Computer Analysis of an Adiabatic Stirling Cryocooler Using a Two-Phase Two-Component Working Fluid

This paper describes the performance and behavior of a Stirling cyrocooler incorporating a working fluid composed of helium and nitrogen. At the operating temperature of the cryocooler (80 K), the nitrogen component will condense in the freezer section. It is shown that the phase change in the working fluid increased the heat lifted for a given size and weight of machine and the coefficient of performance. The magnitude of these effects was dependent on the mass ratio of nitrogen to helium, phase angle between the compression and expansion processes, and the ratio of the compression space volume to the expansion space volume. The optimum heat lifted performance was obtained for a mass ratio of four parts of nitrogen to one part of helium, a phase angle of approximately 100 degrees, and a volume ratio of two which resulted in a heat lifted increase of 75% over the single phase, 90 degree phase angle configuration. The coefficient of performance showed a 20% improvement.