The word “cryogenic” means the production of materials at the lowest temperatures. Cryogenics are used in multiple applications. They are used in the production of cryogenic fields for the rockets. MRI machines use cryogenic cooling and store huge quantities of food, tissue and blood samples by freezing, cooling superconductors etc. The applications of cryogenic systems are undeniable.
What is cryogenics?
Cryogenics is a scientific study of respective materials along with their characteristics. The word -“cryo” means “cold” & `genic means “producing”. Cryogenic systems have varied applications in a broad range of subjects like material science, medicines & electronics.
Cryogenics is both the behaviour and production of materials at extremely low temperatures. You must know that ultra-cold temperatures can change a material’s chemical properties. It has become an important area of study, especially for researchers, the examination of various materials is necessary. Researchers need to study the transition from gas to liquid into a solid-state. See one example: when water transforms from the liquid to solid at 0° C (32° F). The cryogenic temperature usually ranges much lower (- 150°C to -273° C). The temperature of -273° C is considered to be the absolute lowest which can be achieved. The liquid gases below or at -150° C can also be used for freezing materials. When the gas starts to liquefy, its environment is known as a cryogenic one. The gases which are transformed into the liquid for the cryogenics are- nitrogen, oxygen, helium and hydrogen.
A snippet of Cryogenics history:
The development of cryogenics goes back to the nineteenth century due to several efforts of scientists for liquefying permanent gases. The most successful of all these scientists were – Michale Faraday. By 1845, he managed to liquefy the most permanent gases at that time known to exist. All his processes contained cooling of gases through immersion in the bath of dry ice and ether and then only pressurizing the gas until getting liquefied. A Dutch physicist Heike Kamerlingh Onnes finally liquefied helium at 4.2 K temperature in 1908.
What are the applications of cryogenic systems?
Cryogenics has varied applications in different industries.
a) Cryosurgery
Cryosurgery is the medical branch obtained from cryogenics that involves the elimination of tumours, and diseased or unwanted tissues by using cryogenic materials in the surgery. In the past, cryosurgery has been used majorly to treat different diseases. The most common of them were – malignant and benign skin conditions. Cryosurgery is considered to be a less invasive surgery which takes advantage of the destructive forces of the freezing temperature on a person’s body cells. Once the temperature starts falling below the level, the ice crystals begin to form inside the cell. It decreases the density of cells and tears them apart. In this effective way, cryosurgery can be used in treating both external and internal tumours and even tumours in bones. This kind of surgery is effective as it is performed by usage of freezing temperature on the cells which requires them to be eliminated from the body. So the importance of cryogenic systems in cryosurgery is undeniable.
b) Cryoelectronics
Cryoelectronics is another important engineering branch which is derived from cryogenics. It involves the study of superconductivity in cryogenic conditions. Cryoelectronics is a new field and various studies are going on with numerous revolutionary applications. The main factor which decides its future is – utility. Gadgets and electronic appliances make perfect usage of cryoelectronics. If used with superconductivity it can have high commercial potential. Cryoelectrronics can permit much more accurate measurements and readings of voltage, current and power. You can find many amazing applications by using cryogenic systems.
c) Cryobiology
Cryobiology is a study of several effects of low temperature on various organisms. There are a few areas of cryobiology –
a) Cold-adaptation of plants, microorganisms, animals as well as vertebrates.
b) Cryopreservation of the cell tissues. Even embryo preservation is used in in-vitro fertilization.
c) Freeze-drying of different pharmaceutical products
d) Cryotherapy
It refers to the human body’s exposure to very high cold temperatures. The common usage of cryotherapy is – “cryopas”. People need to stand in the cryosauna brimmed with cryogenic fluids for a few minutes. Many studies have shown that it can have great benefits to the body like – lessening inflammation, managing pain, boosting energy, boosting metabolism etc.
e) Preservation of food
Food item preservation can be done with cryogenics systems. The food products can be sprayed with nitrogen for absorbing heat.
You can preserve food for a longer time with this application. It has no chemical threat to human beings.
So you must have understood what cryogenic systems are and their applications. We hope, as this technology evolves in future, more areas of cryogenics will develop. More and more applications will become useful. One thing to note is- to handle cryogenic liquids properly with safety and precautions. You can reach out to a reputed supplier of cryogenic systems.
