Simulation and Optimization of Cryogenic Heat Sink for Helium Gas Cooled Superconducting Power Devices

Superconducting power devices require cable terminations to be cooled within the operating cryogenic temperature range to reduce ambient heat influx. Shipboard power systems require the use of helium gas as coolant due to possible hazards by use of liquid cryogens. A model is being developed using finite element analysis to study the feasibility of a helium-gas-cooled heat sink for cable terminations. The results obtained using the COMSOL Multiphysics computing package are validated with an experimental setup. The coolant temperature and pressure drop correspond well with the theoretical results. Furthermore, the heat sink is geometrically optimized for given mass flow rate and input conditions to produce a better thermal and fluid performance in terms of temperature gain and pressure loss.