Publisher's Synopsis
From the first demonstrations in 1877 of the liquefaction of oxygen by Cailletet in Paris and Pictet in Geneva, the expanding science and technology of low temperatures, or cryogenics, has developed an international identity of its own. This book describes the origins and history of this development through the eyes (or pens) of national leaders in the science and technology of cryogenics, each contributing their own national stories to the book through the collaboration of the International Cryogenic Committee and one of the British Cryogenics Council.;There are chapters devoted to national histories, the early centres of excellence, the pioneering cryogenic industries, and the two selected subject areas of hydrocarbon processing and liquified natural gas. The net result is a worldwide coverage of all the developments in cryogenics since 1877, providing a much more comprehensive coverage than a single-author volume could have achieved.;An introductory chapter by the editor creates a framework for the rest of the volume, which has a wide variation in flavour from chapter to chapter with considerable anecdotal content and a wealth of photographs from the national archives. Particular national stories include those of the Netherlands, Poland, France, Germany, Great Britain, USA, China and Japan.
