THERMAL GENERATOR WITH MAGNETOCALORIC MATERIAL

• US 20110192836A1
• Filed: 10/13/2009
• Published: 08/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cooltech Applications
• Original Assignee: Cooltech Applications
• Inventors: Muller, Christian, Heitzler, Jean-Claude
• Granted Patent: US 8,937,269 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/632
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 21/00 Machines, plants or systems, using electric or magnetic effects
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2321/0022 with a rotating or otherwise moving magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 15/20 Thermomagnetic devices using thermal change of the magnetic permeability, e.g. working above and below the Curie point
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/00 Energy efficient heating, ventilation or air conditioning [HVAC]

Abstract

A heat generator comprising at least one thermal module comprising a magnetocaloric element crossed by a heat transfer fluid and two hot and cold chambers arranged on each side of the magnetocaloric element and containing a displacement device for directing the heat transfer fluid through the magnetocaloric element. A magnetic arrangement creates a magnetic field variation in each magnetocaloric element. A device for driving the displacement device, according to reciprocating movement in the concerned chamber, to displace the heat transfer fluid in synchronization with the magnetic field variation. The drive device contains a closed fluid circuit which connects the hot and cold chambers in which a working fluid is driven by a suction and discharge device. At least one switching interface is synchronized with the magnetic arrangement for alternately connecting each hot and cold chamber to suction and discharge sides of the suction and discharge device and inversely.

Claims

1-10. -10. (canceled)

11. A heat generator (1) comprising:

at least one thermal module (2) comprising a magnetocaloric element (3) arranged for being crossed by a heat transfer fluid, and

two hot (4) and cold (5) chambers being arranged on each side of the magnetocaloric element (3), and each containing a displacement means (6) for displacing the heat transfer fluid through the magnetocaloric element (3),

a magnetic arrangement (7) being arranged for creating a magnetic field variation in the magnetocaloric element (3) to create alternately, in the magnetocaloric element (3), a heating cycle and a cooling cycle, and

a drive device (8) for driving the displacement means (6) according to a reciprocating movement in the associated hot and cold chamber (4 or 5) for communicating a displacement to the heat transfer fluid on either of two opposite ends of the magnetocaloric element (3) in synchronization with the magnetic field variation to create and maintain a temperature gradient between the two opposite ends (9 and 10) of the magnetocaloric element (3), the drive device (8) comprises a closed fluid circuit connecting fluidically the hot (4) and the cold (5) chambers in which a maneuvering fluid is driven by a suction and discharge device (11), and

at least one switching interface (12) being synchronized with the magnetic arrangement (7) for alternately connecting each of the hot (4) and the cold (5) chambers to suction (14) and discharge (15) sides of the suction and discharge device (11) and inversely.

12. The heat generator according to claim 11, wherein the maneuvering fluid and the heat transfer fluid are the same fluid.

13. The heat generator according to claim 11, wherein the switching interface (12) includes at least one switching plate (121, 122) mounted in the heat generator (1) and inserted between one of the hot (4) and the cold (5) chambers of the thermal module (2), and a distribution flange (16, 17) is provided with a suction circuit (141) and a discharge circuit (151) connected respectively to the suction (14) and the discharge (15) sides of the suction and discharge device (11).

14. The heat generator according to claim 13, wherein the switching plate (121, 122) comprises run-through passages (18 and 19) which provide a fluidic communication between the hot (4) and the cold (5) chambers and the suction (141) and the discharge (151) circuits of the distribution flange (16, 17).

15. The heat generator according to claim 11, wherein a circular structure comprises a plurality of thermal modules (2) circumferentially around a central axis (A), includes two switching interfaces (12) which each comprises a switching plate (121, 122), the switching plates (121 and 122) and corresponding distribution flanges (16, 17) are circular and the suction (141) and the discharge (151) circuits of the distribution flanges (16, 17) are in a form of two concentric grooves located on their face in front of the switching plates (121, 122).

16. The heat generator according to claim 15, wherein the magnetic arrangement (7) is concentric with the central axis (A) and driven in rotation around the axis (A), and the switching plates (121, 122) and the magnetic arrangement (7) are rotatably driven around the central axis (A) by a common actuator.

17. The heat generator according to claim 15, wherein the magnetic arrangement is fixed and comprises electromagnets connected to an electrical power source and the switching plates (121, 122) are rotationally driven around the central axis (A) by a specific actuator.

18. The heat generator according to claim 15, wherein the switching plates (121, 122) are identical and are mounted with an angular offset with respect to one another so that each thermal module (2) is connected, on one side, at a level of either the hot (4) or the cold (5) chamber, to a run-through passage (18) of one of the switching plates (121 or 122) connected to the suction circuit (141) of a distribution flange (16 or 17) and, on another side, at the level of either the cold (5) or the hot (4) chamber, to a run-through passage (19) of another of the switching plates (122 or 121) connected to the discharge circuit (151) of another distribution flange (17 or 16).

19. The heat generator according to claim 18, wherein the magnetic arrangement (7) comprises alternating magnetized zones and non-magnetized zones, and the run-through passages (18, 19) of the switching plates (121, 122) are arranged according to the alternation, for displacing the heat transfer fluid in each thermal module (2) from the hot chamber (4) to the cold chamber (5) when the magnetocaloric element (3) is not subjected to a magnetic field, and from the cold chamber (5) to the hot chamber (4), when the magnetocaloric element (3) is subjected to a magnetic field.

20. The heat generator according to claim 15, wherein all the hot chambers (4) and all the cold chambers (5) are contained within a housing (23, 24) and form a heat exchanger.

21. A heat generator (1) comprising:

at least one thermal module (2) comprising a magnetocaloric element (3) in which a heat transfer fluid flows between a hot chamber (4) and a cold chamber (5) which are arranged on opposite sides of the magnetocaloric element (3), each of the hot chamber (4) and the cold chamber (5) containing a displacement means (6) which displaces the heat transfer fluid through the magnetocaloric element (3),

a magnetic arrangement (7) being located adjacent the magnetocaloric element (3) and applying a varying magnetic field on the magnetocaloric element (3) which alternately creates a heating cycle and a cooling cycle in the magnetocaloric element (3),

a drive device (8) for alternately driving the displacement means (6) of the hot chamber (4) and the cold chamber (5) and directing a flow of the heat transfer fluid therebetween, the drive device (8) alternately driving the displacement means (6), in synchronization with the variation of the magnetic field applied on the magnetocaloric element (3), to create and maintain a temperature gradient between the opposite sides (9, 10) of the magnetocaloric element (3), the drive device (8) comprising a closed fluid circuit which fluidically connects the hot chamber (4) and the cold chamber (5) in which a working fluid is driven by a suction and discharge device (11), and

at least one switching interface (12) alternately and inversely connecting each of the hot chamber (4) and the cold chamber (5) to one of a suction side (14) and a discharge side (15) of a suction and discharge device (11) in synchronicity with the variation of the magnetic field applied by the magnetic arrangement (7).