LHC restart back on track
On March 30, teams working on the Large Hadron Collider resolved a problem that had been delaying the restart of the accelerator, a short circuit to ground that occurred in one of the connections with an LHC magnet.
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First manganese-based superconductor discovered
Scientists have unexpectedly discovered the first manganese-based superconductor, an element whose magnetism was thought to be too strong to permit superconductivity. This research might lead to new superconductors that can better resist magnetic disruption.
New X-ray laser technique could reveal atomic detail of proteins
Use of the Linac Coherent Light Source has led to the development of a unique X-ray laser innovation at the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory that may make it easier and faster for scientists to fully map medically important proteins whose structures have remained stubbornly out of reach.
Restoring the Foundation: The Vital Role of Research in Preserving the American Dream
“Restoring the Foundation: The Vital Role of Research in Preserving the American Dream,” a 154-page report released by the American Academy of Arts and Science, reinforces many of the findings and recommendations of the 2005 report “Rising Above the Gathering Storm.” The earlier report focused on the causes of America’s...
Boom Awardees Making Headlines
The Cryogenic Society of America is very proud of the recipients of our Roger W. Boom Award. Over the years since 1996, we have watched as our awardees have moved ahead in their fields, living up to the promise the Boom awards committee saw in them. We caught up with...
Frozen Aliens and Superpowers
Liquid nitrogen is cool. That’s a classic pun, but it’s also true. Liquid nitrogen is dramatic and a little bit dangerous, and its startling effects on everyday objects are immediate, making it a fantastic tool for science education and outreach.
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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...
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...
Information on how the emissivity of the panel changes with air fouling?
I work at a facility with a large thermal vacuum chamber. We are using both nitrogen and helium shrouds.
In search of a calculation for designing a cryostat
I am a final year physics student at the University of Birmingham, and as part of a group I am currently designing a cryostat. One of the calculations I need to make (very soon!) is how much heat will be conducted down the walls. All information I have found so...
Safety of ethylene glycol and pressurized oxygen
We are reviewing the product design of liquid filled differential level gauges and want to insure that they meet the industry requirements. The former license owner had authorized that a fill fluid of ethylene glycol (68%) and distilled water (32%) could be used for oxygen service up to 500 psi....
Heat flux in case of vacuum loss on cryogenic surfaces?
Is there anyone who has information about the heat flux in case of vacuum loss on cryogenic surfaces?