A refrigeration system includes a refrigeration circuit and a coolant circuit separate from the refrigeration circuit. The refrigerant circuit includes a gas cooler/condenser, a receiver, and an evaporator. The coolant circuit includes a heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from a refrigerant circulating within the refrigeration circuit into a coolant circulating within the coolant circuit, a heat sink configured to remove heat from the coolant circulating within the coolant circuit, and a magnetocaloric conditioning unit configured to transfer heat from the coolant within a first fluid conduit of the coolant circuit into the coolant within a second fluid conduit of the coolant circuit. The first fluid conduit connects an outlet of the heat exchanger to an inlet of the heat sink, whereas the second fluid conduit connects an outlet of the heat sink to an inlet of the heat exchanger.

Various implementations of the invention correspond to an improved vortex flux generator. In some implementations of the invention, the improved vortex flux generator includes a magnetic circuit configured to produce a magnetic field; a quench controller configured to provide a variable current; a vortex material configured to form and subsequently dissipate a vortex in response to the variable current, wherein upon formation of the vortex, a magnetic field density surrounding the vortex is urged to decrease, and wherein upon subsequent dissipation of the vortex, the urging to decrease ceases and the magnetic field density increases prior to a reformation of the vortex, and wherein the decrease of the magnetic field density and the increase of the magnetic field density correspond to a modulation of the magnetic field; an inductor disposed in a vicinity of the vortex such that the modulation of the magnetic field induces an electrical current in the inductor; and a dissipation superconductor electrically disposed in parallel with the vortex material and configured to carry, without quenching, an entirety of the variable current during dissipation of the vortex in the vortex material.

Various implementations of the invention correspond to an improved vortex flux generator. In some implementations of the invention, the improved vortex flux generator includes a magnetic circuit configured to produce a magnetic field; a quench controller configured to provide a variable current; a vortex material configured to form and subsequently dissipate a vortex in response to the variable current, wherein upon formation of the vortex, a magnetic field density surrounding the vortex is urged to decrease, and wherein upon subsequent dissipation of the vortex, the urging to decrease ceases and the magnetic field density increases prior to a reformation of the vortex, and wherein the decrease of the magnetic field density and the increase of the magnetic field density correspond to a modulation of the magnetic field; an inductor disposed in a vicinity of the vortex such that the modulation of the magnetic field induces an electrical current in the inductor; and a dissipation superconductor electrically disposed in parallel with the vortex material and configured to carry, without quenching, an entirety of the variable current during dissipation of the vortex in the vortex material.

A cooling apparatus that cools a cooling target object in a state in which an electromagnetic field or an electric field acts on the cooling target object is provided. The cooling apparatus includes a refrigeration machine to cool a cooling target object, an electromagnetic wave irradiation device to generate an electromagnetic field which acts on the cooling target object, a controller to control operations of the refrigeration machine and the electromagnetic wave irradiation device and perform a subcooling operation of cooling the cooling target object by using the refrigeration machine in a state in which the electromagnetic field is generated, and a temperature sensor to measure a temperature of the cooling target object. In the subcooling operation, the controller controls the intensity of the electromagnetic field generated by the electromagnetic wave irradiation device in accordance with the temperature measured by the temperature sensor.

A cooling apparatus that cools a cooling target object in a state in which an electromagnetic field or an electric field acts on the cooling target object is provided. The cooling apparatus includes a refrigeration machine to cool a cooling target object, an electromagnetic wave irradiation device to generate an electromagnetic field which acts on the cooling target object, a controller to control operations of the refrigeration machine and the electromagnetic wave irradiation device and perform a subcooling operation of cooling the cooling target object by using the refrigeration machine in a state in which the electromagnetic field is generated, and a temperature sensor to measure a temperature of the cooling target object. In the subcooling operation, the controller controls the intensity of the electromagnetic field generated by the electromagnetic wave irradiation device in accordance with the temperature measured by the temperature sensor.

A process for liquefying a process gas that includes introducing a heat transfer fluid into an active magnetic regenerative refrigerator apparatus that comprises a single stage comprising dual multilayer regenerators located axially opposite to each other.

A process for liquefying a process gas that includes introducing a heat transfer fluid into an active magnetic regenerative refrigerator apparatus that comprises a single stage comprising dual multilayer regenerators located axially opposite to each other.

A regenerator of a regenerative refrigerator includes: a magnetic regenerator material used for cold storage; and a container that accommodates the magnetic regenerator material. A part of the container that accommodates the magnetic regenerator material includes: a first region that includes a temperature range in which a specific heat of the magnetic regenerator material reaches maximum during an operation of the regenerative refrigerator, and a second region that is in a temperature range different from that of the first region. A cross sectional area of a part of the first region that accommodates the magnetic regenerator material is smaller than a cross sectional area of a part of the second region that accommodates the magnetic regenerator material.

A regenerator of a regenerative refrigerator includes: a magnetic regenerator material used for cold storage; and a container that accommodates the magnetic regenerator material. A part of the container that accommodates the magnetic regenerator material includes: a first region that includes a temperature range in which a specific heat of the magnetic regenerator material reaches maximum during an operation of the regenerative refrigerator, and a second region that is in a temperature range different from that of the first region. A cross sectional area of a part of the first region that accommodates the magnetic regenerator material is smaller than a cross sectional area of a part of the second region that accommodates the magnetic regenerator material.

According to various, but not necessarily all, examples of the disclosure there is provided an apparatus comprising: one or more portions of material configured to vibrate at one or more ultrasonic frequencies when the material is positioned within a varying magnetic field; and wherein the one or more portions of material configured to vibrate at one or more ultrasonic frequencies are positioned so that, when a varying magnetic field is applied to the apparatus, the vibration caused by the varying magnetic field provides increased cooling within a cooling system.