A RECUPERATOR FOR CRYOCOOLERS

THIS PROJECT INVOLVES DEVELOPMENT AND VERIFICATION OF THE PERFORMANCE OF A NOVEL HEAT EXCHANGER OPERATING IN THE 98 TO 99 PERCENT THERMAL EFFECTIVENESS RANGE. HEAT EXCHANGERS FOR CRYOCOOLER APPLICATIONS USED IN HIGH ENERGY PHYSICS, REMOTE SENSING, ETC., FREQUENTLY REQUIRE THERMAL EFFECTIVENESS OF OVER 98%. THIS IS DIFFICULT TO ACCOMPLISH,PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF THE EFFECT OF THE LONGITUDINAL THERMAL CONDUCTION. THE CONCEPT WILL MAXIMIZE THE THERMAL EFFECTIVENESS BY REDUCING THE LONGITUDINAL CONDUCTION EFFECT WHILE KEEPING THE PRESSURE DROP OF THE DEVICE AT A MINIMUM BY DESIGNING FOR SMOOTH FLOW. FURTHERMORE, THE CONCEPT ASSURES SUPERIOR RELIABILITY (LEAK TIGHTNESS), AND ADAPTABILITY FOR HIGH PRESSURES. THE DESIGN IS MODULAR, ALLOWING STACKING OF THE MODULE ELEMENTS AND RESULTING IN EASY MANUFACTURING PROCESSES, AND MAKING IT SUITABLE FOR VOLUME PRODUCTION. THE PROJECT CONSISTS OF AN ANALYTICAL STUDY TO DERIVE THE RELATIONSHIPS FOR THE LONGITUDINAL CONDUCTION EFFECTS TO MAXIMIZE THE THERMAL EFFECTIVENESS, A DESIGN STUDY, CONSTRUCTION OF A PROTOTYPE MODULE OF THE DEVICE, AND EXPERIMENTAL VERIFICATION OF THE PERFORMANCE. AS THE RECENT ADVANCES IN SUPERCONDUCTIVITY MOVE INTO THE AREA OF APPLICATIONS, THERE WILL BE A CRITICALNEED FOR HEAT EXCHANGERS WITH HIGH EFFECTIVENESS.