Measurement of the performance of a spiral wound polyimide regenerator in a pulse tube refrigeratorA regenerator for use in a pulse tube refrigerator has been constructed from a polyimide (polypyromellitimide or PPMI) whose small ratio of thermal conductivity to heat capacity make it a good candidate for a regenerator material in cryocoolers. The regenerator was fabricated using 25 micron thick photoresist strips bonded to a 50 micron thick sheet of PPMI. This composite sheet was wound in jelly-roll fashion around a mandrel and inserted into the regenerator housing. The photoresist strips, formed using a photolithographic technique, provided a 25 micron spacing for the axial flow of gas between each layer of PPMI. Ineffectiveness results are presented for this material under actual operating conditions in a pulse tube refrigerator and compared with a numerical model. The numerical model indicated that a polyimide regenerator would perform much better than one constructed of stainless steel screen, but the experimental results showed the opposite behavior. Measured values for the ineffectiveness were 0.003 for the stainless steel screen and 0.017 for the polyimide.
Document ID
19930064616
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Rawlins, Wayne (NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Timmerhaus, Klaus D. (Colorado Univ. Boulder, United States)
Radebaugh, Ray (NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Daney, D. E. (NIST, Chemical Engineering Div., 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
93A48613
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Available Downloads
There are no available downloads for this record.
Related Records
IDRelationTitle19930064581Collected WorksAdvances in cryogenic engineering. Vols. 37A & 37B - Proceedings of the 1991 Cryogenic Engineering Conference, Univ. of Alabama, Huntsville, June 11-14, 1991