Title: Improved Stirling Cycle Technology for Zero-G Spacecraft Refrigeration Systems Dean Applied Technology Company, Inc. Huntsville, AL
1Improved Stirling Cycle Technology for Zero-G
Spacecraft Refrigeration SystemsDean Applied
Technology Company, Inc.Huntsville, AL
Innovation This innovation improved the Stirling
refrigeration technology using a simple pulse
tube, and optimized the new configuration for
operation at food refrigerator/freezer operating
temperatures.
- Accomplishments
- Operational unit designed, fabricated and tested.
- This concept offers a higher system efficiency
than achieved by the currently used
vapor-compression cycle in zero-g. It also
eliminates the lubrication problems normally
associated with zero-g refrigeration. - The improved Stirling Cycle technology does not
require ozone-depleting Chloro-Fluoro-Carbons. - Since it has no moving parts at the cold end,
vibrations are significantly reduced. - Commercialization
- NASA Space Act Cooperative Agreement between
NASA-Marshall Space Flight Center and Dean
Applied Technology - Dean Applied Technology has applied for a patent.
- Discussion with manufacturer of superconducting
telecommunications equipment. - Inquiry from a major manufacturer of detector
instrumentation equipment.
Pulse tube refrigeration unit under test at DATCO.
- Government/Science Applications
- Home refrigerator/freezers
- Medical imaging (e.g., MRI)
- Medical freezers
- Cooling of electronics and detectors
- Cooling of superconductors
- Spacecraft freezer/refrigerators for Space
Shuttle, Space Lab, ISSA, and Mars Missions
Points of Contact - NASA (Denise Swain
205/544-0968) - Dean Applied Technology
(Bill Dean 205/721-9550) 1991 SBIR Phase 2
NAS8-39917
Marshall Space Flight Center Date of
Update 3/11/98 Success Story 8-004