A magnet assembly for a magneto-caloric heat pump includes a first frame that extends between first and third magnets and a second frame that extends between second and fourth magnets. Each of the first and second frames includes a series of metal layers arranged such that a thermal break is formed between adjacent metal layers in the series of metal layers.

An apparatus for transferring heat from a heat source to a heat sink is disclosed. The apparatus comprises: a conduit containing a ferrofluid which comprises a plurality of magnetic nanoparticles, a first portion of the conduit being thermally coupleable to the heat source and a second portion of the conduit being thermally coupleable to the heat sink; and a magnetic element arranged to provide a magnetic field to the ferrofluid; wherein the magnetic element is located upstream of the first portion to drive a flow of the ferrofluid in the direction of the heat source.

A magnetic refrigeration module includes a housing, low and high temperature inflow paths, low and high temperature outflow paths, and first and second intermediate flow paths. The housing houses a magnetic working substance, and forms a flow path. The low and high temperature inflow paths carry heating medium into first and second ends of the flow path. First and second spaces are formed between the first and second ends and the low and high temperature inflow paths. The low and high temperature outflow paths receive the heating medium from the first and second ends of the flow path. The first and second intermediate flow paths communicate with the low and high temperature inflow paths and the first and second spaces. The first and second intermediate flow paths expand heating medium flow from the low and high temperature inflow paths to the first and second spaces.

A controller is configured to, based on a characteristic information of thermal output with respect to a temperature difference between a hot end and a cold end of a working chamber, changes at least one of a flow rate of a heating target fluid in a high temperature heat exchanger and a flow rate of a cooling target fluid in a low temperature heat exchanger. At least one of the flow rate of the heating target fluid in the high temperature heat exchanger and the flow rate of the cooling target fluid in the low temperature heat exchanger is adjusted such that the temperature difference between the hot and cold ends changes in a direction that increases thermal output.

A caloric heat pump system includes a pair of caps mounted to a regenerator housing. Each cap of the pair of caps defines an inlet and an outlet. The outlet of each cap of the pair of caps is positioned at a chamber of the regenerator housing. The inlet and outlet of each cap of the pair of caps defines an area in a respective plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The area of the inlet of each cap of the pair of caps is less than the area of the outlet of each cap of the pair of caps.

A heat pump system includes a caloric heat pump with a regenerator housing that is rotatable about an axial direction. A caloric material is disposed within a chamber of the regenerator housing. The caloric material defines a plurality of channels that extend along the axial direction through the caloric material. The channels of the plurality of channels are spaced from one another along a circumferential direction within the caloric material. A working fluid is flowable through the plurality of channels between end portions of the regenerator housing. A related refrigerator appliance is also provided.

Apparatus and processes for liquefying process gases using multi-stage active magnetic regenerative refrigerators are disclosed. The apparatus and processes can be configured to liquefy process streams that liquefy below .sup.200 K, such as ethane, methane, argon, nitrogen, neon, hydrogen and/or helium process gases. Active magnetic regenerative liquefiers use multiple successive active magnetic regenerator stages, with each stage using a compositionally distinct magnetic refrigerant material having a distinct Curie temperature. In some aspects, the refrigerant material in each successive stage has a Curie temperature of about 20 K-40K different from that of neighboring stages. Heat transfer fluid flows are directed to improve system efficiency.

A magnetic cooling apparatus may include a fixing module and a rotation module rotatably provided at the fixing module. The fixing module includes a plurality of magnetic regenerators and a thermal fluid supply apparatus allowing thermal fluid to exchange with the plurality of magnetic regenerators, and the thermal fluid supplying apparatus is configured to operate by the rotation module without an additional configuration, which enables the magnetic cooling apparatus to have a similar configuration.

A caloric heat pump system includes a motor and a pair of non-circular gears meshed with each other. A first one of the pair of non-circular gears is coupled to a regenerator housing, and a second one of the pair of non-circular gears is coupled to the motor. The regenerator housing is rotatable with the motor through the pair of non-circular gears.

A caloric heat pump system includes a pump is operable to circulate a working fluid through a stage. The pump includes a motor. A cam is coupled to the motor such that the cam is rotatable by the motor. The cam has a non-circular outer profile surface. Each piston of a pair of pistons has a cam follower positioned on the non-circular outer profile surface of the cam.