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 suitable magnetocaloric material to strong and weak magnetic field while switching heat to and from the material by a mechanical commutator comprising heat pipe elements. 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.:
- Vetrovec, Jan, Larkspur, CO (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1576441
- Patent Number(s):
- 10436481
- Application Number:
- 15/731,270
- Assignee:
- Vetrovec, Jan, Larkspur, CO (United States)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F25 - REFRIGERATION OR COOLING F25B - REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F28 - HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL F28D - HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT
- DOE Contract Number:
- SC0013769
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: 2017 May 15
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION; 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; 42 ENGINEERING
Citation Formats
Vetrovec, Jan. Magnetocaloric refrigerator. United States: N. p., 2019.
Web.
Vetrovec, Jan. Magnetocaloric refrigerator. United States.
Vetrovec, Jan. Tue .
"Magnetocaloric refrigerator". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1576441.
@article{osti_1576441,
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 suitable magnetocaloric material to strong and weak magnetic field while switching heat to and from the material by a mechanical commutator comprising heat pipe elements. 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 = {Tue Oct 08 00:00:00 EDT 2019},
month = {Tue Oct 08 00:00:00 EDT 2019}
}
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