Cryogenic
Systems

West Coast Solutions brings decades of multidisciplinary cryocooler and cryogenic system experience to solve your most challenging needs. Here are some examples of how we can help you:

NASA EXCITE Flight Cryocooler Controllers

The EXoplanet Climate Infrared TElescope (EXCITE) is a high altitude, balloon-borne near-infrared spectrometer designed for observation of Jupiter-like exoplanets. Cryogenic cooling on the EXCITE spectrometer is achieved with two Thales LPT 9310 cryocoolers. Each LPT 9310 cooler is driven and controlled with a variant of the Creare-West Coast Solutions Miniature Cryocooler Control Electronics (MCCE) designed to strike the right balance between cost, radiation hardness, and robustness for the EXCITE balloon mission. The EXCITE MCCE also includes active vibration cancellation. These electronics have already been flown by NASA GSFC on an initial balloon “proof of function” mission in preparation for the full EXCITE mission execution in the near future.

  • Full supports the Thales LPT 9310 cryocooler to maximum capacity
  • Includes vibration control and launch locks
  • Parts and processes optimized for the high altitude balloon mission
  • Space versions available
NASA EXCITE Flight Cryocooler Controllers
NASA EXCITE Flight Cryocooler Controllers

SmallSat Stirling Cryocooler (SSC-X)

West Coast Solutions, in collaboration with the Georgia Tech Cryo Lab (GTCL), is developing the SmallSat Stirling Cryocooler (SSC-X) for the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) to help meet the challenges of next generation ballistic missile defense through a large constellation of small satellites. SSC-X will yield a 2X improvement in Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) relative to current state of the art cryocoolers of comparable size and capacity. The projected key performance parameters are 2.8W @ 77K for 32 WAC input power in a flight package weighing <1.5 kg. Following a successful brassboard test program on a prior STTR program, a Sequential Phase II SBIR was awarded in July 2022 with the goal of producing and qualifying flight prototypes.

  • Very high frequency (VHF) to enable compact size, reduce jitter, and improve EMI performance
  • Stirling cycle for high efficiency (20% Carnot @ 80K)
  • Pulse tube options available from WCS and partner companies
  • Scalable from 5W to 50W input
  • Supports high efficiency cooling from 50K to 180K
  • Multi-stage hybrid Stirling-pulse tube version extends applicability down to 30K
Small Sat Stirling Cryocooler
Small Sat Stirling Cryocooler

Hyperspectral Thermal Imager (HyTI)

West Coast Solutions has been teamed with Hawaii Space Flight Laboratory (HSFL) since 2018 as the Cryocooler Systems Engineering Team on the HyTI mission, which is on track to launch in late 2023. WCS was brought on board at the start of the program to lead the cryocooler selection activity, and continues to support the program in all aspects of cryocooler systems engineering, including providing test support for the AIM SF-070 cryocooler out of our Huntington Beach laboratory and onsite at HSFL.

  • Hawaii Space Flight Laboratory NASA InVEST program with JPL
  • Cryocooler selection and integration support for the HyTI instrument
  • Cryo systems engineering support covering mechanical, thermal, and exported vibration
  • Integration of a tactical COTS cryocooler onto a 6U satellite
  • Integration and test of custom Creare cryocooler electronics. More details are available here.
Hyperspectral Thermal Imager
6U Hyperspectral Thermal
Imager Spacecraft

Ultra-Compact Imaging Spectrometer (UCIS)

West Coast Solutions provided mission critical support to Jet Propulsion Laboratory in the selection, integrated design, and test of the Cryocooler Subsystem. One key task involved the design of a Cryogenic Thermal Demonstrator to experimentally determine the cryogenic thermal loads to be expected in the UCIS instrument. Additional program tasks included SolidWorks Simulation finite element thermal analysis and computational fluid dynamics to guide the heat sink designs.

  • Cryocooler selection and integration support for the UCIS airborne instrument
  • Cryogenic systems engineering support covering mechanical, thermal, exported vibration, and electrical (EMI)
  • Integration of tactical COTS cryocoolers onto the airborne instrument
  • Design, build, test and delivery of a portable cryocooler Purge and Charge Station
  • Onsite test support at Jet Propulsion Laboratory
UCIS-A Engineering Model (EM) fully integrated in vacuum enclosure with WCS-AIM-Creare Cryocooler Subsystem
UCIS-A Engineering Model (EM) fully integrated in vacuum enclosure with WCS-AIM-Creare Cryocooler Subsystem

NASA Early Stage Innovations (ESI) – Large Format Regenerators

West Coast Solutions is teamed with the Georgia Institute of Technology on a 3-year NASA ESI Program to develop next generation regenerative heat exchanger (regenerator) technology to enable 150W @ 90K and 20W @ 20K for linear (Stirling and pulse tube) cryocoolers.

  • Perform cryocooler system modeling for the target cryocoolers to size the regenerators
  • Provide the boundary conditions for the Georgia Tech computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling efforts
  • Investigate and prototype new types of structured regenerators
  • Support Georgia Tech by advising on the experimental test setup and assisting with the data reduction and interpretation
Typical Large Regenerator CFD Flow Domain
Typical Large Regenerator CFD Flow Domain
Large Regenerator CFD Flow Domain in Cross Section

Cryocooler Ripple Filters

As one element of our wide range of cryocooler control electronics experience, West Coast Solutions brings a particular expertise in the design of high-performance filters to mitigate the low frequency current ripple imparted onto the input bus by a typical Stirling or pulse tube cryocooler. WCS can tailor the solution to optimally balance the customer’s needs in terms of CE-101 compliance, efficiency, mass, and input and output voltage levels. Recent experience includes a two-channel ripple filter for UCIS (see above), the ripple filter for the HyTI Program, both passive and active space cryocooler ripple filters in the 100W class, and a 600W airborne version.

  • Address the unique CE-101 challenges introduced by the AC impedance characteristic of linear Stirling and pulse tube coolers
  • Airborne and space (radiation tolerant) designs – multiple flight versions of both delivered
  • Solutions implemented from 50W to 600W
  • High efficiency, low noise, and high reliability
Brassboard version of 600W airborne ripple filter
Brassboard version of 600W Airborne Ripple Filter

Results … Delivered.

At West Coast Solutions, our expert engineers and program managers seamlessly guide your project from concept to hardware realization.