Apresentações Públicas de Propostas de Tese - Jorge André Almeida Barreto

The space cryogenics sector is characterized by a vast number of applications that lead to various stringent requirements (temperature range, microvibration, lifetime, consumption etc.) that can be met by different solutions (e.g. Stirling cycle coolers, Pulse-tube coolers).

For Earth Observation missions, significant cooling power at 50 K (for infrared detection) is available but it is mainly provided by classical cryocoolers, which are mechanisms with moving parts that induce microvibrations to highly-sensitive payloads (e.g. IR detectors).

To overcome this difficulty and cope with missions that have low microvibration levels requirements a new cooling solution must be found.

A solution of a “vibration-free” cooler based on the Joule-Thomson cycle and using sorption compressors and neon and nitrogen as working fluids is presented to answer potential future Earth Observation IR missions from the European Space Agency in the temperature range of 40-80 K. The solutions for the various critical components of this cryocooler will be discussed.