Stirling Cooler is a completely sealed heat transfer system that has only two moving parts (a piston and a displacer), and which can use helium as the working coolant.

The Stirling cycle is a thermodynamic closed cycle that was invented in 1816 by a Scottish minister, Robert Stirling.

A Stirling cryocooler utilizes the Stirling cycle to convert electricity into the movement of heat from the cold tip towards the heat rejecter.

Stirling engines are energy conversion devices that may be used as prime movers, refrigerating engines, or heat pumps. Currently, they are used commercially as cryogenic cooling systems, deep and fast freezing, cold chain logistics, and are under development as low noise, low emission automotive engines.

Temperature down to -99℃ in a few mins. And with our largest model RS100, the maximum temperature can reach to minus -160℃.

Although air is the traditional working fluid for Stirling engines, Hydrogen and Helium are also employed for improved performance due to their better thermal properties.

It can be done, and you can get about 5,000 hours out of that engine. But you have wear mechanisms and you can't design an engine like that to last forever. If you want a long life, on the order of ten years or twenty years of continuous operation, then you have to eliminate all mechanisms of wear.

The Cryocooler controller has two operating modes: temperature control mode and power control mode. In temperature control mode the user will input a desired cold tip temperature and the controller will strive to maintain that temperature. In power control mode the user will input a desired cryocooler power level and the controller will maintain that level. The cryocooler utilizes an RTD temperature sensor for control. The RTD should be placed on the cryocooler cold tip or very close to it.

The Cryocooler design life is 5 years, and this is the recommended lifetime, although the current mean time to failure (MTTF) is over 200,000 hours, roughly 23 years.

This depends on your applications. Most clients will need to cool their heat exchangers like Aluminum plates or Thermosyphon adapters. Both of these are available as permanent or removable options. Some clients will design their own evaporator or air fin to transfer cold. RIGID engineers can help you to find the best solution.

Most customers will also require a vacuum flange to attach the Stirling Cryocooler to their Dewar or cryostat. For more information, feel free to contact Ann Wee | ann@rigidhvac.com

The cryocooler components are enclosed in a welded pressure vessel and there is no way to access them. There is no maintenance required on the cryocooler. We do recommend keeping the air fins free of debris on units that have cooling fins.

1. RS40: 12V DC
2. RS80: 12V DC
3. RS100: 12V DC

1. RS40: https://www.rigidhvac.com/store/products/free-piston-stirling-cooler-rs40
2. RS80: https://www.rigidhvac.com/store/products/free-piston-stirling-cooler-rs80
3. RS100: https://www.rigidhvac.com/store/products/free-piston-stirling-cooler-rs100

​The cryocooler can operate in a vacuum with no issues. The controller, however, has capacitors that are not vacuum rated and could burst, thus the controller is not approved for use in a vacuum.

There is NO mounting requirement for the Stirling, any direction is workable.

Besides, RIGID Stirling Cryocoolers offers several options for mounting. There are threaded hole patterns in the body of the cooler that is intended for mounting integration. The cooler can be mounted to the system via the cryostat flange either vertically or horizontally with the cryocooler cantilevered from the flange. Note: Care must be taken to not secure the cryocooler to the system structure in such a way that will induce stress in the body of the cryocooler.

Yes, RIGID offers clients cold tips or heat exchangers, like Alumimum cold plates, and cold fin. So that they can easily modify the cold tip (or acceptor) configuration. A custom cold tip will NOT increase the cryocooler lead time. We will deliver it along with the Stirling cooler.