Thermal generator with magnetocaloric material
First Claim
1. A heat generator with a magnetocaloric material, the heat generator comprising:
- at least one thermal flux generation unit (2, 102, 202) provided with at least one thermal module (3) containing a magnetocaloric element (4), crossed by a heat transfer fluid circulated according to an alternating movement on both sides of the magnetocaloric element (4);
a magnetic arrangement (9, 24) being movable to subject alternately the magnetocaloric element (4) to a magnetic field variation and alternately create, in the magnetocaloric element (4), a heating cycle and a cooling cycle, generating creation of and then maintaining a temperature gradient between two opposite ends (7, 8) of the magnetocaloric element (4), alternating displacement of the heat transfer fluid being synchronized with the magnetic field variation;
the thermal flux generation unit (2, 102, 202) comprising a field closing device (30, 31, 32) arranged to loop magnetic flux generated by the magnetic arrangement (9, 24);
the magnetocaloric element (4) being integrated in a closed heat transfer fluid circulation circuit (6) which interconnects the two opposite ends (7, 8) of the magnetocaloric element (4), andthe closed heat transfer fluid circulation circuit (6) comprising a single means of displacement (5, 50, 60) of the heat transfer fluid through the magnetocaloric element (4) in both displacement directions;
wherein the field closing device (30, 31, 32) is movable and comprises a control device (19, 192) for driving the means of displacement (5, 50, 60) of the heat transfer fluid.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A thermal generator (1) comprises at least one thermal flow generation unit (2) that is provided with at least one thermal module (3) each containing a magnetocaloric member (4) through which a coolant flows. A magnetic arrangement (9) is actuated for alternatively subjecting each magnetocaloric member (4) to a variation in magnetic field, the alternating movement of the coolant is synchronized with the magnetic field variation, the magnetocaloric member (4) is integrated into a closed flow circuit (6) that connects the two opposite ends (7) of the magnetocaloric member (4), and the closed circuit includes a single element (5) for moving the coolant through the magnetocaloric member (4).
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A heat generator with a magnetocaloric material, the heat generator comprising:
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at least one thermal flux generation unit (2, 102, 202) provided with at least one thermal module (3) containing a magnetocaloric element (4), crossed by a heat transfer fluid circulated according to an alternating movement on both sides of the magnetocaloric element (4); a magnetic arrangement (9, 24) being movable to subject alternately the magnetocaloric element (4) to a magnetic field variation and alternately create, in the magnetocaloric element (4), a heating cycle and a cooling cycle, generating creation of and then maintaining a temperature gradient between two opposite ends (7, 8) of the magnetocaloric element (4), alternating displacement of the heat transfer fluid being synchronized with the magnetic field variation; the thermal flux generation unit (2, 102, 202) comprising a field closing device (30, 31, 32) arranged to loop magnetic flux generated by the magnetic arrangement (9, 24); the magnetocaloric element (4) being integrated in a closed heat transfer fluid circulation circuit (6) which interconnects the two opposite ends (7, 8) of the magnetocaloric element (4), and the closed heat transfer fluid circulation circuit (6) comprising a single means of displacement (5, 50, 60) of the heat transfer fluid through the magnetocaloric element (4) in both displacement directions; wherein the field closing device (30, 31, 32) is movable and comprises a control device (19, 192) for driving the means of displacement (5, 50, 60) of the heat transfer fluid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A heat generator with magnetocaloric material comprising:
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at least one thermal flux generation unit (2, 102, 202) provided with at least one thermal module (3) containing a magnetocaloric element (4), crossed by a heat transfer fluid circulated according to an alternating movement on both sides of the magnetocaloric element (4); a magnetic arrangement (9, 24) being movable for alternately subjecting the magnetocaloric element (4) to a magnetic field variation and alternately creating, in the magnetocaloric element (4), a heating cycle and a cooling cycle, generating creation of and maintaining a temperature gradient between two opposite ends (7, 8) of the magnetocaloric element (4), and alternating displacement of the heat transfer fluid being synchronized with the magnetic field variation; the thermal flux generation unit (2, 102, 202) comprising a field closing device (30, 31, 32) arranged to loop magnetic flux generated by the magnetic arrangement (9, 24); the magnetocaloric element (4) being integrated in a closed heat transfer fluid circulation circuit (6) which interconnects the two opposite ends (7, 8) of the magnetocaloric element (4) with one another, the closed heat transfer fluid circulation circuit (6) comprising a single means of displacement (5, 50, 60) of the heat transfer fluid through the magnetocaloric element (4) in both displacement directions; and the field closing device (30, 31, 32) comprising a control device (19, 192) for driving the means for displacement (5, 50, 60) of the heat transfer fluid; wherein the thermal flux generation unit has a linear structure in which the magnetocaloric elements are aligned, and the magnetic arrangement is driven in reciprocating translation along the magnetocaloric elements, the field closing device has a yoke-shaped profile with legs which are provided, on internal faces thereof, with permanent magnets with opposite polarities and make up the magnetic arrangement, the control device comprises two permanent magnets with different polarities located opposite and spaced from one another, and the means of displacement is a piston which comprises a magnet arranged with respect to the permanent magnets of the control device such that the piston is pushed back by each of the permanent magnets of the control device.
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14. A heat generator with magnetocaloric material comprising:
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at least one thermal flux generation unit (2, 102, 202) comprising at least one thermal module (3) having a magnetocaloric element (4) with two opposite ends (7, 8), a heat transfer fluid being alternately displacable across the magnetocaloric element (4) between the two opposite ends (7, 8); a magnetic arrangement (9, 24) generating a magnetic field being located adjacent to and movable with respect to the magnetocaloric element (4), the magnetic field acting upon the magnetocaloric element (4), alternating movement of the magnetic arrangement (9, 24) with respect to the magnetocaloric element (4) alternately creates a heating cycle and a cooling cycle in the magnetocaloric element (4) such that a temperature gradient, between the two opposite ends (7 and 8) of the magnetocaloric element (4), is generated and maintained, the alternating displacement of the heat transfer fluid being synchronized with the alternating movement of the magnetic arrangement (9, 24) with respect to the magnetocaloric element (4), the least one thermal flux generation unit (2, 102, 202) comprising a field closing device (30, 31, 32) being arranged to loop the magnetic field generated by the magnetic arrangement (9, 24), and the field closing device (30, 31, 32) comprises a control device (19, 192); the magnetocaloric element (4) being integrated in a closed heat transfer fluid circulation circuit (6) connecting the two opposite ends (7, 8) of the magnetocaloric element (4) with one another, and the closed heat transfer fluid circulation circuit (6) comprising a single displacement device (5, 50, 60) for alternately displacing the heat transfer fluid across the magnetocaloric element (4), in opposite displacement directions, and the control device (19, 192) controlling the displacement device (5, 50, 60).
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Specification