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With Helium in Short Supply, Scientists Are Worried

In the basement of the University of New Mexico’s chemistry building, Karen Smith punched in the code to get into the lab she manages. Inside, three white cylinders on blue legs that looked sort of like nine-foot-tall cousins of R2-D2 were humming away. “You’re going to want to stay fairly close...

Cryogenic Pumps for Research

Vanzetti Engineering’s cryogenic pumps have been chosen for the Aria Project of the National Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN) in partnership with Carbosulcis S.p.A., a company owned by the Sardinia Region. The Aria Project involves the construction of a cryogenic distillation tower in Sardinia, Italy, for the production of high purity...

Air Liquide Inaugurates Liquid Hydrogen Plant in Nevada

Oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen are essential small molecules for life, matter and energy. They embody Air Liquide’s scientific territory and have been at the core of the company’s activities since its creation in 1902. A world leader in gases, technologies and services for industry and health, Air Liquide’s ambition is...

Artemis I Mission Availability

Editor: Rachel Kraft Image: CREDIT: NASA/KIM SHIFLETT Artemis I WDR (6-20-22) Update: ICPS Propellant Loading Begins The launch control team is filling the Space Launch System’s interim cryogenic propulsion stage (ICPS) with liquid hydrogen (LH2) followed by liquid oxygen (LOX) loading. The core stage LH2 and LOX tanks, meanwhile, are being...

Hydrogen Infrastructure Challenges Rival Aircraft Tech Hurdles

Of all the various renewable energy sources under development, hydrogen represents the so-called “holy grail” in the effort to eliminate carbon emissions from future aircraft, say many scientists. But while the technology exists today to build a hydrogen-powered aircraft, prompting several startup enterprises to develop fuel-cell-based vehicles for the burgeoning...

Airbus Facility to Develop Cryogenic Hydrogen Tank System for Future Planes

Airbus has announced that it is launching a facility based in the United Kingdom, where a new cryogenic hydrogen tank will be developed for its next generation of aircraft. The UK facility in Filton, Bristol has already started working on the technology’s development. The company recently released an Airbus news statement sharing that...

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

Wind Tunnels

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...

History of Cryogenics

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)...

Cryobiology

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.,...

Cryogenic Insulation

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...

Latest in Ask the Experts

Information about a process called “cryogenically stretch-formed ss”

I am remembering in the 1970’s when astronauts were walking on the moon and carried oxygen in 300 ss bottles inside LN2 tanks which were filled and pressurized.

Small cryo-gun for our health service clinic

I am Assistant Director for Environmental Health & Safety at a university health service clinic.

Additional sealing materials besides PTFE or glass filled PTFE

I am an engineer looking to improve our solenoid valve sealing on cryogenic medias. I was wondering if you knew of materials other then PTFE or glass filled PTFE that could be used for sealing.

What is the temperature range of cryogenics?

Could you please tell me what is the temperature range of cryogenics? In other words, is -100°F considered cryogenic, or does it start lower? Could I expect to see some extended life in D2 stamping dies? What would the recipe be to achieve the desired results using cryogenics?

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