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Erica Messer and “Criminal Minds” get cryogenics/cryonics right

CSA sent kudos to Erica Messer, show runner for the CBS series “Criminal Minds,” for getting the important distinction between cryogenics and cryonics right, and putting the explanation into the mouth of the show’s smartest character.

Brookhaven dedicates “brightest beacon at the frontiers of discovery”

The National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II) at Brookhaven Laboratory was dedicated February 6. NSLS-II, which produces extremely bright beams of X-ray, ultraviolet and infrared light, will examine a wide range of materials, including superconductors and catalysts, geological samples, and biological proteins, to accelerate advances in energy, environmental science and...

First prototypes of high-voltage feedthrough

With the delivery of two feedthrough samples for the 6 pin 30 KV rating, identified as a type D variant, Ceramtec North America Corporation (US) has begun to solve one of the big challenges at ITER.

What’s new for LHC Run II

Since shutting down in early 2013, the LHC and its detectors have undergone a multitude of upgrades and repairs. When the particle accelerator restarts, it will collide protons at an unprecedented energy: 13 trillion electron volts. The upgraded capabilities of the ATLAS, CMS, ALICE and LHCb detectors—plus the LHC’s extra...

Potential of molybdenum disulfide for extreme-temperature electronics

Many industries are calling for electronics that can operate reliably in a harsh environment, including extreme temperatures above 200°C. A team of researchers from the University of California, Riverside and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute discovered that molybdenum disulfide, a semiconductor material, may be a promising candidate to make thin-film transistors for...

Fermilab contributes to SLAC LCLS-II with cutting-edge technology and expertise

In 2015, Fermilab will intensify its contribution to the Linac Coherent Light Source II (LCLS-II), an electron accelerator project at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, in the overlapping areas of superconducting radio-frequency accelerator technology and cryogenics.

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

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...

Cryogenics in Space

Peter Kittel University of California-Berkeley pkittel@cal.berkeley.edu Space Cryogenics is the application of cryogenics to space missions. These applications fall into two broad areas, supporting space science missions and supporting the space transportation infrastructure. Science applications: The atmosphere is opaque to much of the electro-magnetic spectrum. In space, the absence of...

Cryosurgery

Review of Cryosurgery Boris Rubinsky, PhD Hebrew University School of Science and Engineering Research Center for Biomedical Engineering 78b Ross Building Givat Ram, Jerusalem 91904 Israel rubinsky@cs.huji.ac.il as published in Annual Review of Biomedical Engineering, August 2000, Vol. 2, pp. 157-187. Abstract: Cryosurgery is a surgical technique that employs freezing...

Liquefied Natural Gas

Liquefied Natural Gas as it relates to the Field of Cryogenics John W. Bonn VJ Systems, LLC johnbonn@vjsystems-lic.com Today the world is looking for a cleaner fuel and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) plays a large part in achieving this goal. LNG in a liquid form is at -162°C (-259°F) and...

Latest in Ask the Experts

Power usage: cryogenic systems vs. regular refrigerators

A recent project highlighted to me that closed cycle cryogenic cooling systems use far more electrical power to reduce temperatures by a few watts than regular refrigerators. I am sure it must be something to do with the extra difficulty of removing the heat from the liquid nitrogen or similar...

Redundancy strategies for mechanical -80C freezers

I was wondering what kind of redundancy strategies are people using for their mechanical -80C freezers? I am aware of the following. Please add if you are doing something different. 1) 1 Backup freezer for every 10 freezers – Empty and maintained at -80C at all times 2) Backup C02...

Safety guidelines for handling cryo vessels of nitrogen

I am looking for any safety guidelines for handling cryogenic vessels of nitrogen indoors and outdoors. I am especially interested in recommendations for area monitors to detect leaks, flow detection devices, etc.

Method to move components in a cryogenic environment

Does anyone know of a method with which to reliably move components in a cryogenic environment? We are interested in moving detectors in a cryogenically cooled (2K) vacuum chamber, which is contained within a larger cryostat/isolation vacuum with thermal shields. As the desired horizontal or vertical displacement is between 10...

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