U.S. patent application number 13/482208 was filed with the patent office on 2013-12-05 for magnetic cooling device.
This patent application is currently assigned to DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.. The applicant listed for this patent is Chieh-Shih CHANG, Sheng-Fan HSIEH, Chung-Jung KUO, Tze-Chern MAO, Min-Chia WANG, Tiao-Yuan WU. Invention is credited to Chieh-Shih CHANG, Sheng-Fan HSIEH, Chung-Jung KUO, Tze-Chern MAO, Min-Chia WANG, Tiao-Yuan WU.
Application Number | 20130319012 13/482208 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49579324 |
Filed Date | 2013-12-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130319012 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KUO; Chung-Jung ; et
al. |
December 5, 2013 |
MAGNETIC COOLING DEVICE
Abstract
A magnetic cooling device is provided, including a
magnetocaloric module and a magnetic unit movably disposed around
the magnetocaloric module. The magnetocaloric module comprises a
bed, a first magnetocaloric member, a second magnetocaloric member,
and a third magnetocaloric member received in the bed, wherein the
first and third magnetocaloric members are respectively close to a
cold end and a hot end of the magnetocaloric module. Specifically,
the first, second, and third magnetocaloric members are arranged
along a central axis of the magnetocaloric module, and the weight
of the third magnetocaloric member exceeds that of the first and
second magnetocaloric members. A thermal fluid sequentially flows
through the first, second, and third magnetocaloric members to
transfer heat from the cold end to the hot end of the
magnetocaloric module.
Inventors: |
KUO; Chung-Jung; (Taoyuan
Hsien, TW) ; MAO; Tze-Chern; (Taoyuan Hsien, TW)
; CHANG; Chieh-Shih; (Taoyuan Hsien, TW) ; WU;
Tiao-Yuan; (Taoyuan Hsien, TW) ; HSIEH;
Sheng-Fan; (Taoyuan Hsien, TW) ; WANG; Min-Chia;
(Taoyuan Hsien, TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
KUO; Chung-Jung
MAO; Tze-Chern
CHANG; Chieh-Shih
WU; Tiao-Yuan
HSIEH; Sheng-Fan
WANG; Min-Chia |
Taoyuan Hsien
Taoyuan Hsien
Taoyuan Hsien
Taoyuan Hsien
Taoyuan Hsien
Taoyuan Hsien |
|
TW
TW
TW
TW
TW
TW |
|
|
Assignee: |
DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
|
Family ID: |
49579324 |
Appl. No.: |
13/482208 |
Filed: |
May 29, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/3.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y02B 30/00 20130101;
F25B 2321/0022 20130101; Y02B 30/66 20130101; F25B 21/00
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/3.1 |
International
Class: |
F25B 21/00 20060101
F25B021/00 |
Claims
1. A magnetic cooling device, comprising: a magnetocaloric module,
comprising: a bed, forming a first opening and a second opening
respectively at a cold end and a hot end of the magnetocaloric
module; a first magnetocaloric member, received in the bed and
close to the first opening; a second magnetocaloric member,
received in the bed; a third magnetocaloric member, received in the
bed and close to the second opening, wherein the first, second, and
third magnetocaloric members are arranged along a central axis of
the magnetocaloric module, and the weight of the third
magnetocaloric member exceeds that of the first and second
magnetocaloric members; a magnetic unit, disposed around the
magnetocaloric module to provide different magnetic fields to the
magnetocaloric module; and a thermal fluid, sequentially flowing
through the first opening, the first, second, third magnetocaloric
members, and the second opening, to transfer heat from the cold end
to the hot end of the magnetocaloric module.
2. The magnetic cooling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
second magnetocaloric member is disposed between the first and
third magnetocaloric members, and the weight of the second
magnetocaloric member exceeds that of the first magnetocaloric
member.
3. The magnetic cooling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
mass ratio of the third magnetocaloric member relative to the first
magnetocaloric member is from 1.1 to 2.
4. The magnetic cooling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
first, second, and third magnetocaloric members comprise first
order magnetocaloric material, second order magnetocaloric material
or alloy.
5. The magnetic cooling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
first, second, and third magnetocaloric members have a porosity
from 30% to 50%.
6. The magnetic cooling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
first, second, and third magnetocaloric members comprise the same
material.
7. The magnetic cooling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
first, second, and third magnetocaloric members comprise different
materials.
8. The magnetic cooling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
magnetic cooling device further comprises two insulating members
disposed between the first, second, and third magnetocaloric
members, wherein the insulating members comprise Aerogel, POM,
Teflon or porous material.
9. The magnetic cooling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
magnetic unit comprises a permanent magnet, electromagnet or
superconductor.
10. The magnetic cooling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
magnetic unit is movable or rotatable relative to the
magnetocaloric module.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This application relates in general to a cooling device and
in particular to a magnetic cooling device having a plurality of
magnetocaloric members.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Compared with traditional refrigerators and air conditioning
equipment, the magnetic refrigerator is relatively simpler in
structure and causes less noise pollution as it does not need to
use Freon and a compressor. Additionally, since the magnetic
refrigerator has the advantages of low energy consumption and low
maintenance cost, it has been applied in the field of refrigeration
and air conditioning.
[0005] As shown in FIG. 1, a related art of an active magnetic
refrigerator (AMR) at room temperature has been disclosed in Volume
29, Issue 8, December 2006, Pages 1327-1331, the International
Journal of Refrigeration, which applies four different
magnetocaloric materials Gd.sub.0.92Y.sub.0.08,
Gd.sub.0.84Dy.sub.0.16, Gd.sub.0.87Dy.sub.0.13,
Gd.sub.0.89Dy.sub.0.11serially connected with each other. In this
configuration, the four magnetocaloric materials are sequentially
arranged from a cold side C to a hot side H along a central axis A
thereof. It is noted that the four magnetocaloric materials have
substantially equal dimensions but different Curie
temperatures.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0006] An object of the application is to provide a magnetic
cooling device, including a magnetocaloric module and a magnetic
unit movably disposed around the magnetocaloric module. The
magnetocaloric module comprises a bed, a first magnetocaloric
member, a second magnetocaloric member, and a third magnetocaloric
member received in the bed, wherein the first and third
magnetocaloric members are respectively close to a cold end and a
hot end of the magnetocaloric module. Specifically, the first,
second, and third magnetocaloric members are arranged along a
central axis of the magnetocaloric module, and the weight of the
third magnetocaloric member exceeds that of the first and second
magnetocaloric members. A thermal fluid sequentially flows through
the first, second, and third magnetocaloric members to transfer
heat from the cold end to the hot end of the magnetocaloric
module.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0007] The invention can be more fully understood by reading the
subsequent detailed description and examples with references made
to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective diagram of conventional active
magnetic refrigeration (AMR) device having four different
magnetocaloric materials connected with each other;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a perspective diagram of a magnetic cooling device
according to an embodiment of the invention;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a perspective diagram of a magnetic cooling device
according to another embodiment of the invention;
[0011] FIG. 4 is a perspective diagram of a magnetic cooling device
according to another embodiment of the invention; and
[0012] FIG. 5 is a perspective diagram of a magnetic cooling device
according to another embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
[0013] Referring to FIG. 2, an embodiment of a magnetic cooling
device primarily includes a magnetocaloric module 10 and a magnetic
unit 14. The magnet unit 14, such as permanent magnet,
electromagnet or a superconductor, is disposed around the
magnetocaloric module 10 and can be moved back and forth to apply
different magnetic fields to the magnetocaloric module 10. As shown
in FIG. 2, the magnetocaloric module 10 includes three
magnetocaloric members M11, M12, and M13 received in a bed 11,
wherein the bed 11 forms two opening 12 and 13 on opposite sides of
the bed 11.
[0014] In this embodiment, the magnetocaloric members M11-M13 are
separated by two insulating members 15. The insulating members 15
may comprise Aerogel, POM, Teflon or porous material, which allows
a thermal fluid to pass therethrough. It is noted that the three
magnetocaloric members M11-M13 may be the same material, such as a
first order magnetocaloric material, second order magnetocaloric
material or alloy, but the weights thereof are different. As shown
in FIG. 2, the weights of the three magnetocaloric members M11-M13
gradually increase in a flow direction from the opening 12 (cold
end) to the opening 13 (hot end). The mass ratio of the third
magnetocaloric member M13 relative to the first magnetocaloric
member M11 is substantially from 1.1 to 2. In some embodiments, the
magnetocaloric members M11-M13 may comprise a porous structure to
allow the thermal fluid to pass therethrough, wherein the porosity
thereof is from 30% to 50%.
[0015] When the magnetic cooling device is working, the magnet unit
14 reciprocally rotates or moves relative to the magnetocaloric
module 10, so as to apply different magnetic fields to the
magnetocaloric members M11-M13. When the magnetic field is
increased by the magnet unit 14, the temperature of the
magnetocloric material will rise. In this state, a thermal fluid
may flow into the magnetocaloric module 10 via the opening 12 (cold
end) and sequentially pass through the three magnetocaloric members
M11-M13 along a central axis A of the magnetocaloric module 10. The
thermal fluid is then discharged from the magnetocaloric module 10
through the opening 13, such that heat is transferred to the hot
end of the magnetocaloric module 10. Additionally, when the
magnetic field is decreased by the magnet unit 14, the temperature
of the magnetocaloric members M11-M13 decreases. In this state, the
thermal fluid may flow into magnetocaloric module 10 from the
opening 13 (hot end) to the opening 12 (cold end), such that the
thermal fluid is cooled by the magnetocaloric members M11-M13.
[0016] Since heat is continuously transferred from the cold end to
the hot end, accumulation of heat and relatively high temperature
of the thermal fluid may occur close to the opening 13. Thus, the
magnetocaloric member M13 may require a higher weight than the
magnetocaloric members M11 and M12, so as to enhance heat pumping
power near the hot end. In this embodiment, the weight of the
magnetocaloric member M13 exceeds that of the magnetocaloric member
M12, and the weight of the magnetocaloric member M12 exceeds that
of the magnetocaloric member M11, as shown in FIG. 2. Specifically,
the insulating members 15 can prevent heat conduction between the
magnetocaloric members M11-M13, thus maintaining a temperature
gradient between the magnetocaloric members M12 and increasing
efficiency of the magnetic cooling device.
[0017] Referring to FIG. 3, another embodiment of a magnetic
cooling device comprises three magnetocaloric members M21-M23 with
different magnetocaloric materials and weights, wherein the
magnetocaloric member M22 is between the magnetocaloric members M21
and M23. Similar to the configuration in FIG. 2, the weight of the
magnetocaloric member M23 exceeds that of the magnetocaloric member
M22, and the weight of the magnetocaloric member M22 exceeds that
of the magnetocaloric member M21. The magnet unit 14 is disposed
around the magnetocaloric module 10 and can be moved back and forth
to apply different magnetic fields to the magnetocaloric module 10.
As the magnetocaloric member M23 is larger and heavier than the
other magnetocaloric members M21 and M22, heat pumping power near
the hot end is enhanced to improve efficiency of the magnetic
cooling device.
[0018] Referring to FIG. 4, another embodiment of a magnetic
cooling device comprise three magnetocaloric members M31-M33 with
different magnetocaloric materials and different weights, wherein
the magnetocaloric member M32 is between the magnetocaloric members
M31 and M33. Considering the different magnetocaloric properties of
the three magnetocaloric members M31-M33, they are arranged in a
configuration different from FIGS. 2 and 3, wherein the weight of
the magnetocaloric member M31 exceeds that of the magnetocaloric
member M32, and the weight of the magnetocaloric member M32 exceed
that of the magnetocaloric member M33.
[0019] Referring to FIG. 5, another embodiment of a magnetic
cooling device comprise three magnetocaloric members M41-M43 with
different magnetocaloric materials and different weights, wherein
the magnetocaloric member M42 is between the magnetocaloric members
M41 and M43. Considering the different magnetocaloric properties of
the three magnetocaloric members M41-M43, they are arranged in a
configuration different from FIGS. 2-4, wherein the weight of the
magnetocaloric member M42 exceeds that of the magnetocaloric member
M43, and the weight of the magnetocaloric member M43 exceeds that
of the magnetocaloric member M41, so as to enhance heat pumping
power and improve efficiency of the magnetic cooling device.
[0020] The invention provides a magnetic cooling device having a
plurality of magnetocaloric members. An embodiment of the
magnetocaloric members may have the same magnetocaloric material,
wherein the weight of a magnetocaloric member close to the hot end
exceeds that of the other magnetocaloric members. Additionally, the
magnetocaloric members may also have different materials.
Considering the different magnetocaloric properties of the
magnetocaloric members, they may be arranged in various
configurations as shown in FIGS. 3-5. The invention can improve
efficiency of the magnetic cooling device by applying a plurality
of magnetocaloric members with different weights. Specifically,
several insulating members may be disposed between the
magnetocaloric members to prevent heat conduction, thus maintaining
a temperature gradient and increasing efficiency of the magnetic
cooling device.
[0021] While the invention has been described by way of example and
in terms of preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the
invention is not limited thereto. To the contrary, it is intended
to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would
be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of
the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation
to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.
* * * * *