NASA sponsors novel cryogenic MEMS pressure sensor
On November 24, 2008 NASA awarded a Small Business Innovative Research contract to Wyoming Silicon, LLC to develop a cryogenic MEMS pressure sensor.
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CSA corporate sustaining members donate to bookmark project
The following corporate sustaining members very generously have contributed toward the production and printing of a new CSA bookmark explaining the role of cryogenics in everyday life and promoting the Society: -Clark Industries, Janis Research Co., Tempshield, Inc., Boyd Bowdish/B3 Technical Services, Linde Cryogenics, Division of Linde Process Plants, Inc.,...
Images received directly from human brain
A recent experiment has allowed researchers to process and display optically received images directly from the human brain, according to the Associated Press.
New detector finishes initial testing at Los Alamos National Lab
Initial testing of a new detector has just been completed at Los Alamos National Laboratory. This detector has been designed to work alongside another detector to help in the task of distinguishing between ordinary neutrons and particles that could be dark matter.
DOE Chooses MSU for nuclear physics facility
The US Department of Energy announced on December 11 that Michigan State University has been selected as the site for the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB), a $550 million research facility that will study rare nuclear isotopes and the evolution of the cosmos.
“We Build Cool Stuff” event covered in symmetry magazine
The following story appeared on the "symmetry breaking" website on November 21, 2008. Demand grows, wages rise for skilled workers in physics-related industry by Tona Kunz
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Regenerators
Regenerators or regenerative heat exchangers are a key component of cryocoolers such as pulse tube cryocoolers (Cold Facts, August 2014). Regenerator performance greatly affects the coefficient of performance of cryocoolers. Improvements in regenerator design and, in particular, regenerator materials have been an important factor in the improvement of the performance...
Pulse Tube Cryocoolers
The development of pulse tube cryocoolers has been a significant topic of research and development over the past 20 or so years. Pulse tube cryocoolers have a number of advantages over other types of cryocoolers and are now available commercially. In order to understand pulse tube cryocoolers, it’s best to...
Thermal Expansion
Thermal expansion refers to the change in size (length or volume) that a material undergoes as its temperature changes. In cryogenic systems this effect can be quite large and must be allowed for in the design. In isotropic materials, which include most engineering materials, the thermal expansion is the same...
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...
Separated layers of ice over a pipe
I want to know that why there are different layers of ice over a pipe carrying a cryogenic fluid, each layer separated with clear marks / lines? What do these layers signify?