Sun Power CryoTel MT User manual

CryoTel
TM Family
Free-Piston Stirling Cryocoolers
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
Model : CryoTel M T
Version 4
Issued: March 25, 2010

Sunpo wer Inc. CryoTel MT Operating Instructions version 4
SUNPOWER
®
Athens, OH 45701 USA
www.sunpower.com
Manufactured by Sunpower, Inc., under the following patents: U.S. Pats 4,583,364; 4,602,174; 4,623,808; 4,649,283;
4,805,408; 4,864,232; 4,866,378; 4,912,409; 4,926,123; 5,003,777; 5,148,066; 5,342,1 76; 5,385,021; 5,450,521;
5,457,956; 5,461,859; 5,496,153; 5,502,968; 5,525,845; 5,537,820; 5,592,073; 5,642,088; 5,642,622; 5,715,693;
5,749,226; 5,775,273; 5,873,246; 5,941,079; 6,035,637; 6,038,874; 6,170,442; 6,199,381; 6,293,184; 6,446,336 B1;
6,536,3 26; 6,684,637; RE 38,337; 6,782,700; U.S. patents pending. Also: Australia Patents 676,805; 677,518; 680,770;
685,997; 701,785; 709,315; 753,580;754032. Brazil PI 950368 - 5; PI 960 8885 - 0; PI 9710742 - 5; PI 9713840 - 1; PI
9713840 - 1. Canada patent 2,184,4 73. EPO 0655120 1B issued in France, Italy, UK, Netherlands, Sweden and
Germany (as DE 69329862.6 - 08). EPO 0693160 issued in Italy, UK, Netherlands France, Germany (as DE 69403468
T2); EPO 0754364 1B issued in France, Italy, UK, Netherlands and Germany ( as DE 69526217.3 - 08). EPO 0783618 1B
issued in France, Italy, UK, Netherlands and Germany (as DE 69518926.3 - 08). EPO 0878014 1B issued in France, Italy,
UK, Netherlands and Germany (as DE 69611387.2 -08). EPO 0885413 1B issued in France, Italy, UK, Nether lands and
Germany (as DE 69627894.4 - 08). Italy 1297082. UK Patent No. 0,218,682; UK 2,334,307; UK 2,330,651. DBP No.
0,218,682 (Germany).
India Patents 177477, 178274, 185034; 185035. Republic of Korea patents 0202290; 0292453; 0301548; 0309486;
032009 3. Mexico patents 184451; 194065; 197407; 201368. New Zealand Patents No. 263331; 282959; 319499;
302849; 517329. Singapore Patent P - No. 48360; 51842; 87422; 87423; 87424. Taiwan patent NI - 77875.
Japan Patents
Patents pending in United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France, Netherlands, Sweden, Brazil, Japan, Republic of Korea,
India, China, Singapore.
Intellectual Property Declaration

Sunpower Inc. CryoTel MT Operating Instructions version 4
Sunpower, the Sunpower graphic identifier, and CryoTel are trade marks of Sunpower, Inc. and
are registered in the U.S. and other countries. Other products, logos, and Company names
mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Sunpo wer Inc. CryoTel MT Operating Instructions version 4
Table of Contents
I. Introduction .5
II. Precaution s (Dos and Don ts) .6
III. Unpacking 7
IV. Mechanical Mounting . 8
V. Attachment of Heat Load to Cold Finger .8
VI. Cold End Vacuum ...9
VII. Feedthroughs . . 10
VIII. Temperature Sensor 11
IX. Heat Rejection .13
A. Water Jacke t ..13
B. Copper Fins .. 14
C. Conducting Solid .. 14
X. CryoTel Operation . 15
A. Preparati on 15
B. Beginning Oper ation .15
C. Operation Shu tdown . 17
XI. LED and 5 Pin Connector S ummary .. .. 18
XII. CryoTel Serial Communications Command Reference . 20
A. Serial Interface Specifications . . 20
B. Controller Connector Wiring Information 20
C. CryoTel MT Terminal Emulator Commands 20
D. Remote On - Off con trol.... . 21
E . Allowable Number Form ats .. 22

Sunpower Inc. CryoTel MT Operating Instructions version 4 3
FIGURES
Figure 1: CryoTel M T ... . 5
Figure 2: CryoTe l Cryocooler .. ... 7
Figure 3: Pressure Vessel Mounting Holes . 8
Figure 4: Weld Flange holes 8
Figure 5: Cold Tip M3 Mounting Holes . 9
Figure 6: Power Cable . 10
Figure 7: Rear Pressure Vessel End Plate 11
Figure 8 : Temperature Sensor and W iring Harness . 11
Figure 9 : Test Cap Ass embly 12
Figure 10 : Controller Temperature Sensor Connector .. 13
Figure 11 : Water Jacket Heat Rejection 14
F igure 12 : Cooling Fin Heat Rejection 14
Figure 13: CryoTel M T Contro l Board .16
Figure 14: Controller LED s and 5 pin Connector .18
Figure 15: Optocoupler Circuit ..18

Sunpower Inc. CryoTel MT Operating Instructions version 4 4
This pa ge intentionally left blank.

Sunpower Inc. CryoTel MT Operating Instructions version 4 5
I. Introduction
Sunpower, Inc. is pleased to present this manual with your newly- purchased CryoTel model
cryocooler. As the world leader in free - piston Stirling cryocooling, Sunpower fully supports its
products and is pl eased to hear of any comments or concerns from new or existing clients.
CryoTel
TM
M T Operating Instructions
The Sunpower cryocooler is a precision instrument; robust in many ways but fragile in others.
This operating manual provides standard - use instruct ions and precautions. Please post where
technicians will be working with the unit. Please do not assume that if a warning or instruction
is not included here, a particular test or application of this unit is acceptable. It may not be. If
you have any q uestions about this unit, or about any tests or applications you intend to perform,
please contact Sunpower support service at phone (740) -594- 2221;
email cryo - [email protected]
Figure 1 : CryoT el MT
CryoTel MT dimensions:
length with balancer: 223 mm (8.9 in); length without balancer: 183 mm (7.2 in); diameter:
73 mm (2.9 in);
mass: 1.95 kg

Sunpower Inc. CryoTel MT Operating Instructions version 4 6
II. Precautions (Dos and Don ts)
Although the CryoTel M T is mechanically robust, it can be damaged if not handled properly
when in operation or when removing it from its packaging. The handling and operational Dos
and Don ts are listed below. Re fer to the diagram of the CryoTel MT in Figure 2.
CRITICAL! Do not operate the cryocooler without adequate cooling at the heat
rejection site. Overheating the cryocooler will cause permanent damage.
DON T
1. Pick up the cryocooler by the cold finger
2. Set the cryocooler on the cold tip.
3. Allow the cold finger to be dented. The slightest dent will render the unit inoperable.
4. Drill holes, or in any other way puncture, or attempt to modify, the pressure vessel.
5. Operate the unit without proper cooling. Heat must be removed from the copper heat
rejection area of the cryocooler. If the cooler is provided with external cooling fins, air must
be forced over the fins and the flow path should not be obstructed.
6. Puncture or otherwise damage the copper service tube.
7. Subj ect the electrical feedthroughs to mechanical stress; i.e. axial or radial movements,
axial loads, blows, or the like.
8. Mount the cooler by suspending it from the balance absorber mounting bolt.
9. Apply clamping pressure to the pressure vessel (labeled in Fig ure 2) .
10. Rigidly attach the absorber stud to ground. Instead, let the cooler float via a rubber
bushing or other means of articulation.
11. Remove the protective cover on the cold weld on the end of the copper charge tube. Do not
subject the cover to blow s.
12. Control power to the cryocooler by making or breaking the power leads between the
controller and the cryocooler.
13. Use an external, automatic, closed loop control system which attempts to control the
cryocooler operation by varying the setpoint settings in the cryocooler controller.
DO
1. Check with Sunpower before making any modifications to the cryocooler
2. Note that if the control board is installed in an enclosure, cooling must be provided.
3. If the cooler is operating in a laboratory test mode with heaters providing the thermal
load to the cold tip, interlocks should be provided so that the heater cannot operate
unless the cryocooler is running. This will prevent accidental overheating of the cold
tip.

Sunpower Inc. CryoTel MT Operating Instructions version 4 7
Figure 2 : CryoTel
TM
Cryocooler
II I . Unpacking
When unpacking or handling, only hold the cryocooler by the pressure vessel or the transition
(see Figure 2). Do not hold or support the cryocooler by holding the cold finger. The
CryoTel
TM
M T may sit horizontally on a level bench top or table, but the cooler must be
supported to prohibit rolling. The cold finger must be prot ected from any contact as well. The
cold finger is delicate. Any deformation of the cold finger, such as small dents, bending, etc.
will ruin the cryocooler.
In End
Out End
Vibration Absorber
Pressure Vessel
Mounting Holes
Transition
Service Tube Feedthroughs
Heat Rejection
Cold Finger
Cold Tip

Sunpower Inc. CryoTel MT Operating Instructions version 4 8
IV . Mechanical Mou nting
The CryoTel
TM
MT has a thick metal end plate on the out end of the pressure vessel nearest
the passive vibration absorber. M4 threaded holes on the outer diameter of the transition and
end plate are designed for attachment of the cooler to an exter nal mechanical structure for
testing or integration into the application. These can be seen in Figure 3.
On the face of the external copper ring that rejects heat from the cooler is a stainless steel plate.
The plate has four M3 threaded holes that can b e used for attaching a removable NW50 or
customer specified vacuum flange (see Figure 4). A vacuum flange can also be welded to this
plate , but must be done with a low energy weld such as plasma or micro TIG. It is
recommended that, if needed, the custom er allow Sunpower to perform the welding operation.
The mechanical structure including the cryostat attachment plate, heat rejection copper, and
transition have been designed to allow mounting the entire assembly by the cryostat and
cantilevering the cool er and vibration absorber from the cryostat in a given application.
V. Attachment of Heat Load to Cold Finger
The copper cold tip at the end of the cold finger has four M 3 threaded holes that can be used for
mounting equipment to the cold tip for applications or tests (see Figure 5). The application of
force to the cold tip must be handled with care and in accordance with these not - to - exceed
limits:
Cantilevered force, cooler not in operation: do not exceed a cantilevered force
on th e cold finger (static or shock) > 100 N (10.20kg).
Cantilevered force, cooler in operation: do not permit the heat load apparatus to
deliver force to the cold finger (static or shock) > 30 N (3.05 kg)
Vertical loading: do not exceed a pure tension or co mpression load > 300 N
(30.50 kg)
Torque , cold finger : do not exceed a load >16 N*m ( 142 in*lbs )
Threaded
Mounting
Holes
2 of 4 M3
Threaded
holes
Figure 3: Pressure Vessel Mounting Holes
Figure 4: Weld Flange Holes