Magnetocaloric cascade and method for fabricating a magnetocaloric cascade

Abstract

A magnetocaloric cascade contains a sequence of magnetocaloric material layers having different Curie temperatures T.sub.C, wherein the magnetocaloric material layers include a cold-side outer layer, a hot-side outer layer and at least three inner layers between the cold-side outer layer and the hot-side outer layer, and each pair of next neighboring magnetocaloric layers of the magnetocaloric cascade has a respective Curie-temperature difference amount T.sub.C between their respective Curie temperatures, wherein the hot-side outer layer or the cold-side outer layer or both the hot-side and cold-side outer layer exhibits a larger ratio mS.sub.max/T.sub.C in comparison with any of the inner layers, m denoting the mass of the respective magnetocaloric material layer and S.sub.max denoting a maximum amount of isothermal magnetic entropy change achievable in a magnetic phase transition of the respective magnetocaloric material layer.

Claims

1. A magnetocaloric cascade, comprising: a sequence of magnetocaloric material layers having different Curie temperatures T.sub.C, wherein the magnetocaloric material layers include a cold-side outer layer, a hot-side outer layer and at least three inner layers between the cold-side outer layer and the hot-side outer layer, and each pair of next neighboring magnetocaloric layers of the magnetocaloric cascade has a respective Curie-temperature difference amount T.sub.C between their respective Curie temperatures, and wherein the hot-side outer layer or the cold-side outer layer or both the hot-side and cold-side outer layer exhibits a larger ratio mS.sub.max/T.sub.C in comparison with any of the inner layers, m denoting the mass of the respective magnetocaloric material layer and S.sub.max denoting a maximum amount of isothermal magnetic entropy change achievable in a magnetic phase transition of the respective magnetocaloric material layer.

2. The magnetocaloric cascade of claim 1, wherein the hot-side outer layer or the cold-side outer layer exhibits an amount of the ratio mS.sub.max/T.sub.C that is at least 1% larger in comparison with any of the inner layers.

3. The magnetocaloric cascade of claim 1, wherein one of the hot-side and cold-side outer layers has a higher amount of the ratio mS.sub.max/T.sub.C than the other, and wherein the other of the hot-side and cold-side outer layers has a higher amount of the ratio mS.sub.max/T.sub.C than any of inner layers.

4. The magnetocaloric cascade of claim 1, wherein the hot-side outer layer or the cold-side outer layer exhibits an amount of a product mS.sub.max of its mass and S.sub.max, the amount of mS.sub.max being larger by at least 10% in comparison with any of the inner layers.

5. The magnetocaloric cascade of claim 1, wherein the hot-side layer or the cold-side layer exhibits a smaller amount of T.sub.C in comparison with any of the inner layers.

6. The magnetocaloric cascade of claim 5, wherein the hot-side layer or the cold-side layer exhibits an amount of T.sub.C that is no less than 0.5 K.

7. The magnetocaloric cascade of claim claim 1, wherein the hot-side outer layer or the cold-side outer layer or both the hot-side and cold-side outer layer comprises a sublayer sequence of at least two hot-side sublayers or cold-side sublayers, respectively.

8. The magnetocaloric cascade of claim 1, wherein for each pair of next neighboring magnetocaloric material layers of the magnetocaloric cascade there exists a respective crossing temperature, at which an entropy parameter mS of both respective neighboring magnetocaloric material layers assumes the same crossing-point value, the entropy parameter mS being defined as a product of the mass m of the respective magnetocaloric material layer and an amount of its isothermal magnetic entropy change S in a magnetic phase transition of the respective magnetocaloric material layer; and wherein all crossing-point values of an entropy parameter mS of all pairs of next neighboring inner layers are equal, either exactly or within a margin of 15%, to a mean value of all crossing-point values of all pairs of next neighboring inner layers of the magnetocaloric cascade.

9. The magnetocaloric cascade of claim 8, wherein different inner layers exhibit respective materials and respective masses which in combination provide the respective crossing-point values of the entropy parameter mS at no less than 70% of a global maximum of the entropy parameter mS assumed in any of the inner layers across the magnetocaloric cascade.

10. A magnetocaloric regenerator, comprising: the magnetocaloric cascade according to claims 1.

11. A heat pump, comprising: a magnetocaloric regenerator according to claim 10.

12. The heat pump of claim 11, further comprising: a hot-side interface in thermal communication with the hot-side outer layer, a cold-side interface in thermal communication with the cold-side outer layer, and a heat transfer system, which is configured to provide a flow of a heat-transfer fluid between the hot-side interface and the cold side interface through the magnetocaloric cascade, wherein the Curie temperature of the hot-side outer layer is selected to be higher than a temperature of the hot-side interface in operation of the heat pump, or the Curie temperature of the cold-side outer layer is selected to be lower than a temperature of the cold-side interface in operation of the heat pump.

13. A method for fabricating a magnetocaloric cascade, comprising: fabricating a sequence of different magnetocaloric material layers having different Curie temperatures T.sub.C, wherein the magnetocaloric material layers include a cold-side outer layer, a hot-side outer layer and at least three inner layers between the cold-side outer layer and the hot-side outer layer and each pair of next neighboring magnetocaloric layers of the magnetocaloric cascade has a respective Curie-temperature difference amount T.sub.C between their respective Curie temperatures, wherein the hot-side outer layer or the cold-side outer layer or both the hot-side and cold-side outer layer are fabricated so as to exhibit a larger ratio mS.sub.max/T.sub.C in comparison with any of the inner layers, m denoting the mass of the respective magnetocaloric material layer and S.sub.max denoting a maximum amount of isothermal magnetic entropy change achievable in a magnetic phase transition of the respective magnetocaloric material layer.

14. A heat-pumping method, comprising: performing a heat-pumping sequence using a magnetocaloric regenerator comprising a magnetocaloric cascade according to claim 1.

15. The heat-pumping method of claim 14, wherein the heat-pumping sequence includes a temperature increase of the magnetocaloric regenerator andthe heat-pumping sequence is performed in thermal communication with a heat sink, which is operated at a temperature that is between 0.5 K and 5 K higher than a Curie temperature of the hot-side outer layer.

Description

(1) In the following, further embodiments will be described with reference to the enclosed drawings. In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram illustrating a difference in a dependence of magnetic entropy on temperature for the cases of exposure and non-exposure of a magnetocaloric material to a magnetic field near its Curie temperature;

(3) FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a magnetocaloric cascade;

(4) FIGS. 3 and 4 are illustrations of the temperature dependence of the mass-weighted isothermal magnetic entropy change in a magnetic phase transition (i.e., the entropy parameter) of two next neighboring magnetocaloric material layers in two different embodiments of a magnetocaloric cascade;

(5) FIG. 5 shows a further embodiment of a magnetocaloric cascade;

(6) FIGS. 6 to 8 show diagrams illustrating an improvement in cooling power of different embodiments of the magnetocaloric cascade for different temperature spans between a hot-side temperature and a cold-side temperature, for three different hot-side temperatures.

(7) FIG. 9 shows a diagram illustrating the maximum isothermal magnetic entropy change S.sub.max in a magnetic phase transition of different magnetocaloric materials as a function of a maximum adiabatic temperature change in an applied magnetic field of 1.5 T;

(8) FIG. 10 shows a diagram illustrating an improvement in cooling power of an embodiment of the magnetocaloric cascade using materials of different maximum isothermal magnetic entropy change S.sub.max in both the hot-side and cold-side outer layers than in the inner layers of the cascade, for different temperature spans between a hot-side temperature and a cold-side temperature, for three different hot-side temperatures in comparison with the second reference structure;

(9) FIG. 11 shows a diagram illustrating an improvement in cooling power of an embodiment of the magnetocaloric cascade having a higher mass in both the hot-side and cold-side outer layers than in the inner layers of the cascade, for different temperature spans between a hot-side temperature and a cold-side temperature, for three different hot-side temperatures in comparison with the second reference structure; and

(10) FIG. 12 shows a diagram illustrating an improvement in cooling power of an embodiment of the magnetocaloric cascade having a reduced Curie temperature spacing at only the cold-side outer layer and an increased Curie temperature spacing at the other layers of the cascade, for different temperature spans between a hot-side temperature and a cold-side temperature, for three different hot-side temperatures in comparison with the second reference structure.

(11) FIG. 1 shows a diagram in which an entropy S is plotted in linear units (Joule/Kelvin) as a function of temperature T, also in linear units of Kelvin for a magnetocaloric material layer. The curves shown in the diagram are also referred to as ST curves. The diagram is purely schematic and only serves to illustrate the following. The magnetocaloric material layer exhibits different ST curves under application of magnetic fields of different amounts. Two exemplary curves A and B illustrate the cases H=0 (no magnetic field applied) and H0 (application of a magnetic field of a certain amount). The ST curve of the case H=0 is found at higher entropy levels, which is due to the higher contribution of the magnetic entropy to the shown overall entropy of the magnetocaloric material layer. Further contributions to the entropy S are provided by the crystal lattice and by the electrons of the magnetocaloric material of the layer. Under application of the magnetic field that is strong enough to cause a phase transition of the magnetocaloric material layer leading to an orientation of all magnetic moments along the direction of the magnetic field vector the magnetic entropy at the given temperature drops by an amount S.sub.max. This gives rise to a temperature increase. A maximum of the temperature increase in an adiabatic process amounts to T.sub.ad, max and occurs at a temperature that is different from that, at which S.sub.max is observable, as shown in FIG. 1.

(12) FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a magnetocaloric cascade 10 for use as a magnetocaloric regenerator, and thus as a working body of a cooling device for pumping heat in a direction indicated by arrows 11. The cascade 10 is formed of a layer sequence of magnetocaloric material layers 12 to 20. In particular, the cascade has a cold-side outer layer 12 followed by a plurality of magnetocaloric inner layers, of which the inner layers 14, 16 and 18 are provided in the present example. Furthermore, the cascade has a hot-side outer layer 20. The layer pair (12,14) formed by the cold-side outer layer 12 and the next neighboring inner layer 14 is herein also referred to as the cold-side outer layer pair. The layer pair (18, 20) formed by the hot-side outer layer 20 and the next neighboring inner layer 18 is herein also referred to as the hot-side outer layer pair. Based on design options according to the present invention, which are explained in the following with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the cascade 10 achieves a particularly high performance in heat-pumping applications. FIGS. 3 and 4 are illustrations of the temperature dependence of the mass-weighted isothermal magnetic entropy change in a magnetic phase transition (i.e., the entropy parameter) of two next neighboring magnetocaloric material layers 52, 54 and 62, 64 in two different embodiments of a magnetocaloric cascade according to the present invention. The magnetocaloric cascades referred to in FIGS. 3 and 3 comprise a plurality of magnetocaloric layers. In particular at least three inner layers are provided. However, any information about the further layers of the cascade is omitted in FIGS. 3 and 4 for reasons of simplicity. The two next neighboring magnetocaloric material layers 32, 34 and 42, 44, which are shown, form a respective outer layer pair. In other words, the layers 32 and 42 are hot-side or cold-side outer layers, and will be referred to in short as outer layers in the following. The respective next neighboring layers 34 and 44 form inner layers in the wording of the claims.

(13) The outer layers 32 and 42 of both embodiments are strengthened in these two embodiments of the present invention, as will be explained in the following. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the outer layer 32 has a higher maximum amount mS.sub.max of the entropy parameter mS in comparison with the next neighboring inner layer 34. This property of the outer layer 32 can be achieved by proper material selection or by suitable setting of the mass of the outer layer 32. Selecting a material and/or a mass for the outer layer 32 that in comparison with the next neighboring inner layer 34 leads to a higher maximum amount mS.sub.max of the entropy parameter mS tends to increase the crossing point value C5 of mS of the two curves shown in FIG. 3, given a suitable actual amount of mS.sub.max and the full width at half maximum of the temperature dependence of the entropy parameter mS. In some embodiments implementing the situation of FIG. 3 the crossing point value C5 is outside the margin of 15% with respect to the mean value mS.sub.mean of all crossing-point values of all pairs of next neighboring inner layers of the magnetocaloric cascade. In other embodiments, it falls within this margin, however fulfilling exact equality.

(14) In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the outer layer 42 has the same maximum amount mS.sub.max of the entropy parameter mS in comparison with the next neighboring inner layer 44. However, the materials of the layers are selected so that their Curie temperature spacing T.sub.C is smaller in comparison with the embodiment of FIG. 3. This also leads to an increased crossing-point value C6 of the entropy parameter mS with reference to its respective highest maximum value across the cascade. Selecting a the Curie-temperature difference between the outer layer 62 and the next neighboring inner layer tends to increase the crossing point value C6 of mS of the two curves shown in FIG. 3, given a suitable full width at half maximum of the temperature dependence of the entropy parameter mS. In some embodiments implementing the situation of FIG. 4 the crossing point value C6 is outside the margin of 15% with respect to the mean value mS.sub.mean of all crossing-point values of all pairs of next neighboring inner layers of the magnetocaloric cascade. In other embodiments, it falls within this margin, without, however fulfilling exact equality.

(15) Both measures described achieve an improvement of heat-pumping performance.

(16) FIG. 5 shows a schematic illustration of a further embodiment of a magnetocaloric cascade 510 for use as a magnetocaloric regenerator in a cooling device for pumping heat in a direction indicated by arrows 511. The cascade 510 is formed of a layer sequence of magnetocaloric material layers 512 to 522. In particular, the cascade has a cold-side outer layer 512 followed by a plurality of magnetocaloric inner layers, of which only the inner layers 514 to 520 are shown in the present example for reasons of graphical simplicity. Furthermore, the cascade 510 has a hot-side outer layer 522. The cold-side outer layer 512 exhibits a larger ratio mS.sub.max/T.sub.C in comparison with any of the inner layers 512 to 520. This is schematically shown in a diagram on the right side of the cascade 510, illustrating a dependence of the ratio mS.sub.max/T.sub.C on a position along the layer sequence of the cascade 510. This diagram shows that the cold-side outer layer 512 has the highest amount of mS.sub.max/T.sub.C and that the hot-side outer layer 522 has the second-highest amount of mS.sub.max/T.sub.C.

(17) In another embodiment similar to that of FIG. 5 (not shown), the amount of mS.sub.max/T.sub.C is equal at the hot-side and cold-side outer layers 512 and 522.

(18) In yet another embodiment similar to that of FIG. 5 (not shown), the amount of mS.sub.max/T.sub.C of the hot-side outer layer 522 is equal to that of the inner layers 514 to 520.

(19) In a further embodiment similar to that of FIG. 5 (not shown), the cold-side outer layer 512 has an amount of mS.sub.max/T.sub.C equal to or larger than that of the inner layers 514 to 520, but the hot-side outer layer has a the highest amount of S.sub.max/T.sub.C within the cascade.

(20) In the following, further embodiments of cascades will be discussed with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8. FIGS. 6 to 8 show diagrams illustrating an improvement in cooling power (abbreviated as ICP) of different embodiments of the magnetocaloric cascade for different temperature spans between a hot-side temperature and a cold-side temperature, for three different hot-side temperatures. The improvement is provided as a ratio in comparison with a reference cascade.

(21) Virtual experiments were carried out using a physical model similar to that described by Engelbrecht: A Numerical Model of an Active Magnetic Regenerator Refrigeration System, http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1793/7596). A one-dimensional model was employed. The magnetocaloric material layers of the cascade of all examples underlying the diagrams of FIGS. 8 to 10 had the same material properties, but shifted values of their Curie temperatures. For all experiments shown, the lowest Curie temperature was 15.7 C., and the highest Curie temperature at the hot-side outer layer was 33.7 C., resulting in an overall span in Curie temperature of 18 K across the cascades. The mass of magnetocaloric material was 0.025 kg; the pumped volume per blow was 210.sup.6 m.sup.3.

EXAMPLE 1

Reduced TC

(22) A cooling power was determined for a reference cascade that is not in accordance with present invention and used for comparison only. The reference cascade has the following properties. It comprises a sequence of seven magnetocaloric layers, exhibiting equally spaced Curie temperatures with 3 K spacing. Curie Temperatures (in units of C.) were the following: 15.7 (cold-side outer layer); 18.7; 21.7; 24.7; 27.7; 30.7; 33.7 (hot-side outer layer). The layers had the same reference mass of 0.025 kg per layer, and a pumped volume per blow of 210.sup.6 m.sup.3.

(23) The cooling power was determined for the reference cascade and for different embodiments of the cascades of the present invention as explained in the following examples 1 and 2.

(24) A first embodiment is a magnetocaloric cascade, which also has a layer sequence of seven magnetocaloric layers and the same mass per layer as the reference cascade and thus the same overall mass of the cascade in comparison to the reference cascade. However, the materials of the next neighboring inner layers of the hot-side outer layer and of the cold-side outer layer are chosen to have a smaller amount of Curie temperature difference T.sub.C to the hot-side and cold-side outer layer, respectively. For both the hot-side and the cold side outer layer, the Curie temperature difference T.sub.C with respect to its next neighboring inner layer amounts to 2.6 K. All inner layers have a Curie temperature difference of 3.2 K to their respective next neighboring inner layer. The absolute values of the Curie Temperatures (in units of C.) of the magnetocaloric layers of the cascade are the following: 15.7 (cold-side outer layer); 18.3; 21.5; 24.7; 27.9; 31.1; 33.7 (hot-side outer layer). Only results for spans above 18 K, which is the overall span in Curie temperatures are relevant and presented in the following.

EXAMPLE 2

Increased Mass

(25) The same reference cascade as for Example 1 was used.

(26) A second embodiment is a magnetocaloric cascade, which also has a layer sequence of seven magnetocaloric layers as the reference cascade. However, the cascade of the second embodiment has variations in the mass in comparison with the reference cascade, as will be described below. The overall mass of the cascade in comparison to the reference cascade is maintained the same. However, the hot-side outer layer and the cold-side outer layer have an identical mass that is higher than the mass of the individual inner layers of the cascade by 20%. Thus, the overall mass of the inner layers taken together is reduced by 20%. The inner layers have identical masses in comparison with each other.

(27) Other than in the first embodiment, the materials of the next neighboring inner layers of the hot-side outer layer and of the cold-side outer layer are chosen to have the same Curie temperature difference T.sub.C to the hot-side and cold-side outer layer, i.e., the same Curie temperature difference T.sub.C to the hot-side and cold-side outer layer, respectively, as to the respective next neighboring inner layers, namely 3.0 K. The absolute values of the Curie Temperatures (in units of C.) of the magnetocaloric layers of the cascade are the following: 15.7 (cold-side outer layer); 18.7; 21.7; 24.7; 27.7; 30.7; 33.7 (hot-side outer layer).

(28) FIG. 6 shows an improvement of the cooling power (ICP) in units of percent in relation to the cooling power of the reference cascade described above for an operating temperature at the hot-side interface of the cascade of 34.7 C. for different temperature spans TS in units of C., i.e., different operating temperatures at the cold-side interface of the cascade, in the range of temperatures spans TS between 18 C. and 28 C. Different symbols used represent different embodiments: the IPC values obtained for the first embodiment (reduced T.sub.C) are represented by full squares, and the IPC values obtained for the second embodiment (increased mass) are represented by full diamonds. FIGS. 7 and 8 show corresponding diagrams, wherein the data obtained are based on an operating temperature at the hot-side interface of the cascade of 35.7 C. (FIG. 7) and 36.7 C. (FIG. 8) for the same temperature spans TS as in FIG. 6. Thus, FIGS. 6 to 8 provide data on cooling power obtained for operation on the hot side of 1 K (FIG. 6), 2 K (FIG. 7), and 3 K (FIG. 8) above the highest Curie temperature of the respective cascade.

(29) The diagrams of FIG. 6 to FIG. 8 clearly show a significant improvement in cooling power of the magnetocaloric cascade of both embodiments in comparison with the reference cascade in the full range of temperature spans TS between 18 and 26 K. The improvement is higher for the second embodiment. The improvement clearly increases with increasing temperature span. The improvement is almost the same for all three operating temperatures at the hot side.

(30) The results are similar for cascades where the two outer layers (or even more) at one or both sides are modified using a higher mass per layer or a smaller Curie temperature spacing).

(31) FIG. 9 shows a diagram illustrating the maximum isothermal magnetic entropy change S.sub.max in a magnetic phase transition of five different magnetocaloric materials plotted over their adiabatic temperature change T.sub.ad at the temperature, at which S.sub.max occurs, in an applied magnetic field of 1.5 T, suitable for causing a magnetocaloric effect in the five different materials. The materials are selected from the material system MnFe(P,As)Si. The diagram demonstrates that the mere selection of a different material results in a change of S.sub.max, while the adiabatic temperature change T.sub.ad can be kept substantially unchanged. The entropy span available for the five exemplary materials shown at a magnetic field of 1.5 T covers a range of more than 3 J/kg/K between 8.8 J/kg/K and about 11.9 J/kg/K, whereas the adiabatic temperature change T.sub.ad is substantially identical at about 3.5 K. Thus, there is considerable flexibility in the adaptation of the entropy parameter mS by variation of the parameter Smax in designing a layer sequence for a magnetocaloric cascade. With the parameter Smax, the linewidth of the temperature dependence of mS is changed at the same time, thus also allowing an adaptation of the crossing-point values.

EXAMPLE 3

(32) A cooling power was determined for a second reference cascade that is not in accordance with present invention and used for comparison only. The reference cascade has the following properties. It comprises a sequence of seven magnetocaloric layers, exhibiting equally spaced Curie temperatures with 3 K spacing. Curie Temperatures (in units of C.) were the following: 15.7 (cold-side outer layer); 18.7; 21.7; 24.7; 27.7; 30.7; 33.7 (hot-side outer layer). The layers had the same reference mass of 0.025 kg per layer, and a pumped volume per blow of 210.sup.6 m.sup.3. The flow rate can be optimized for a given application case by known means. The second reference cascade differs from the reference cascade described above in the context of the Example 1 in the material of the magnetocaloric layers of the cascade, thus giving rise to a different lineshape of S as a function of temperature, and to a different S.sub.max. The material of all layers of the second reference is identical and has a S.sub.max of 8.85 J/kg/K.

(33) The cooling power was determined for the reference cascade and for different embodiments of the cascades of the present invention as explained in the following examples 3 and 4.

(34) The cascade of Example 3 differs from the reference cascade only in that the material of the hot-side outer layer and the cold-side outer layer has a different maximum isothermal magnetic entropy change S.sub.max than the material of the hot-side outer layer and the cold-side outer layer of the reference cascade. The amount of S.sub.max of the hot-side outer layer and the cold-side outer layer of the reference cascade is 10.97 J/kg/K.

(35) FIG. 10 shows a diagram illustrating an improvement in cooling power of the embodiment of the magnetocaloric cascade of Example 3 for different temperature spans between a hot-side temperature and a cold-side temperature, for three different hot-side temperatures. As before, the data obtained are based on an operating temperature at the hot-side interface of the cascade of 34.7 C. (filled diamonds), 35.7 C. (crosses), and 36.7 C. (filled triangles). The improvement in cooling power ICP is given as a percentage over the second reference cascade. An improvement in cooling power (ICP) of up to 40% is achieved with the structure of Example 3 at all three operating temperatures. Similar results are achieved for the other exemplary materials represented in FIG. 9.

EXAMPLE 4

(36) The same second reference cascade as for Example 3 was used.

(37) The cascade of Example 4 differs from the reference cascade in that the hot-side outer layer and the cold-side outer layer both have a mass that is different from the hot-side outer layer and the cold-side outer layer of the reference cascade. The mass is increased in comparison with the hot-side outer layer and the cold-side outer layer of the reference cascade by 20%. Furthermore, the mass of the inner layers is reduced in mutually identical amounts so as to maintain the same overall mass of the cascade of Example 4 as that of the second reference cascade.

(38) FIG. 11 shows a diagram illustrating an improvement in cooling power of the embodiment of the magnetocaloric cascade of Example 4 for different temperature spans between a hot-side temperature and a cold-side temperature, for three different hot-side temperatures. As before, the data obtained are based on an operating temperature at the hot-side interface of the cascade of 34.7 C. (filled diamonds), 35.7 C. (crosses), and 36.7 C. (filled triangles). The improvement in cooling power ICP is given as a percentage over the second reference cascade. An improvement in cooling power (ICP) of up to 5% is achieved with the structure of Example 4 at all three operating temperatures.

EXAMPLE 5

(39) The same second reference cascade as for Example 3 was used.

(40) The cascade of Example 5 differs from the reference cascade in that the cold-side outer layer has a Curie temperature spacing to its next neighboring inner layer that is smaller than the corresponding Curie temperature spacing of the reference cascade. The other Curie temperatures across the cascade of Example 5 are increased in comparison with those of the reference cascade. The Curie temperature spacings in units of K across the cascade are as follows: 3.08 (hot side)/3.08/3.08/3.08/3.08/2.6 (cold side).

(41) FIG. 12 shows a diagram illustrating an improvement in cooling power of the embodiment of the magnetocaloric cascade of Example 5 for different temperature spans between a hot-side temperature and a cold-side temperature, for three different hot-side temperatures. As before, the data obtained are based on an operating temperature at the hot-side interface of the cascade of 34.7 C. (filled diamonds), 35.7 C. (crosses), and 36.7 C. (filled triangles). The improvement in cooling power ICP is given as a percentage over the second reference cascade. An improvement in cooling power (ICP) of between 2 and 3% is achieved with the structure of Example 5 at all three operating temperatures.