Development of a large cooling

capacity single stage GM

cryocooler
SHIs (Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd.) Cryogenic Group has
developed a new, single-stage GM cryocooler, Model RDK-500B.

It is suitable for use in strong magnetic fields and optimized for

relatively cold temperatures(2030 K). 2030 K was determined
to be the ideal temperature range, based on the current state
of commercially available, practical HTS materials.
The specific heat of helium, especially at return pressure, is
large at 2030 K temperature. Optimized regenerator materials
are required to increase heat capacity in this temperature
range in order to achieve a large cooling capacity.
Typical single-stage GM regenerator designs use bronze screens
in the upper/warm end of the regenerator and lead spheres in
the lower/cold end . Lead is typically added, since bronze based
materials have almost no specific heat in the desired 2030 K
temperature range.

However, new regulations are gathering international

momentum, which serve to restrict the use of substances
deemed to be potentially damaging to the environment.

The RDK-500B was designed with these new material

restrictions in mind. Bismuth spheres were selected as a viable
alternative to lead.
Unfortunately, the specific heat of bismuth is less than lead in
the desired temperature range (2030 K). As a result, SHI
needed to consider additional efficiency improvements to offset
the losses associated with changing from lead to bismuth
without having to change size of cryocooler.
It include, optimized the clearance between cylinder and
displacer to minimize the sum of shuttle heat loss and pumping
heat loss.
Experimental result
1. Wide range cooling power curve
PV work increases with 60 Hz power frequency due to the
increased helium flow rate and higher cold head operating
speed.

2. Orientation dependence

Heat irruption to the expansion volume and shuttle heat loss

increases because convection flow is generated in the
clearance between cylinder and displacer. These are thought to
be due to performance decrement.
It is demonstrated that the maximum decreasing rate of cooling
power is 24% with result from calculation based on amount of
temperature increase.
3. Vibration & Sound pressure level
The averaged sound pressure level is around 79 dBA. That of
existing 2 stage 4 K GM cryocooler, RDK-408D3 is around 67
dBA.
The major reason to be louder is to use higher output power
compressor.

The maximum acceleration is around 2530 m/s2 during 1

cycle. 1 cycle is about 0.83 s at 60 Hz.
References
Development of a large cooling capacity single stage GM
cryocooler
K. Yamada
Cryogenics Division, Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd., 2-1-1,
Yato-cho, Nishitokyo-city, Tokyo 188-8585, Japan