John Brisson
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
We propose to develop technologies appropriate to a high-efficiency, multi-stage recuperative cryocooler that can provide tens to hundreds of Watts of refrigeration capacity for application such as the liquefaction and storage of methane (110 K), oxygen (90 K), and hydrogen (20 K). On the larger scale these coolers could be used to liquefy cryogenic fuels and oxidizers that might be generated at a remote site. They could also be used to provide cooling during long-range missions providing cooling for cryogens; and possibly, for superconducting-magnet-based radiation shielding. In addition, these coolers can be further staged to provide significant 4 K cooling to support space telescopes and instruments for infrared astronomy and for instruments using low temperature detectors.