The cost of coolers for cooling superconducting devices at temperatures at 4.2 K, 20 K, 40 K and 77 K

This author and other authors have written papers concerning the cost of refrigeration as a function of the refrigeration delivered. These papers have included small coolers as well. The lowest temperature range from 3.8 K to 4.7 K (the liquid helium temperature range) is covered using coolers that have two stages. The use of magnets and power equipment that use MgB₂ conductors and HTS conductors have spurred the development of coolers that work well temperature ranges from 15 K to 30 K (hydrogen temperature applications), HTS conductors like BSSCO and YBCO for the range from 35 to 50 K and HTS devices from 65 K to 80 K (applications in the liquid nitrogen temperature range). This paper will present some cost data for a number of commercial two-stage and single-stage coolers. This data will be fitted to allow one to estimate the cost of coolers as a function of refrigeration for temperatures of 4.2 K, 20 K, 40 K and 77 K. The efficiency of a large number of coolers over a range of temperatures is also discussed. (paper)