SBIR/STTR Research Award
A HELIUM-3/HELIUM-4 DILUTION CRYOCOOLER FOR OPERATION IN ZERO GRAVITY
Award amount
$495,629Program and phase
SBIR · Phase IIAward year
1986Award details
- Awarding agency
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Branch
- Not reported
- Recipient company
- Alabama Cryogenic Engineering, Inc.
- Proposal award date
- Not reported
- Contract end date
- Not reported
- UEI
- Not reported
- Solicitation number
- Not reported
- Topic code
- Not reported
Research abstract
THIS PROJECT CONCERNS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CRYOCOOLER TO OPERATE AT 0.1 K IN ZERO GRAVITY. THE CRYOCOOLER WILL USE THE PRINCIPLE OF DILUTION OF HELIUM-3 SOLUTION BY PURE SUPERFLUID HELIUM-4 FOR THE COOLING EFFECT. A CONVENTIONAL DILUTION REFRIGERATOR REQUIRES GRAVITY FOR OPERATION, SO AN INNOVATIVE TECHNIQUE IS REQUIRED FOR THE ZERO GRAVITY SYSTEM. THE SYSTEM, WHICH REQUIRES A 2 K HEAT SINK, AND CAN BE BUILT WITH A COOLING CAPACITY APPROACHING ONE MILLIWATT AT 0.1 K.
Technology keywords
Not reported