A TECHNICAL SEMINAR

ON
CRYOGENIC COOLING

INTRODUCTION
The word cryogenics is derived from two

Latin words.
Cryo - means cold
Genics means science.
Cryogenics is the science of cold. It
suggests that how to get low temperatures
and how materials behave at the low
temperatures

Cryogenic cooling or cryogenic

refrigeration system is one of the system
from cryogenic.
This field has been enormous growth especially after
World War II. To consider the field of cryogenics as
that involving temperatures below 123K.

CRYOGENIC REFRIGERATION
SYSTEM:
REFRIGERANTS
Refrigerants

Boiling point
(K)

Liquid Helium 3

3.19

Liquid Helium 4

4.214

Liquid Hydrogen

20.27

Liquid Neon

27.09

Liquid Nitrogen

77.36

Liquid Air

78.8

IDEAL REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS:-. In the case of

refrigerators, there are two types of low-temperature
source that may be used. If we evaporate a liquid to
furnish the cooling, energy is added to the refrigerant in
an isothermal manner, as far as the evaporator of the
refrigerator is concerned. On the other hand, we may use
a cold gas such as helium (which gets quite cold before it
liquefies), and energy is added at constant pressure (for
the refrigerant) without liquefying the gas.
2

Tc

s = const.

s = const.

Temperature T

Th

T = const.

T = const.
3

Entropy s

Fig. 1 Carnot cycle

3. REFRIGERATOR:Linde- Hampson refrigerator:-

Magnetic Cooling:
By using liquid He3 we can reach upto 0.6 K

by reducing pressure upto 72.6 Pa which is

vapour pressure of He3. But it is difficult to
maintain such low pressure.

Giauque and Debye pointed out that a

paramagnetic substance could be used
instead of a gas or liquid and that a magnetic
field could be used instead of a fluid to attain
the low temperatures.

CRYOGENIC COOLING BY OPEN

SYSTEM
In this method cryogenic cooling system use

an open system that expels the spent vapour

into the atmosphere.

Cryogenic Cooling by open

system

TYPICAL MECHANICAL COOLING

SYSTEM

Advantage over mechanical cooling:

Change rates, or temperatures beyond the

limits of mechanical refrigeration.

Small &lighter equipment requires less
space.
less electrical power required due to
absence of compressor.
less noise.
lower maintenance cost.

Coolants:
1. Liquid CO2
2. Liquid N2

How safe is this system?

Common cryogenic coolants do not harm the

Ozone layer, are not flammable, and are not

poisonous. The common coolants, Carbon Dioxide
and Nitrogen, are normal components of our
breathable air. In fact, about 78% of our
atmosphere is Nitrogen, so its safety is pretty well
demonstrated. Carbon Dioxide is the fizzy part of
soft drinks, so it better safe.

APPLICATIONS OF CRYOGENIC
COOLING:
In Space Research
In Electronics
In Biological & Medical applications
In Manufacturing Process
In Food Processing

References : Cryogenic Systems by Randall Barron

Refrigeration & Air conditioning by Arora,

Domkundwar
www.sigmabroucher.com