Magnetocaloric refrigerator
Abstract
The invention is for an apparatus and method for a refrigerator and a heat pump based on the magnetocaloric effect (MCE) offering a simpler, lighter, robust, more compact, environmentally compatible, and energy efficient alternative to traditional vapor-compression devices. The subject magnetocaloric apparatus alternately exposes a magnetocaloric material to strong and weak magnetic field while switching heat to and from the material. Action of the heat switches is coordinated with the magnetic field strength to move heat up the thermal gradient. The invention may be practiced with multiple magnetocaloric stages to attain large differences in temperature. Key applications include thermal management of electronics, as well as industrial and home refrigeration, heating, and air conditioning. The invention offers a simpler, lighter, compact, and robust apparatus compared to magnetocaloric devices of prior art. Furthermore, the invention may be run in reverse as a thermodynamic engine, receiving low-level heat and producing mechanical energy.
- Inventors:
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- US Department of Energy (USDOE), Washington DC (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1632493
- Patent Number(s):
- 10544965
- Application Number:
- 15/731,852
- Assignee:
- Vetrovec, Jan, Larkspur, CO (United States))
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02B - CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F28 - HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL F28F - DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
- DOE Contract Number:
- SC0013769
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: 08/15/2017
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Citation Formats
Vetrovec, Jan. Magnetocaloric refrigerator. United States: N. p., 2020.
Web.
Vetrovec, Jan. Magnetocaloric refrigerator. United States.
Vetrovec, Jan. Tue .
"Magnetocaloric refrigerator". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1632493.
@article{osti_1632493,
title = {Magnetocaloric refrigerator},
author = {Vetrovec, Jan},
abstractNote = {The invention is for an apparatus and method for a refrigerator and a heat pump based on the magnetocaloric effect (MCE) offering a simpler, lighter, robust, more compact, environmentally compatible, and energy efficient alternative to traditional vapor-compression devices. The subject magnetocaloric apparatus alternately exposes a magnetocaloric material to strong and weak magnetic field while switching heat to and from the material. Action of the heat switches is coordinated with the magnetic field strength to move heat up the thermal gradient. The invention may be practiced with multiple magnetocaloric stages to attain large differences in temperature. Key applications include thermal management of electronics, as well as industrial and home refrigeration, heating, and air conditioning. The invention offers a simpler, lighter, compact, and robust apparatus compared to magnetocaloric devices of prior art. Furthermore, the invention may be run in reverse as a thermodynamic engine, receiving low-level heat and producing mechanical energy.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {2020},
month = {1}
}