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Regenerator performance in a Vuilleumier refrigerator compared with a third-order numerical modelA three-stage Vuilleumier refrigerator was used to measure the performance of various third stage regenerators. The refrigerator operates between 2.5 and 5.0 Hz and, depending on the material used in the third stage regenerator, achieves temperatures of 8 to 20 K at the cold end of the third stage. This paper presents a comparison of regenerator performance for four regenerator materials: 229 micron diameter spheres of Pb(+)5 pct Sb, 229 micron diameter spheres of brass, 216 micron irregularly-shaped GdRh powder, and a mixture of 229 microns and 762 microns diameter spheres of Pb(+5) pct Sb. The experimental results are compared with a first-order model that neglects the void volume within the regenerator and with a third-order model that considers the effect of pressure oscillations in the regenerator void volume. Experimental results indicate that regenerator losses are dominated by the pressure oscillation in the void volume rather than the mass flow through the temperature gradient in the regenerator. These results are consistent with the third-order numerical model. This model shows that the heat capacity of the gas in the void space as well as the heat capacity of the matrix influences the regenerator performance.
Document ID
19930064632
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Bradley, P. E.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Radebaugh, Ray
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Gary, John
(NIST Boulder, CO, United States)
Date Acquired
August 16, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1991
Publication Information
Publication: In: Advances in cryogenic engineering. Vol. 37B - Proceedings of the 1991 Cryogenic Engineering Conference, Univ. of Alabama, Huntsville, June 11-14, 1991 (A93-48578 20-37)
Publisher: Plenum Press
Subject Category
Engineering (General)
Accession Number
93A48629
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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