological material or system (e.g.,...

Cryogenic Insulation

James E. Fesmire Cryogenics Test Laboratory NASA Kennedy Space Center james.e.fesmire@nasa.gov Introduction In today’s world, the use of cryogenics and low-temperature refrigeration is taking a more and more significant role. From the food industry, transportation, energy, and medical applications to the Space Shuttle, cryogenic liquids must be stored, handled, and...

Cryogenic Treatment of Materials

F.J. Diekman Controlled Thermal Processing, Inc. info@metal-wear.com Cryogenic Processing (also called cryogenic treatment, and incorrectly “cryogenic tempering”) is a process that uses cryogenic temperatures to modify materials to enhance their performance. Cryogenic Processing involves the slow reduction in temperature of the material to at least -300°F (-185°C) and holding the...

Latest in Ask the Experts

Seeking technical publication that explains the science behind the cryogenic treatment of aluminum

Would you know of a technical publication that would list the benefits and explain the science behind the cryogenic treatment of aluminum, specifically a 356-T6 aluminum cylinder head casting? Eddie Phillips

Source of emissivity data for aluminum and aluminized Mylar at room temperature, 77K and 4.2K

Can anyone recommend a source of emissivity data for aluminum and aluminized Mylar at room temperature, 77K and 4.2K? Also, I would be interested in finding a facility that can measure this information. Any information will be greatly appreciated. William Einziger, GE Healthcare

Looking to purchase new LN2 freezer: any suggestions?

I will be purchasing a new liquid nitrogen freezer soon, but I am limited by space restrictions. The freezer cannot be more than 38 inches wide. However, it would be beneficial if the freezer holds a high number of racks such as 24. In addition, we prefer not to purchase...

Affordable flow meter to measure LN2 flow through a pipeline

I am trying to find out if anyone knows of or has used an affordable flow meter that can measure liquid nitrogen flow through a pipeline. It doesn’t need to be very accurate as it’s really to allow people in different departments to allocate cost rather than for scientific measurement....

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