Cryogenics

Applications in cryogenics require compressors to circulate gases but also to generate cryogenic temperatures with the reversed Brayton cycle. This process also requires an expansion turbine. Celeroton’s turbo compressor with integrated gas bearing technology offers advantages for such applications in cryogenics. Pollution of the cryogenic gas is prevented, as the gas bearing technology uses the cryogenic gas as a lubricant and thus does not result in contamination by conventional lubricants as with ball bearings. Furthermore, the gas is only in contact with a minimal surface area and a minimal number of materials. The compressor and expansion turbine components can be in a gas-tight design for operation in a wide low-temperature range and can be operated at temperatures below 100 K (–173.15 °C). They enable the systems to be started at room temperature and subsequently cooled down. The high efficiency of the turbo compressors and expansion turbines results in minimal heat input into the cryogenic application. Furthermore, it is essential for the applications that no maintenance is required and that they can be operated 24/7.

Cryogenics are used in the semiconductor industry, in aerospace, for cooling of generators in wind turbines, for cooling of superconducting cables and in quantum computers. Typical gases in cryogenics are neon, helium, hydrogen, nitrogen, argon or oxygen.