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KEK Director General assesses earthquake damage, tells repair plans

Atsuto Suzuki, Director General at KEK, the Japanese high energy accelerator research organization, reported on damage caused by the recent earthquake and recovery prospects in his “DG’s Corner” column: First of all, I would like to express my deepest appreciation for the messages of concern, sympathy and encouragement that we...

Superconductivity pioneer Paul Chu featured in exhibit

Superconductivity Pioneer Paul Chu was featured in an unusual exhibit in Texas. A white lab coat and a pair of worn sneakers are almost standard-issue items for a research facility, but they don't seem to rise to the rank of museum exhibit. Yet, that’s exactly where you can find one...

Paul Chu expected more progress by now

Superconductivity pioneer Dr. Paul Chu expected faster progress since his discoveries, he told Cold Facts Editor Theresa Boehl in a recent brief interview. Cold Facts: Did you have any idea of the potential impact of superconductivity when you were doing your groundbreaking research years ago? Chu: Yes, I think I...

Mathias Kläui Wins Kurti Science Prize

Oxford Instruments NanoScience announced that Professor Mathias Kläui from the SwissFEL, Paul Scherrer Institut and the Laboratory of Nanomagnetism and Spin Dynamics, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, is the 2011 recipient of the Nicholas Kurti European Science Prize.

NASA to send up teachers on SOFIA

NASA has selected six teachers to work with scientists aboard the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) during research flights in May and June. This is the first team of educators selected to participate in SOFIA’s Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors program.

LBNE Takes a “Hive’s Worth” of Experts

In the May symmetry, in an article titled, “LBNE: the inside buzz on a new science project,” Amelia Williamson Smith reports that planning and designing the $900 million Long Baseline Neutrino Experiment takes more than a village. It takes a hive’s worth of scientists, engineers, technicians, accountants, and other specialists...

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Stability

Stability refers to the ability of a device employing superconductors to remain in its superconducting state after part of the superconductor transitions back to its normal conducting state due to a disturbance. While the concept can apply to many superconducting devices—transmission lines, generators, motors, etc.—it is most commonly considered in...

Cable-in-Conduit Conductors

Cable-in-Conduit Conductors (CICC) are a common form of superconducting cable used in large-scale applications. There are several varieties of CICCs, but they all consist of many small, stabilized superconducting wires contained within a conduit through which a coolant (typically supercritical He II) flows. Figure 1 shows the cross section of...

Bayonet Coupling

A bayonet coupling is a demountable joint that allows for quick and easy connection and disconnection of cryogenic components, including transfer lines, cryostats, liquefiers and refrigerators. Bayonets provide a number of advantages, chief among them the ability to connect and disconnect the bayonets while components they connect are still at...

Primary Standards

Elie K. Track Hypres, Inc. elie@hypres.com http://www.hypres.com/ Primary standards involve the exact definition and realization of units of measurement for various quantities, time, length, mass, voltage, resistance, current, etc. International agreements based on the latest scientific knowledge define those units, and their realizations vary depending on the unit itself. For...

Shrink Fitting

Robin A. Rhodes Cryogenic Institute of New England, Inc. rrhodes@nitrofreeze.com Shrink fitting, (or “compression fitting” as it is sometimes called), is a method used to insert a pin or bushing into a housing or other assembly requiring an extremely tight tolerance fit. It can be used as an alternative to...

Telecommunications

From the Winter 2004 issue of Cold Facts magazine The recent M-Calc IV — 4th Industry Assessment workshop discussing military and commercial applications for low-cost cryocoolers, held in November in San Diego, highlighted progress being made in cryogenics as applied in telecommunications. The reliability and long lifetime of projects now...

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...

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...