Commissioning of an experimental setup and first measurement results for the characterization of cryogenic pulsating heat pipes

Abstract Cryogenic Pulsating Heat Pipes (PHPs) offer a promising alternative as efficient thermal connection between cryocoolers and superconducting elements. Addressing this, the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), in collaboration with VDL Enabling Technologies Group (VDL ETG), has initiated a project to develop and assess cryogenic PHPs tailored for superconducting applications. This paper introduces a new experimental setup for cryogenic PHP characterization. It outlines the design, instrumentation, and operational procedures of a vertically oriented 20-tube neon PHP. The results of experiments with this PHP, for a condenser temperature of 27.1 K, are compared with those of another group in similar conditions. The minimal thermal resistance reached is 0.14 K / W and the maximal heat power transferred is 22 W. These results provide encouraging evidence of the system’s potential for cooling high-temperature superconducting coils.