MAGNETO CALORIC DEVICE WITH CONTINUOUS PUMP

• US 20140165594A1
• Filed: 12/19/2012
• Published: 06/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Benedict, Michael Alexander
• Application Number:
  US13/719,395
• Publication Number:
  US 20140165594A1
• 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 2321/0021 with a static fixed magnet
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 11/00 Self-contained movable devices, e.g. domestic refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/00 Energy efficient heating, ventilation or air conditioning [HVAC]

Abstract

A heat pump system having magneto caloric material positioned in a continuously rotating regenerator is provided. The magneto caloric material is staged so that as the regenerator is rotated, a portion of the material is cycled in and out of a magnetic field in a continuous manner. A heat transfer fluid is circulated through the magneto caloric material simultaneously along at least two paths to provide for the transfer of heat both to and from the material in a cyclic manner. The magneto caloric material may include zones having different temperature ranges of responsiveness to the magnetic field. An appliance using a heat pump system based on magneto caloric material is also provided.

Claims

1. A heat pump system, comprising:

a regenerator housing defining a circumferential direction and rotatable about an axial direction, the axial direction extending between a first end and a second end of the regenerator housing, the regenerator housing comprising a plurality of chambers with each chamber extending longitudinally along the axial direction between a pair of openings, the plurality of chambers arranged proximate to each other along the circumferential direction;

a plurality of stages, each stage comprising magneto caloric material positioned within one of the plurality of chambers and extending along the axial direction;

a pair of valves comprising a first valve attached to the first end of the regenerator housing and a second valve attached to the second end of the regenerator housing, the first valve and second valve each comprising a plurality of apertures spaced apart from each other along the circumferential direction with each aperture positioned adjacent to one of the pair of openings of one of the plurality of chambers;

a magnetic element positioned proximate to the regenerator housing and extending along the axial direction, the magnetic element creating a magnetic field, the magnetic element positioned so that a subset of the plurality of stages are moved in and out of the magnetic field as the regenerator housing is rotated about the axial direction; and

a pair of seals comprising a first seal positioned adjacent to the first valve and a second seal adjacent to the second valve such that the regenerator housing and the pair of valves are rotatable relative to the pair of seals, the first seal and the second seal each comprising a pair of ports positioned in an opposing manner relative to each other and also positioned so that each port can selectively align with at least one of the pair of openings of the plurality of chambers as the regenerator housing is rotated about the axial direction.

2. The heat pump system of claim 1, wherein the regenerator housing defines a radial direction and further comprises a cavity positioned radially-inward of the plurality of chambers, wherein the magnetic element is positioned within the cavity of the regenerator housing.

3. The heat pump system of claim 2, wherein the magnetic element comprises a plurality of magnets arranged in the shape of an arc and configured to project a magnetic field substantially along a radially-outward direction.

4. The heat pump system of claim 3, wherein the arc formed by the plurality of magnets extends about the circumferential direction by an amount in the range of about 170 degrees to about 190 degrees.

5. The heat pump system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of magnets are arranged in a HalBach array.

6. The heat pump system of claim of claim 1, wherein the regenerator housing defines a radial direction and further comprises a cavity positioned radially-inward of the plurality of chambers, and wherein the magnetic element further comprising a first plurality of magnets positioned within the cavity and a second plurality of magnets positioned radially outward of the regenerator housing.

7. The heat pump system of claim of claim 1, wherein the pair of ports on each of the pair of seals are positioned about the circumferential direction within a range of about 170 degrees to about 190 degrees from each other.

8. The heat pump system of claim of claim 1, wherein each stage of the plurality of stages comprises a plurality of zones of magneto caloric material arranged sequentially along the axial direction, wherein each zone comprises magneto caloric material having a different temperature range over which a change in the magnetic moments of the magneto caloric material occurs as compared to an adjacent zone.

9. The heat pump system of claim of claim 8, wherein the plurality of zones are arranged along the axial direction so that the temperature range over which the change in the magnetic moments of magneto caloric material occurs increases sequentially from zone to zone along the axial direction.

10. The heat pump system of claim 1, further comprising a motor in mechanical communication with the regenerator housing and configured for rotating the regenerator housing about the axial direction.

11. A refrigerator appliance, comprising:

a compartment for the storage of food items;

a first heat exchanger for the removal of heat from the compartment;

a second heat exchanger for the delivery of heat removed by the first heat exchanger to a location external of the compartment;

a pump for circulating a heat transfer fluid between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger;

a heat pump in fluid communication with the pump, the heat pump also in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger through a first inlet port and a first outlet port, the heat pump also in fluid communication with the second heat exchanger by a second inlet port and a second outlet port, the heat pump further comprising

a regenerator housing defining a circumferential direction and rotatable about an axial direction, the axial direction extending between a first end and a second end of the regenerator housing, the regenerator housing comprising a plurality of chambers with each chamber extending longitudinally along the axial direction between a pair of openings, the plurality of chambers arranged proximate to each other along the circumferential direction;

a plurality of stages, each stage comprising magneto caloric material positioned within one of the plurality of chambers and extending along the axial direction;

a pair of valves comprising a first valve attached to the first end of the regenerator housing and a second valve attached to the second end of the regenerator housing, the first valve and second valve each comprising a plurality of apertures spaced apart from each other along the circumferential direction with each aperture positioned adjacent to one of the pair of openings of one of the plurality of chambers;

a magnetic element positioned proximate to the regenerator housing and extending along the axial direction, the magnetic element creating a magnetic field, the magnetic element positioned so that a subset of the plurality of stages are moved within the magnetic field as the regenerator housing is rotated about the axial direction; and

a pair of seals comprising a first seal positioned adjacent to the first valve and a second seal positioned adjacent to the second valve such that the regenerator housing and the pair of valves are rotatable relative to the pair of seals, the first seal comprising the first inlet port and the first outlet port, the second seal comprising the second inlet port and a second outlet port,

wherein the first inlet port and the first outlet port are positioned in an opposing manner about the first seal and second inlet port and the second outlet port are positioned in an opposing manner about the second seal,

wherein the first inlet port and the second outlet port are positioned for fluid communication with the pair of openings of at least one chamber at a time as the regenerator housing is rotated about the axial direction so that heat transfer fluid from the first heat exchanger may receive heat from the stage of magneto caloric material located in the at least one chamber, and

wherein the second inlet port and the first outlet port are positioned for fluid communication with the pair of openings of at least one other chamber at a time as the regenerator housing is rotated about the axial direction so that heat transfer fluid from the second heat exchanger may deliver heat to the magneto caloric material in the at least one other chamber.

12. The refrigerator appliance of claim 11, wherein the regenerator housing defines a radial direction and further comprises a cavity positioned radially-inward of the plurality of chambers, wherein the magnetic element is positioned within the cavity of the regenerator housing.

13. The refrigerator appliance of claim 12, wherein the magnetic element comprises a plurality of magnets arranged in the shape of an arc and configured to project a magnetic field substantially along a radially-outward direction.

14. The refrigerator appliance of claim 13, wherein the arc formed by the plurality of magnets extends about the circumferential direction by an amount in the range of about 170 degrees to about 190 degrees.

15. The refrigerator appliance of claim 14, wherein the plurality of magnets are arranged in a HalBach array.

16. The refrigerator appliance of claim 11, wherein the regenerator housing defines a radial direction and further comprises a cavity positioned radially-inward of the plurality of chambers, and wherein the magnetic element further comprising a first plurality of magnets positioned within the cavity and a second plurality of magnets positioned radially outward of the regenerator housing.

17. The refrigerator appliance of claim 11, wherein the pair of ports on each of the pair of seals are positioned about the circumferential direction within a range of about 170 degrees to about 190 degrees from each other.

18. The refrigerator appliance of claim 11, wherein each stage of the plurality of stages comprises a plurality of zones of magneto caloric material arranged sequentially along the axial direction, wherein each zone comprises magneto caloric material having a different temperature range over which a change in the magnetic moments of the magneto caloric material occurs as compared to an adjacent zone.

19. The refrigerator appliance of claim 18, wherein the plurality of zones are arranged along the axial direction so that the temperature range over which the change in the magnetic moments of magneto caloric material occurs increases sequentially from zone to zone along the axial direction.

20. The refrigerator appliance of claim 11, further comprising a motor in mechanical communication with the regenerator housing and configured for rotating the regenerator housing about the axial direction.