Novel cooling system for the cryogen-free, continuous, and fully-automatic generation of very low temperatures near absolute zero.
Low temperatures close to absolute zero (0 degrees Kelvin) are required for materials science, detectors for the aerospace and military sector, quantum computing, and quantum electronics. These temperatures are commonly achieved by using cryogenic liquefied gases (cryogens), such as liquid helium (He). However, there are a numbers of problems related to the use of these cryogens which include the oligopoly of He-3, high costs of cooling machines (€ 300-600k), and safety problems.
To solve these pains, kiutra has developed a cryogen-free, continuous, and fully automatic refrigeration system based on a cryogenic magnetic cooling process known as Continuous Adiabatic Demagnetization Refrigeration (CADR). CADR uses widely available and low-price cooling media, saving € 20-40k/year in comparison with typical refrigeration systems that use He-3. Moreover, the system has a complete modular and customizable design, as it can be extended with multiple units according to the cooling requirements. It also offers a wide and stable temperature range while being easy to operate and hazard-free, thanks to the elimination of cryogens.
kiutra, founded in 2018 in Germany, builds easy-access turn-key refrigeration solutions. Their cooling devices combine magnetic refrigeration and closed-cycle pre-cooling to provide cryogenic temperatures without cryogens. kiutra is currently funded by “EXIST Transfer of Research”, and has raised almost € 2M to date. The proposed work in Phase 1 of the SME instrument fits into their overall plan to reach market by contributing to the financial resources needed to further improve and test CADR system, and ensure market uptake.