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Hawaiian Researchers Choose Cryogen-free MRI to Study Kidney Disease

MR Solutions has installed a cryocooler-based, and thus cryogen-free, preclinical MRI imaging system at the University of Hawaii to help researchers improve the rate of kidney disease detection. One in seven residents on the island has chronic kidney disease, a figure far higher than normal among its residents of Japanese,...

Health Officials in NY County Ban Liquid Nitrogen Treats

The Clinton County Board of Health has banned the sale of food products adulterated by liquid nitrogen. The move followed a study of Dragon's Breath, a dessert composed of cereal puffs frozen with liquid nitrogen, discussed on a New York State Association of County Health Officials conference call.

The Rise and Rise of Cryogenic Electron Microscopy

Speaking at the 68th Lindau Nobel Laureate meeting in Germany, biophysicist Joachim Frank says that the field of structural biology is entering a new era with a bright future thanks to advances in cryogenic electron microscopy. Cryo-EM rapidly freezes molecular samples in solution and images them with an electron beam...

DARPA Completes Engine Tests for Experimental Spaceplane Program

DARPA engineers have completed a test series on the AR-22 engine, advancing toward the agency's goal of developing an experimental spaceplane (XSP) capable of rapid turnaround and on-demand launches.

State Senator Writing Bill to Protect Embryos Stored in Cryo Systems

Ohio State Sen. Joe Schiavoni (D) is working on a bill to establish both guidelines and penalties for fertility clinics responsible for storing embryos at low temperature. More than 100 lawsuits have been filed against University Hospitals in Ohio after a failure of the group's liquid nitrogen systems in March...

General Atomics Awarded Contract for Cryofracture Munitions Destruction System

The US Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center has awarded General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems a contract to upgrade its portable prototype cryofracture system and perform additional design and procurement to interface the system with a rotary kiln incinerator.

Latest in Defining Cryogenics

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...

Latest in Cryo Central

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...

Latest in Ask the Experts

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?

Using nitrogen as a cryogen

Is it possible to achieve -200˚C using nitrogen as a cryogen?

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