[sci.electronics] magnetocryogenics

onymouse@netcom.UUCP (John Debert) (09/27/90)

In A recent issue of Popular Electronics (?) there was an article about
using magnets and certain alloys such as something called "galadinium"
for cryogenics. 

This "magnetocryogenics" as it was called worked on a principle similar
to that used in thermionic cooling, according to the article.

I've never heard of this before, and considering the fact that Popular
Electronics is not known for accuracy (and is also known for it's penchant
for "april fool's" jokes) I would like to know if anyone else has ever heard
of magnetocryogenics and knows how it actually works?

jd
onymouse@netcom.UUCP                 CI$: 75530,347
   ''   @cup.portal.com              GEnie: onymouse

baker@wbc.enet.dec.com (09/29/90)

-Message-Text-Follows-

>In A recent issue of Popular Electronics (?) there was an article about
>using magnets and certain alloys such as something called "galadinium"
>for cryogenics. 
> 
>This "magnetocryogenics" as it was called worked on a principle similar
>to that used in thermionic cooling, according to the article.
.
.
.
>jd
>onymouse@netcom.UUCP                 CI$: 75530,347
>   ''   @cup.portal.com              GEnie: onymouse


	I think they may mean "gadolinium" -- a trivalent magnetic
	rare-earth element.

	As to the magnetocrygenic stuff, one of the techniques used to
	lower the temperature of liquid helium is let it stabilize in a
	magnetic field, then remove the magnetic field; in a rather sneaky
	thermodynamic way, the helium is "doing work" and it cools off a
	little bit.  I don't know if this is what pop-tronics had in mind.

	Art Baker