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Joule-Thomson Cryogenic Throttle

Interactive 3D Joule-Thomson throttling simulator: push a real gas (N2, H2 or He) through a cryogenic expansion valve and watch it cool -- or warm -- depending on whether it starts above or below its inversion temperature, the exact physics behind the Linde-Hampson liquefaction cycle.

Physics & Mechanics3DAdvanced60 FPS📱 Mobile-adapted⇄ 2D version

This simulator models the Joule-Thomson effect — the constant-enthalpy cooling (or heating) a real gas undergoes when forced through a throttle valve — using the van der Waals equation of state to compute a real μ_JT coefficient for nitrogen, hydrogen and helium. It's the mechanism at the heart of the Linde-Hampson cycle, the workhorse process behind industrial gas liquefaction and most tabletop cryocoolers. Switch gases to see why nitrogen cools straight from room temperature while hydrogen and helium must be pre-cooled below their much lower inversion temperatures first, watch the gas stream visibly cool and pool into liquid droplets once it crosses the gas's boiling point, and track the live outlet temperature, ΔT and μ_JT as you adjust inlet temperature, high-side pressure and valve opening.

⚙ Under the hood

Push a real gas (N2, H2 or He) through a throttle valve and watch the Joule-Thomson effect cool or warm it depending on the inversion temperature -- the exact mechanism behind the Linde-Hampson gas liquefaction cycle.

cryogenicsthermodynamicsjoule-thomsongas-liquefactionvan-der-waals

3D · Three.js / WebGL renderer · 60 FPS target · runs fully client-side, no install