Pulse-Tube Cryogenic Refrigerator

Dean Applied Technology Co. Inc.

Huntsville, AL

A simple, low-cost cryogenic pulse-tube refrigerator with no moving parts at the cold end.

• During Phase 1 efforts, performed feasibility studies and analyses that showed the superiority of simple pulse-tube concept to other cryogenic refrigeration methods and also developed a preliminary design.
• During Phase 2, designed, fabricated, and tested an operating unit.

• Patent granted on pulse-tube refrigeration component.
• Concept aimed at cooling of cell phone base station equipment, particularly superconducting electronic filters that result in better quality of calls in the form of less interference, fewer dropped calls, greater range, and more calls within the allocated frequency ranges.

• This refrigeration concept is applicable to the following NASA and other government needs:
• Cooling of infrared and other types of spacecraft and ground-based sensors
• Long-term storage of propellants in space
• In-situ propellant production on Mars’ surface
• Interplanetary transit missions
• Ground-based testing of cryogenic propellant management systems

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