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本文综述正在由休斯飞机公司研制的微型(在80K处功率小于3W)斯特林循环低温致冷器的目前工艺状况。这些致冷器能够提供高操作效率和大为提高的可靠性,这对于不断涌现的需要使用低温致冷传感器的商品化红外应用是关键。 本文对旋转驱动压缩机装置和直线振动压缩机装置的特性进行了评论,并且概述了适合商品化应用的直线致冷器装置的最新研制状况。 在过去的十年中,斯特林循环致冷器的可靠性有了很大的提高,平均初次出故障时间(MTTF)从1980年的数百小时已增至今天的2000至5000h。为了支持所引证的致冷器可靠性的提高,本文概述了在各种环境温度下对休斯公司的斯特林循环致冷器进行的超过100000h的可靠性测试。最近直线驱动致冷器可靠性的提高为人们提供了一种连接方便的装置,这种装置的运转周期已经扩大,其所需的维修间隔时间已增至4000至8000h。 我们对旋转驱动和直线驱动致冷器的性能数据进行了总结,以便说明这些装置在目前的商品化应用中所能达到的性能范围。 除此之外,本文还介绍用于先进大面积探测器列阵、带有刚性结构冷指的更大功率直线致冷器的性能特点。由于这种致冷器把大功率、结构稳定性、成本效率与其固有的可靠性结合了起来,它是一种对先进的大型焦平面列阵成象器很有吸引力的致冷器。
This article reviews the current state of the art of the miniature (less than 3W at 80K) Stirling cycle cryogenic refrigerator being developed by Hughes Aircraft Company. These chillers provide high operating efficiency with greatly improved reliability, which is critical for the emerging commercialized infrared applications that require the use of cryogenic refrigeration sensors. In this paper, the characteristics of rotary compressor and linear compressor are reviewed, and the latest developments of linear cooler suitable for commercial applications are summarized. The reliability of Stirling cycle chillers has been greatly improved over the past decade, with MTTF increasing from hundreds of hours in 1980 to today’s 2000-5000h. In support of the cited increase in reliability of the chiller, this paper outlines the reliability testing of Hughes’ Stirling cycle chillers over 100000h at various ambient temperatures. The recent increase in the reliability of linear drive chillers has provided a convenient means of connection and the operating cycle has been extended and the required maintenance intervals have been increased to 4000 to 8000 hours. We summarize performance data for both rotational and linear drive chillers to illustrate the range of performance these devices can achieve in today’s commercial applications. In addition, this article also describes the performance characteristics of a more powerful linear cooler for use with advanced large area detector arrays with rigid cold fingers. Because of its high power, structural stability, cost efficiency and inherent reliability, this cooler is an attractive cooler for advanced large-scale focal plane array imagers.