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 magnetic refrigerator comprises an electromagnet for magnetic refrigeration. The electromagnet for magnetic refrigeration includes: a return yoke; at least one pair of opposite magnetic poles disposed inside the return yoke and spaced from each other by a gap; a pipe disposed in the gap to pass a heat transport medium therethrough; a magnetocaloric member disposed inside the pipe to exchange heat with the heat transport medium; and a coil to surround at least one of the paired opposite magnetic poles to generate a magnetic flux passing across the gap when the coil is energized.

A heat pump system is provided that uses MCM to provide for heating or cooling. The heat pump is constructed from a continuously rotating regenerator where MCM is cycled in and out of a magnetic field in a continuous manner. A heat transfer fluid is circulated therethrough to provide for heat transfer in a cyclic manner. The MCM may include stages having different Curie temperature ranges. A field of varying magnetic flux may be used. The rotating regenerator can be equipped with one or more gaskets to improve fluid seals between the rotating regenerator and stationary parts. An appliance using such a heat pump system is also provided. The heat pump may also be used in other applications for heating, cooling, or both.

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.

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 method for forming a stabilized bed of magneto-caloric material is provided. The method includes aligning magneto-caloric particles within the casing while a magnetic field is applied to the magneto-caloric particles and then fixing positions of the magneto-caloric particles within the casing. A related stabilized bed of magneto-caloric material is also provided.

A heat pump system is provided that uses MCM to provide for heating or cooling. The heat pump can include one or more stages of MCM, each stage having an original peak Curie temperature. In the event the magneto caloric response of one or more stages of MCM degrades, the present invention provides for operating the heat pump system so that one or more stages of MCM are held at a different temperature from the original peak Curie temperature so as to restore the MCM to its original peak Curie temperature or to within a certain interval thereof. The present invention can be used with e.g., an appliance, air-conditioning systems (heating or cooling), or other devices using such a heat pump system as well.

A magnetocaloric heat generator having an assembly of at least two magnetocaloric modules with a heat transfer fluid flowing through them. The cold ends of the modules are in fluidic communication via a cold transfer circuit and the hot ends are in fluidic communication via a hot transfer circuit. The cold transfer circuit is arranged so that the fluid exiting the cold end of one of the magnetocaloric modules with an exit temperature enters the cold end of the other magnetocaloric module with an entry temperature that is substantially equal to the temperature of the cold end. The hot transfer circuit modifies the temperature of the fluid so that the fluid exiting the hot end of one of the magnetocaloric modules with an exit temperature enters the hot end of the other magnetocaloric module with an entry temperature that is substantially equal to the temperature of the hot end.

A magnetocaloric regenerator unit comprising (A) at least one magnetocaloric material unit having a higher temperature hot side and a lower temperature cold side during operation, wherein the magnetocaloric material unit contains at least one magnetocaloric material, (B) at least one magnetic unit for producing a magnetic field over the magnetocaloric material contained in the magnetocaloric material unit, (C) at least one magnetic shielding comprising at least one window wherein the at least one magnetic shielding is mounted flexible to allow movement of the magnetic shielding between at least one first position and at least one second position thereby insulating the magnetocaloric material contained in the magnetocaloric material unit from the magnetic field when the magnetic shielding is in a first position and allowing the magnetic field to act on the magnetocaloric material through the at least one window when the magnetic shielding is in a second position.

This magnetic refrigeration module includes a magnetic refrigeration operation unit which has a magnetic refrigeration material, and extends in a longitudinal direction, and a fixed magnetic field excitation unit and a variable magnetic field excitation unit which are disposed apart from each other in an outer peripheral direction of the magnetic refrigeration operation unit, in which the fixed magnetic field excitation unit applies a fixed magnetic field to the magnetic refrigeration operation unit, and the variable magnetic field excitation unit applies a variable magnetic field to the magnetic refrigeration operation unit when being in an ON state and does not apply the variable magnetic field to the magnetic refrigeration operation unit when being in an OFF state.