MSU Cryogenic Initiative
MSU’s Cryogenic Initiative—a partnership between the College of Engineering and FRIB—helps fill a national need to educate and train the next generation of cryogenic system innovators.
By combining classroom education with hands-on training on cutting-edge cryogenics, accelerator, and superconducting radio frequency sciences and technology at FRIB, students prepare for opportunities in cryogenic engineering and related fields, e.g., gas purification and liquefaction, aerospace, and quantum computing.
Advanced lab facilities, expert faculty leaders, and FRIB’s position as a user facility for the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science also make the MSU Cryogenic Initiative attractive to researchers from around the world. Scientists from industry, government laboratories, and other universities work together at FRIB to investigate, propose, and foster efficient cryogenic process designs, and world-leading scientists collaborate on research to advance cryogenic technologies and sustain a knowledge base of cryogenic technology and skills.
An innovative collaboration that prepares students for an in-demand career in cryogenic engineering
Helium is the only refrigerant capable of reaching the extremely low temperatures required to cool the superconducting devices used at FRIB. The FRIB cryoplant supplies helium that is cooled to temperatures of 2–4 kelvin (K)—about -271 degrees Celsius, or -456 degrees Fahrenheit—to the accelerator’s superconducting resonators and magnets. In their superconducting state, these devices have virtually no electrical resistance, allowing them to accelerate, steer, and focus the beam of heavy ions.
Cryogenic engineers are responsible for the design of these low-temperature refrigeration systems and associated subsystems.
MSU Cryogenic Initiative fulfills national need
The demand for cryogenic engineering support has continued to increase in the last decade. Having FRIB at MSU offers a unique opportunity to educate and train the next generation of cryogenic system innovators to prepare them for job opportunities in cryogenics engineering and related fields.
Unique to MSU
The university environment coupled with FRIB provides a unique synergy among the students, faculty, and staff. The advanced and unique cryogenic systems developed for FRIB places them at the forefront for large 2-kelvin (K) systems applied to particle accelerators.
Having a large physically situated accelerator on a university campus, like FRIB on the MSU campus, is an ideal venue for educating the next generation of scientists and engineers working with advanced particle accelerators. It offers a unique and critically needed opportunity for hands-on training in research, engineering, design, and operations of cryogenic systems on a scale hard to create at other locations. In addition, this initiative is a repository and a focal point to collect and communicate best practices in the design, project execution, and operation of helium cryogenic systems.
Cryogenic engineering job opportunities
The knowledge and skills developed at MSU, and the experience gained at FRIB, equip students for a variety of cryogenic engineering jobs. This includes engineers, technicians, and operators. Graduate researchers are trained on FRIB cryogenic systems, which involve many varied and complex subsystems:
- Oil-flooded rotary screw compressors and oil removal systems
- Gas storage and purification
- Subatmospheric cold boxes housing cryogenic centrifugal compressors
- Cryogenic distribution systems
- Distributed control and automation
- Conventional utilities supporting cryogenic systems, including cooling water, power, and instrument air
Having FRIB at MSU offers a unique opportunity to educate and train the next generation of cryogenic system innovators to prepare for cryogenic engineering jobs and careers in a variety of fields and industries.
The MSU Cryogenic Initiative offers abundant opportunities to learn and train at FRIB. Work alongside global leaders in cryogenic research and publish your findings in technical journals while preparing for an exciting career.
Train with leading faculty, academic staff, and industry experts and get hands-on training on FRIB’s state-of-the-art systems. FRIB’s 4.5 K and 2 K helium refrigeration systems support the superconducting accelerator, enabling world-class physics research to study the fundamental structure of matter. Several helium refrigeration systems support laboratory test facilities, including those dedicated to cryogenic engineering research and development.
Because the MSU Cryogenic Initiative is a collaborative effort between FRIB and the MSU College of Engineering, a combination of rigorous course work, fundamental and applied research, and training is available to students. Participate in and lead innovative research to prepare for an exciting career.
FRIB’s faculty leaders ensure that the MSU Cryogenic Initiative remains best in class, with cutting-edge technologies and instruments. They bring extensive knowledge and decades of engineering experience to the MSU Cryogenic Initiative, offering training to students in the classroom and support to users in the laboratory.
Read testimonials about the MSU Cryogenic Initiative from current and former students enrolled in the program.
This article details the design of the cryogenic distribution and quench management system for FRIB’s target and fragment pre-separator as part of a spotlight on one of the Cryogenic Society of America's Corporate Sustaining Members.
During my undergraduate studies, I was interested in aeronautics/aerospace and found myself looking for opportunities to further my education in a manner that could translate to a position in those fields. My interests made the MSU Cryogenic Initiative very desirable, as I could use the knowledge learned from the cryogenic and turbomachinery departments to achieve my career goals.
My current research involves the development of a compressor impeller design and performance prediction code. The goal of this research is to create a robust code that can be utilized in the design of compressors found in subatmosphere cryogenic helium systems.
The MSU Cryogenic Initiative involves working at a world-class facility that employs many leaders in physics and engineering. I believe the knowledge and experience that I’ve gained during my time in the MSU Cryogenic Initiative will be very beneficial in the pursuit of my future career.
Students interested in conducting research in cryogenic engineering should first be accepted into MSU’s College of Engineering.
