Aerospace

In the aerospace industry, there is a number of applications that require cryogenic cooling. Concepts and specifications vary largely, for which Stirling Cryogenics can provide several customized cooling solutions.

Space simulation chambers
Objects in space are exposed to its almost perfect vacuum, cold and solar radiation. Organizations like NASA, ESA, Universities and also commercial organisations build (parts of) space crafts, satellites, instruments etc. They need to test their equipment and materials in extreme low and high temperatures and vacuum conditions. This is done in earth based simulation chambers in which the conditions in space are simulated by creating a high vacuum and extreme low temperatures.

Depending the requirements, Stirling Cryogenics can offer the following solutions:

Closed Loop Helium Gas Cooling Systems
Closed Loop Liquid Nitrogen Cooling Systems

One of our customers in the USA, Georgia Institute of Technology has published about the use of Stirling Cryogenerators at the space simulation chamber at their institute.

Densification of liquid oxygen
Liquid oxygen is widely used as oxidizer in different types of rockets. By cooling the liquid oxygen below its usual boiling temperature, density of the liquid increases so more mass can be stored in the same volume. Cooling of a cryogenic liquid flow can be done directly in the heat exchanger of a Stirling Cryogenerator.

Stirling can design and offer a customized system for your specific requirements. Please contact us to discuss your needs.

Liquid Hydrogen
With the growing interest in de-carbonizing air traffic, liquid hydrogen is seen as the fuel of the future since it can be produced in a fossil-free way and has a high energy to mass ratio.

These projects all still in the development phase, requiring relatively small amounts of LH₂.
Stirling Cryogenics offers small LH₂ production systems which can be used on site to provide the quantity of LH₂ needed for these research projects.

Superconductivity
In tandem with LH₂ as airplane fuel, superconductivity is regarded as the one of the main technologies to provide thrust using superconductive motors and other components.

Reason is that superconductive machines have a high power to mass ratio, supporting the main goal of building an airplane as light as possible.

As additional benefit, the superconductive components can be cooled by the liquid hydrogen which has to be evaporated before use. These components and the LN₂ cannot be in direct contact; to create a thermal connection, a cold helium loop can be used driven by an on-board Stirling Cryofan. 

Stirling has a long experience with cooling of superconducting devices with the supply of Stirling Cryogenerators.

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