Thermal and Mechanical Design of Cryogenic Cooling Systems

This chapter deals with cryostats designed to provide desired temperatures in electro-optical instruments. The approach is a practical "how to" one with essential basic theory and data accompanied by specific application examples. The examples are at the "hand-held calculator" level. References are made to computer codes that may be useful to the serious professional involved in cryostat design. The topic of cryostats, often called "coolers;' is so extensive that only a survey of fundamental concepts can be included here. References and an extensive bibliography are included to provide the reader with access to the vast body of literature that exists on the topic.