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Vacuum pumps like never before… in LEGO® Form!

Vacuum technology is essential to the modern world—especially for fields like cryogenics, semiconductor manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and environmental engineering. Yet for all their significance, vacuum pumps are rarely seen outside of labs and industrial settings. Now, Leybold is taking a novel approach to spotlighting these critical machines—by turning them into LEGO®...

Jefferson Lab Dedicates Niobium-Tin Particle Accelerator Prototype

More than 30 of the world’s most advanced particle accelerators rely on one technology: superconducting radio-frequency (SRF). This technology, typically powered by pure niobium metal, has seen recent advancements with the introduction of niobium-tin alloys, which promise greater efficiency. The US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility...

Vacuum Barrier Corporation Enhances Customer Support Through Field Service Evolution

Vacuum Barrier Corporation (VBC) has long been recognized for its commitment to excellence in cryogenic systems and liquid nitrogen (LN2) solutions. Recently, the company has made significant strides in bolstering its customer support by establishing a dedicated department for reliability and technical support. Dana Muse, Reliability and Technical Support Manager,...

Argonne Empowers Female Energy Leaders

Argonne National Laboratory (CSA CSM) recently hosted 12 women leaders from Net Zero World partner countries for a two-week training program under the Climate Smart Women Energy Leaders (CSWEL) initiative. In collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Net Zero World Initiative, the program aimed to equip participants with...

Honoring This Year’s Women in Cryo 2025

The Cryogenic Society of America and Cold Facts celebrates distinguished women who embody the expertise and drive that is putting cryogenics and superconductivity at the forefront of energy, aerospace, quantum, and myriad other fields of industry. Congratulations!  Iqra Azam Vera Hansper Jennifer Hennis Tamanna Joshi Nora Juhasz Susan Magi Kayla Rajsky Tara...

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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...

Magnets

From “Superconductivity: Present and Future Applications” by the Coalition for the Commercial Application of Superconductors. Particle physics uses accelerators to recreate the conditions of the early universe in an attempt to piece together the complex puzzle of how we got to where we are today. These huge machines are used...

Energy Storage

From “Superconductivity: Present and Future Applications” by the Coalition for the Commercial Application of Superconductors. With power lines increasingly congested and prone to instability, strategic injection of brief bursts of real power can play a crucial role in maintaining grid reliability. Small-scale Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) systems, based on...

Astronomy

ASTRONOMY IN SPACE by Peter V. Mason, retired,  Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and Visiting Associate, California Institute of Technology. Pmason@alumni.caltech.edu In thinking about the reasons to perform astronomy in space, we first consider the effect of the earth’s atmosphere.  On a scale of decreasing energy, gamma rays, cosmic rays, X-rays and...

Cryocoolers

What is a Cryocooler? A mechanism that can extract heat from an object (cooler) and by doing so draw its temperature down below approximately 150 Kelvin (cryo). — (Courtesy Dr. Willy Gully) What is the difference between a Cryocooler and a Cryostat? A cryostat is any device designed to maintain...

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...