Stovepiping within the Department of Energy was responsible for the critical US shortage of helium-3, the rare isotope used in low-temperature physics, medical applications and neutron detection.
Researchers in Japan have discovered that a previously unknown and unexpected mechanism gives rise to superconductivity in specific types of materials.
EADS Innovation Works, the corporate research and technology network of EADS, is showcasing an all-electric propulsion system concept at the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget.
Pier Oddone, Director at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, announced on June 16 that the lab would begin a self-select voluntary separation program (SSVSP) in order to reduce staff by 100.
R&D Magazine recently announced its "R&D 100" winners for 2011. Several CSA Corporate Sustaining Members were among the winners: Argonne National Laboratory, Brooks Automation, Inc., Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Sierra Lobo. Read the list of winners on the R&D website.
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 (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,...
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...
Dr. Robert Kilgore The development of the cryogenic wind tunnel is one of many significant breakthroughs in both cryogenics and wind-tunnel technology made during the past millennium. Interest in the development of high-speed commercial and military aircraft resulted in a review of problems of flow simulation in transonic wind tunnels...
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)...
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.,...
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...
I am a final year Physics Undergraduate at the University of Cambridge (UK). As a part of one of my courses this year, I have been asked to investigate the use of hydrophobic surfaces in cryogenics.