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Exploring new technologies for the next generation pulse tube cryocooler below 2K

Project description

How low can you go: Cryocooling drops its minimum for advanced applications

Cooling systems are important to all sorts of human activities from manufacturing and flight to space exploration and quantum experimentation. Some of these activities require extremely cold temperatures, and pulse tube cryocoolers are state-of-the-art solutions for such applications. Advanced applications in space exploration and quantum computing benefit from cooling to as close to 0 K (absolute zero) as possible, posing challenges for current 4 K pulse tube cryocoolers. The EU-funded EngPTC2 project will develop a 2 K pulse tube cryocooler by overcoming limitations of the 4 K device through exploitation of the special properties of its working fluid.

Objective

With the development of physics and new technologies, it has proposed some new challenges for the traditional 4K pulse tube cryocooler (PTC). The next generation 4K PTC with smaller size, lower power consumption, higher efficiency and lower temperature is anticipated. This project aims to develop a new type 2K PTC with 3He-4He mixtures as working fluid. This work will not only explore its internal new cooling mechanism, but also break up the limit temperature of Stirling type PTC, which would extend the application areas for the next generation PTC, especially for the areas of space exploration and quantum computing.
The proposed new type PTC will use the unique properties of 3He–4He mixtures to improve its performance. To implement this project, it need first to clarify the underlying working mechanism of mixture gas in PTC, which will provide theoretical foundations for designing this kind of PTC. And then to develop experimental system to valid theoretical model and explore its limit temperature. Specifically, the Fellow will (a) develop a full temperature range thermal-properties database of 3He-4He mixtures, to be used to CFD simulation; (b) develop a theoretical and simulation model to clarify the mechanism of cooling effect in this PTC; (c) experimental verification the numerical results and optimization of its performance.
The new results of this project will help us to shape the emerging research area of next generation PTC. The Fellow is currently at forefront of international advances in 4K PTC. With support from the hosting institutions LNE/Cnam, a timely award of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship will provide the applicant the necessary resources and access to expertise to make rapid progress in this emerging research area and become an independent researcher, ready to compete globally.

Coordinator

CONSERVATOIRE NATIONAL DES ARTS ET METIERS
Net EU contribution
€ 196 707,84
Address
RUE SAINT MARTIN 292
75141 Paris
France

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Region
Ile-de-France Ile-de-France Paris
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost
€ 196 707,84