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Beckman Institute Labs Bridge Advanced Imaging and Alzheimer’s Research

The Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has embarked on a life-changing research project to advance the early detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. With the support of a $3 million grant from the US National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes...

Bluefors Lab Offers Cryo Measurements, a Low Risk Model for Experiments

Quantum technology continues to develop at a rapid pace, and the need for access to cryogenic cooling systems for quantum research has never been greater. While established institutions have an increasing number of options to choose from, startups and smaller institutions still face considerable challenges, not least of which are...

Doctor Advances Cryopreservation in Heart Regeneration and Organ Transplantation

At Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Dr. Rasha Al-attar’s research is at the forefront of advancing heart regeneration and organ transplantation. Initially focusing on stem cell-derived cardiomyocyte (hPSC-CM) transplantation to repair infarcted heart tissue, Dr. Al-attar faced a significant challenge: while immature hPSC-CMs survive freezing, they often induce...

Pressure Increase Method Marks Significant Advancement in Cryogenic Controls and Safety

Ensuring the integrity of packaging in cryogenic environments is crucial for maintaining product quality and operational safety. Recent advancements in non-destructive leak testing technology underscore significant improvements in cryogenic controls and safety by emphasizing the need for precise and reliable testing methods. Effective leak detection is essential for preserving the...

Tests Show High Temperature Superconducting Magnets Ready for Fusion

In the early hours of September 5, 2021, engineers at MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center (PSFC) achieved a groundbreaking milestone by demonstrating a world-record magnetic field strength of 20 tesla with a new high-temperature superconducting magnet. This breakthrough is crucial for advancing fusion power technology, with the potential to...

How Hydrogen Fuel Cells and Combustion Could Revolutionize Racing

Hydrogen power is gradually making its mark on the motorsport scene. This year, we have already witnessed hydrogen race cars competing in the Fuji 24 Hours, hillclimbs, and the Dakar Rally. Looking ahead to 2025, the world’s first hydrogen championship, Extreme H, will debut, and by 2027, hydrogen prototypes are...

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Dilution Refrigerators

Dilution refrigerators are a common technique for reaching temperatures below 1K, particularly where continuous cooling at these temperatures is required. Helium exists in two stable isotopes: 4He and 3He. Naturally occurring 3He is extremely rare, constituting less than 1 part per million of helium gas. However, 3He can be manufactured,...

Oxygen Deficiency Hazards

Oxygen Deficiency Hazards (ODH) are a significant safety issue in cryogenic facilities. ODH occurs when inert gases such as nitrogen, helium or argon displace room air and thus lower the percentage of oxygen in the space below that required for human life. OSHA defines an area as oxygen deficient if...

Kelvin Temperature Scale

The Kelvin temperature scale is the principal temperature scale used in cryogenics and science. The kelvin is also one of the seven base units in the Système International d’Unités (SI) and is the unit of thermodynamic temperature. Thermodynamic temperature is a fundamental physical quantity (like mass, length or electrical current)...

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...