A magneto-caloric thermal diode assembly includes a first magneto-caloric cylinder and a second magneto-caloric cylinder. First and second pluralities of thermal stages are stacked along an axial direction between a cold side and a hot side. The second magneto-caloric cylinder and the second plurality of thermal stages are nested concentrically within the first magneto-caloric cylinder and the first plurality of thermal stages. Each thermal stage of the first and second pluralities of thermal stages includes a plurality of magnets and a non-magnetic ring. The plurality of magnets is distributed along a circumferential direction within the non-magnetic ring in each thermal stage of the first and second pluralities of thermal stages.

A magneto-caloric thermal diode assembly includes a magneto-caloric cylinder with a plurality of magneto-caloric stages. A length of one of the plurality of magneto-caloric stages is different than a length of another of the plurality of magneto-caloric stages. Each of a plurality of thermal stages includes a plurality of magnets and a non-magnetic ring. The plurality of magnets is distributed along a circumferential direction within the non-magnetic ring in each of the plurality of thermal stages. The length of each of the plurality of thermal stages corresponds to a respective one of the plurality of magneto-caloric stages.

A magneto-caloric thermal diode assembly includes a plurality of thermal stages stacked along an axial direction between a cold side and a hot side. A plurality of magnets is distributed along a circumferential direction within a non-magnetic ring in each of the plurality of thermal stages. Each of the plurality of thermal stages between a cold side thermal stage and a hot side thermal stage is positioned between a respective pair of the plurality of thermal stages along the axial direction. The plurality of magnets of each of the plurality of thermal stages between the cold side thermal stage and the hot side thermal stage is spaced from the non-magnetic ring of one of the respective pair of the plurality of thermal stages along the axial direction and is in conductive thermal contact with the non-magnetic ring of the other of the respective pair of the plurality of thermal stages.

A magneto-caloric thermal diode assembly includes a plurality of elongated magneto-caloric members. Each of a plurality of thermal stages includes a plurality of magnets and a plurality of non-magnetic blocks distributed in a sequence of magnet then non-magnetic block along a transverse direction. The plurality of thermal stages and the plurality of elongated magneto-caloric members are configured for relative motion along the transverse direction. The plurality of magnets and the plurality of non-magnetic blocks are spaced along the transverse direction within each of the plurality of thermal stages. Each of the plurality of magnets in the plurality of thermal stages is spaced from a respective non-magnetic block in an adjacent thermal stage towards a cold side thermal stage along the lateral direction and is in conductive thermal contact with a respective non-magnetic block in an adjacent thermal stage towards a hot side thermal stage along the lateral direction.

A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet that defines a chilled chamber. The cabinet has a duct with an inlet and an outlet. The inlet and outlet of the duct is contiguous with the chilled chamber of the cabinet such that air within the chilled chamber is flowable into the duct at the inlet of the duct and air within the duct is flowable into the chilled chamber at the outlet of the duct. A heat pump system is operable to cool the chilled chamber of the cabinet. The heat pump system includes a cold side heat exchanger in thermal communication with the air within the duct. The heat pump system also includes features for condensing water vapor from the air within the duct prior to the cold side heat exchanger.

A magnetocaloric cooling system comprising a solid body or bodies, such as a cylinder or cube, having a plurality of channels extending between a first end and a second end of the cylinder or cube and a magnet at least partially surrounding the cylinder or cube. A metallic mass, such as a rod or plate, is positioned within each channel and slides within a respective channel between two sliding extremities so that in each sliding extremity, a portion of each metallic mass extends beyond an end of the solid body. A motor is used for reciprocating the metallic masses between the sliding extremities and a heat exchange mechanism directs heating or cooling where desired.

A pump for a heat pump system includes a piston having a cam follower positioned on a bearing surface of a cam. A casing includes a first casing portion and a second casing that are mounted to each other. A piston head of the piston is disposed within the first casing portion, and the piston extends through the second casing portion. A spring urges the cam follower of the piston towards the bearing surface of the cam.

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 cooling apparatus includes a magnetocaloric material, a magnetizing device, a converting device for applying pressure or tension to the magnetocaloric material, and a movement mechanism to move the magnetocaloric material. The magnetocaloric material changes its temperature when there is a change in an external magnetic field and when there is a change in an applied pressure. The movement mechanism moves the magnetocaloric material to expose it alternatingly to the external magnetic field and the change in pressure and to cause a periodic temperature change in the magnetocaloric material, whereby periods of lower temperature can be used for cooling.

A refrigerator appliance includes a fresh food working fluid circuit and a freezer working fluid circuit. The fresh food working fluid circuit couples a fresh food cold side heat exchanger and a first chamber of a regenerator housing such that a first working fluid is flowable between the fresh food cold side heat exchanger and the first chamber. The freezer working fluid circuit couples the freezer cold side heat exchanger and a second chamber of the regenerator housing such that a second working fluid is flowable between the freezer cold side heat exchanger and the second chamber. A liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger connects the fresh food working fluid circuit and the freezer working fluid circuit for heat transfer between the first and second working fluid. A freezing temperature of the first working fluid is greater than a freezing temperature of the second working fluid.