Synthesis of the multilayer cryogenic insulation modelling and measurements

Abstract

A thermodynamic approach towards insulation systems in cryogenic engineering is proposed. A mathematical model of the heat transfer through multilayer insulation (MLI) has been developed and experimentally verified. The model comprises both physical and engineering parameters determining the MLI performance and enables a complex optimization of the insulation system including the choice of the insulation location in a vacuum space. The model takes into account an interstitial (interlayer) gas pressure variation with the MLI number of layers and layers density. The paper presents the discussion of MLI performance in different conditions and provides comparison of computation results with experimental reference and measured data. © 2008 American Institute of Physics.