A heat pump includes a magnet assembly which creates a magnetic field, and a regenerator housing which includes a body defining a plurality of chambers, each of the plurality of chambers extending along a transverse direction orthogonal to the vertical direction. The heat pump further includes a plurality of stages, each of the plurality of stages including a magnetocaloric material disposed within one of the plurality of chambers and extending along the transverse direction between a first end and a second end.

A heat pump includes a magnet assembly which creates a magnetic field, and a regenerator housing which includes a body defining a plurality of chambers, each of the plurality of chambers extending along a transverse direction orthogonal to the vertical direction. The heat pump further includes a plurality of stages, each of the plurality of stages including a magnetocaloric material disposed within one of the plurality of chambers and extending along the transverse direction between a first end and a second end.

A heat pump includes a magnet assembly which creates a magnetic field, and a regenerator housing which includes a body defining a plurality of chambers, each of the plurality of chambers extending along a transverse direction orthogonal to the vertical direction. The heat pump further includes a plurality of stages, each of the plurality of stages including a magnetocaloric material disposed within one of the plurality of chambers and extending along the transverse direction between a first end and a second end.

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.

A unit includes a first alloy and a second alloy. The first alloy has a structure in which, in a crystal structure of a La(Fe,Si).sub.13-based alloy, a lanthanum element position is replaced with a group 1 element other than hydrogen or a group 2 element. The second alloy has a structure in which, in a crystal structure of a La(Fe,Si).sub.13-based alloy, a lanthanum element position is replaced with a group 1 element other than hydrogen or a group 2 element and has a composition different from that of the first alloy.

A thermo-magnetism cycle apparatus has a first magneto-caloric element (MCE) element on a low temperature side and a second MCE element on a high temperature side. A first heat transfer medium flows in the first MCE element and a second heat transfer medium flows in the second MCE element. A third MCE element has a first flow passage that flows the first heat transfer medium and a second flow passage that flows the second heat transfer medium. The third MCE element absorbs heat from the first heat transfer medium utilizing a magneto-caloric process and dissipates the absorbed heat partially to the second heat transfer medium. As such, the third MCE element actively transfers heat between the two heat transfer media via the magneto-caloric process. The third MCE element also passively transfers heat between the two heat transfer media.

A magneto-caloric cooling system includes an energy absorption area configured to be positioned proximate a thermal energy producing device. At least one energy dissipation area is configured to be positioned proximate a thermal energy dissipation device. A thermal energy transfer device is configured to be cycled between the energy absorption area and the energy dissipation area. A magnetic field generation device is configured to produce a magnetic field proximate the energy dissipation area.

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.

An adiabatic demagnetization refrigeration stage includes a salt pill, a magnet surrounding the salt pill, and a gas-gap heat switch interposed between the salt pill and the magnet. A method of operating an adiabatic demagnetization refrigeration stage includes using a magnet surrounding a salt pill to apply an increasing magnetic field to the salt pill, producing a gas to activate a gas gap heat switch interposed between the magnet and the salt pill to provide a path for heat flow from the salt pill through the magnet to a heat sink, and decreasing the magnetic field applied to the salt pill while adsorbing the gas to de-activate the gas gap heat switch to cool the salt pill to a lower temperature and cool an object attached to a cold tip extending from the salt pill.

According to various, but not necessarily all, examples of the disclosure there is provided an apparatus comprising: one or more portions of material configured to vibrate at one or more ultrasonic frequencies when the material is positioned within a varying magnetic field; and wherein the one or more portions of material configured to vibrate at one or more ultrasonic frequencies are positioned so that, when a varying magnetic field is applied to the apparatus, the vibration caused by the varying magnetic field provides increased cooling within a cooling system.