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Miniature Long-Life Cooler for Portable Gamma Ray Detectors

Award Information

Agency:
Department of Homeland Security 		Branch:
N/A 		Award ID:
72101 		Program Year/Program:
2005 / SBIR
Agency Tracking Number:
0511043 		Solicitation Year:
2005 		Solicitation Topic Code:
H-SB05.1-003 		Solicitation Number:
N/A
Small Business Information
Atlas Scientific
1367 Camino Robles Way San Jose, CA 95120-4925
View profile »
Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No
 
Phase 1
Fiscal Year: 2005
Title: Miniature Long-Life Cooler for Portable Gamma Ray Detectors
Agency: DHS
Contract: NBCHC050120
Award Amount: $99,994.98
 

Abstract:

This proposal describes a battery operated cryocooler to be used for cooling High Purity Germanium (HPGe) detectors, commonly used for the detection of gamma rays. HPGe detectors are highly suitable for identifying nuclear materials, which is of great interest in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) applications. HPGe detectors need to operate near 110 K requiring refrigeration for portable HPGe detectors. Portability is highly desirable and can be accomplished by means of a standalone, compact, low-vibration, efficient cryocooler. Power consumption is to be sufficiently low so that the overall system including battery packs is indeed portable. Various existing cryogenic refrigeration systems are thought not to be applicable for the current DHS application either for reasons of excessive power consumption, vibration or system mass, or for lacking reliability and efficiency. To address the refrigeration issue, we propose to develop a miniature pulse tube cooler. High frequency, pulsetube coolers (PTCs) represents the most promising technology for achieving lightweight standalone cryocoolers. Applications of this cooler include cooling of infrared and gamma ray detectors, cooling of electronics, and for use in the biomedical industry.

Principal Investigator:

James Maddocks
6082654246
maddocks@cae.wisc.edu

Business Contact:

Ali Kashani
4085070906
akashani@atlasscientific.com
Small Business Information at Submission:

Atlas Scientific
1367 Camino Robles Way San Jose, CA 95120

EIN/Tax ID: 770281491
DUNS: N/A
Number of Employees:
Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No