Magnetic air conditioner

• US 9,599,374 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2013
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Takahashi, Hidekazu, Tasaki, Yutaka, Yasuda, Yoshiteru
• Primary Examiner(s): Jules, Frantz
• Assistant Examiner(s): KING, BRIAN M
• Application Number:
  US14/383,627
• Publication Number:
  US 20150089960A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,478 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 2321/002 by using magneto-caloric 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 magnetic air conditioner includes heat generation disks of a hollow shape each having a magneto-caloric material and a thermal switch, and magnetic field application disks of a hollow shape each having a magnetic field application unit that applies a magnetic field to the magneto-caloric material, the heat generation disks and the magnetic field application disks being alternately stacked. At least either of the heat generation disks and the magnetic field application disks is made to relatively rotate so as to transport heat in a direction intersecting the rotating direction. The magnetic air conditioner also includes an outer-rotor motor that causes at least one of the heat generation disks and the magnetic field application disks to rotate, and a clutch that transmits a driving force collectively to the plurality of heat generation disks or to the plurality of magnetic field application disks, or separately.

Claims

1. A magnetic air conditioner including a plurality of heat generation disks of a hollow shape each having a magneto-caloric material and a thermal switch, and a plurality of magnetic field application disks of a hollow shape each having a magnetic field application unit that applies a magnetic field to the magneto-caloric material, the heat generation disks and the magnetic field application disks being alternately stacked, in which at least either of the heat generation disks and the magnetic field application disks are made to relatively rotate so as to transport heat in a direction intersecting the rotating direction, the magnetic air conditioner comprising:

a driver that causes at least one of the heat generation disks and the magnetic field application disks to rotate; and

a transmission device that transmits a driving force from the driver collectively to the plurality of heat generation disks or to the plurality of magnetic field application disks, or separately to one of a plurality of groups of the heat generation disks or the magnetic field application disks.

2. The magnetic air conditioner according to claim 1,

wherein the transmission device includes a clutch that unifies the plurality of heat generation disks or the plurality of magnetic field application disks and separates the heat generation disks or the magnetic field application disks into a plurality of groups.

3. The magnetic air conditioner according to claim 1, further comprising:

refrigerant paths provided in each of the plurality of groups along an outer circumferential portion and an inner circumferential portion of the plurality of heat generation disks or the plurality of magnetic field application disks; and

a communication valve that individually allows communication between the refrigerant paths on an inner circumferential side and communication between the refrigerant paths on an outer circumferential side in each of the groups,

wherein the communication valve is operable either in a mode of allowing communication between the refrigerant paths on the inner circumferential side and between the refrigerant paths on the outer circumferential side of all the groups, or in a mode of allowing communication between the refrigerant paths on the inner circumferential side and between the refrigerant paths on the outer circumferential side of a part of the groups.

4. The magnetic air conditioner according to claim 3,

wherein the communication valve allows communication between the refrigerant paths on the inner circumferential side and between the refrigerant paths on the outer circumferential side of all the groups either in series or in parallel, in the case of allowing communication between the refrigerant paths on the inner circumferential side and between the refrigerant paths on the outer circumferential side of all the groups.

5. The magnetic air conditioner according to claim 3,

wherein the communication valve is operated in linkage with the operation of the clutch.

6. The magnetic air conditioner according to claim 3,

wherein the communication valve is a three-way valve.

7. The magnetic air conditioner according to claim 1,

wherein different temperature ranges for exhibiting a magneto-caloric effect are set for the respective groups of the magneto-caloric materials.

8. The magnetic air conditioner according to claim 1,

wherein the inner circumferential refrigerant path and the outer circumferential refrigerant path are configured to receive air.

9. The magnetic air conditioner according to claim 1, configured to generate cool air and hot air for air conditioning of a cabin of a vehicle or temperature adjustment of a battery, an inverter, and a motor installed in the vehicle.