Abstract: An integral combination of expansion valve and evaporator in a cryostat using a single support member. The valve includes two flow orifices, one orifice being used primarily for steady-state operation and the other orifice being used only during cool-down. An actuator having a high coefficient of thermal expansion moves a needle positioned in the cool-down orifice such that a large orifice flow area at the start of cool-down is automatically and continuously reduced as the actuator temperature decreases as refrigerant is throttled through the orifice. Within a range of approximately 30 K from the desired steady-state evaporator temperature, the needle completely blocks the cool-down orifice. Then, refrigerant flows through the steady-state orifice which has a remotely adjustable needle. In the final stage of cool-down, the refrigerant system is entirely controlled by the steady-state orifice and its associated needle.

Abstract: A passive damping mechanism for a panel member in which a bonding layer is disposed on each side of the panel, a damping layer is disposed on each of the two bonding layers, and a constraining layer is disposed on each of the two damping layers. Each of the above-mentioned layers is coextensive with the respective panel surfaces to which it is attached. The bonding layers are preferably made of an aramid fiber material. The damping layers are preferably made of a viscoelastic material. The constraining layers are preferably made of an aluminum-graphite metal matrix composite material. In addition, the coefficient of thermal expansion of each bonding layer should match well with that of each constraining layer.