An analysis of the Claude form of an idealized helium liquefier for the minimum input work reveals the ‘Carnot Step’ for helium refrigerator cycles. As the ‘Carnot Step’ for a multi‐stage polytropic compression process consists of equal pressure ratio stages; similarly for an idealized helium liquefier the ‘Carnot Step’ consists of equal temperature ratio stages for a given number of expansion stages. This paper presents the analytical basis and some useful equations for the preliminary examination of existing and new Claude helium refrigeration cycles.

Topics
Helium refrigerator, Thermodynamic states and processes, Chemical elements, Educational assessment
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© 2006 American Institute of Physics.
2006
American Institute of Physics
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