What if you have a need for liquid nitrogen, but you do not wish to simply order it from a local supplier? In that case you can build your very own pulse tube cryocooler, as [Hyperspace Pirate] is in the process of doing over at YouTube. You can catch part 1 using a linear motor and part 2 using a reciprocating piston-based version also after the break. Although still very much a work-in-progress, the second version of the cryocooler managed to reduce the temperature to a chilly -75°C.
The pulse tube cryocooler is one of many types of systems used for creating a cooling effect. Commercially available refrigerators and freezers tend to use Rankine cycle coolers due to their low cost and effectiveness at (relatively) warmer temperatures. For cryogenic temperatures, Stirling engines are commonly used, although they find some use in refrigeration as well. All three share common elements, but they differ in their efficiency over a larger temperature range. Cryobox
In this video series, the viewer is taken through the physics behind these coolers and the bottlenecks which prevent them from simply cooling down to zero Kelvin. Despite the deceptive simplicity of pulse tube cryocoolers — with just a single piston, a regenerator mesh, and some tubing — making them work well is an exercise in patience. We’re definitely looking forward to the future videos in this series as it develops.
Thanks for the article, this was an incredible watch! I hope he can pull it off, but the results of part 2 look promising.
Impressive. The ability to understand the equations that describe each effect is what prevented this effort from stalling out.
Super impressive. The device looks deceptively simple.
Awesome video. I have always been interested in these and thermo-acoustic engines (which appear to be the opposite of this).
I work on imokanters and deal with cryo coolers that bring it down to 13K
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