U.S. patent application number 12/307876 was filed with the patent office on 2009-10-29 for rotation type regenerator and magnetic refrigerator using the regenerator.
This patent application is currently assigned to DAEWOO ELECTRONICS CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Dong Kwan Lee, Seung Hoon Shin.
Application Number | 20090266083 12/307876 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38503874 |
Filed Date | 2009-10-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090266083 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Shin; Seung Hoon ; et
al. |
October 29, 2009 |
ROTATION TYPE REGENERATOR AND MAGNETIC REFRIGERATOR USING THE
REGENERATOR
Abstract
The present invention relates to a regenerator using a rotation
type magnet member and an active magnetic regenerator, and a
magnetic refrigerator using the same.
Inventors: |
Shin; Seung Hoon; (Seoul,
KR) ; Lee; Dong Kwan; (Seoul, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HAMRE, SCHUMANN, MUELLER & LARSON, P.C.
P.O. BOX 2902
MINNEAPOLIS
MN
55402-0902
US
|
Assignee: |
DAEWOO ELECTRONICS
CORPORATION
Seoul
KR
|
Family ID: |
38503874 |
Appl. No.: |
12/307876 |
Filed: |
November 13, 2006 |
PCT Filed: |
November 13, 2006 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/KR06/04729 |
371 Date: |
February 17, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/3.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y02B 30/66 20130101;
Y02B 30/00 20130101; F25B 2321/0022 20130101; F25B 21/00
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/3.1 |
International
Class: |
F25B 21/00 20060101
F25B021/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 10, 2006 |
KR |
10-2006-0064344 |
Claims
1. A rotational regenerator, comprising: a first AMR and a second
AMR including a magnetocaloric material for passing through a flow
of a heat transfer fluid; a magnet; and a magnet rotating assembly
for applying or erasing a magnetic field to the magnetocaloric
material by disposing the magnet at the first AMR or the second
AMR, wherein each of the first AMR and the second AMR comprises an
AMR bed disposed in a lengthwise direction of a through-hole being
filled up with the magnetocaloric material, and cold-side and
hot-side AMR nozzles coupled to the AMR bed and connected to the
through-hole, and wherein at least one of the AMR nozzles includes
a distribution chamber for uniformly distributing the heat transfer
fluid to an entirety of a cross-section of the through-hole.
2. The rotational regenerator in accordance with claim 1, wherein
the magnet rotating assembly comprises a body for supporting the
magnet disposed upper and lower sides of the first AMR or the
second AMR, a rotating plate for supporting the body, and a
rotational power transfer member for transferring a rotational
power to the rotating plate, and wherein each of the first AMR and
the second AMR is supported in a horizontal direction perpendicular
to a vertical tower.
3. The rotational regenerator in accordance with claim 2, wherein
the distribution chamber is connected to a first end of the AMR
nozzle, and an inlet/outlet is formed at a second end thereof, and
wherein the inlet/outlet of the AMR nozzle is right-angled such
that the inlet/outlet is on a same plane with the first AMR and the
second AMR.
4. The rotational regenerator in accordance with claim 1, wherein
the first AMR and the second AMR include plastic, respectively.
5. The rotational regenerator in accordance with claim 4, wherein
the through-hole comprises an upper through-hole and a lower
through-hole divided by a ribbed compartment.
6. The rotational regenerator in accordance with claim 5, wherein a
mesh and a packing are disposed between the AMR bed and the AMR
nozzle.
7. A magnetic refrigerator, comprising: a first AMR and a second
AMR including a magnetocaloric material for passing through a flow
of a heat transfer fluid; a magnet; a magnetic rotating assembly
for applying or erasing a magnetic field to the magnetocaloric
material by disposing the magnet at the first AMR or the second
AMR; and cold-side and hot-side heat exchangers thermally connected
to the first AMR and the second AMR, wherein each of the first AMR
and the second AMR comprises an AMR bed disposed in a lengthwise
direction of a through-hole being filled up with the magnetocaloric
material, and cold-side and hot-side AMR nozzles coupled to the AMR
bed and connected to the through-hole, and wherein one of the AMR
nozzles includes a distribution chamber for uniformly distributing
the heat transfer fluid to an entirety of a cross-section of the
through-hole.
8. The magnetic refrigerator in accordance with claim 7, wherein
the magnet rotating assembly comprises a body for supporting the
magnet disposed upper and lower sides of the first AMR or the
second AMR, a rotating plate for supporting the body, and a
rotational power transfer member for transferring a rotational
power to the rotating plate, and wherein each of the first AMR and
the second AMR is supported in a horizontal direction perpendicular
to a vertical tower.
9. The magnetic refrigerator in accordance with claim 8, wherein
the distribution chamber is connected to a first end of the AMR
nozzle, and an inlet/outlet is formed at a second end thereof, and
wherein the inlet/outlet of the AMR nozzle is right-angled such
that the inlet/outlet is on a same plane with the first AMR and the
second AMR.
10. The magnetic refrigerator in accordance with claim 7, wherein
the first AMR and the second AMR include plastic, respectively, and
wherein a mesh and a packing are disposed between the AMR bed and
the AMR nozzle.
11. The magnetic refrigerator in accordance with claim 10, wherein
the through-hole comprises an upper through-hole and a lower
through-hole divided by a ribbed compartment.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a regenerator using a
rotation type magnet member and an active magnetic regenerator
(hereinafter referred to as "AMR"), and a magnetic refrigerator
using the same.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] A conventional active magnetic regenerator is disclosed in
U.S. Pat. No. 6,826,915. As shown in FIG. 1, (a) a temperature of a
magnetic refrigerant material which has a magnetic field applied
thereto as a magnet moves to a right increases from a dotted line
to a solid line. (b) The temperature of the magnetic refrigerant
material drops from the dotted line to the solid line as a heat
transfer fluid at a cold side moves to a hot side, and the heat
transfer fluid is gradually heated to be hot at a right outlet,
thereby emitting heat by an heat exchange with the hot side. (c)
The temperature of the magnetic refrigerant material which has a
magnetic field erased as the magnet moves to a left decreases more
from the dotted line to the solid line, (d) Due to the movement of
the heat transfer fluid from the hot side to the cold side, the
magnetic refrigerant material is heated from the temperature of the
dotted line to that of the solid line, and the heat transfer fluid
is relatively cooled to be cold at a left outlet, thereby absorbing
heat from the cold side to cool the cold side.
[0003] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, in accordance with the
conventional active magnetic regenerator including the
above-described cycle, a temperature of the heat transfer fluid
heated in a first AMR bed 10A in the magnetic field is dropped to
an atmospheric temperature by a hot-side heat exchanger 70 and the
heat transfer fluid is then passed through the second AMR bed 10B.
At the same time, since the second AMR bed 10B is outside the
magnetic field, a magnetic refrigerant material layer 16 has a low
temperature, the temperature of the heat transfer fluid drops while
passing through the magnetic refrigerant material layer 16. The
heat transfer fluid having the low temperature passes through a
cold-side heat exchanger 60 and then enters the first AMR bed 10A
to be heated. The heat transfer fluid then flows to the hot-side
heat exchanger 70, the second AMR bed 10B and the cold-side heat
exchanger 60 to complete the one cycle. Contrarily, when the second
AMR bed 10B is moved to a magnet circuit 22 by a movable mechanism
24, a channel switch 30 reverses the flow of the heat transfer
fluid to generate a reverse cycle.
[0004] (On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3, an AMR bed 10
includes a container 12 of a cylinder type, a plurality of magnetic
refrigerant material layers 16 stored inside the container 12, and
meshes 14. The container 12 includes heat transfer fluid
inlet/outlet ports 18a and 18b, which may be connected to the heat
exchange the 32 or 34.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
Technical Problem
[0005] However, the inlet/outlet ports 18a and 18b are installed at
a center portion of the container 12. Therefore, the heat transfer
fluid does not Flow through an entire cross-section of the
container 12, which renders the heat transfer fluid to flow through
the magnetic refrigerant material 16 at the same spot, thereby
making a smooth heat exchange difficult.
Technical Solution
[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide a
regenerator and a magnetic refrigerator using the same wherein a
heat transfer fluid is dispersed and flown through an entire the
magnetic refrigerant material to obtain a superior heat exchange
characteristic.
[0007] In order to achieve the above-described object, there is
provided a rotational regenerator, comprising: a first AMR and a
second AMR including a magnetocaloric material for passing through
a flow of a heat transfer fluid, a magnet; and a magnet rotating
assembly for applying or erasing a magnetic field by disposing the
magnet at the first AMR or the second AMR, wherein each of the
first AMR and the second AMR comprises an AMR bed disposed in a
lengthwise direction of a through-hole being filled up with the
magnetocaloric material, and cold-side and hot-side AMR nozzles
coupled to the AMR bed and connected to the through-hole, and
wherein one of the AMR nozzles includes a distribution chamber for
uniformly distributing the heat transfer fluid to an entirety of a
cross-section of the through-hole.
[0008] There is also provided a magnetic refrigerator. comprising:
a first AMR. and a second AMR including a magnetocaloric material
for passing through a flow of a heat transfer fluid; a magnet; a
magnetic rotating assembly for applying or erasing a magnetic field
by disposing the magnet at the first AMR or the second AMR; and
cold-side and hot-side heat exchangers thermally connected to the
first AMR and the second AMR, wherein each of the first AMR and the
second AMR comprises an AMR bed disposed in a lengthwise direction
of a through-hole being filled up with the magnetocaloric material,
and cold-side and hot-side AMR nozzles coupled to the AMR bed and
connected to the through-hole, and wherein one of the AMR nozzles
includes a distribution chamber for uniformly distributing the heat
transfer fluid to an entirety of a cross-section of the
through-hole.
[0009] It is preferable that the magnet rotating assembly comprises
a body for supporting the magnet disposed upper and lower sides of
the first AMR or the second AMR, a rotating plate for supporting
the body, and a rotational power transfer member for transferring a
rotational power to the rotating plate, and wherein each of the
first AMR and the second AMR is supported in a horizontal direction
perpendicular to a vertical tower.
[0010] It preferable that the distribution chamber is connected to
a first end of the AMR nozzle, and an inlet/outlet is formed at a
second end thereof, and wherein the inlet/outlet of the AMR nozzle
is right-angled such that the inlet/outlet is on a same plane with
the first AMR and the second AMR, thereby reducing a radius of a
rotation by preventing an interference with the rotation of the
magnet.
[0011] In addition, when the AMRs include plastic, a wide
temperature slope is obtained by an adiabatic state.
[0012] Moreover, when a mesh and a packing are disposed between the
AMR bed and the AMR nozzle, a leakage of the magnetocaloric
material and the heat transfer fluid is prevented.
[0013] In addition, when the through-hole comprises an upper
through-hole and a lower through-hole divided by a ribbed
compartment, a distortion of the AMR bed due to a pressure of the
heat transfer fluid is prevented.
Advantageous Effects
[0014] As described above, the regenerator and the magnetic
refrigerator using the same in accordance with the present
invention have following advantages,
[0015] As a first advantage, since the magnetic refrigerator
includes the distribution chamber having a size almost identical to
that of the cross-section of the magnetocaloric material of the AMR
bed, the heat transfer fluid flows uniformly throughout the
magnetocaloric material, resulting in a suppression of the
corrugation formed by partial flow thereof to improve the heat
exchange efficiency.
[0016] As a second advantage, the heat exchange efficiency is
improved by employing the rotational AMR cycle operation.
[0017] As a third advantage, the heat exchange efficiency is
improved by employing the structure wherein the heat transfer fluid
always passes through the magnetocaloric material.
[0018] As a fourth advantage, the leakage of the heat transfer
fluid and the magnetocaloric material is prevented by using the
mesh and the plastic packing.
[0019] As a fifth advantage, the heat exchange efficiency is
doubled using the four AMR.
[0020] As a sixth advantage, an adiabatic state is achieved by
employing the plastic AMR and by preventing an exposure of the
magnetocaloric material to outside, resulting in the improvement of
the heat exchange efficiency.
[0021] As a seventh advantage, since the through-hole of the AMR
bed has the upper and the lower through-holes divided by the ribbed
compartment, the distortion of a shape of the AMR due to the
pressure of the heat transfer fluid is prevented. Even when the
distortion occurs, the heat transfer fluid cannot bypass the
magnetocaloric material due to the stricture of the distribution
chamber, resulting in the high heat exchange efficiency.
[0022] As the eighth advantage, since the inlet/outlet of the AMR
nozzle is right-angled to be on the same plane as the AMR such that
the interference of the rotation of the magnet member occurring due
to a size of a nipple for flowing the heat transfer fluid into the
magnetocaloric material which is larger than a distance between the
magnets is prevented and the radius of the rotation of is minimized
to be used in the small space.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram a conventional active magnetic
refrigerator.
[0024] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration
of a conventional active magnetic refrigerator.
[0025] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional diagram illustrating an AMR bed
of the conventional active magnetic refrigerator of FIG. 2.
[0026] FIG. 4 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a
rotation type regenerator in accordance with a preferred embodiment
of the present invention.
[0027] FIG. 5 is a perspective disassembled view illustrating a
main portion of an AMR of FIG. 4.
[0028] FIGS. 6 through 14 are diagrams illustrating a cycle of a
magnetic refrigerator.
DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0029] 40,140: pump
[0030] 60,160: cold-side heat exchangers
[0031] 70,170: hot-side heat exchangers
[0032] 100: regenerator
[0033] 110 (110A, 110B): AMR
[0034] 111: AMR bed
[0035] 114: through-hole
[0036] 115: mounting groove
[0037] 120L: cold-side AMR nozzle connector
[0038] 120H: hot-side AMR nozzle connector
[0039] 121L: cold-side inlet
[0040] 121H: hot-side inlet
[0041] 123L: cold-side distribution chamber
[0042] 123H: hot-side distribution chamber
[0043] 150: tower
[0044] 210: magnet member
[0045] 211: magnet
[0046] 213: body
[0047] 230: rotating plate
[0048] M: mesh
[0049] R: ribbed compartment
[0050] S: packing
[0051] SOL1-SOL4: solenoid valves
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0052] The above-described objects and other objects and
characteristics and advantages of the present invention will now be
described in detail with reference to the accompanied drawings.
[0053] FIG. 4 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a
rotation type regenerator in accordance with a preferred embodiment
of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a perspective disassembled view
illustrating a main portion of an AMR of FIG. 4, and FIGS. 6
through 14 are diagrams illustrating a cycle of a magnetic
refrigerator. As shown in FIGS. 4 through 14, a magnetic
refrigerator in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
present invention comprises a regenerator 100, a cold-side heat
exchanger 160 and a hot-side heat exchanger 170 thermally connected
to the regenerator 100. While the cold-side heat exchanger 160
performs a cooling, the hot-side heat exchanger 170 performs a heat
emission.
[0054] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the regenerator 100 comprises an
AMR 110, a magnet member 210 and a magnet rotating assembly for
applying or erasing a magnetic field to the AMR 110.
[0055] The AMR 110 comprises a first AMR 110A and a second AMR
110B. As shown in FIG. 5, each of the AMR 110 comprises an AMR bed
111 including the magnetocaloric material for passing through a
flow of the heat transfer fluid, a cold-side AMR nozzle connector
120L and a hot-side AMR nozzle connector 120L attached to both
sides of the AMR bed the AMR bed 111.
[0056] A through-hole 114 to be filled up with the magnetocaloric
material is formed in the AMR bed 111 along a lengthwise direction
thereof. In addition, the cold-side AMR nozzle connector 120L and
the hot-side AMR nozzle connector 120L are attached to the
through-hole 114.
[0057] In addition, a cold-side inlet 121 L and a cold-side
distribution chamber 123L are disposed at each end of the cold-side
AMR nozzle connector 120L, and a hot-side inlet 121H and a hot-side
distribution chamber 123H are disposed at each end of the hot-side
AMR nozzle connector 120H. The distribution chambers 123L and 123H
serve as a distribution chamber for uniform distribution through
entire cross-section of a flow path of the through-hole 114.
Therefore, a partial contact with the magnetocaloric material and a
corrugated shape is minimized to improve the heat exchange
efficiency since the heat transfer fluid proceeds at the cold-side
inlet 121L or the hot-side inlet 121H at a sufficient velocity to
be diffused at the distribution chambers 123L and 123H, thereby
flowing through the entire the through-hole 114. In addition, the
cold-side inlet 121L and the hot-side inlet 121H are connected to
heat exchange tubes 132 and 134.
[0058] A plurality of the first AMR 110A are mounted at an opposing
position, and a plurality of the second AMR 110B are mounted
between the first AMR 110A, i.e. a cross structure.
[0059] Due to the cross structure, when an AMR bed 111A is in a
magnet 211, an AMR bed 111 is position outside the magnet 211. A
reason that a space exists between the AMR bed 111A and the AMR bed
111B is that the heat transfer fluid should not flow when the AMR
bed 111 is outside the magnetic field. That is, the AMR bed 111B is
cooled when the AMR bed 111A is heated.
[0060] Due to an above-described structure of the AMR 110, the heat
transfer fluid always passes through the magnetocaloric material,
thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency.
[0061] In addition, it is preferable that the AMR beds 111A and
111B or the entire AMR bed 111 comprises a plastic. The plastic has
a large adiabatic effect and a wide temperature slope.
[0062] On the other hand, the through-hole 114 comprises an upper
through-hole UP and a lower through-hole LP divided by a ribbed
compartment R. The ribbed compartment R serves a function of a rib
such that the ribbed compartment R prevents a distortion of the AMR
bed 111 due to a pressure.
[0063] It is preferable that a mesh M and plastic packing S are
mounted at a mounting groove 115 of the through-hole 114 in order
to prevent a leakage of the magnetocaloric material and the heat
transfer fluid.
[0064] The cold-side heat exchanger 160 and the hot-side heat
exchanger 170 are thermally coupled to the AMR 110 through heat
exchange tubes 132, 133, 134, 135 and 136. The flow of the heat
transfer fluid is formed by a pump 140. In addition, a change of a
direction of the heat transfer fluid is carried out by solenoid
valves SOL1 through SOL4. Moreover, a bypass tube the bypass tube
137 is connected between an inlet and an outlet of the pump
140.
[0065] The magnet member 210 comprises the magnet 211 and a body
213 for supporting the magnet 211.
[0066] The magnet rotating assembly comprises a rotating plate 230
for supporting the magnet member 210 and a rotational power
transfer member (not shown) tor transferring a rotational power to
the rotating plate 230. The rotational power transfer member may be
embodied various components such as a gear, a belt and a motor.
[0067] It is preferable that the AMR bed 111 is supported in a
horizontal direction perpendicular to a vertical tower 150 such
that the AMR bed 111 may move between the magnet 211.
[0068] It is preferable that the cold-side inlet 121L and the
hot-side inlet 121H of the cold-side AMR nozzle connector 120L and
the hot-side AMR nozzle connector 120L are right-angled toward a
vertical tower 150 such that the cold-side inlet 12IL and the
hot-side inlet 121H lie on a same plane as the AMR bed 111. This is
to prevent an interference of a rotation of the magnet member
occurring due to a size of a nipple for flowing the heat transfer
fluid into the magnetocaloric material which is larger than a
distance between the magnets. In addition, the magnet member 210
may be used in a small space when a radius of a rotation is
minimized.
[0069] The cyclic operation of the magnetic refrigerator in
accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention
will now be described with reference to FIGS. 6 through 14. It
should be noted that the solenoid valves shown in FIGS. 6 through
14 switches in a manner that the solenoid valves operates as an
elbow type when OFF and as a straight type when ON.
[0070] FIG. 6 illustrates a state wherein the two magnet members
210 are accurately positioned at the space between the first AMR
110A and the second AMR 110B. It is preferable that the magnet
members 210 have an angle of 180 therebetween. Since the heat
transfer fluid should not flow in the first AMR 110A and the second
AMR 110B in FIG. 1, the solenoid valves SOL1 through SOL4 are OFF,
and the heat transfer fluid is bypassed though the solenoid valve
SOL3 and the solenoid valve SOL4 coupled to the bypass tube
137.
[0071] As shown FIGS. 7 and 8, while a plurality of the first AMRs
110A are in the magnet 211, a plurality of the second AMRs 110B are
completely out of the magnet 211.
[0072] Therefore, the heat transfer fluid having the atmospheric
temperature that has passed through the hot-side heat exchanger 170
is cooled by passing through the second AMIR 110B via the heat
exchange tube 132, and the heat transfer fluid is cooled
additionally by passing through the opposing second AMR 110B,
thereby providing a dual-cooling effect. The temperature of the
dual-cooled heat transfer fluid returns to the atmospheric
temperature (actually, to a temperature a little lower than the
atmospheric temperature) by passing through the cold-side heat
exchanger 160 to be subjected to a first heating by passing through
the first AMR 110A and to a second heating by passing through the
opposing first AMR 110A. The heat transfer fluid that has passed
through the opposing first AMR 110A is subjected to the
dual-cooling and flows to the pump 140 through the heat exchange
tube 134 and the heat exchange tube 135. The heat transfer fluid
passes through the pump 140 and the hot-side heat exchanger 170 to
return to the atmospheric temperature (actually, to a temperature a
little higher than the atmospheric temperature). The heat transfer
fluid is then enters the AMR 110B. The above-described process
forms a single cycle. FIG. 8 illustrates a state after the
plurality of the AMRs 110A is in the magnet 211 completely and
before the plurality of the AMRs 110A move out of the magnet 211
while the heat transfer fluid flows in a direction described above.
At this time, the solenoid valve SOL2 is OFF and the solenoid
valves SOL1, SOL3 and SOL4 are ON, wherein a cold-side inlet 121AL
and a hot-side inlet 121AH of the AMR 110A serve as a cold-side
inlet and a hot-side outlet, a hot-side inlet 121BH and a cold-side
inlet 121BL of the AMR 101B serve as the hot-side outlet and the
cold-side inlet.
[0073] As shown FIGS. 9 and 10, the heat transfer fluid does not
flow to the AMR 110 from a moment when the plurality of the AMR
110A starts to move in order to move out of the magnet 211 but
bypassed.
[0074] As shown FIGS. 11 and 12, contrary to the cycle show in
FIGS. 7 and 8, while the plurality of the AMRs 111B are in the
magnet 211, the plurality of the AMRs II OA are completely out of
the magnet 211. Therefore, the heat transfer fluid having the
atmospheric temperature that has passed through the hot-side heat
exchanger 170 is subjected to the dual-cooling by passing through
the opposing AMR 110A and the AMR 110A via the heat exchange tube
134, and the heat transfer fluid returns to the atmospheric
temperature (actually. to a temperature a little lower than the
atmospheric temperature) by passing through the cold-side heat
exchanger 160 to be subjected to the dual-heating by passing
through the opposing AMR 111B and the AMR 110B and flows to the
pump 140 through the heat exchange tube 132 and the heat exchange
tube 133. The heat transfer fluid pass through the pump 140 and the
hot-side heat exchanger 170 to return to the atmospheric
temperature (actually, to a temperature a little higher than the
atmospheric temperature) to enter the plurality of the AMR 110A via
the heat exchange tube 134. The above-described process forms a
single cycle. At this time, the solenoid valve SOL1 is OFF and the
solenoid valves SOL2, SOL3 and SOL4 are ON, wherein the cold-side
inlet 121AL and the hot-side inlet 121AH of the AMR 110A serve as a
cold-side outlet and a hot-side inlet, a hot-side inlet 121BH and a
cold-side inlet 121BL of the AMR 110B serve as the hot-side inlet
and the cold-side outlet.
[0075] As shown FIGS. 13 and 14, the heat transfer fluid does not
flow to the AMR 110 from a moment when the plurality of the AMR
110B starts to move in order to move out of the magnet 211 but
bypassed.
[0076] Nine steps of FIGS. 6 through 14 illustrates a half cycle of
a total rotational cycle, and the half cycle shown in FIGS. 6
through 14 is repeated until the magnet member 210 returns to an
initial position to complete the total rotational cycle.
[0077] An advantage of the cycle of the magnetic refrigerator in
accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention
lies in that the heat exchange efficiency is improved by employing
a structure wherein the heat transfer fluid directly passes through
the magnetocaloric material, and the four AMRs 110 are connected
for more magnetocaloric material, resulting in double cooling
effects. In addition, the AMR includes the ribbed compartment which
prevents the distortion of a shape of the AMR due to the pressure
of the heat transfer fluid. Even when the distortion occurs, the
heat transfer fluid cannot bypass the magnetocaloric material due
to the structure of the distribution chamber, resulting in a high
heat exchange efficiency. Moreover, while the AMR 110 having a
shape of a simple plate, the AMR 110 provides the high efficiency
and is formed in plastic for an easy molding.
[0078] In addition, since the magnetic refrigerator in accordance
with the preferred embodiment of the present invention employs a
rotational AMR cycle operation, the high cooling effect is provided
due to a temperature slope of a low temperature and a high
temperature. As described above, the heat transfer fluid is
dual-cooled by passing two AMRs, and dual-heated by passing two
AMRs to provide twice the cooling efficiency.
[0079] Moreover, in accordance with a basic characteristic of the
cycle, the heat transfer fluid flows from the cold-side to the
hot-side when AMR enters into the magnet, and the heat transfer
fluid does not flow in the AMR when the AMR moves out of the
magnet. The heat transfer fluid flows from the hot-side to the
cold-side when the AMR moves out of the magnet to be cooled.
[0080] In addition, since the hot-side heat exchanger is disposed
at the outlet of the pump, the hot-side heat exchanger cools the
heat transfer fluid heated by the pump to the atmospheric
temperature prior to entering the AMR.
[0081] Moreover, the magnetocaloric material has a characteristic
wherein the temperature thereof is changed when the magnetic field
is applied. The magnetocaloric material 112 comprises a gadolinium
(Gd) of a fine powder type. The gadolinium has pores having a high
osmosis to the flow of the heat transfer fluid, and a superior
absorption and emission of a heat.
[0082] While the present invention has been particularly shown and
described with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it
will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes
in form and details may be effected therein without departing from
the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended
claims
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0083] In accordance to present invention, a regenerator and a
magnetic refrigerator using the same wherein a heat transfer fluid
is dispersed and flown through an entire the magnetic refrigerant
material to obtain a superior heat exchange characteristic can be
provided.
* * * * *