HEAT EXCHANGER AND MAGNETIC REFRIGERATION SYSTEM

• US 20130232993A1
• Filed: 04/29/2013
• Published: 09/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: SAITO, Akiko, KOBAYASHI, Tadahiko, KAJI, Shiori
• Application Number:
  US13/872,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20130232993A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/3.1
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 21/00 Machines, plants or systems, using electric or magnetic effects
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2321/002 by using magneto-caloric effects
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 13/003 by using permeable mass, perforated or porous materials F28F13/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 13/06 by affecting the pattern of flow of the heat-exchange media F28F13/003 takes precedence; static flow control means in header boxes F28F9/026
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/00 Energy efficient heating, ventilation or air conditioning [HVAC]

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a heat exchanger includes a container, and a plurality of heat exchange components. The container is fed with a heat transport medium. The plurality of heat exchange components is provided with a prescribed spacing inside the container. The plurality of heat exchange components is provided along a flowing direction of the heat transport medium so as not to overlap at least partly as viewed in the flowing direction of the heat transport medium.

Claims

1. A heat exchanger comprising:

a container to be fed with a heat transport medium; and

a plurality of heat exchange components provided with a prescribed spacing inside the container,

the plurality of heat exchange components being provided along a flowing direction of the heat transport medium so as not to overlap at least partly as viewed in the flowing direction of the heat transport medium.

2. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein a gap between the heat exchange components provided on a front side in the flowing direction of the heat transport medium is obstructed by the heat exchange component provided on a back side in the flowing direction of the heat transport medium.

3. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of heat exchange components include a magnetocaloric effect material.

4. The heat exchanger according to claim 3, wherein one of the plurality of heat exchange components is formed from the magnetocaloric effect material different from that of another of the plurality of heat exchange components.

5. The heat exchanger according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of heat exchange components are divided into multiple areas between the upstream side and the downstream side in the heat exchanger and each area is formed from the magnetocaloric effect material different from each other.

6. The heat exchanger according to claim 3, wherein the magnetocaloric effect material includes at least one selected from the group consisting of Gd (gadolinium), a Gd compound, an intermetallic compound made of some rare earth elements and transition metal elements, a Ni₂MnGa alloy, a GdGeSi compound, a LaFe₁₃-based compound, and LaFe₁₃H.

7. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the container has a circular cross-sectional shape or a rectangular cross-sectional shape as viewed in the flowing direction of the heat transport medium.

8. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the container has a cylindrical shape or a rectangular tubular shape.

9. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of heat exchange components are provided parallel to each other.

10. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of heat exchange components are provided in a staggered lattice.

11. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein

the heat exchange components have a strip shape, and

ratio of shortest side to longest side of the strip shape is 1:

4 or more.

12. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein

the heat exchange components have a strip shape, and

ratio of shortest side to longest side of the strip shape is 1:

7 or more.

13. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein cross-sectional shape of the plurality of heat exchange components is at least one selected from the group consisting of polygon, circle, and ellipse.

14. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein arrangement pitch of the plurality of heat exchange components provided on both end sides of the container is smaller than arrangement pitch of the plurality of heat exchange components provided on a center side of the container.

15. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the at least some heat exchange components are connected to each other at one end portion.

16. The heat exchanger according to claim 5, wherein the magnetocaloric effect material is selected based on Curie temperature.

17. A magnetic refrigeration system comprising:

the heat exchanger according to claim 1;

a magnetic field changing section configured to change a strength of applied magnetic field to the heat exchanger; and

a heat transport section configured to feed the heat exchanger with the heat transport medium.

18. The system according to claim 17, a longest side of a heat exchange components is provided parallel to a direction of magnetic field.

19. The system according to claim 17, wherein the magnetic field changing section includes a permanent magnet.