Method and apparatus for manufacturing superfluidity helium

Abstract

Method and apparatus for manufacturing superfluidity helium (He II). The method includes the steps of (a) providing .sup.3 He gas (b) providing liquid .sup.4 He, (c) compressing the .sup.3 He gas to produce compressed .sup.3 He gas, (d) indirectly cooling the compressed .sup.3 He gas with liquid .sup.4 He to produce cryogenic .sup.3 He gas (e) adiabatically expanding the cryogenic .sup.3 He gas to produce cryogenic .sup.3 He gas having a temperature of less than about 1.18.degree. K., preferably less than 1.8.degree. K., and (f) indirectly cooling the liquid .sup.4 He with the cryogenic .sup.3 He gas produced in step (e) to produce superfluidity helium. The apparatus includes a first container for liquid helium and a second container for containing superfluidity helium, and a first line for connecting the first and second containers. A .sup.3 He refrigeration circuit is provided to cool the .sup.4 He in directly with cryogenic .sup.3 He to produce superfluidity helium. The method and apparatus enables superfluidity helium to be produced without the use of a large vacuum pump whose lubricants might contaminate the superfluidity helium. The method and apparatus also allow superfluidity helium at or near standard pressure to be easily produced and maintained.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.