Magnetocaloric heat generator

• US 9,523,519 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2012
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magnoric
• Original Assignee: Cooltech Applications S.A.S.
• Inventors: Muller, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Melvin
• Application Number:
  US14/351,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20140325996A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,518 Days
• Field of Search: 62/31
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 21/00 Machines, plants or systems, using electric or magnetic effects
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 29/00 Combined heating and refrigeration systems, e.g. operating alternately or simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/00 Energy efficient heating, ventilation or air conditioning [HVAC]

Abstract

A magnetocaloric heat generator (1) which comprises at least one magnetocaloric unit (21) provided with at least one magnetocaloric material (3) in thermal contact with a heat transfer fluid (F) and at least one magnetic unit (41) capable of subjecting the magnetocaloric material (3) to a variable magnetic field. This generator (1) is characterized in that each unit (21, 41) has a modular configuration and comprises at least one fitting form (E1, E2, E3) which facilitates assembly with another unit (41, 21), along a same median axis (M), which is provided with a complementary fitting form (E1, E2, E3).

Claims

1. A magnetocaloric heat generator (1, 10, 20) comprising:

at least one magnetocaloric unit (21, 22) provided with at least one magnetocaloric material (3) in thermal contact with a heat transfer fluid (F) and at least one magnetic unit (41, 42) capable of subjecting the magnetocaloric material (3) to a variable magnetic field,

wherein each unit (21, 22, 41, 42) has a modular configuration and comprises at least one fitting form (E1, E2, E3, E12, E13) in order to be assembled, without common assembly shaft, along a same median axis (M), with another unit (41, 42, 21, 22) which comprises a complementary fitting form (E1, E2, E3, E12, E13).

2. The generator according to claim 1, wherein the generator further comprises a hydraulic unit (51, 52) which includes at least a section of a circuit (6) for the heat transfer fluid (F) in thermal contact with the magnetocaloric material (3) and a driving system (81, 82) for driving the heat transfer fluid (F), and the hydraulic unit (51, 52) has a modular configuration and also comprise at least one fitting form (E5, E6, E10, E11) which facilitates assembly, along the median axis (M), with another unit (21, 22, 41, 42) provided with a complementary fitting form (E4).

3. The generator according to claim 1, wherein the generator further comprises at least one exchange unit (71) capable of carrying out heat exchange between the heat transfer fluid (F), in thermal contact with the magnetocaloric material (3), and an external fluid, and the exchange unit (71) has a modular configuration and comprises at least one fitting form (E9) which facilitates assembly, along the median axis (M), with another unit (21, 22) provided with a complementary fitting form (E7, E8).

4. The generator according to claim 3, wherein the exchange unit (71) comprises at least two portions of fluidic circuits (11, 12), a first circuit portion (11) for the heat transfer fluid (F) in thermal contact with the magnetocaloric material (3) and a second circuit portion (12) for the external fluid, and the first and the second circuit portions (11, 12) are in thermal contact with one another.

5. The generator according to claim 1, wherein the fitting forms (E1, E3;

E2, E3;

E4, E5;

E4, E10;

E4, E11;

E7, E9;

E8, E9;

E12, E3) cooperate to perform an axial positioning, along the median axis (M), and a radial positioning in a radial plane, perpendicular to the median axis (M), of the units (21, 22, 41, 42, 51, 52, 71) with respect to one another.

6. The generator according to claim 1, wherein the fitting forms (E5, E4;

E10, E4;

E11, E4;

E12, E3) cooperate to perform an axial positioning along the median axis (M), a radial positioning in a radial plane perpendicular to the median axis (M), and a rotational connection of the units (41, 51;

41, 52;

42, 51) with respect to one another.

7. The generator according to claim 1, wherein the generator comprises two magnetic units (41, 42) mounted opposite to one another in order to form a magnetic gap (13),

the magnetocaloric material (3) of the magnetocaloric unit (21, 22) is located in the magnetic gap (13),

the magnetic units (41, 42) each comprise a part (14) with a material continuity at a level of the median axis (M),

the material is capable of conducing a magnetic field, and

the part (14) carries at least one magnetic assembly (15).

8. The generator according claim 7, wherein the magnetic assembly (15) comprises at least one permanent magnet (16) and at least one pole piece (17).