Superfluids Based Computing

Rajkumar Ramadoss*, Nishant Ravindran#

* rd
3 Year, Instrumentation and Control Engineering, SRM University.
No.1/3, Murali Street, Rajaji Nagar, Villivakkam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Zip Code: 600049
Phone No.: 919940506908
rajkumar.ramadoss90@gmail.com
# rd
3 Year, Instrumentation and Control Engineering, SRM University.
rd
No.25/13, 3 Cross Street, Gopal Reddy Colony, Jawahar Nagar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Zip Code: 600082
Phone No.: 919003028450
ravindranno2@gmail.com

Abstract—The paper explores the possibility of

making a hydraulic quantum computer using a
helium based superfluid. The paper explores the
potential of a superfluid as opposed to a regular
working fluid and the possibility of using magnets
and lasers to perform basic logic operations. It
examines the creation of basic logic gates using
flow and pressure principles.
This paper suggests of a future, if this technology
is implemented, with the possibility of dual use
systems (self running cooling systems) which may
also have the computing power to run the other
maintenance systems through proper architecture
of the cooling system and the computer.
Keywords: Superfluid, Hydraulic Computation,
Self governing cooling system.
1. QUANTUM MECHANICS
Quantum mechanics is a body of scientific
principles describing the behavior of matter and its
interactions on the atomic and subatomic scales.
These include particles such as atoms, electrons,
protons, and photons. According to quantum
mechanics, the behavior and movement of particles
at these microscopic levels are counter-intuitive,
radically differing from anything observed in
everyday life. This requires a theory like quantum
mechanics in order to better explain this different
world.
2. QUANTUM STATES AND WAVE
FUNCTIONS
According to Pauli’s exclusion principle every atom
occupies different states as described by
Schrödingers equation and wavefunctions results in
every electron and nucleon occupying a different
state. This is in the macro world governed by the
theory of relativity. A system consisting of various
states can be altered by either supplying or taking
away thermal energy to allow the fermions to jump
different states. Each particle has a separate
wavefunction governing it. In the case of
substances such as helium which retain their
fluidity even in very low temperatures, the
substance undergoes a change of state and becomes
a quantum fluid. Since there is no energy to have
separate energy states, all wavefunctions and
quantum states collapse to one and the state is
called a superfluid state where the entire substance
behaves as one single atom since every atom
occupies the same state. This gives it a variety of
bizarre properties.
3. SUPERFLUIDITY
Superfluidity is a state of matter in which viscosity
of a fluid vanishes, while thermal conductivity
becomes infinite. It is also defined as a phase of
matter capable of flowing endlessly without energy
loss.
A superfluid can be a liquid or a gas, but not a
solid. For example, helium's freezing point is 1K
(Kelvin) and 25 atmospheres of pressure, the lowest 4. PROPERTIES OF SUPERFLUID
of any element, but the substance begins exhibiting Superfluid has many bizarre and noteworthy
superfluid properties at about 2K. The superfluid properties, the most famous being its property of
phase transition occurs when all the constituent zero viscosity and that it can flow on its own
atoms of a sample begin to occupy the same without the need of any external force. This is also
quantum state. This transition happens when the called as the fountain effect. Also it has near
atoms are placed very closely together and cooled infinite thermal conductivity. It is a non-newtonian
down so much that their quantum wave functions fluid under all circumstances. The creeping
begin to overlap and the atoms lose their individual automatic flow of the superfluid is called a Rollin
identities, behaving more like a single super-atom film, it’s a thin film of the liquid (20 nanometers
than an agglomeration of atoms. thick) that moves. The entire body behaves as a
single atom. All of this makes it an ideal working
A limiting factor on which materials can exhibit fluid for a hydraulic computer.
superfluidity and which cannot is that the material
must be very very cold (<4K) and remain fluid at
this cold temperature. Superfluids have some
impressive and unique properties that distinguish
them from other forms of matter.. A superfluid has
zero thermodynamic entropy and infinite thermal
conductivity, meaning that no temperature
differential can exist between two superfluids or
two parts of the same superfluid. A superfluid can
also climb up and out of a container in a one-atom-
thick layer if the container is not sealed. A
conventional molecule embedded within a
superfluid can move with full rotational freedom,
behaving like a gas.

Fig.2 In this case, Helium II will creep along surfaces in order

to find its own level - after a short while, the levels in the two
containers will equalize. The Rollin film also covers the
interior of the larger container; if it were not sealed, the
helium II would creep out and escape.

Some important equations pertaining to superfluids

Fig.1 In this case, the liquid helium is in the superfluid phase.
As long as it remains superfluid, it creeps up the inside wall of
the cup as a thin film. It comes down on the outside, forming a 1. The vapor pressure (in torr) of Superfluid (He II)
drop which will fall into the liquid below. Another drop will
form - and so on - until the cup is empty. Log P = -3.018 (1/T) + 2.484 Log T - 0.00297 T4 + 2.197
2. The specific heat of He II is

Cv = (dQ/dT)v = T(dS/dT)v = 5.6

(T/T)5.6

3. The latent heat of vaporization

of Superfluid
I = RT2(dP/dT)/P

4. The viscosity of He II is
represented by

n = 8.7 x 10-3 (eKT) T-1/2 + 11 +

(2(2.2-T))-1

resulting in 0(LOW). Here, the implementation of

5. HYDRAULIC COMPUTATION the AND gate is by parallel connection, so it can be
We can use any material for computation purposes, considered as a parallel gate.
the success of silicon based computers lied in their
ability to manipulate electrons and ions for B. OR Gate
computation purposes, and quantum computation The OR gate in a digital system implements
aims to take it a step further by using light. logical disjunction (series). A HIGH output (1)
Hydraulic computers used the properties of fluids results if one or both the inputs to the gate are
for computation. It was used in the 30’s and 40’s to HIGH (1). If neither input is HIGH, a LOW output
compute the directions of a nation’s economy. The (0) results. Similarly, when there is a fluid flow in
computers of those days were of analog nature. The any one of the tube or fluid flow in both the tubes,
computers can be made digital too. The digital the output will be 1. And, if there is no fluid flow in
implementation can be done with the proper use of both the tubes, it will be resulting in 0. Here, the
pipings pistons and valves .The presence of implementation of the OR gate is by series
pressure is taken as 1 and the lack of being is taken connection, so it can be considered as a series gate.
as 0(Note the amount is not under consideration).
By using proper arrangements the basic gates can
be achieved. The explanation for the basic logic
gates in a hydraulic computer is given below.
A. AND Gate
The AND gate in a digital system implements
logical conjunction (parallel). A HIGH output (1)
results only if both the inputs to the AND gate are
HIGH (1). If neither or only one input to the AND
gate is HIGH, a LOW output results. Similarly,
when there is a flow in both the tubes, both the
valves present in the tube opens up and so there
will be a flow from the constant fluid flow source,
thereby resulting in 1(HIGH). Also, when there is
flow in any one of the , the valve corresponding to
the tube opens up and the other one still remains
closed and so there will be no flow in the output,
C. NOT Gate
In digital logic, an inverter or NOT gate is a
logic gate which implements logical negation. Here,
the output will be one, if there is no fluid flow and
vice versa.
6. IMPLEMENTATION OF HYDRAULIC
COMPUTER USING SUPERFLUIDS
We saw the implementation of hydraulic computing
using a normal fluid and a piston as a moving
member. Now we replace the fluid with a superfluid
and the moving member as a magnetic pulse or a
laser. We make use of the latent heat of
vaporization of the superfluid. By generating the
magnetic pulses or laser pulses it’s possible to heat
the super fluid by changing the molecular
orientation and cause a temporary vaporization.
One has to take precautions regarding the formation
of vortexes because of the zero viscous dissipation,
the vortex would never stop. The vaporization is
temporary and since the system is cooled externally
it reaches the superfluid state in a short time. This
causes a pressure change to occur in a particular
section of the pipe. The pressure is measured by
placing sensors at appropriate distances. The analog
pressure signal is converted to digital form by an
ADC. The presence of the pressure is taken as the
logic 1 (the quantity of pressure is not taken to
account) and the absence of the pressure is taken as
logic 0. This is then fed to a suitable interface
which converts it in the required output. By suitable
piping and placing of valves it is possible to attain
even more complex logic circuits which perform
much more than the basic logic operations. It is
possible to arrange complex pipe sets to implement
the basic microprocessors so as to perform
computing operations. The short time it takes for
the whole thermodynamic process of
evaporation and condensation takes place in a
short time and enables quick computation. This
cycle is a Carnot cycle and the work done
accelerates the fluid. And since there is no
inherent instability as in bose-einstein
condensate, it is a safer alternative. It is possible
to construct complex cooling circuits which
could also provide that little boost in computing
speed and power. This could lead to cooling
systems to govern themselves and maybe the
entire maintenance systems of complex entities.
This type of system is not tied down by the
limitations of silicon based computing such as it
would be able to perform parallel computing.
7. CONCLUSIONS
Thus the possibility of using superfluids in an
improvised binary hydraulic computer has been
explored. Such a system would lend flexibility and
would milk every possible avenue for computing
power. With the rise of man, rises his need to think.
Such a system in its own small inimitable way
reduce the loads as it could possibly create a self
running cooling system that would also take care of
maintenance systems of the machine. Recently a
satellite was launched with 160 litres of superfluid
for its cooling. By making a digital computer out of
the cooling system it would create a lot of flexible
options for the maintenance system and main
computer.
REFERENCES
[1] L.Landau Institute of Physical Problems, Theory of
Superfluidity of Helium II, USSR Academy of Sciences,
Moscow, USSR
[2] Feynman lectures on physics. [Online].
Available: www.feynmanlectures.info/
Section: Quantum mechanics and Wavefunctions
[3] SJ Putterman, Superfluid Hydrodynamics, North-Holland
Publishing Co., New York, 1974 - adsabs.harvard.edu
[4] (2010) The WIKIPEDIA website. [Online]. Available:
http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/MONIAC_Computer
[5] T.Tsuneto, Superconductivity and Superfluidity,
Ryukoku University, Japan