COMPOSITE ARTICLE WITH MAGNETOCALORICALLY ACTIVE MATERIAL AND METHOD FOR ITS PRODUCTION

• US 20140020881A1
• Filed: 09/16/2013
• Published: 01/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vacuumschmelze GmbH & Company KG (Vectra Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Vacuumschmelze GmbH & Company KG (Vectra Corp.)
• Inventors: KATTER, Matthias, REPPEL, George Werner
• Granted Patent: US 9,666,340 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/185
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/02 Compacting only
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/12 Both compacting and sintering by forging B22F3/17
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 67/24 characterised by the choice of material
• 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 13/16 by applying an electrostatic field to the body of the heat-exchange medium
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 3/00 Plate-like or laminated elements; Assemblies of plate-like or laminated elements specially adapted for movement F28F5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 1/012 adapted for magnetic entropy change by magnetocaloric effect, e.g. used as magnetic refrigerating material refrigeration systems using magnetic effects F25B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 1/015 Metals or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/00 Energy efficient heating, ventilation or air conditioning [HVAC]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/25 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and including a second component containing structurally defined particles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/256 Heavy metal or aluminum or compound thereof

Abstract

A composite article (1; 10; 40) comprises a plurality of inclusions (5) of a magnetocalorically active material embedded in a matrix (4) of a magnetocalorically passive material. The inclusions (5) and the matrix (4) have a microstructure characteristic of a compacted powder.

Claims

1-35. -35. (canceled)

36. Heat exchanger comprising at least one composite article comprising a plurality of inclusions of a magnetocalorically active material embedded in a matrix of a magnetocalorically passive material, wherein the inclusions and the matrix have a microstructure characteristic of a compacted powder.

58. A refrigeration system comprising the heat exchanger according to claim 36.

59. An industrial, commercial, or domestic freezer comprising the refrigeration system according to claim 58.

60. A climate control device comprising the heat exchanger according to claim 36.

61. An air-conditioning unit comprising the climate control device according to claim 60.

37. A method of manufacturing a solid composite article, comprising:

providing a first powder comprising a magnetocalorically active material,

providing a second powder comprising a magnetocalorically passive material,

mixing the first powder and the second powder together to form a powder mixture, and

compacting the powder mixture to form a solid composite article comprising a solid matrix comprising the magnetocalorically passive material and a plurality of solid inclusions comprising a magnetocalorically active material at least partially embedded in the solid matrix.

38. Method according to claim 37, further comprising:

adding one or more of a lubricant, an organic binder or a dispersant to the powder mixture.

39. Method according to claim 37, wherein the first powder comprises a plurality of particles which are have been coated with a metallic corrosion protection coating before mixing the first powder with the second powder.

40. Method according to claim 37, wherein

the first powder comprises a plurality of particles which have been coated with an electrically isolating material before mixing the first powder with the second powder (3).

41. Method according to 37, wherein the second powder comprises a plurality of particles which have been coated with an electrically isolating material before mixing the second powder with the first powder.

42. Method according to claim 37, further comprising:

coating a plurality of particles of the first powder and a plurality of particles of the second powder with an electrically isolating material after mixing the first powder with the second powder.

43. Method according to claim 37, wherein the compacting is carried out under a pressure of 10 MPa to 3000 MPa.

44. Method according to claim 37, wherein the powder mixture is compacted by one of the compacting comprises rolling or pressing.

45. Method according to claim 37, further comprising:

enveloping the powder mixture in a mantle before compaction.

46. Method according to claim 37, wherein the compacting is carried out at room temperature or at a temperature between 30°

C. to 250°

C.

47. Method according to claim 37, further comprising:

heat treating the composite article after the compacting.

48. Method according to claim 47, wherein the heat treating is carried out at a temperature between 300°

C. and 1200°

C. for a time between 2 hours and 10 hours.

49. Method according to claim 47, wherein the heat treating is carried out under vacuum or in a protective atmosphere.

50. Method according to claim 37, further comprising:

compacting the composite article a second time.

51. Method according to claim 37, further comprising:

carrying out a finishing procedure.

52. Method according to claim 37, further comprising applying an outer protective coating to the composite article.

53. Method according to claim 52, wherein the applying of the outer protective coating comprises dipping, spraying, or electro-deposition.

54. Method according to claim 52, wherein the applying of the outer protective coating occurs after a sintering heat treatment of the composite article.

55. Method according to claim 52, wherein the applying of the outer protective coating occurs after compacting of composite article.