Numerical analysis and experimental research of a 2W/35 K Stirling-type pulse tube cryocooler

Abstract Cooling to the temperature of liquid nitrogen to liquid hydrogen is a necessary working prerequisite for some infrared detectors. The development of compact and efficient miniature cryocoolers is of great significance for the space application of the detectors. The pulse tube cryocooler driven by a dual-opposed linear compressor is prospective in space applications due to the advantages of no low-temperature moving parts, compact structure, and high reliability. In this paper, a 2W/35K Stirling-type pulse tube cryocooler with a single-stage structure has been designed and tested. The influences of structural parameters of the phase shifters such as inertance tube, as well as the operating parameters such as operating frequency and charging pressure, on the cooling performance were investigated through numerical calculations and experiments.