skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Active magnetic regenerator method and apparatus

Abstract

In an active magnetic regenerator apparatus having a regenerator bed of material exhibiting the magnetocaloric effect, flow of heat transfer fluid through the bed is unbalanced, so that more fluid flows through the bed from the hot side of the bed to the cold side than from the cold side to the hot side. The excess heat transfer fluid is diverted back to the hot side of the bed. The diverted fluid may be passed through a heat exchanger to draw heat from a fluid to be cooled. The apparatus may be operated at cryogenic temperatures, and the heat transfer fluid may be helium gas and the fluid to be cooled may be hydrogen gas, which is liquified by the device. The apparatus can be formed in multiple stages to allow a greater span of cooling temperatures than a single stage, and each stage may be comprised of two bed parts. Where two bed parts are employed in each stage, a portion of the fluid passing from the hot side to the cold side of a first bed part which does not have a magnetic field applied thereto is diverted back to the cold side of the other bed partmore » in the stage, where it is passed through to the hot side. The remainder of the fluid from the cold side of the bed part of the first stage is passed to the hot side of the bed part of the second stage.« less

Inventors:
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [1];  [5]
  1. Madison, WI
  2. McFarland, WI
  3. Deerfield, WI
  4. Oconomowoc, WI
  5. Austin, TX
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
ASTRONAUTICS CORP OF AMERICA
OSTI Identifier:
868942
Patent Number(s):
US 5249424
Assignee:
Astronautics Corporation of America (Milwaukee, WI)
DOE Contract Number:  
AC02-90CE40895
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
active; magnetic; regenerator; method; apparatus; bed; material; exhibiting; magnetocaloric; effect; flow; heat; transfer; fluid; unbalanced; flows; hot; cold; excess; diverted; passed; exchanger; draw; cooled; operated; cryogenic; temperatures; helium; gas; hydrogen; liquified; device; formed; multiple; stages; allow; span; cooling; single; stage; comprised; employed; portion; passing; field; applied; thereto; remainder; multiple stage; fluid passing; cryogenic temperature; applied thereto; cryogenic temperatures; transfer fluid; active magnetic; hydrogen gas; heat exchange; magnetic field; heat exchanger; heat transfer; fluid flow; fluid flows; helium gas; single stage; excess heat; magnetic regenerator; field applied; generator apparatus; regenerator apparatus; multiple stages; magnetocaloric effect; material exhibiting; /62/

Citation Formats

DeGregoria, Anthony J, Zimm, Carl B, Janda, Dennis J, Lubasz, Richard A, Jastrab, Alexander G, Johnson, Joseph W, and Ludeman, Evan M. Active magnetic regenerator method and apparatus. United States: N. p., 1993. Web.
DeGregoria, Anthony J, Zimm, Carl B, Janda, Dennis J, Lubasz, Richard A, Jastrab, Alexander G, Johnson, Joseph W, & Ludeman, Evan M. Active magnetic regenerator method and apparatus. United States.
DeGregoria, Anthony J, Zimm, Carl B, Janda, Dennis J, Lubasz, Richard A, Jastrab, Alexander G, Johnson, Joseph W, and Ludeman, Evan M. 1993. "Active magnetic regenerator method and apparatus". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/868942.
@article{osti_868942,
title = {Active magnetic regenerator method and apparatus},
author = {DeGregoria, Anthony J and Zimm, Carl B and Janda, Dennis J and Lubasz, Richard A and Jastrab, Alexander G and Johnson, Joseph W and Ludeman, Evan M},
abstractNote = {In an active magnetic regenerator apparatus having a regenerator bed of material exhibiting the magnetocaloric effect, flow of heat transfer fluid through the bed is unbalanced, so that more fluid flows through the bed from the hot side of the bed to the cold side than from the cold side to the hot side. The excess heat transfer fluid is diverted back to the hot side of the bed. The diverted fluid may be passed through a heat exchanger to draw heat from a fluid to be cooled. The apparatus may be operated at cryogenic temperatures, and the heat transfer fluid may be helium gas and the fluid to be cooled may be hydrogen gas, which is liquified by the device. The apparatus can be formed in multiple stages to allow a greater span of cooling temperatures than a single stage, and each stage may be comprised of two bed parts. Where two bed parts are employed in each stage, a portion of the fluid passing from the hot side to the cold side of a first bed part which does not have a magnetic field applied thereto is diverted back to the cold side of the other bed part in the stage, where it is passed through to the hot side. The remainder of the fluid from the cold side of the bed part of the first stage is passed to the hot side of the bed part of the second stage.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/868942}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1993},
month = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1993}
}

Works referenced in this record:

Optimal Temperature -Entropy Curves for Magnetic Refrigeration
book, January 1988


Test Results of an Active Magnetic Regenerative Refrigerator
book, January 1992