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Title: Rotary recuperative magnetic heat pump

Conference ·
OSTI ID:5982732

A bench scale rotary magnetic heat pump now being built is described. The unique design feature of this heat pump is the method for achieving recuperator fluid flow, which relies simply on parallel flow paths; the primary flow leg allows heat transfer between external load and sink and magnetic working material, while parallel flow accomplishes recuperation. The bench scale test is intended to demonstrate feasibility of the concept and to verify that all significant loss mechanisms are identified and treated poorly in performance models, but is not a scaled down version of a practical heat pump. Working material is gadolinium foil 76 ..mu..m thick with 127 ..mu..m spaces for fluid flow. Magnetic fields are created by neodymium-iron-boron permanent magnets with an air gap field of about 0.9 Tesla. Due to the low field (practical heat pumps will use superconducting magnets with field strength around 9 T), temperature lift is limited to 11 K. 8 refs., 6 figs.

Research Organization:
EG and G Idaho, Inc., Idaho Falls (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC07-76ID01570
OSTI ID:
5982732
Report Number(s):
EGG-M-16087; CONF-8706125-15; ON: DE88001575
Resource Relation:
Conference: Cryogenic engineering conference, St. Charles, IL, USA, 14 Jun 1987; Other Information: Paper copy only, copy does not permit microfiche production
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English