Researchers have developed a simple method to enhance cryogenic coolers, achieving near-absolute zero temperatures up to 3.5 times faster or using approximately 71% less energy compared to current technologies.
Applications for cryogenic cooling include the preservation of biological tissues, eggs, sperm, and embryos and the operation of giant particle accelerators at CERN and CAT scanners. It is also necessary for engineering projects, mag-lev systems, and the deep space exploration capabilities of the James Webb Space Telescope. Furthermore, the development of cryogenic cooling may be essential for quantum computing and fusion power in the future.
At extremely low temperatures, special physical processes take place. Superfluidity allows liquids like helium to flow without viscosity, breaking conventional norms by climbing over container edgees, and superconductivity allows electric current to flow through certain materials without resistance. When quantum events approach absolute zero, they slow down, becoming more useful and producing Bose-Einstein Condensates, in which atoms act as a single quantum state, functioning as “super-atoms.”
However, reaching temperatures close to absolute zero is both costly and time-consuming. For over 40 years, the Pulse Tube Refrigerator (PTR) has been the primary technology for achieving temperatures of 4 ºK (-452 ºF, -269 ºC). The PTR operates similarly to a kitchen refrigerator, using helium gas that draws off heat as it expands.
Ryan Snodgrass’s research team at NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) aimed to increase the PTR’s effectiveness. They found an easy-to-use but efficient fix. The PTR works well near absolute zero, but it is inefficient around room temperature, where cooling starts. High pressure was applied to the helium gas, which was often directed into a relief valve rather than cooling.
The researchers significantly increased the PTR’s efficiency by rearranging the mechanical connections between the compressor and the refrigerator and setting the valves to remain wide open at first and then gradually close during cooling. This allowed for 50% to 75% quicker cooling without helium waste.
This new PTR technology has a huge potential impact. If it were commercialized to replace current technology, the prototype could save $30 million in worldwide electricity expenses, 27 million watts of power, and enough cooling water to fill 5,000 Olympic swimming pools yearly. This breakthrough could completely change how affordable various ultra-cold technologies can be.
The study, published in Nature Communications, emphasizes the significant ramifications of this breakthrough, which could change industries dependent on cryogenic cooling and even enhance the tasting experience of your next piña colada.
Source: NIST