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.

Provided is a thermoelectric conversion element having a high Anomalous Nernst Effect at a lower cost. A thermoelectric conversion element (1) includes a magnetic alloy material containing aluminum, cobalt, and samarium, and a power generation layer (10), in which in the power generation layer (10), a content of aluminum in the magnetic alloy material is in a range of 1 atomic percent to 40 atomic percent, a content of samarium in the magnetic alloy material is in a range of 12 atomic percent to 40 atomic percent, and a content of cobalt in the magnetic alloy material is in a range of 57 atomic percent to 82 atomic percent.

Provided is a thermoelectric conversion element having a high Anomalous Nernst Effect at a lower cost. A thermoelectric conversion element (1) includes a magnetic alloy material containing aluminum, cobalt, and samarium, and a power generation layer (10), in which in the power generation layer (10), a content of aluminum in the magnetic alloy material is in a range of 1 atomic percent to 40 atomic percent, a content of samarium in the magnetic alloy material is in a range of 12 atomic percent to 40 atomic percent, and a content of cobalt in the magnetic alloy material is in a range of 57 atomic percent to 82 atomic percent.

Provided are an exterior body and an abnormality detector capable of suppressing bulking even when a heat generation detection function is provided. The exterior body of an electronic device generates heat during operation and is characterized by being provided with a magnetic body that is at least a portion of the exterior body, that has spontaneous magnetization, and that generates an electromotive force by exhibiting an abnormal Nernst effect through heat generation of the electronic device, wherein an electrode for extracting power is provided to the magnetic body.

[Problem] To provide a heat exchange device with which efficient electric power generation can be performed while transfer of a heat amount is maintained. [Solution] A heat exchange device comprising a heat exchange section 1 and a magnetic body 2. The heat exchange section 1 includes a first heat transmission interface 3 in contact with a heat source, and a second heat transmission interface 4 in contact with a heat bath having a temperature different from that of the heat source. The magnetic body 2 is interposed between the first heat transmission interface 3 and the second heat transmission interface 4 of the heat exchange section 1, and includes a magnetization component in a direction intersecting a heat flux produced between the first heat transmission interface 3 and the second heat transmission interface 4.

The purpose of the present invention is to make it possible to ensure a strength that allows thermoelectric evaluation to be performed even when sintering is carried out at a temperature lower than the minimum sintering temperature of a power generation layer, in a thermoelectric conversion element. For this purpose, this thermoelectric conversion element is characterized by being provided with a power generation layer and support layers including a sintered body, wherein the power generation layer is provided with a metal-magnetic insulator composite structure in which metal is formed in a net shape around a granulated magnetic body, the support layers are formed so as to be in contact with the top and bottom or the right and left of the power generation layer, and the minimum sintering temperature of the support layers is lower than the minimum sintering temperature of the power generation layer.

A thermoelectric conversion element is made of: a first material with a stoichiometric composition of Fe.sub.3X where X is a main-group or a transition element; a second material with an off-stoichiometric composition in which a composition ratio of Fe to X deviates from that of the first material; a third material obtained by substituting part of Fe sites in the first material or part of Fe sites in the second material by a main-group metal or a transition element other than X; a fourth material with a composition of Fe.sub.3M1.sub.1-xM2.sub.x (0<x<1) where M1 and M2 are different main-group elements; or a fifth material obtained by substituting part of Fe sites in the first material by a transition element other than X and substituting part of X sites in the first material by a main-group metal element other than X. The first to the fifth materials exhibit an anomalous Nernst effect.

This invention prevents measurement error from becoming large in thermoelectric conversion coefficient evaluation and enhances evaluation efficiency. This invention is a physical property evaluation device for evaluating the physical properties of a plurality of solid materials formed on a substrate. The physical property evaluation device comprises an electromotive force measurement means that forms closed circuits including the individual solid materials and measures the electromotive forces occurring at the two ends of each of the solid materials, a means for producing heat flow within the individual solid materials, an external magnetic field generation means for generating a uniform magnetic field having a given intensity and direction in the vicinity of the individual solid materials, and an automation means for evaluating the physical properties of the individual solid materials using the electromotive force measurement means, heat flow production means, and external magnetic field generation means.

Apparatus and method for converting thermal energy into electric energy, for example, in the automotive industry or geothermal energy. The apparatus and a method convert thermal energy into electric energy with an improved overall output and an increased maximum attainable output that is simple and cost-efficient to produce and use. The apparatus has one or more thermomagnetic generators, which contain at least one first and second thermomagnetic component, at least two components made of hard magnetic material, at least one coil and at least two connecting elements made of magnetic flux-conducting material; The magnetic north poles are connected to one of the two connecting elements made of magnetic flux-conducting material and the magnetic south poles thereof are connected to the other connecting element.

A generator configured to generate electrical energy from heat, for example from sunlight. The generator includes: a moveable carrier connected to a kinetic-electric converter; and a stationary support. One of the carrier and the support is provided with a magnet and the other is provided with separate ferromagnetic elements. A heat supply is associated with the one of the carrier and the support that is provided with the magnet to direct heat onto successively at least one of the ferromagnetic elements to warm the ferromagnetic element to above a Curie temperature thereof, to thereby impart reciprocal movement of the carrier relative to the support through magnetic interaction between the magnet and the ferromagnetic elements. A cooling system such as a thermo-electric generator or a heat sink is configured for cooling at least one of the magnet and the ferromagnetic elements.