1

Introduction
Cryogenics is the study of how to attain low temperatures
and how materials behave when these low temperatures
are attained.
What cryogenics is not: It is not the study of freezing and
reviving people. This is known as Cryonics, a confusingly
similar term.
Cryogenics deals with low temperatures, from about 100
Kelvin to absolute zero.

2
Concept Of Absolute Zero

Absolute zero is the lowest temperature that

could ever be.
The first clue to its existence came from the
expansion and contraction of gases.
Scientists noticed that for all gases the
temperature for which they reached zero volume
was about -273 Celsius. This temperature is
known as absolute zero and is the zero for Kelvin
temperature scale.
3
Cryogenic Liquids
Commonly used gases, in their liquid form, are nitrogen
and helium. These are the common cryogenic liquids.
Liquid Helium and Nitrogen are usually stored in vacuum
insulated flasks called Dewars.

1) Nitrogen:-
 Nitrogen condenses at -195.8 C (77.36 Kelvin) and freezes at -
209.86 C (63.17 Kelvin). Liquid nitrogen is used in many cooling
systems.

4
2) Helium:-
Helium boils at -268.93 C (4.2 Kelvin) and does not freeze at
atmospheric pressure
Liquid helium is used in many cryogenic systems when
temperatures below the boiling point of nitrogen are needed.
The helium we deal with is basically of 2 types: Helium 3 and
Helium 4. Both of these can be cooled to below their boiling
temperatures.
Liquid helium boils at a lower temperature when the pressure is
lower.
To attain temperatures colder than liquid helium we use an
Adiabatic Demagnetization Refrigerator (ADR).

5
Adiabatic Demagnetization Refrigerator (ADR)
ADR’s are refrigerators used to cool space based detectors
to low temperatures to minimize the noise in the data
obtained.
An ADR contains a magneto caloric material, which can
be made to absorb or release heat with applied magnetic
fields.
It works in cycles alternating between cooling and
recycling. Cooling is done by absorbing heat isothermally
in a magneto caloric material in the presence of a
decreasing magnetic field. Recycling is done by dumping
this absorbed heat.
6
7
 ADR Components
The basic ADR
components are as shown :
Calorimeter - These are
sensors that measure heat
input eg. in XRS
instrument.
Heat switch – The heat
switch is used to allow heat
to be dumped periodically
to the helium bath.
Thermal Bus – These are
copper rods that connect
the calorimeters with the
salt pill.

8
 Salt Pill – The salt pill is
where the cooling action
takes place. The pill (actually
a cylinder) is made of ferric
ammonium sulfate.
 Suspension – The outer
structure of the ADR consists
of metal rings and tubes,
which allow the ADR to fit
securely within a
superconducting magnet.
 Heat Switch Shell – The shell
is a cylinder made of Vespel, a
polyimide material, which
provides high strength with
low thermal conductivity.

9
Adiabatic Demagnetization Refrigerator

10
11
Limitation of the ADR
The performance of the ADR decreases as the
“warm” heat sink is raised. Hence a mechanical
cooler cannot be used as the “warm” heat sink.
Mechanical coolers small enough for satellite use
can cool down only as far as 6 to 8 milli Kelvin.
 However it would be extremely convenient to use
a mechanical cooler instead of a liquid helium
bath. The liquid helium bath slowly evaporates,
until it is completely gone.

12
Advanced Adiabatic Demagnetization
Refrigerator (AADR)
The AADR is a multistage adiabatic
demagnetization refrigerator. Each stage passes
the absorbed heat to the next stage.
The AADR is not one ADR but a group of ADR’s.
Each standard ADR would have a relatively small
temperature drop across it and would hence be
able to remain cooler for a longer time.
Its purpose was to combine the high performance
of an XRS ADR with the convenience of a
mechanical cooler.
13
This AADR has 3 salt pills , a hot end salt pill, a cold end
salt pill and a middle salt pill.
Each salt pill has its own magnet, which controls the
temperature in that pill. Between the salt pills are heat
switches and Kevlar supports.
The upper two magnets are surrounded by magnetic shield
to prevent magnetic fields from interfering with other
equipment.
14
Working
Heat is constantly leaking into the AADR from
warmer surroundings. This can be from the
physical supports, or as infrared radiations from
the sensors studying the radiation .
The cold end salt pill – The purpose of this pill is
to absorb this heat so that the sensors can stay at
their best operating temperature.
The middle salt pill – This pill is designed in such
a way that it can be cooled to a temperature
slightly colder than the cold end salt pill. This pill
is cooled by reducing the magnetic field produced
by the magnets surrounding it.
15
The Hot end salt pill – From the middle heat salt pill the
heat is transferred to the hot end salt pill. Before the heat
can be transferred, the middle pill should be brought to
the top and the hot end pill, to the bottom, of its
temperature range.
From the hot end salt pill to the Heat sink – Once the hot
end salt pill is hot enough the heat switch connecting this
pill to the heat sink is activated. The sink might be liquid
helium bath or a mechanical cryo-cooler.
While the middle and hot end salt pills have been
transferring out the cold end salt pill absorbs heat, ready
to start the cycle again.

16
Advantages of the AADR
Greater temperature range
Mechanical cooler as heat sink
Continuous cooling
Lower weight

17
X-Ray Spectrometer (XRS)
The XRS is an instrument designed to study x-
rays emitted by black holes and other
astronomical objects.
It shows how liquid helium cooling and an ADR
can work together as part of a satellite cooling
system.
The system included some features that were intended to
lengthen the lifetime of liquid helium.
To function properly, the x-ray sensors in the XRS needed
to be cooled to sixty thousandths of a degree above
absolute zero. For this we chose an ADR.
18
 Working of the XRS

First the x rays must be

focused onto the
detectors.
The detectors need to be
kept extremely cold. This
requires a complex
cryogenic system
The signals from the
detectors are amplified
and shaped by a package
of analog electronics.

19
XRS Cryogenic System
The XRS must operate at a low temperature to minimize
phonon noise and maximize the sensitivity of the resistive
thermometer.
The primary source of cooling is a 130 liter solid neon
dewar. The life of the neon is extended by use of a
mechanical cooler. The solid neon maintains a
temperature of approx. 17 K and surrounds a tank filled
with helium. The liquid helium is vented to space.
The final stage of cooling is accomplished via the use of an
ADR.
Temperature control is accomplished by adjusting the
magnetic field via a feedback loop.
20
21
Top view of the Astro-E2 XRS

22
23