A method for operating a caloric heat pump system includes changing a cycle frequency at which a field of a field generator is applied to caloric material in the caloric heat pump system. The method also includes adjusting a speed of a hot side fan in response to the cycle frequency change and adjusting a speed of a cold side fan in response to the cycle frequency change. A respective one of three separate control loops changes the cycle frequency, adjusts the speed of the hot side fan, and adjusts the speed of the cold side fan.

A solid-state refrigeration apparatus includes a solid cooling structure, first and second heat exchangers, a heating medium circuit, a reciprocating conveying mechanism, and a thermal storage section. The solid cooling portion includes a solid refrigerant substance, an internal channel where the solid refrigerant substance is disposed, and an induction section configured to cause the solid refrigerant substance to produce a caloric effect. The heating medium circuit is connected to the first and second heat exchangers, and the internal channel. The heating medium heated by the solid cooling portion dissipates heat in the first heat exchanger and the heating medium cooled by the solid cooling portion absorbs heat in the second heat exchanger a heat application operation. Frost on the second heat exchanger is melted using the heat stored in the thermal storage section in a defrosting operation. The thermal storage section stores heat in the heat application operation.

Provided is a magnetic refrigeration device, including a first assembly and a second assembly, herein the second assembly is an annular assembly, the first assembly is located on a radial outer side or a radial inner side of the second assembly, the first assembly is a first magnet assembly, the second assembly is provided with an air gap space capable of accommodating a magnetic working medium bed, the first assembly is configured to rotate relative to the second assembly, and directions of a magnetic line of force of the first magnet assembly are distributed in the circumferential direction of the annular second assembly.

An electrocaloric module includes an electrocaloric element that includes an electrocaloric film, a first electrode on a first surface of the electrocaloric film, and a second electrode on a second surface of the electrocaloric film. A support is attached along an edge portion of the electrocaloric film, leaving a central portion of the electrocaloric film unsupported film. At least one of the first and second electrodes includes a patterned disposition of conductive material on the film surface. The electrocaloric module also includes a first thermal connection configured to connect to a first thermal flow path between the electrocaloric element and a heat sink, a second thermal connection configured to connect to a second thermal flow path between the electrocaloric element and a heat source, and a power connection connected to the first and second electrodes and configured to connect to a power source.

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 portions of an MCE material to strong and weak magnetic field while coordinating the heat flow between the exposed portions by heat bridges to move the heat up the thermal gradient. The invention may be practiced with multiple MCE material portions or segments 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.

Provided is a magnetic cooling device including: in a hollow container, an inert gas; a material filling part containing a refrigerant and magnetic material particles having a magnetocaloric effect; gas storages containing the refrigerant at both ends of the material filling part; and material partitions between the material filling part and the gas storages, in which a volume proportion of the inert gas in the hollow container is 1 vol % or more and 12 vol % or less.

The invention provides an alloy comprising e.g. manganese, iron, vanadium, phosphor and silicon. The invention also provides an apparatus comprising a magnetic field generator, a heat sink, the thermo element, a heat source, and a control system, wherein in a controlling mode the control system is configured to select between (i) a first configuration wherein the magnetic field generator generates a magnetic field, the thermo element is exposed to the magnetic field, and heat from the thermo element is transferred to the heat sink, and (ii) a second configuration, wherein the thermo element is not exposed to the magnetic field, and heat from a heat source is transferred to the thermo element.

A magnetic refrigerator including 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 magnetic refrigeration apparatus according to the present disclosure includes a magnetic-field source and two or more bed rings. The bed rings can be arranged in pairs with shared cold and hot fluid plenums. A flow of heat transfer fluid may pass at least partially radially through the shared fluid plenum or through a connection between the fluid plenum and one or more flow tubes. The MR apparatus and systems of the present disclosure may further include one or more circumferential flux returns with radial through-hole passageways to accommodate flow tubing. For apparatus configurations with an even number of bed rings, the axial dimension of the passageways may be smaller than the circumferential dimension of the passageways.

A solid-state cooling module includes a plurality of housing portions. Each of the housing portions houses a solid refrigerant substance. The solid-state cooling module is configured to heat or cool a heat medium flowing through insides of the plurality of housing portions. At least some of the plurality of housing portions are connected to each other in series with respect to a flow of the heat medium.