TEMPERATURE CONTROL UNIT, ESPECIALLY VEHICLE TEMPERATURE CONTROL UNIT

• US 20160356529A1
• Filed: 06/07/2016
• Published: 12/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eberspacher Climate Control Systems GmbH & Co. KG (Eberspächer Gruppe GmbH & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Eberspacher Climate Control Systems GmbH & Co. KG (Eberspächer Gruppe GmbH & Co. KG)
• Inventors: HUMBURG, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 10,119,731 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: Y02B 30/00 Energy efficient heating, ventilation or air conditioning [HVAC]

Abstract

A temperature control unit includes a temperature control body made of magnetocaloric material and elongated in a longitudinal direction (L), through which or/and around which heat transfer medium can flow. A magnetic field arrangement (16) has magnetic field heating areas (22) arranged following one another in a shifting direction (V) and cooling areas (24) between the magnetic field heating areas (22). A plurality of heat transfer medium flow zones (Z_i) following one another in the longitudinal direction (L) are provided with the temperature control body (14). At least two heat transfer medium flow zones (Z_i) adjacent to one another in the longitudinal direction (L) of the temperature control body provide a heat transfer medium circulation sector (I, II, III, IV). Heat input fluid, flowing relative to heat transfer medium flow zones (Z₁), feed heat in and heat discharge fluid flowing relative to heat transfer medium flow zones (Z₈) discharging heat.

Claims

1. A temperature control unit comprising:

at least one temperature control body, which is elongated in a longitudinal direction of the temperature control body and which is made of magnetocaloric material and through which or around which or both through which and around which heat transfer medium flows;

a magnetic field arrangement comprising magnetic field heating areas which are arranged following one another in a shifting direction and cooling areas respectively between the following magnetic field heating areas; and

a plurality of heat transfer medium flow zones following one another in the longitudinal direction of the temperature control body provided with the temperature control body and at least two heat transfer medium flow zones adjacent to one another in the longitudinal direction of the temperature control body to provide a heat transfer medium circulation sector, wherein heat input fluid can flow through or around or both through and around the at least one of the heat transfer medium flow zones for feeding heat into this heat transfer medium flow zone or heat discharge fluid can flow through or around or both through and around at least one heat transfer medium flow zone for discharging heat from the at least one heat transfer medium flow zone.

2. A temperature control unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one heat transfer medium flow zone provides a heat transfer medium circulation sector together with a heat transfer medium flow zone adjacent thereto on a first side, in the longitudinal direction of the temperature control body during a first phase of operation and provides another heat transfer medium circulation sector together with a heat transfer medium flow zone adjacent to the at least one heat transfer medium flow zone on a second side in the longitudinal direction of the temperature control body during a second phase of operation.

3. A temperature control unit in accordance with claim 2, wherein multiple phases of operation types are provided comprising:

a first type of operation involving a first phase of operation and a second phase of operation with heat discharge fluid flowing through the at least one heat transfer medium flow zone through which heat discharge fluid can flow and heat input fluid can flow through the at least one heat transfer medium flow zone through which heat input fluid can flow; and

a second type of operation involving a first phase of operation and a second phase of operation with the heat transfer medium flow zone through which heat discharge fluid can flow together with a heat transfer medium flow zone adjacent to this zone in the longitudinal direction of the temperature control body providing one of the heat transfer medium circulation sectors and the heat transfer medium flow zone through which heat input fluid can flow together with a heat transfer medium flow zone adjacent to this zone in the longitudinal direction of the temperature control body providing a heat transfer medium circulation sector.

4. A temperature control unit in accordance with claim 2, wherein first phases of operation and second phases of operation alternate with one another.

5. A temperature control unit in accordance with claim 2, wherein the longitudinal direction of the temperature control body essentially corresponds to the shifting direction.

6. A temperature control unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein a circulation of heat transfer medium is provided in at least one heat transfer medium circulation sector, wherein during the circulation heat transfer medium is removed from one of the heat transfer medium flow zones of this heat transfer medium circulation sector and fed into the other heat transfer medium flow zone of this heat transfer medium circulation sector and heat transfer medium is removed from the other heat transfer medium flow zone and fed into the one heat transfer medium flow zone.

7. A temperature control unit in accordance with claim 6, wherein the heat transfer medium is removed from the one heat transfer medium flow zone on a side located essentially at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the temperature control body and is fed into the other heat transfer medium flow zone on the same side and is removed from the other heat transfer medium flow zone on another side located essentially at rights angles to the longitudinal direction of the temperature control body and is fed into the one heat transfer medium flow zone on the same side.

8. A temperature control unit in accordance with claim 6, wherein in at least one heat transfer medium circulation sector, at least one heat transfer medium line leads from the one heat transfer medium flow zone to the other heat transfer medium flow zone and at least one heat transfer medium line leads from the other heat transfer medium flow zone to the one heat transfer medium flow zone.

9. A temperature control unit in accordance with claim 6, wherein in at least one heat transfer medium flow zone), a line section of a heat transfer medium line leading from or to this zone can be connected to a line section of a heat transfer medium line leading from or to a heat transfer medium flow zone adjacent to this heat transfer medium flow zone on the first side in the longitudinal direction of the temperature control body or can be connected to a line section of a heat transfer medium line leading from or to a heat transfer medium flow zone adjacent to this heat transfer medium flow zone on the second side in the longitudinal direction of the temperature control body.

10. A temperature control unit in accordance with claim 9, wherein the line section of a heat transfer medium line leading from or to the at least one heat transfer medium flow zone is connected to the line section of a heat transfer medium line leading from or to the heat transfer medium flow zone adjacent thereto on the first side in the longitudinal direction of the temperature control body during a first phase of operation and is connected to the line section of a heat transfer medium line leading from or to the heat transfer medium flow zone adjacent thereto on the second side in the longitudinal direction of the temperature control body during a second phase of operation.

11. A temperature control unit in accordance with claim 9, wherein the line sections can be connected by means of a valve.

12. A temperature control unit in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a heat transfer medium pump associated with at least one heat transfer medium circulation sector.

13. A temperature control unit in accordance with claim 2, further comprising a heat transfer medium pump associated with every other of the heat transfer medium flow zones following one another in the longitudinal direction of the temperature control body such that the every other of the heat transfer medium flow zones together with the heat transfer medium flow zones adjacent to the every other of the heat transfer medium flow zones in the longitudinal direction of the temperature control body on the first side each provide a heat transfer medium circulation sector in a first phase of operation and together with the heat transfer medium flow zones adjacent to the every other of the heat transfer medium flow zones in the longitudinal direction of the temperature control body each provide a heat transfer medium circulation sector in a second phase of operation.

14. A temperature control unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein a plurality of heat transfer medium circulation sectors are provided following one another in a longitudinal direction of the temperature control body.

15. A temperature control unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein the temperature control body is received in a temperature control body housing.

16. A temperature control unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein the magnetic field arrangement on at least one side essentially at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the temperature control body comprises a plurality of permanent magnets, which are arranged spaced apart from one another and following one another in the longitudinal direction of the temperature control body and which provide essentially the magnetic field heating areas, the cooling areas being provided between magnets arranged spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction of the temperature control body.

17. A temperature control unit in accordance with claim 16, wherein the magnetic field arrangement further comprises a magnet carrier and magnets following one another in the longitudinal direction of the temperature control body are carried on the magnet carrier which is driveable by a drive for linear motion in the shifting direction.

18. A temperature control unit in accordance with claim 16, wherein a plurality of magnets following one another in the longitudinal direction of the temperature control body and arranged spaced apart from one another are provided each on both sides of the temperature control body essentially at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the temperature control body, one magnet on the other side being located opposite at least one, preferably each, magnet on one side.

19. A temperature control unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein the heat transfer medium flow zone through which or around which or both through which and around which heat input fluid can flow is provided on a longitudinal end area of the temperature control body and the heat transfer medium flow zone is provided on the other longitudinal end area of the temperature control body.

20. A vehicle temperature control unit comprising:

at least one temperature control body extending in a body longitudinal direction and comprising magnetocaloric material, the magnetocaloric material forming a heat transfer medium flow region around which or through which, or both through which and around which heat transfer medium flows;

a magnetic field arrangement comprising a plurality of spaced apart pairs of magnets following one another in a shifting direction, the pairs of magnets forming a magnetic field between magnets to form magnetic field heating areas and to form, in each space between two magnetic field heating areas, a cooling area with the heating areas and cooling areas following one another in the longitudinal direction L of the temperature control body;

an electric motor drive connected to the magnetic field arrangement for linear motion of the magnetic field arrangement in the shifting direction; and

a flow arrangement cooperating with the heat transfer medium flow region to establish a plurality of heat transfer medium flow zones following one another in the longitudinal direction of the temperature control body, wherein the flow arrangement comprises controllable valves for selectively establishing heat transfer medium circulation sectors with at least two heat transfer medium flow zones adjacent to one another in the longitudinal direction and heat input fluid passes through the heat transfer medium flow region for feeding heat into or for discharging heat from the flow zones.