Raytheon 95 K high efficiency cryocooler program

Abstract

Air Force/Raytheon 95K High Efficiency Cryocooler (95 K HEC) Program is developing a new two-stage hybrid Stirling-pulse tube space qualified refrigerator with high heat lift capacity, high efficiency, low weight and size, and low production costs relative to the current state-of-the-art. The basic program will deliver a protoflight Stirling-class Thermo Mechanical Unit (TMU) with protoflight radiation hard electronics. The cooler is designed to support 10 W heat lift from a 95 K source to a 300 K sink. Motor power consumption is to be less than 100 W and system power (including electronics) is to be less than 137 W. The cooler is to weigh no more than 6 Kg. The TMU cold head and compressor designs are highly versatile to enable low cost tailoring to meet the needs of a wide variety of applications. The first demonstration of this versatility is a program option to deliver a companion high-capacity 35 K cryocooler. This cooler will also have an aggressive efficiency requirement. The 95K and 35 K TMU will share over 95% of components, resulting in significant production efficiencies. Another result of this high degree of commonality is that each cooler can be powered and controlled by standardized command and control electronics.