ADVERTISEMENT

New Payload Fairing from RUAG Space Enables Quieter Journey to Space

RUAG Space (CSA CSM) has successfully developed and tested a new, low shock jettison system funded by the Future Launchers Preparatory Program (FLPP) of the European Space Agency (ESA). The program develops technologies for future European launch vehicles and upgrades of existing launch vehicles. This system enables a quieter and...

LN2 Freezing of Live Bacteria in Dairy Products Boosts Productivity, Lowers Costs

GEA, an Australian electrical component company, has now launched a nitrogen freezing pilot plant for bacteria which takes a novel approach: freezing the bacteria in droplets using a liquid nitrogen bath outside the freeze dryer, then drying the pellets via the normal procedure. By freezing bacteria into pellets before drying,...

Thales Cryogenics, Eindhoven Receives NASA Awards

NASA has awarded the cryogenics department at Thales, Eindhoven two recognitions at its 2019 Honors ceremony held at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena the week of November 11. Both were awarded for Thales’ contribution to the success of the ongoing ECOSTRESS mission. The group received the NASA Group Achievement...

Hahn Shot First

After 32 years as Fermilab’s staff photographer, Reidar Hahn is retiring – and saying farewell with a final collection of photos in Fermilab’s art gallery. Hahn has graciously allowed CSA to display some of his best work in future issues of Cold Facts and a CSA online photo gallery.

ADVERTISEMENT

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...

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...

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...