ABSTRACT
Various thermal insulation materials and systems are widely utilized in cryogenic systems. However, reliable calorimeter systems and methods are crucial to test the performance of thermal insulations under conditions similar to the real cryogenic system and for scaled-up applications. First, the design methodologies and structures of several boil-off calorimeters (BOCs) with LHe, LH2, and LN2 as cryogens are introduced. These calorimeters can test cylindrical and flat-plate specimens with boundary temperatures of 77 K and 300 K, 77 K and 4 K, and many special intermediate temperatures in this range. Second, thermal conductance calorimeters (TCCs) with multi-boundary temperatures for various specimen shapes are discussed. Then, two specially designed multipurpose calorimeters (SDMCs) for MLI with penetrations, cracks, or holes and another 1,000-liter spherical-calorimetric tank (SCT) are presented. Finally, successful demonstrations of cryogenic heat management with the assistance of calorimeters such as the structural heat intercept, insulation, and vibration evaluation rig (SHIIVER) for large space applications are summarized.
