A rotating active magnetic regenerator (AMR) device comprising two or more regenerator beds, a magnet arrangement and a valve arrangement. The valve arrangement comprises a plurality of valve elements arranged substantially immovably with respect to the regenerator beds along a rotational direction. A cam surface is arranged substantially immovably with respect to the magnet arrangement along the rotational direction, and comprises a plurality of cam elements arranged to cooperate with the valve elements in order to control opening degrees of the valve elements, in accordance with a relative position of the cam elements and the valve elements. Thereby the opening degree of each valve element is controlled in accordance with a relative angular position of the regenerator beds and the magnet arrangement.

A rotating active magnetic regenerator (AMR) device comprising two or more regenerator beds, a magnet arrangement and a valve arrangement. The valve arrangement comprises a plurality of valve elements arranged substantially immovably with respect to the regenerator beds along a rotational direction. A cam surface is arranged substantially immovably with respect to the magnet arrangement along the rotational direction, and comprises a plurality of cam elements arranged to cooperate with the valve elements in order to control opening degrees of the valve elements, in accordance with a relative position of the cam elements and the valve elements. Thereby the opening degree of each valve element is controlled in accordance with a relative angular position of the regenerator beds and the magnet arrangement.

A dual-mode magnetic refrigeration apparatus includes beds of magnetocaloric material, a magnet to apply a time-varying magnetic field to the beds, a heat transfer fluid (HTF), a pump to circulate the HTF, a hot side heat exchanger (HHEX), a cold side heat exchanger (CHEX), valves to direct flow of the HTF, and a controller configured to control periodic switching of the valves to allow the apparatus to operate in a first mode and in a second mode. The first mode transfers heat from the CHEX to the HHEX. In the second mode of operation, the periodic switching of the valves is suspended to allow unidirectional flow of the HTF through the HHEX, the beds, and the CHEX such that heat is transferred from the HHEX to the CHEX.

A dual-mode magnetic refrigeration apparatus includes beds of magnetocaloric material, a magnet to apply a time-varying magnetic field to the beds, a heat transfer fluid (HTF), a pump to circulate the HTF, a hot side heat exchanger (HHEX), a cold side heat exchanger (CHEX), valves to direct flow of the HTF, and a controller configured to control periodic switching of the valves to allow the apparatus to operate in a first mode and in a second mode. The first mode transfers heat from the CHEX to the HHEX. In the second mode of operation, the periodic switching of the valves is suspended to allow unidirectional flow of the HTF through the HHEX, the beds, and the CHEX such that heat is transferred from the HHEX to the CHEX.

A thermal stabilization system stabilizes inertial measurement unit (IMU) performance by reducing or slowing operating variations over time of the internal temperature. More specifically, a thermoelectric heating/cooling device operates according to the Peltier effect, and uses thermal insulation and a mechanical assembly to thermally and mechanically couple the IMU to the thermoelectric device. The thermal stabilization system may minimize stress on the IMU and use a control system to stabilize internal IMU temperatures by judiciously and bidirectionally powering the thermoelectric heating/cooling device. The thermal stabilization system also may use compensation algorithms to reduce or counter residual IMU output errors from a variety of causes such as thermal gradients and imperfect colocation of the IMU temperature sensor with inertial sensors.

A process for liquefying a process gas comprising: introducing a heat transfer fluid into an active magnetic regenerative refrigerator apparatus that comprises (i) a high magnetic field section in which the heat transfer fluid flows from a cold side to a hot side through at least one magnetized bed of at least one magnetic refrigerant, (ii) a first no heat transfer fluid flow section in which the bed is demagnetized, (iii) a low magnetic or demagnetized field section in which the heat transfer fluid flows from a hot side to a cold side through the demagnetized bed, and (iv) a second no heat transfer fluid flow section in which the bed is magnetized; continuously diverting a bypass portion of the heat transfer fluid from the cold side of the low magnetic or demagnetized field section into a bypass flow heat exchanger at a first cold inlet temperature; and continuously introducing the process gas into the bypass flow heat exchanger at a first hot inlet temperature and discharging the process gas or liquid from the bypass flow heat exchanger at a first cold exit temperature; wherein the temperature difference between bypass heat transfer first cold inlet temperature and the process gas first cold exit temperature is 1 to 5 K.

A process for liquefying a process gas comprising: introducing a heat transfer fluid into an active magnetic regenerative refrigerator apparatus that comprises (i) a high magnetic field section in which the heat transfer fluid flows from a cold side to a hot side through at least one magnetized bed of at least one magnetic refrigerant, (ii) a first no heat transfer fluid flow section in which the bed is demagnetized, (iii) a low magnetic or demagnetized field section in which the heat transfer fluid flows from a hot side to a cold side through the demagnetized bed, and (iv) a second no heat transfer fluid flow section in which the bed is magnetized; continuously diverting a bypass portion of the heat transfer fluid from the cold side of the low magnetic or demagnetized field section into a bypass flow heat exchanger at a first cold inlet temperature; and continuously introducing the process gas into the bypass flow heat exchanger at a first hot inlet temperature and discharging the process gas or liquid from the bypass flow heat exchanger at a first cold exit temperature; wherein the temperature difference between bypass heat transfer first cold inlet temperature and the process gas first cold exit temperature is 1 to 5 K.

A system comprising: (a) a liquid natural gas compression module having a compressed liquid natural gas conduit; (b) an active magnetic regenerative refrigerator H.sub.2 liquefier module; (c) at least one H.sub.2 gas source fluidly coupled to the active magnetic regenerative refrigerator H.sub.2 liquefier module via an H.sub.2 gas conduit; and (d) a heat exchanger that receives the compressed liquid natural gas conduit and the H.sub.2 gas conduit.

A system comprising: (a) a liquid natural gas compression module having a compressed liquid natural gas conduit; (b) an active magnetic regenerative refrigerator H.sub.2 liquefier module; (c) at least one H.sub.2 gas source fluidly coupled to the active magnetic regenerative refrigerator H.sub.2 liquefier module via an H.sub.2 gas conduit; and (d) a heat exchanger that receives the compressed liquid natural gas conduit and the H.sub.2 gas conduit.

An improved method to manage the flow of heat in an active regenerator in a magnetocaloric or an electrocaloric heat-pump refrigeration system, in which heat exchange fluid moves synchronously with the motion of a magnetic or electric field. Only a portion of the length of the active regenerator bed is introduced to or removed from the field at one time, and the heat exchange fluid flows from the cold side toward the hot side while the magnetic or electric field moves along the active regenerator bed.