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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 73 records · Page 4
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Stationary Testing of a Pulse Tube Cryocooler Designed to Rotate at 6800 RPM with the Superconducting Rotor of an Electric Machine

Electrified aircraft are being developed to increase the efficiency and reduce the cost of operating subsonic transport aircraft. Achieving a substantial impact necessitates focusing on single- and twin-aisle aircraft which use propulsion systems with >20 MW ratings. For these aircraft, multi-MW superconducting electric machines are being developed due to their high specific power and high efficiency. Most of these electric machines employ superconductors on their rotor, thereby requiring cryogenic cooling of the rotating system. An attractive solution is to conductively cool the rotor using a cryocooler that rotates with the rotor. NASA has been developing a 50 K pulse tube cryocooler for its High Efficiency Megawatt Motor (HEMM) that can operate while rotating at up to 6,800 rpm. The first non-rotating tests of the fully assembled HEMM cryocooler have been completed, and initial testing has yielded a no-load temperature of 112 K. A small helium leak into the vacuum system has been identified as the major bottleneck to performance, and based on measurements with the motor turned off there is an observed vacuum-side heat leak of approximately 30 W at 115 K. Immediate next steps for testing are to locate and mitigate the apparent helium leaks into the vacuum chamber. Thus far, compressor performance and the apparent heat lift after correcting for the heat leak are on par with expectations.

Electrified Aircraft Propulsion↗
DOE OSTI2014

Cryogenic performance of a cryocooler-cooled superconducting undulator

A cryocooler-cooled superconducting undulator has been installed and operated with beam at the Advanced Photon Source (APS) at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). The device consists of a dual-core 42-pole magnet structure that is cooled to 4.2 K with a system of four cryocoolers operating in a zero-boil-off configuration. This effort represents the culmination of a development program to establish concept feasibility and evaluate cryostat design and cryocooler-based refrigeration. Cryostat performance is described including cool-down/warm-up, steady-state operation, cooling margin, and the impact of beam during operation in the APS storage ring. Plans for future devices with longer magnets, which will incorporate lessons learned from the development program, are also discussed.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Cooling Design and Thermal Analysis for Thermal Shields of a Cryocooler-Cooled Superconducting ECR Ion Source MARS-D Magnet

Here, a demonstrative NbTi based Mixed Axial and Radial field System (MARS-D) is being developed for a next-Generation Electron Cyclotron Resonance Ion Source (ECRIS) at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBL), which employs a novel closed-loop coil design scheme that more efficiently utilizes conductor fields and extend the application of NbTi for high frequency (up to 45 GHz) ECR operation. The NbTi MARS-D magnet consists of a single hexagonally shaped closed-loop coil and a set of auxiliary solenoids. A cryostat for cooling the MARS-D magnet is under design at LBL. The MARS-D magnet working around 4.2 K will be bath-cooled in liquid helium using multiple two-stage cryocoolers. An intermediate temperature thermal radiation shield is adopted to reduce the heat leakage imposed on 4.2 K coil cold mass from room temperature. The thermal shield is conduction-cooled by the first-stage cold heads of four two-stage cryocoolers and the cold head of a single-stage cryocooler shared with nine binary leads. The temperature in the area of the shield that warm ends of HTS leads are mounted on is expected no higher than 60 K, which is limited by maximum allowable working temperature of HTS leads. The paper presents thermal analysis on the thermal radiation shield including heat loads and effects of eddy current induced during quench on its material selection.

ECRIS↗
NASA NTRS1985

Recent cryocooler progress in Japan

The progress of cryocoolers and related devices in Japan is reviewed. The Japanese National Railways has developed the light weight 4 K on-board refrigerators since 1977 as part of the MAGLEV train program. Superconducting and cryogenic fundamental technology was examined which included high performance cryocooler, magnetic refrigerator and superfluid refrigeration. Space cryogenics such as the cooling systems of IR-detectors was studied. Cryocooler for special applications such as cryopump, NMR-CT and JJ devices was investigated. Compact heat exchangers, high performance regenerators and reliable compressors are investigated as a critical component technology.

Matsubara, Y.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Low frequency split cycle cryocooler

A split cycle Stirling cryocooler with two different drive motors and operating at a low drive frequency can have high thermodynamic efficiency. The temperature of the cold end of the cryocooler varies with drive frequency, voltage of the input electrical power and initial charge pressure values. The cryocooler operating at 8 Hz can provide 7 watts of refrigeration at 77 K for 230 watts of electrical input power.

Bian, S. X.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Air Force cryocooler development for spacecraft

An overview is given of Air Force sponsored cryocooler development for long duration spacecraft missions. Alternate approaches are being pursued to insure eventual success. The types of closed cycle cryocoolers that are now in advanced development include Vuilleumier, turbo-Brayton, and rotary-reciprocating refrigerators. Linear Stirling coolers with magnetic bearings have also been jointly sponsored by NASA and the Air Force. Technology is also being explored for future coolers using magnetic materials at low temperatures and for refrigerators with sorption compresssors. All of these cryocoolers are presently configured primarily for use with infrared sensor systems, but the designs could be adapted for use with cryogenic fluid storage systems or other applications.

Haskin, William L.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Helium 3/Helium 4 dilution cryocooler for space

Prototype dilution cryocoolers based on dilution refrigeration and adiabatic demagnetization refrigeration (ADR) cycles were designed, constructed, and tested. Although devices the devices did not operate as fully functional dilution cryocoolers, important information was gathered. The porous metal phase separator was demonstrated to operate in the -1-g configuration; this phase separation is the critical element in the He-3 circulation dilution cryocooler. Improvements in instrumentation needed for additional tests and development were identified.

Hendricks, John B.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Low Cost Cryocoolers for High Temperature Superconductor Communication Filters

This final report describes the work performed by a consortium of Industry and Government to develop low cost cryocoolers. The specific application was for low cost commercial based high temperature superconductor communication filters. This program was initiated in January 1995 and resulted in the successful demonstration of an HTS filter dewar cooled by a low cost pulse tube cryocooler. Further development of this cryocooler technology is proceeding through various contracts underway and proposed at this time.

Brown, Davina↗
NASA NTRS1999

Flight Test Results for the NICMOS Cryocooler

In October 1998 a mechanical cryocooler and cryogenic circulator loop were flown on NASA's STS-95 as part of the Hubble Orbital System Test (HOST). The system will be installed on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) during Service Mission #3 in 2000 and will provide cooling to the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS). It will extend the useful life of that instrument by 5 to 10 years. This was the first successful space demonstration of a turbobrayton cryocooler. The cooler is a single stage reverse Brayton type, using low-vibration high-speed miniature turbomachines for the compression and expansion functions. A miniature centrifugal cryogenic circulator is used to deliver refrigerated neon to the instrument. During the mission, the cooler operated without anomalies for approximately 185 hours over a range of conditions to verify its mechanical, thermodynamic and control functions. The cryocooler satisfied all mission objectives including maximum cooldown to near-design operating conditions, warm and cold starts and stops, operation at near-design temperatures, and demonstration of long-term temperature stability. This paper presents a description of the cooler and its operation during the HOST flight.

Dolan, F. X.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Operation of A Sunpower M87 Cryocooler In A Magnetic Field

The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-02 (AMS-02) is an experiment that will be flown as an attached payload on the International Space Station to detect dark matter and antimatter. It uses large superconducting magnets cooled with superfluid helium to bend the path of cosmic particles through a series of detectors, which then measure the mass, speed, charge, and direction of the particles. Four Sunpower M87N Stirling-cycle cryocoolers are used to extend the mission life by cooling the outer vapor-cooled shield of the dewar. The main magnet coils are separated by a distance of approximately 1 m and the coolers are located approximately 1.5 m from the center line of the magnet, where the field is as high as 925 gauss perpendicular to the cryocooler axis and 400 gauss along the cryocooler axis. Interactions between the applied magnetic field and the linear motor may result in additional forces and torques on the compressor piston. Motion of the compressor arid displacer pistons through the magnetic field spatial gradients will generate eddy currents. Additional eddy currents are created during magnet charge, discharge, and quench by the time-varying magnetic field. The results of tests to determine the magnitude of the forces, torques, and heating effects, as well as the need for additional magnetic shielding, are presented.

Breon, S. R.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Qualifying the Sunpower M-87N Cryocooler for Operation in the AMS-02 Magnetic Field

The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-02 (AMs-02) experiment consists of a superfluid helium dewar. The outer vapor cooled shields of the dewar are to be held at 77 K by four Sunpower M87N cryocoolers. These cryocoolers have magnetic components that might interact with the external applied field generated by the superconducting magnet, thereby degrading the cryocoolers' performance. Engineering models of the Sunpower M87N are being tested at NASA Goddard Space Flight in order to qualify them to operate in a magnetic environment similar to the AMS-02 magnetic environment. AMS-02 will be a space station based particle detector studying the properties and origin of cosmic particles including antimatter and dark matter. It uses a superconducting magnet that is cooled by the superfluid helium dewar. Highly sensitive detector plates inside the magnet will measure a particle's momentum and charge.

Mustafi, Shuvo↗
NASA NTRS2016

Thermal Vacuum Testing of a Helium Loop Heat Pipe for Large Area Cryocooling

Future NASA space telescopes and exploration missions require cryocooling of large areas such as optics, detector arrays, and cryogenic propellant tanks. One device that can potentially be used to provide closed-loop cryocooling is the cryogenic loop heat pipe (CLHP). A CLHP has many advantages over other devices in terms of reduced mass, reduced vibration, high reliability, and long life. A helium CLHP has been tested extensively in a thermal vacuum chamber using a cryocooler as the heat sink to characterize its transient and steady performance and to verify its ability to cool large areas or components in the 3 degrees Kelvin temperature range. The helium CLHP thermal performance test included cool-down from the ambient temperature, startup, capillary limit, heat removal capability, rapid power changes, and long duration steady state operation. The helium CLHP demonstrated robust operation under steady state and transient conditions. The loop could be cooled from the ambient temperature to subcritical temperatures very effectively, and could start successfully by simply applying power to both the capillary pump and the evaporator plate without pre-conditioning. It could adapt to a rapid heat load change and quickly reach a new steady state. Heat removal between 10 megawatts and 140 megawatts was demonstrated, yielding a power turn down ratio of 14. When the CLHP capillary limit was exceeded, the loop could resume its normal function by reducing the power to the capillary pump. Steady state operations up to 17 hours at several heat loads were demonstrated. The ability of the helium CLHP to cool large areas was therefore successfully verified.

Thermal Control Systems↗
NASA NTRS2017

Mars Propellant Liquefaction and Storage Performance Modeling using Thermal Desktop with an Integrated Cryocooler Model

NASAs current Mars architectures are assuming the production and storage of 23 tons of liquid oxygen on the surface of Mars over a duration of 500+ days. In order to do this in a mass efficient manner, an energy efficient refrigeration system will be required. Based on previous analysis NASA has decided to do all liquefaction in the propulsion vehicle storage tanks. In order to allow for transient Martian environmental effects, a propellant liquefaction and storage system for a Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) was modeled using Thermal Desktop. The model consisted of a propellant tank containing a broad area cooling loop heat exchanger integrated with a reverse turbo Brayton cryocooler. Cryocooler sizing and performance modeling was conducted using MAV diurnal heat loads and radiator rejection temperatures predicted from a previous thermal model of the MAV. A system was also sized and modeled using an alternative heat rejection system that relies on a forced convection heat exchanger. Cryocooler mass, input power, and heat rejection for both systems were estimated and compared against sizing based on non-transient sizing estimates.

fluid modeling↗
NASA NTRS2018

Low Temperature Characterization of Mechanical Isolators for Cryocoolers

For spacecraft applications requiring active refrigeration, exported vibrations from a cryocooler can be a concern. One approach to minimizing the vibrations transmitted from cryocoolers to the spacecraft is to mount them on mechanical isolators. Many commercial off-theshelf (COTS) mechanical isolators exist and have been characterized at room temperature for ground applications. However, the space environment presents challenges that complicate the selection process. Mechanical isolators in space must be made of materials that can withstand harsh radiation environments. Future instruments, such as the Mapping Imaging Spectrometer for Europa (MISE) on the Europa Clipper mission, are considering operating cryocoolers with low heat rejection temperatures and mounting them on mechanical isolators. However, the performance of many simple, traditional mechanical isolators at low temperatures is unknown. This paper describes the testing and results of various mechanical isolators able to withstand harsh radiation between 200 K and 300 K. The transmissibility of wire rope type isolators showed very little temperature dependence up to ~500 Hz. On the other hand, the transmissibility of silicone gel was strongly dependent on temperature as the material had an abrupt change in stiffness near its solid-solid phase change. Custom titanium flexures showed the most promise with a maximum transmissibility of 0.04 above 500 Hz and no expected temperature dependence.

Rodriguez, J.I.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Maturation and Status of the Lockheed Martin Micro1-2 Cryocooler

This paper describes the maturation and status of the Lockheed Martin “High Power” Micro1-2 pulse tube cryocooler. This cryocooler, which was qualified to technology readiness level 6 in 2014, is the baseline cooler for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Mapping Imaging Spectrometer for Europa (MISE) instrument aboard the Europa Clipper mission, and the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU-APL) Gamma Ray and Neutron Spectrometer (GRNS) aboard the planned Psyche asteroid mission. This paper will describe enhancements to the cryocooler made for the MISE program, specifically modifications to maximize the cooler efficiency at low heat rejection temperature (220 K) and to increase the operating frequency. The paper will also describe minor modifications for the GRNS program, specifically modification of the coldfinger for low thermal emissivity and the addition of a cold tip interface tab. Finally, the paper will describe modifications made for operation with 150 K heat rejection temperature and 35 K cold tip temperature for the Deep Space Cooling System (DSCS) project with Iris Technology.

Frohling, K.↗
NASA NTRS2021

Cryocooler Electronics Enable Thermal Imaging of Planetary Objects in Deep Space

Iris Technology Corporation received NASA SBIR awards to advance its cryocooler electronics, which control mechanical cryocoolers that enable thermal imaging systems to capture data to improve our knowledge of water and possibly life in space. Originally partnering with the Air Force SBIR program, Iris has since won several contracts to provide its cryocooler electronics on NASA missions — including a mission to examine the surface of Jupiter’s moon Europa — and on a satellite mission with the Air Force.

Mark H Davidson↗
NASA NTRS2021

Random vibration, exported vibration, and passive isolation testing of the Ricor K508N cryocooler

The Ricor K508N is a rotary Stirling Cryocooler whose predecessor, the K508, has extensive flight heritage. The K508N has significant potential as a low-cost option for CubeSat infrared electro-optical payload applications. This paper will explore the work done by the ATA project on the exported vibration characterization of a set of standard K508N cryocoolers (35 atm) and the implementation and performance comparison of several passive vibration isolation and damping technologies to help mitigate the jitter effect of COTS cryocoolers. Kistler Force dynamometers and accelerometers were used to measure the K508N’s body and cold tip Multicomponent Exported Forces and Torques (EFT). Wire rope and Pyrolytic Graphite Sheet thermal straps are used as vibration isolation technologies. The K508N also underwent sine sweep resonant and peak profile testing as well as random vibration testing to GEVS launch loads in a NanoRacks soft stow configuration.

Mok, M↗
NASA NTRS1994

Cryocooler Electromagnetic Compatibility

Jet Propulsion Laboratory, under joint Ballistic Missile and Defense Organization/Air Force and NASA/Eos Atmospheric Infrared Sounder sponsorship is conducting extensive space cryocooler characterization to provide a reliable and accurate data base on cryocooler performance for use by the space community.

cryocooler electromagnetic compatibility cryocoole↗