Laboratory helium liquifier for supersolid research

用于超固体研究的实验室氦液化器

• 批准号: 359151-2008
• 负责人: Beamish, John
• 金额: $ 4.36万
• 依托单位: University of Alberta
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2007-01-01 至 2008-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=365913
• 关键词: Laboratory; helium; liquifier; supersolid; research

This is a proposal to acquire a small-scale helium liquifier for a low temperature physics laboratory.  The research that will be enabled by this liquifier involves experimental studies of solid helium at high pressures and ultralow temperatures, a regime where a new "supersolid" phase of matter was recently discovered.  Because of the extremely low temperatures needed (within 0.2 degrees of absolute zero), all such experiments require the use of a powerful "dilution refrigerator", which uses substantial amounts of liquid helium to operate.  Helium is an expensive and non-renewable resource but recent developments in cryogenic technology (pulse tube refrigerators) have dramatically reduced the cost of recovering and reliquifying helium on a small scale.  The helium liquifier in this proposal will allow us to recycle the gas produced as the liquid helium boils off and produce up to 20 liters of liquid helium per day.  This will allow us to continuously operate our dilution refrigerator and perform more experiments, more effectively.  It will also conserve approximately 2 million liters of helium gas each year.  This will save approximately $30,000 per year in liquid helium costs, repaying the investment within 3 years.  The cost savings will be used to support graduate students being trained in low temperature and experimental condensed matter physics.

这是一项为低温物理实验室购买小型氦液化器的提议。该液化器将使研究能够在高压和超低温下进行固体氦的实验研究，最近发现了一种新的“超固体”物质相。由于所需的极低温度，（在绝对零度的0.2度以内），所有这样的实验都需要使用强大的“稀释制冷机”，氦是一种昂贵且不可再生的资源，但最近低温技术的发展（脉冲管制冷机）已经大大降低了小规模回收和再液化氦的成本。本提案中的氦液化器将使我们能够回收液氦沸腾时产生的气体，每天生产多达20升液氦。这将使我们能够连续操作我们的稀释制冷机，更有效地进行更多的实验。它还将每年节省约200万升氦气。这将每年节省约30，000美元的液氦成本，在3年内偿还投资。节省的成本将用于支持研究生在低温和实验凝聚态物理方面的培训。