A HIGH EFFICIENCY, LOW VIBRATION, LONG LIFE, PULSE TUBE SPACECRAFT CRYOCOOLER EMPLOYING FLEXURAL BEARINGS

THIS PROJECT WILL DEVELOP AND TEST THE PREQUALIFICATION MODEL OF A PULSE-TUBE CRYOCOOLER USING A DUAL-OPPOSED COMPRESSOR WITH FLEXURAL BEARINGS. OBJECTIVES FOR THE CRYOFLEX(TM) CRYOGENIC COOLER ARE HIGH EFFICIENCY, LOW VIBRATION, A 10- TO 15-YEAR LIFESPAN, AND A DESIGN THAT CAN QUALIFY FOR SPACE FLIGHT. HIGH EFFICIENCY WILL BE ACHIEVED THROUGH THE OPTIMIZATION OF SYSTEM PARAMETERS USING A VALIDATED NUMERICAL OPTIMIZATION METHOD, CAREFUL SELECTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF REGENERATOR TECHNOLOGY, OPTIMIZED ELECTRIC-MOTOR DESIGN, AND USE OF FLEXURAL BEARINGS FOR HIGH MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY. DUAL-OPPOSED PISTON TECHNOLOGY WITH GAS CLEARANCE SEALS WILL PROVIDE A 10-TO 15-YEAR LIFESPAN. PHASE I WILL PRODUCE A DEMONSTRATION AND EVALUATION UNIT OPTIMIZED AROUND A SUCCESSFUL EXISTING FLEXURAL-BEARING COMPRESSOR. PHASE II WILL PRODUCE A FULLY OPTIMIZED SINGLE-OR DUAL-STAGE PM. THIS PROJECT WILL DEVELOP AND TEST THE PREQUALIFICATION MODEL OF A PULSE-TUBE CRYOCOOLER USING A DUAL-OPPOSED COMPRESSOR WITH FLEXURAL BEARINGS. OBJECTIVES FOR THE CRYOFLEX(TM) CRYOGENIC COOLER ARE HIGH EFFICIENCY, LOW VIBRATION, A 10- TO 15-YEAR LIFESPAN, AND A DESIGN THAT CAN QUALIFY FOR SPACE FLIGHT. HIGH EFFICIENCY WILL BE ACHIEVED THROUGH THE OPTIMIZATION OF SYSTEM PARAMETERS USING A VALIDATED NUMERICAL OPTIMIZATION METHOD, CAREFUL SELECTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF REGENERATOR TECHNOLOGY, OPTIMIZED ELECTRIC-MOTOR DESIGN, AND USE OF FLEXURAL BEARINGS FOR HIGH MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY. DUAL-OPPOSED PISTON TECHNOLOGY WITH GAS CLEARANCE SEALS WILL PROVIDE A 10-TO 15-YEAR LIFESPAN. PHASE I WILL PRODUCE A DEMONSTRATION AND EVALUATION UNIT OPTIMIZED AROUND A SUCCESSFUL EXISTING FLEXURAL-BEARING COMPRESSOR. PHASE II WILL PRODUCE A FULLY OPTIMIZED SINGLE-OR DUAL-STAGE PM.