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Choices of laser cooling include the ones you mentioned plus a third:
1. tap water
2. chiller (presumably refrigerated)
3. closed recirculated loop with heat exchanger cooled by tap water
Off the top my head, advantages and disadvantages include:
tap water:
+ easy to do, no expensive hardware involved; in-line filters easily get rid
of particulates (if lots, then two in series: one coarse, one finer)
- expensive if you water costs are high, variable temperature depending on
source, variable pressures--typically low (but can be regulated), in poorly
done plumbing, toilet flushes can trip the pressure sensor; may have high
mineral content requiring ion-exchange column upstream from laser
chiller:
+ pressure/temp easy to regulate, convenient
- can be very expensive: not just the unit itself, but you have to blow off a
considerable amount of heat somewhere, so higher installation costs
cooled-recirculator
+ isolates lasers from grunge in water, pressure independent of tap water;
should be less expensive than refrigerated unit, generally simpler
installation
- still dependent on tap water temperature and pressure insofar as keeping a
fast enough flow rate to carry away heat; still have to deal with pumps;
probably have to filter incoming tap water
Laser manufacturers provide the above, perhaps at higher prices. A look
through a laser trade journal will turn up some other sources, as well as a
look at industrial cooling system suppliers.
Dave Coder
dcoder@u.washington.edu
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