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Title: Tuning the heat transfer medium and operating conditions in magnetic refrigeration

Journal Article · · AIP Advances
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4960379· OSTI ID:22611430
 [1]; ; ; ;  [2]
  1. Dept. of Computer Science, Mathematics, and Engineering, Shepherd University, Shepherdstown WV 25443 (United States)
  2. Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The George Washington University, Washington DC 20052 (United States)

A new experimental test bed has been designed, built, and tested to evaluate the effect of the system’s parameters on a reciprocating Active Magnetic Regenerator (AMR) near room temperature. Bulk gadolinium was used as the refrigerant, silicon oil as the heat transfer medium, and a magnetic field of 1.3 T was cycled. This study focuses on the methodology of single stage AMR operation conditions to get a high temperature span near room temperature. Herein, the main objective is not to report the absolute maximum attainable temperature span seen in an AMR system, but rather to find the system’s optimal operating conditions to reach that maximum span. The results of this research show that there is a optimal operating frequency, heat transfer fluid flow rate, flow duration, and displaced volume ratio in any AMR system. By optimizing these parameters in our AMR apparatus the temperature span between the hot and cold ends increased by 24%. The optimized values are system dependent and need to be determined and measured for any AMR system by following the procedures that are introduced in this research. It is expected that such optimization will permit the design of a more efficient magnetic refrigeration system.

OSTI ID:
22611430
Journal Information:
AIP Advances, Vol. 6, Issue 7; Other Information: (c) 2016 Author(s); Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 2158-3226
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English