Review of cryocooler technology - Moving towards invisible and reliable cryogenics

Cryocoolers are refrigerators which produce cryogenic temperature in either a closed or open cycle manner. They can be developed for generating a wide temperature range depending on applications or demands. The understanding of these devices is essential from the design point of view. The cryocooler technology has undergone a major development in the last two decades and these devices have become quite reliable. They are used in, cooling of superconducting magnets, gas liquefaction, Infra-red detectors, scientific devices etc. This review paper highlights the working of various cryocoolers, their classification, the theory and the design aspects, for any general researcher or a user of cryogenics.