Parameters of the cryogenic mechanical thermal switch with temperature range 15–300 K for magnetic refrigerators

Abstract

The main aim of this work is to study heat transfer in mechanical thermal switch under conditions close to a real magnetic refrigeration. This study examines the thermal behavior of a mechanical thermal switch which comprise a detachable pair of copper–copper contact bulks, incorporating an indium foil thermal interface with a 100 µm thickness. We investigated the time it took to reach thermal equilibrium from initial temperature span of 3 K, 5 K, and 10 K and explored the influence of the indium foil thermal interface within a temperature range of 15 to 300 K. The experimental data provided the heat dissipation values required to maintain the specified temperature of the object being cooled. As the results showed, the use an indium thermal interface significantly reduces the time until thermal equilibrium occurs.