Abstract
A new cryocooler, the M87, has been designed. It combines the well-tested thermodynamics of the M77 cryocooler with features developed to permit the manufacture of large-volume free-piston (linear) compressors. The price of the cryocooler is projected to be $2,000 per unit in lots of 10,000, with availability in the first quarter of 2001. In comparison to the M77 cryocooler, the M87 shows enhanced rated efficiency (20%), improved cooling power, and reduced length and mass. The M87 is rated at 7.5 W lift at 77 K with 150 W(e) input. The enabling market for development of the M87 is the growing need for portable oxygen therapy for home use. The development of significant new markets and new products based on the availability of a low cost cryocooler is anticipated. For instance, in the telecommunications field alone, estimates of the world-wide market by 2005 range from 120,000 to 400,000 units/year.
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© 2002 Kluwer Academic Publishers
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Unger, R.Z., Wiseman, R.B., Hummon, M.R. (2002). The Advent of Low Cost Cryocoolers. In: Ross, R.G. (eds) Cryocoolers 11. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-47112-4_10
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-47112-4_10
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
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