Analyzing cryocooler reliability has been problematic from the beginning. Classic reliability analyses rely on statistical sampling and comparing failure modes to other similar systems where statistical results are available. These approaches do not apply to cryocoolers, particularly cryocoolers for aerospace applications. The industry has not built enough total cryocoolers, let alone a single type of cooler, to provide any meaningful statistical sample. This forces us to rely on comparing failure modes of similar systems to that of the cryocooler, which leads to the next problem; today's aerospace cryocooler is designed to have no failure modes. What can it be compared to? Any classic reliability study performed on a cryocooler makes several critical assumptions that completely dominate the results. Change the assumptions and you get a different answer; the results are dictated by the assumptions not the hardware. There are no easy answers to these problems. This paper attempts to show why classic reliability studies do not apply to cryocoolers and that as an industry we must work together to show that all cryocoolers have high levels of reliability.


    Access

    Access via TIB

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Cryocooler reliability issues for space applications


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Cryogenics ; 41 , 11-12


    Publication date :

    2001


    Size :

    5 Seiten, 13 Quellen




    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Print


    Language :

    English




    Space Cryocooler Applications

    Ross, R.G. | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2005


    Helium Dilution Cryocooler for Space Applications

    Roach, Pat / Hogan, Robert | NTRS | 2001


    Multi-Stage Cryocooler for Space Applications

    Carrington, H. / Gully, W. J. / Hubbard, M. et al. | British Library Conference Proceedings | 1995


    Laser Cryocooler Development for Space Applications

    Vicente, Remi / Nogues, Gilles / Gardelein, Arnaud et al. | TIBKAT | 2023


    A 10 K Cryocooler for Space Applications

    Glaister, D. S. / Gully, W. J. / Wright, G. P. et al. | Springer Verlag | 2002