Very high capacity aerospace cryocooler

Abstract

Long-term cryogenic propellant storage requires mechanical cryocoolers to maintain zero or very low cryogen boil-off rates. Very large cryogen tanks such as those proposed for orbital fuel depots may require cryocoolers with very high cooling capacity. In-situ resource generation and storage of oxygen and methane on Mars also requires high capacity cryocoolers, and low mass is extremely desirable for planetary missions because of the cost associated with landing mass on the surface of another planet. Lockheed Martin's Advanced Technology Center has developed a high capacity low mass aerospace cryocooler with very high power density. This 7 kg pulse tube cryocooler can provide 20 W of cooling at 70 K while rejecting heat at 300 K. This large cooling capability could also be used to cool large optical structures or other devices with high heat loads. Testing of the cooler with a secondary heat exchanger attached to the pulse tube was also conducted, and results are discussed. © 2012 American Institute of Physics.