Indigenous Development of Porous Regenerator for Stirling Cryocooler Using 3D Metal Printing

Low Temperature Facility (LTF) laboratory at Tata Institute for Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai operating a Stirling Cryogenics BV, Netherlands Make, Model STIRLIN-8 (2 X SPC- 4 cylinder version) liquid nitrogen plant. This plant consists of a cryogenerator / Cryocooler that operates with a net cooling power of about 9KW at 77K or capable of liquefying about 120 liters per hour. Stirling cryocooler operates in a reverse Stirling cycle to produce refrigeration from work. In this cryogenerator, the regenerator is the critical component, which has a flow conduit through the porous matrix material and its performance directly affects the performance of cryogenerator. 

In an effort to understand the existing regenerators, detailed theoretical analysis has been carried out to predict the structural & thermal properties of the existing regenerators.  The useful outcomes of the analysis will help in developing the component indigenously. The main objective is to build a ready to use regenerator of required geometry, packing density, porosity using Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) techniques of (metal 3D Printing) additive manufacturing. The dimensions of the developed regenerator porous regenerator are kept similar to the existing regenerator of Stirling liquid nitrogen plant, thus allowing retrofit to the plant.

The talk will highlight the various analysis carried out on the exiting regenerators and successful printing & testing of Stirling Cryocooler regenerator.