Reserach and Development on single and multistage Pulse Tube Cryocoolers at IIT Bombay

Cryocoolers are closed cycle coolers which generate lower temperatures less than 120 K. These coolers are used for generating lower temperature for various devices like MRI, I-R detector cooling, gas cooling, material research at low temperatures etc. The need for such devices has been increasing as the cost of normal cryogens is increasing year by year. Cryocoolers consists of a compressor, heat exchanger and expansion device in order to generate low temperatures using mostly Helium/Hydrogen or gas mixtures as working fluid. There are several types of cryocoolers like, Stirling cryocooler, Gifford-McMahon cryocoolers, Joule-Thomson Cryocoolers and Pulse Tube Cryocoolers. The design of these cryocoolers is governed by various laws which govern their functioning, mechanism, processes like heat transfer and related issues. Various models simulate these conditions based on certain assumptions. At IIT Bombay, various Pulse Tube Cryocoolers have been designed and developed; the technology has been transferred to users and attempts are made to reach down to lower and lower temperatures using multi-staged cryocoolers with minimum power input to the compressor. 


About Prof. Milind Atrey

Dr Milind Atrey is a Professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at IIT Bombay. He obtained his PhD from IIT Bombay (1991) after graduating in Mechanical engineering from NIT Nagpur. He did his post doctoral research work at University of Giessen, Germany. He holds a unique distinction of having worked in the corporate sector, a government research laboratory and in an academic institution. Before joining IIT Bombay, he has worked as Scientist with Tata Research Development and Design Centre (1991-93), as Scientist with the Department of Atomic Energy (1996-2000) and as Principal Engineer with Oxford Instruments superconductivity, Oxford, UK (2000-05). Prof Atrey has worked on design and development of almost all the types of cryocoolers. He has also worked on integration of Pulse Tube Refrigerator with MRI and NMR magnets. He has 9 patents to his credit and almost 80 published papers in peer reviewed journals and conferences. In 2010, he was awarded the Dr P K Patwardhan Technology Development and Transfer award at IIT Bombay, for exemplary research and development. Prof Atrey is on the advisory council of LG Electronics; he is also a Fellow of Institute of Mechanical Engineers, UK (FIMechE.) Currently his area of research encompasses Development of Pulse tube refrigerators, J-T Cryocoolers, Cryogenic Heat Pipes, Magnetic Refrigeration, Cryogenic Heat Exchangers, etc.