EXPERIMENTAL PERFORMANCE OF A SINGLE-STAGE SUPERFLUID STIRLING REFRIGERATOR USING A SMALL PLASTIC RECUPERATOR

The experimental performance of the first superfluid Stirling refriger ator (SSR) to use a plastic recuperator is reported This SSR is a sing le stage machine, has a total internal volume of 83 cm(3), and uses a 3 cm(3) Kapton heat exchanger. Operating from a high temperature of 1. 0 K and with a 1.5% He-3-He-4 mixture, this SSR achieves a low tempera ture of 344 mK and delivers net cooling powers of 1.86 mW at 750 mK, 3 58 mu W at 500 mK, and 97 mu W at 400 mK. Cooling power versus cold pi ston temperature for various frequencies of operation and for two pist on stroke configurations are provided.