Professor Patrick Hopkins from the University of Virginia is working on a project to create a freeze-ray device to manage the heat of electronics in spacecraft and high-altitude jets. The underlying technology relies on plasma, which counterintuitively cools surfaces before heating them. Supported by a $750,000 grant from the U.S. Air Force, the team is investigating methods to enhance and extend this cooling effect. (Conceptual illustration.)
The professor from the University of Virginia is confident that he has unraveled the process to develop a freeze-ray device, borrowing ideas from the notorious Batman antagonist, Mr. Freeze. Unlike a weapon, this device aims to mitigate the heat of electronics within spacecraft and high-altitude jets.
Remember Mr. Freeze’s freeze-ray gun from “Batman” used to immobilize his opponents? A professor from the University of Virginia believes he may have cracked the code to fabricate a real-life version.
The Freeze-Ray Innovation
The invention, based on the unexpected use of heat-generating plasma, is not intended for weapons. Patrick Hopkins, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, hopes to develop on-the-spot surface cooling for electronics in spacecraft and high-altitude jets.
“The key issue at present is that electronics on board tend to overheat, but there is no way to dissipate the heat,” said Hopkins.
Impressed by the potential of a freeze ray, the U.S. Air Force has granted Hopkins’ ExSiTE Lab (Experiments and Simulations in Thermal Engineering) $750,000 over three years to delve into how to leverage this technology to its maximum potential.
Subsequently, the lab will collaborate with Hopkins’ UVA spinout company, Laser Thermal, to construct a prototype device.
Hopkins elucidated that, on Earth or in its proximity, electronics in military crafts can be cooled naturally. For instance, the Navy employs seawater as a component of its liquid cooling systems, and nearer to the ground, the dense air aids in cooling aircraft components.
Space’s Challenges
However, in space, with the Air Force and Space Force, you are dealing with a vacuum or the upper atmosphere with minimal air for cooling. “The problem is that your electronics keep getting hotter and hotter without any cooling,” he said. “Carrying a coolant payload is not feasible as it adds weight, reducing efficiency.”
Hopkins believes that he is progressing toward a light-weight solution. His recent collaborative review article on this and other possible applications of the technology was published in the ACS Nano journal.
Plasma: The Fourth State of Matter
We encounter three states of matter in our daily lives: solid, liquid, and gas. However, there is a fourth state: plasma. It might seem rare on Earth, but plasma is the most common form of matter in the universe, constituting stars.
Energizing gas can lead to the creation of plasma, Hopkins said. Its unique properties, varying based on the type of gas and other conditions, are a result of a primary chemical reaction that dislocates electrons from their nuclear orbits, releasing a stream of photons, ions, and electrons.
These spectacular results can be observed in instances like a lightning strike or the warm glow of a neon sign.
Although plasma screen televisions were once popular but later discontinued, plasma’s use in technology is on the rise. It is already used in the engines of many of the Air Force’s fastest jets, assisting combustion, and enhancing speed and efficiency.
Plasma’s Role in Craft Interiors
Hopkins envisions a role for plasma inside the craft as well.
The standard solution for air and space electronics has been a “cold plate,” which conducts heat away from the electronics towards radiators, which then release it. For advanced electronics, however, this may not always suffice.
Hopkins believes the reformed setup might involve a robotic arm that moves in response to temperature changes, with a short, close-up electrode that targets hot spots.
“The plasma jet resembles a laser beam or a lightning bolt; it can be extremely localized,” Hopkins stated.
The Plasma Paradox
Interestingly, plasma can reach temperatures as hot as the surface of the sun. But it also exhibits a peculiar characteristic – seemingly contravening the second law of thermodynamics. It cools before heating when it hits a surface.
Several years ago, just before the pandemic struck, Hopkins and his colleague, Scott Walton of the U.S. Navy Research Laboratory, made this unexpected discovery.
“In my area of specialization, we conduct very rapid and very minute measurements of temperature,” Hopkins said, referring to his custom-made microscopic instruments, which can log specialized heat registries.
The Surprising Cooling Effect
In their experiment, they discharged a purple jet of helium-generated plasma through a ceramic-encased hollow needle. The target was a gold-plated surface. They chose gold because it’s inert and they wanted to minimize surface etching by the focused beam, which could distort the results.
“When we activated the plasma, we could instantaneously measure the temperature where the plasma struck and then observe the surface changes. We noticed the surface cooling first, and then it would heat up,” Hopkins explained.
They were left perplexed by this recurrent event since there was no precedent in literature that could measure the temperature change with such precision and speed.
What They Realized
Eventually, they concluded, in association with then-UVA doctoral researcher John Tomko and continued testing with the Navy lab, that the surface cooling must have resulted from blasting an ultrathin, almost invisible surface layer made up of carbon and water molecules.
A similar process occurs when cool water evaporates off our skin after a swim.
“The energy required for the evaporation of water molecules on the body is drawn from the body, which is why you feel cold,” the professor explained. “In this case, the plasma strips off the absorbed species, energy is released, and that’s what cools.”
Using “time-resolved optical thermometry” and measuring “thermoreflectance,” Hopkins’ microscopes determined they were able to lower the temperature by several degrees for a few microseconds. While this might not seem dramatic, it is sufficient to impact some electronic devices.
After the pandemic delay, Hopkins and his collaborators published their initial findings in Nature Communications last year.
The question then was: Could they induce a colder and longer-lasting reaction?
Improving the Freeze Ray
Having previously used the Navy’s borrowed equipment – so light and safe it was frequently used for school demonstrations – the UVA lab now has its own setup, courtesy of the Air Force grant.
The team is exploring how modifications to their original design could optimize the apparatus. Doctoral candidates Sara Makarem Hoseini and Daniel Hirt are investigating various gases, metals, and surface coatings that the plasma could target.
Hirt shared an update from the lab.
“So far, we have only worked with helium, as we haven’t really explored the use of different gases yet,” he said. “We have experimented with various metals, such as gold and copper, and semiconductors, and each material offers its own set of characteristics to investigate how plasma interacts with them.
“Changing the type of gas used will allow us to see how each of these particles impacts material properties.”
Hirt said his experience working with Hopkins on a project with such substantial implications has reignited his passion for research, largely owing to the encouraging lab environment that the professor cultivates.
“The difference in not just my scientific development, but also my enthusiasm for science, between then and now is like night and
Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Freeze Ray Technology
Who is behind the development of the freeze-ray technology?
The freeze-ray technology is being developed by Professor Patrick Hopkins from the University of Virginia, along with his team in the ExSiTE Lab.
What is the purpose of the freeze-ray technology?
The technology is designed to cool down electronics within spacecraft and high-altitude jets. These electronics often heat up with no effective way to cool down, and the freeze-ray technology aims to provide a solution to this problem.
How is the freeze-ray technology funded?
The freeze-ray technology development is funded through a $750,000 grant from the U.S. Air Force, provided over a period of three years.
How does the freeze-ray technology work?
The technology is based on plasma, which initially cools surfaces before heating them. The team is working on ways to amplify and prolong this cooling effect.
What is unique about the use of plasma in this technology?
Plasma has a unique property of initially cooling the surface it strikes before it starts heating it, which would seem to violate the second law of thermodynamics. This unexpected characteristic is what the freeze-ray technology seeks to exploit.
Why is cooling important in spacecraft and high-altitude jets?
The electronics onboard these vehicles tend to heat up significantly and they lack an effective way to cool down. Excessive heat can cause failures in the electronics, which could lead to serious consequences. Therefore, an effective cooling system is crucial.
How does the freeze-ray technology compare to traditional cooling methods?
Traditional cooling methods for spacecraft and high-altitude jets electronics usually involve a “cold plate,” which conducts heat away from the electronics toward radiators. However, for advanced electronics, this may not be sufficient. The freeze-ray, with its ability to cool surfaces before heating them, might provide a more effective solution.
More about Freeze Ray Technology
- University of Virginia
- Experiments and Simulations in Thermal Engineering Lab (ExSiTE)
- U.S. Air Force
- ACS Nano
- U.S. Navy Research Laboratory
- Nature Communications
- Laser Thermal (Please note, this is a fictional company based on the text provided, and thus doesn’t have a real website to link to.)
3 comments
$750,000 from the air force huh, they must really believe in this. Very exciting. Cant wait to hear about their progress.
This could be revolutionary for space travel and high altitude flight! I hope it works as well as they hope it does
Wow, this is pretty wild, I mean a real-life freeze ray? Sounds like a sci-fi movie. So cool tho!!