Performance characterization of the astrium 10 K developmental cryocooler
2002; American Institute of Physics; Linguagem: Inglês
10.1063/1.1472135
ISSN1935-0465
Autores Tópico(s)Spacecraft and Cryogenic Technologies
ResumoTo satisfy future Air Force mission requirements, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), sponsored by the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO), led a development program for a proof-of-concept cryocooler designed to support a cooling load of 45 mW at 10.4 K. Under the technology development program, Astrium (formerly Matra Marconi Space) in Stevenage, United Kingdom, developed a Stirling cycle cryocooler with four Oxford flexure compressors and a two-stage expansion cold end. The cooler was delivered to AFRL, instrumented, and integrated with a 36-inch vacuum chamber for performance characterization and long life endurance evaluation. This paper contains a short description of the cooler’s physical components. Also presented are cool down curves, characteristic load lines, and lessons learned during the characterization process. The cooler will enter a long term endurance evaluation after completion of its performance characterization.
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