Magnetic refrigeration for maser amplifier cooling

The development of a multifrequency upconverter-maser system for the DSN has created the need to develop a closed-cycle refrigerator (CCR) capable of providing more than 3 watts of refrigeration capability at 4.5 K. In addition, operating concerns such as the high cost of electrical power consumption and the loss of maser operation due to CCR failures require that improvements be made to increase the efficiency and reliability of the CCR. One refrigeration method considered is the replacement of the Joule-Thomson expansion circuit with a magnetic refrigeration. Magnetic refrigerators can provide potentially reliable and highly efficient refrigeration at a variety of temperature ranges and cooling power. The concept of magnetic refrigeration is summarized and a literature review of existing magnetic refrigerator designs which have been built and tested and that may also be considered as possibilities as a 4 K to 15 K magnetic refrigeration stage for the DSN closed-cycle refrigerator is provided.