Heat pump and operating method for the same
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- TOYO ENG CORP
- Filing Date
- 2023-10-05
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-24
Smart Images
Figure 00000000_0000_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical field]
[0001] The present invention relates to a heat pump utilizing a magnetocaloric effect and a method for operating the same. [Background technology]
[0002] A heat pump utilizing the magnetocaloric effect (hereinafter referred to as a "magnetic heat pump") generates a magnetocaloric effect by varying a magnetic field applied to a magnetic body, and heats or cools a working fluid by heat exchange with the magnetic body. A representative method for varying the magnetic field is to move (rotate) a magnetic field generating unit such as a permanent magnet relative to a flow path filled with a magnetic body or a flow path formed by a magnetic body (for example, see Patent Documents 1 to 3). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]
[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-509461 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2019-143938 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2020-041742 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0004] However, the above-mentioned method has the following problems. For example, in order to generate a significant magnetocaloric effect, it is possible to increase the strength of the magnetic field applied to the magnetic body, but if this is to be achieved with a permanent magnet, a heavy permanent magnet is required. When rotating such a heavy permanent magnet, a support mechanism with sufficient mechanical strength and a powerful driving source are required, and a significant increase in cost is unavoidable. In addition, it is necessary to switch the flow direction of the working fluid relative to the magnetic body in synchronization with the rotation of the permanent magnet, and a valve mechanism and a control device for this purpose are required. This makes the device complicated and increases the risk of failure. On the other hand, when rotating a flow path filled with a magnetic body or a flow path formed by a magnetic body, a special part such as a rotary valve is required at the connection between the rotating part and the fixed part. This also leads to an increase in cost and the occurrence of defects such as leakage.
[0005] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENT An object of the present invention is to realize a simple configuration for varying a magnetic field relative to a magnetic body in a heat pump utilizing the magnetocaloric effect. [Means for solving the problem]
[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the heat pump of the present invention is a heat pump that transfers heat by a working fluid, and includes a heat absorption section that causes the working fluid to absorb heat, a heat dissipation section that causes the working fluid that has absorbed heat to release heat, and a heat transport device that receives the working fluid that has absorbed heat from the heat absorption section and sends it out to the heat dissipation section, and receives the working fluid that has released heat from the heat dissipation section and sends it out to the heat absorption section. The heat transport device includes two spaces adjacent to each other, including a first space to which a magnetic field is applied and through which the working fluid that has absorbed heat flows, and a second space to which no magnetic field is applied or a magnetic field weaker than the magnetic field applied to the first space is applied and through which the working fluid that has released heat flows, and a movable member at least a portion of which is made of a magnetic material and configured so that the portion made of the magnetic material moves from one of the two spaces to the other space and then moves to one of the spaces.
[0007] Furthermore, a method of operating a heat pump of the present invention is a method of operating a heat pump that transfers heat by a working fluid, and includes the steps of: causing the working fluid to absorb heat in a heat absorption section; causing the working fluid that has absorbed heat to release heat in a heat release section; and, in a heat transport device having two adjacent spaces, receiving the working fluid that has absorbed heat from the heat absorption section and sending it to the heat release section, and receiving the working fluid that has released heat from the heat release section and sending it to the heat absorption section, wherein the step of receiving and sending out the working fluid includes the steps of circulating the working fluid that has absorbed heat through a first space of the two spaces to which a magnetic field is applied, and circulating the working fluid that has released heat through a second space to which no magnetic field is applied or to which a magnetic field weaker than the magnetic field applied to the first space is applied; and the step of moving a movable member, at least a portion of which is made of a magnetic material, within the two spaces, and the step of moving the portion of the movable member made of a magnetic material from one of the two spaces to the other space and then to one of the spaces.
[0008] According to such a heat pump, the magnetic field applied to the magnetic body can be varied by simply moving a movable member at least part of which is made of a magnetic material, thereby changing the relative position of the magnetic body with respect to the magnetic field. In other words, there is no need to move the magnetic field generating unit or the flow path chamber in order to vary the magnetic field applied to the magnetic body, and therefore no complicated structure or control is required. Effect of the Invention
[0009] According to the present invention, in a heat pump utilizing the magnetocaloric effect, the variation of the magnetic field with respect to the magnetic body can be realized with a simple configuration. [Brief description of the drawings]
[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a magnetic heat pump according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 2A and 2B are a perspective view and a plan view showing one configuration example of a rotating plate of the present embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of a magnetic heat pump according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is a schematic configuration diagram of a magnetic heat pump according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a schematic configuration diagram of a magnetic heat pump according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Components common to each embodiment will be given the same reference numerals in the drawings, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted as appropriate. In addition, in order to distinguish multiple components from each other, different subscripts may be added after the same reference numerals.
[0012] (First embodiment) The configuration of a magnetic heat pump according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of the magnetic heat pump according to this embodiment. In the following description, terms indicating directions such as "up", "down", "right" and "left" are used based on Fig. 1, but these terms are for convenience and do not limit the position of the magnetic heat pump when in use.
[0013] The magnetic heat pump 10 utilizes the magnetocaloric effect to transfer heat from a heat-donating fluid flowing through a low-temperature side flow path L1 to a heat-receiving fluid flowing through a high-temperature side flow path L2, and has a heat absorption section 11, a heat dissipation section 12, and a heat transport device 20 that circulates a working fluid between them to transfer heat. The working fluid may be, for example, lubricating oil, water, or any other common working fluid for magnetic heat pumps.
[0014] The heat absorption unit 11 is connected to the heat transport device 20 via the pipes P1 and P2, and has a function of making the working fluid absorb heat by heat exchange between the working fluid flowing through the pipes P1 and P2 and the heat-donating fluid flowing through the low-temperature side flow path L1. The heat dissipation unit 12 is connected to the heat transport device 20 via the pipes P3 and P4, and has a function of making the working fluid release heat by heat exchange between the working fluid flowing through the pipes P3 and P4 and the heat-receiving fluid flowing through the high-temperature side flow path L2.
[0015] The heat transport device 20 has two adjacent flow passage chambers (spaces) 21, 22. The two flow passage chambers 21, 22 are formed, for example, by dividing a cylindrical space into two, left and right, by a central partition wall 23, and include a first flow passage chamber (first space) 21 having a semicircular flow passage cross section and a second flow passage chamber (second space) 22 also having a semicircular flow passage cross section. The heat transport device 20 is fluidly connected to the heat absorption unit 11 and the heat radiation unit 12 so that the working fluid circulates through the heat transport device 20 between the heat absorption unit 11 and the heat radiation unit 12, that is, so that the heat transport device 20 receives the working fluid that has absorbed heat at the heat absorption unit 11 and sends it to the heat radiation unit 12, and receives the working fluid that has released heat at the heat radiation unit 12 and sends it to the heat absorption unit 11. Specifically, the first flow passage chamber 21 is connected to the heat absorbing section 11 via a pipe P1 and to the heat dissipating section 12 via a pipe P3 in order to circulate the working fluid that has absorbed heat in the heat absorbing section 11. The second flow passage chamber 22 is connected to the heat dissipating section 12 via a pipe P4 and to the heat absorbing section 11 via a pipe P2 in order to circulate the working fluid that has released heat in the heat dissipating section 12. As a result, the working fluid circulates through a circulation flow passage consisting of the heat absorbing section 11, the pipe P1, the first flow passage chamber 21, the pipe P3, the heat dissipating section 12, the pipe P4, the second flow passage chamber 22, and the pipe P2. Note that a pump (not shown) that circulates the working fluid along the circulation flow passage is provided in any one of the pipes P1 to P4.
[0016] The heat transport device 20 is configured such that a magnetic field is applied to the first flow passage chamber 21, and a magnetic field is not substantially applied to the second flow passage chamber 22. Specifically, the heat transport device 20 has a pair of permanent magnets 24, 25 arranged above and below the first flow passage chamber 21 as a magnetic field generating unit for applying a magnetic field to the first flow passage chamber 21. A magnetic field weaker than the magnetic field applied to the first flow passage chamber 21 may be applied to the second flow passage chamber 22, but it is preferable that a magnetic field is not intentionally applied to the second flow passage chamber 22, except for unavoidable magnetic fields such as leakage magnetic fields. As the magnetic field generating unit, for example, an electromagnet may be used instead of the permanent magnets 24, 25, but it is preferable to use the permanent magnets 24, 25 in consideration of the fact that no power source is required. In this embodiment, the permanent magnets 24, 25 are provided at fixed positions with respect to the two flow passage chambers 21, 22, and therefore do not move relative to the two flow passage chambers 21, 22.
[0017] Furthermore, the heat transport device 20 has a circular rotating plate 26 made of a magnetic material and disposed in the two flow passage chambers 21 and 22. The rotating plate 26 is disposed penetrating the partition wall 23 so as to intersect with the flow direction of the working fluid, and is configured to rotate across the first flow passage chamber 21 and the second flow passage chamber 22. Therefore, the rotating plate 26 rotates to alternate between a state in which a magnetic field is applied in the first flow passage chamber 21 and a state in which a magnetic field is not substantially applied in the second flow passage chamber 22. At this time, a magnetocaloric effect occurs in the rotating plate 26, and the temperature rises when the second flow passage chamber 22 enters the first flow passage chamber 21, and the temperature drops when the first flow passage chamber 21 enters the second flow passage chamber 22. In this way, the temperature of the rotating plate 26 becomes steady, and the first flow passage chamber 21 is kept at a relatively high temperature, and the second flow passage chamber 22 is kept at a relatively low temperature.
[0018] Here, the operation of the magnetic heat pump 10 of this embodiment will be briefly described.
[0019] First, the working fluid absorbs heat from the heat-donating fluid flowing through the low-temperature side flow path L1 in the heat absorption section 11, and then flows through the pipe P1 and is supplied to the first flow path chamber 21 of the heat transport device 20. There, the working fluid is heated by contact (heat exchange) with the rotating plate 26 maintained at a relatively high temperature. The working fluid thus heated flows through the pipe P3 and is supplied to the heat dissipation section 12, where it releases heat to the heat-receiving fluid flowing through the high-temperature side flow path L2. Thereafter, the working fluid flows through the pipe P4 and is supplied to the second flow path chamber 22 of the heat transport device 20, where it is cooled by contact (heat exchange) with the rotating plate 26 maintained at a relatively low temperature. The working fluid thus cooled flows through the pipe P2 and is supplied to the heat absorption section 11 again. By repeating such operations, the magnetic heat pump 10 transfers heat from the heat-donating fluid flowing through the low-temperature side flow path L1 to the heat-receiving fluid flowing through the high-temperature side flow path L2.
[0020] In this way, according to this embodiment, the magnetic field applied to the magnetic body can be varied by simply rotating the rotating plate 26 made of a magnetic body to change the relative position of the magnetic body with respect to the magnetic field. In other words, the magnetic field applied to the magnetic body can be varied without moving the permanent magnets 24, 25 or the flow channel chambers 21, 22, so no complicated structure or control is required. In this way, the variation of the magnetic field relative to the magnetic body can be achieved with a simple configuration.
[0021] The shape of the rotating plate 26 is not particularly limited, and may be one in which a number of through holes are formed, or may be one in which a number of arc-shaped slits 27 are formed concentrically as shown in FIG. 2. This increases the contact area (heat transfer area) between the working fluid and the rotating plate 26, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency between them. Furthermore, gaps are formed between the outer circumferential surface of the rotating plate 26 and the inner surfaces of the flow passage chambers 21 and 22 facing the outer circumferential surface of the rotating plate 26, through which the working fluid flows. However, if heat exchange with the rotating plate 26 is sufficiently performed only by the flow of the working fluid through these gaps, the rotating plate 26 may be a solid disk shape. Furthermore, the outer shape of the rotating plate 26 is not limited to a circle, and may be, for example, a regular polygon.
[0022] Furthermore, the entire rotating plate 26 does not have to be made of a magnetic material so long as the rotation maintains a relatively high temperature in the first flow path chamber 21 and a relatively low temperature in the second flow path chamber 22. In other words, as long as at least the portion of the rotating plate 26 that alternately moves between the two flow path chambers 21 and 22 is made of a magnetic material, the other portions do not have to be made of a magnetic material.
[0023] Incidentally, in this embodiment, even when the rotating plate 26 is provided with a through-hole, slit 27 or other penetrating portion, the flow of the working fluid that prevails in each of the flow passage chambers 21, 22 is a flow that detouring around the rotating plate 26 along the gap with the inner surface of each of the flow passage chambers 21, 22. As a result, although there is a possibility that a disadvantage will arise due to the provision of a through-hole in the rotating plate 26, as will be described below, such a disadvantage can be avoided.
[0024] For example, in order to increase the amount of heat transfer that can be realized by the magnetic heat pump 10, it is preferable to increase the rotation speed of the rotating plate 26 from the viewpoint of the magnetocaloric effect. However, in this case, the working fluid that has flowed into the first flow passage chamber 21 (the second flow passage chamber 22) does not pass through the through-hole of the rotating plate 26 and flows directly to the downstream side, but a part of it flows into the second flow passage chamber 22 (the first flow passage chamber 21). In this way, two types of working fluids in different states (the working fluid that has absorbed heat in the heat absorption section 11 and the working fluid that has released heat in the heat release section 12) are mixed, which may lead to a decrease in the performance of the magnetic heat pump 10. In order to suppress this, it is possible to increase the amount (mass) of the magnetic material that constitutes the rotating plate 26 while decreasing the rotation speed of the rotating plate 26, but generally, increasing the amount of expensive magnetic material is not preferable in terms of cost.
[0025] However, in this embodiment, the flow of the working fluid that is dominant in each of the flow passage chambers 21 and 22 is a flow that bypasses the rotating plate 26 along the gap formed around the rotating plate 26, as described above. Therefore, even if the mixing of different types of working fluid occurs between the flow passage chambers 21 and 22 through the through-holes of the rotating plate 26, the influence is extremely limited, and there is no need to reduce the rotation speed of the rotating plate 26 for that reason. That is, in order to maintain the performance of the magnetic heat pump 10, there is no need to reduce the rotation speed of the rotating plate 26, and there is no need to increase the amount of magnetic material that constitutes the rotating plate 26. Therefore, even if the rotating plate 26 has a through-hole, the rotation speed can be increased, and the amount of heat transfer that can be realized by the magnetic heat pump 10 can be increased without increasing the amount of magnetic material that constitutes the rotating plate 26.
[0026] Second Embodiment FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a magnetic heat pump according to a second embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a plurality of heat transport devices are arranged between a heat absorption section and a heat radiation section. The following mainly describes such differences. For simplicity, FIG. 3 omits the illustration of the permanent magnets in each heat transport device.
[0027] In this embodiment, as described above, a plurality of heat transport devices 20 are arranged between the heat absorption section 11 and the heat radiation section 12. The plurality of heat transport devices 20 are fluidly connected to each other and to the heat absorption section 11 and the heat radiation section 12 so as to receive the working fluid that has absorbed heat in the heat absorption section 11, sequentially transfer it between the adjacent devices 20, and then send it to the heat radiation section 12, and receive the working fluid that has released heat in the heat radiation section 12, sequentially transfer it between the adjacent devices 20, and then send it to the heat absorption section 11. Specifically, the plurality of first flow path chambers 21 are connected to each other in series via the pipes P11 to P13, and the plurality of second flow path chambers 22 are connected to each other in series via the pipes P14 to P16. As a result, the working fluid that has absorbed heat in the heat absorption section 11 flows in series through multiple first flow path chambers 21 and is supplied to the heat dissipation section 12, and the working fluid that has released heat in the heat dissipation section 12 flows in series through multiple second flow path chambers 22 and is supplied to the heat absorption section 11.
[0028] Heat transfer by the magnetic heat pump 10 of this embodiment is performed as follows. That is, the working fluid that absorbs heat in the heat absorption section 11 flows sequentially through the multiple first flow passage chambers 21, is heated by contact (heat exchange) with each of the rotating plates 26, and is then supplied to the heat dissipation section 12. Then, the working fluid that releases heat in the heat dissipation section 12 flows sequentially through the multiple second flow passage chambers 22, is cooled by contact (heat exchange) with each of the rotating plates 26, and is then supplied to the heat absorption section 11 again. By repeating such operations, the magnetic heat pump 10 transfers heat from the heat-donating fluid flowing through the low-temperature side flow passage L1 to the heat-receiving fluid flowing through the high-temperature side flow passage L2.
[0029] In this manner, in this embodiment, by interposing a plurality of heat transport devices 20 between the heat absorption portion 11 and the heat radiation portion 12, the temperature change of the working fluid flowing between the heat absorption portion 11 and the heat radiation portion 12 can be made larger than that in the first embodiment. Therefore, this embodiment is advantageous in that it can also be used in cases where the temperature difference between the heat-donating fluid flowing through the low-temperature side flow path L1 and the heat-receiving fluid flowing through the high-temperature side flow path L2 is larger. The number of heat transport devices 20 is not limited to four as shown in the figure, and can be appropriately set according to the temperature difference between the heat-donating fluid flowing through the low-temperature side flow path L1 and the heat-receiving fluid flowing through the high-temperature side flow path L2. In this embodiment, the heat pump efficiency can be improved by appropriately selecting the magnetic material constituting the rotating plate 26 according to the operating temperature range of each heat transport device 20 assumed from the above-mentioned temperature difference and the number of heat transport devices 20. That is, the heat pump efficiency can be improved by selecting a magnetic material that shows a large magnetocaloric effect in the assumed operating temperature range for each heat transport device 20.
[0030] (Third embodiment) FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a magnetic heat pump according to a third embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is a modification of the second embodiment, and differs from the second embodiment in that a plurality of working fluid circulation paths are formed, and a separate working fluid circulates through each of the paths. That is, this embodiment differs from the second embodiment in that heat is transferred between a heat absorption section and a heat radiation section by a plurality of working fluids. The following mainly describes such differences. Note that, for simplicity, FIG. 4 omits the illustration of the permanent magnets in each heat transport device.
[0031] In this embodiment, the first heat transport device (heat transport device closest to the heat absorption part) 20a is fluidly connected to the heat absorption part 11 so that the second flow passage chamber 22a circulates the working fluid that has absorbed heat in the heat absorption part 11. Specifically, a pipe P1 is connected to the inlet of the second flow passage chamber 22a of the first heat transport device 20a, and a pipe P2 is connected to the outlet. As a result, the pipes P1 and P2 form an independent circulation passage (hereinafter referred to as the "first circulation passage"), and the working fluid can be circulated between the heat absorption part 11 and the second flow passage chamber 22a of the first heat transport device 20a. Note that a pump (not shown) that circulates the working fluid along the first circulation passage P1 and P2 is provided in either of the pipes P1 and P2.
[0032] In addition, the first heat transport device 20a and the second heat transport device 20b are fluidly connected to each other such that the first flow path chamber 21a of the first heat transport device 20a circulates the working fluid flowing out from the second flow path chamber 22b of the second heat transport device (heat transport device adjacent to the first heat transport device on the heat dissipation side) 20b, and the second flow path chamber 22b of the second heat transport device 20b circulates the working fluid flowing out from the first flow path chamber 21a of the first heat transport device (heat transport device adjacent to the second heat transport device on the heat absorption side) 20a. Specifically, the outlet of the first flow passage chamber 21a of the first heat transport device 20a and the inlet of the second flow passage chamber 22b of the second heat transport device 20b are connected by a pipe P21, and the outlet of the second flow passage chamber 22b of the second heat transport device 20b and the inlet of the first flow passage chamber 21a of the first heat transport device 20a are connected by a pipe P22. As a result, the pipes P21 and P22 form an independent circulation passage (hereinafter referred to as the "second circulation passage"), and the working fluid can be circulated between the first flow passage chamber 21a of the first heat transport device 20a and the second flow passage chamber 22b of the second heat transport device 20b. Note that a pump (not shown) that circulates the working fluid along the second circulation passage P21 and P22 is provided in either of the pipes P21 and P22.
[0033] In addition, the second heat transport device 20b and the third heat transport device 20c are fluidly connected to each other such that the first flow path chamber 21b of the second heat transport device 20b circulates the working fluid flowing out from the second flow path chamber 22c of the third heat transport device (heat transport device adjacent to the second heat transport device on the heat dissipation side) 20c, and the second flow path chamber 22c of the third heat transport device 20c circulates the working fluid flowing out from the first flow path chamber 21b of the second heat transport device (heat transport device adjacent to the third heat transport device on the heat absorption side) 20b. Specifically, the outlet of the first flow passage chamber 21b of the second heat transport device 20b and the inlet of the second flow passage chamber 22c of the third heat transport device 20c are connected by a pipe P23, and the outlet c of the second flow passage chamber 22 of the third heat transport device 20c and the inlet of the first flow passage chamber 21b of the second heat transport device 20b are connected by a pipe P24. As a result, the pipes P23 and P24 form an independent circulation passage (hereinafter referred to as the "third circulation passage"), and the working fluid can be circulated between the first flow passage chamber 21b of the second heat transport device 20b and the second flow passage chamber 22c of the third heat transport device 20c. Note that a pump (not shown) that circulates the working fluid along the third circulation passage P23 and P24 is provided in either of the pipes P23 and P24.
[0034] In addition, the third heat transport device 20c and the fourth heat transport device 20d are fluidly connected to each other such that the first flow path chamber 21c of the third heat transport device 20c circulates the working fluid flowing out from the second flow path chamber 22d of the fourth heat transport device (heat transport device adjacent to the third heat transport device on the heat dissipation side) 20d, and the second flow path chamber 22d of the fourth heat transport device 20d circulates the working fluid flowing out from the first flow path chamber 21c of the third heat transport device (heat transport device adjacent to the fourth heat transport device on the heat absorption side) 20c. Specifically, the outlet of the first flow passage chamber 21c of the third heat transport device 20c and the inlet of the second flow passage chamber 22d of the fourth heat transport device 20d are connected by a pipe P25, and the outlet of the second flow passage chamber 22d of the fourth heat transport device 20d and the inlet of the first flow passage chamber 21c of the third heat transport device 20c are connected by a pipe P26. As a result, the pipes P25 and P26 form an independent circulation passage (hereinafter referred to as the "fourth circulation passage"), and the working fluid can be circulated between the first flow passage chamber 21c of the third heat transport device 20c and the second flow passage chamber 22d of the fourth heat transport device 20d. Note that a pump (not shown) that circulates the working fluid along the fourth circulation passage P25 and P26 is provided in either of the pipes P25 and P26.
[0035] Moreover, the fourth heat transport device (heat transport device closest to the heat dissipation unit) 20d is fluidly connected to the heat dissipation unit 12 so that the first flow passage chamber 21d circulates the working fluid that has released heat in the heat dissipation unit 12. Specifically, the pipe P3 is connected to the outlet of the first flow passage chamber 21d of the fourth heat transport device 20d, and the pipe P4 is connected to the inlet. As a result, the pipes P3 and P4 form an independent circulation passage (hereinafter referred to as the "fifth circulation passage"), and the working fluid can be circulated between the heat dissipation unit 12 and the first flow passage chamber 21d of the fourth heat transport device 20d. Note that a pump (not shown) that circulates the working fluid along the fifth circulation passage P3 and P4 is provided in either of the pipes P3 and P4.
[0036] Heat transfer by the magnetic heat pump 10 of this embodiment is performed as follows. That is, after absorbing heat in the heat absorbing portion 11, the working fluid circulating through the first circulation flow paths P1, P2 is cooled by contact (heat exchange) with the rotating plate 26a in the second flow path chamber 22a of the first heat transport device 20a. The heat removed at this time is transferred to the first flow path chamber 21a of the first heat transport device 20a through the rotating plate 26a, and is given to the working fluid circulating through the second circulation flow paths P21, P22. The working fluid heated in this way is supplied to the second flow path chamber 22b of the second heat transport device 20b, where heat is removed by contact (heat exchange) with the rotating plate 26b, and is cooled. The heat removed at this time is transferred to the first flow path chamber 21b of the second heat transport device 20b through the rotating plate 26b, and is given to the working fluid circulating through the third circulation flow paths P23, P24. The working fluid thus heated is supplied to the second flow passage chamber 22c of the third heat transport device 20c, where it is cooled by heat being removed by contact with the rotating plate 26c (heat exchange). The removed heat is transferred to the first flow passage chamber 21c of the third heat transport device 20c through the rotating plate 26c, and is given to the working fluid circulating through the fourth circulation flow passages P25 and P26. The working fluid thus heated is supplied to the second flow passage chamber 22d of the fourth heat transport device 20d, where it is cooled by heat being removed by contact with the rotating plate 26d (heat exchange). The removed heat is transferred to the first flow passage chamber 21d of the fourth heat transport device 20d through the rotating plate 26d, and is given to the working fluid circulating through the fifth circulation flow passages P3 and P4. The working fluid thus heated is supplied to the heat dissipation section 12, where it releases heat. By repeating such an operation, the magnetic heat pump 10 transfers heat from the heat donor fluid flowing through the low-temperature side flow passage L1 to the heat receiving fluid flowing through the high-temperature side flow passage L2.
[0037] Thus, in this embodiment, unlike the second embodiment, it is not necessary to circulate the working fluid along a single circulation flow path, and the flow path length of each circulation flow path is short. Therefore, this embodiment is advantageous in that the pressure difference between the flow path chambers 21 and 22 in each heat transport device 20 is small compared to the second embodiment, making it difficult for the working fluid to leak. Note that, like the second embodiment, this embodiment can also handle a larger temperature difference between the heat-donating fluid flowing through the low-temperature side flow path L1 and the heat-receiving fluid flowing through the high-temperature side flow path L2. Also, like the second embodiment, the heat pump efficiency can be improved by appropriately selecting a magnetic material according to the expected operating temperature range.
[0038] (Fourth embodiment) FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a magnetic heat pump according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is a modification of the third embodiment, and differs from the third embodiment in that the circulation flow path of the working fluid is omitted, and instead, two flow path chambers that communicate via the circulation flow path are directly communicated. The following mainly describes such differences. Note that in FIG. 5, for simplicity, the illustration of the permanent magnets in each heat transport device is omitted.
[0039] In the third embodiment, the purpose of circulating the working fluid is, for example, in the case of the second circulation flow paths P21 and P22, to mix the working fluid in the first flow path chamber 21a of the first heat transport device 20a and the working fluid in the second flow path chamber 22b of the second heat transport device 20b and to make the temperatures of both almost uniform (although there is some distribution depending on the position). Specifically, in the first flow path chamber 21a of the first heat transport device 20a, the temperature of the working fluid is maintained at a temperature lower than the temperature of the rotating plate 26a, and in the second flow path chamber 22b of the second heat transport device 20b, the temperature of the working fluid is maintained at a temperature higher than the temperature of the rotating plate 26b. Otherwise, in the first flow passage chamber 21a of the first heat transport device 20a, the temperature of the working fluid would rise to the temperature of the rotating plate 26a, and no heat would be transferred between the two, and in the second flow passage chamber 22b of the second heat transport device 20b, the temperature of the working fluid would fall to the temperature of the rotating plate 26b, and no heat would be transferred between the two.
[0040] In contrast, this embodiment achieves the same effect as the third embodiment with a different configuration. That is, in this embodiment, in order to mix the working fluids in the two flow passage chambers, the two flow passage chambers are connected to each other to form one space, as shown in Fig. 5, and the working fluid accommodated therein is stirred.
[0041] Specifically, the first heat transport device 20a and the second heat transport device 20b communicate with each other so that the first flow passage chamber 21a of the first heat transport device 20a and the second flow passage chamber 22b of the second heat transport device 20b form one space, and the spaces 21a and 22b contain a working fluid and are provided with stirring blades 31 for stirring the working fluid. This makes it possible to make the temperature of the working fluid in the spaces 21a and 22b almost uniform, and realizes heat transfer from the rotating plate 26a to the working fluid and from the working fluid to the rotating plate 26b. The second heat transport device 20b and the third heat transport device 20c communicate with each other so that the first flow passage chamber 21b of the second heat transport device 20b and the second flow passage chamber 22c of the third heat transport device 20c form one space, and the working fluid is accommodated in the spaces 21b and 22c, and an agitator 32 is provided to agitate the working fluid. This makes the temperature of the working fluid in the spaces 21b and 22c almost uniform, and realizes heat transfer from the rotating plate 26b to the working fluid and from the working fluid to the rotating plate 26c. The third heat transport device 20c and the fourth heat transport device 20d communicate with each other so that the first flow passage chamber 21c of the third heat transport device 20c and the second flow passage chamber 22d of the fourth heat transport device 20d form one space, and the working fluid is accommodated in the spaces 21c and 22d, and an agitator 33 is provided to agitate the working fluid. This makes it possible to make the temperature of the working fluid in the spaces 21c and 22d almost uniform, and realizes heat transfer from the rotating plate 26c to the working fluid and from the working fluid to the rotating plate 26d.
[0042] In the above-described embodiments, the rotating plate 26 is exemplified as a movable member that generates the magnetocaloric effect, but other types of movable members may be used as long as they are configured to move from one of the two flow passage chambers to the other flow passage chamber and then move back to one of the flow passage chambers. Examples of such movable members include those that move back and forth between the two flow passage chambers. [Explanation of symbols]
[0043] 10 Magnetic Heat Pump 11 Heat absorbing part 12 Heat dissipation part 20, 20a-20d Heat transport device 21, 21a to 21d First flow passage chamber 22, 22a to 22d Second flow passage chamber 23 Partition Wall 24,25 Permanent magnets 26 Rotating Plate 27 Slit 31~33 Mixing blade P1~P4, P11~P16, P21~P26 Piping
Claims
1. A heat pump that transfers heat using a working fluid, A heat-absorbing section that absorbs heat into the working fluid, A heat dissipation unit that releases heat to the working fluid that has absorbed the aforementioned heat, The device includes a heat transport device that receives the working fluid that has absorbed the heat from the heat absorption section and sends it to the heat dissipation section, and receives the working fluid that has released the heat from the heat dissipation section and sends it to the heat absorption section, The aforementioned heat transport device, Two adjacent spaces, comprising: a first space to which a magnetic field is applied and through which the heat-absorbing working fluid flows; and a second space to which no magnetic field is applied, or a magnetic field weaker than that applied to the first space is applied, and through which the heat-releasing working fluid flows; It includes a movable member which is made of a magnetic material in at least a portion thereof, and which is configured to move from one of the two spaces to the other space and then move to the first space, The movable member is arranged in each of the two spaces so as to be perpendicular to the flow direction of the working fluid. A heat pump in which the working fluid that flows into each of the aforementioned spaces flows in the flow direction through the gap between the outer surface of the movable member and the inner surface of each of the aforementioned spaces that are opposite the outer surface, bypassing the periphery of the movable member.
2. The system has at least one other heat transport device having the same configuration as the heat transport device, which receives the working fluid that has absorbed the heat from the heat transport device and sends it to the heat dissipation section, and receives the working fluid that has released the heat from the heat dissipation section and sends it to the heat transport device. The heat pump according to claim 1, wherein the heat transport device sends the working fluid that has absorbed the heat to the heat dissipation section via the at least one other heat transport device, and receives the working fluid that has released the heat from the heat dissipation section via the at least one other heat transport device.
3. A heat pump that transfers heat using multiple working fluids, A heat-absorbing section that absorbs heat into one of the plurality of working fluids, A heat dissipation unit that releases heat to one of the other working fluids among the plurality of working fluids, The system includes a plurality of heat transport devices that use the remaining working fluids from the heat-absorbing working fluid to the heat-releasing working fluid, Each of the aforementioned heat transport devices, Two adjacent spaces, comprising a first space to which a magnetic field is applied, and a second space to which no magnetic field is applied, or to which a magnetic field weaker than that applied to the first space is applied, wherein the first space allows the heat-releasing working fluid to flow through the heat transporter closest to the heat dissipation section among the plurality of heat transporters, and allows the working fluid that has flowed out from the second space of the heat transporter adjacent to the heat dissipation section to flow through the remaining heat transporters, and the second space allows the heat-absorbing working fluid to flow through the heat transporter closest to the heat absorption section among the plurality of heat transporters, and allows the working fluid that has flowed out from the first space of the heat transporter adjacent to the heat absorption section to flow through the remaining heat transporters, It includes a movable member which is made of a magnetic material in at least a portion thereof, and which is configured to move from one of the two spaces to the other space and then move to the first space, The movable member is arranged in each of the two spaces so as to be perpendicular to the flow direction of the working fluid. A heat pump in which the working fluid that flows into each of the aforementioned spaces flows in the flow direction through the gap between the outer surface of the movable member and the inner surface of each of the aforementioned spaces that are opposite the outer surface, bypassing the periphery of the movable member.
4. A heat pump that transfers heat using multiple working fluids, A heat-absorbing section that absorbs heat into one of the plurality of working fluids, A heat dissipation unit that releases heat to one of the other working fluids among the plurality of working fluids, The system includes a plurality of heat transport devices that use the remaining working fluids from the heat-absorbing working fluid to the heat-releasing working fluid, Each of the aforementioned heat transport devices, Two adjacent spaces, comprising a first space to which a magnetic field is applied, and a second space to which no magnetic field is applied, or a magnetic field weaker than that applied to the first space is applied, wherein the first space allows the heat-releasing working fluid to flow through the heat transporter closest to the heat dissipation section among the plurality of heat transporters, and the remaining heat transporters form a single space together with the second space of the heat transporter adjacent to the heat dissipation section on the heat dissipation side to house the working fluid, and the second space allows the heat-absorbing working fluid to flow through the heat transporter closest to the heat absorption section among the plurality of heat transporters, and the remaining heat transporters form a single space together with the first space of the heat transporter adjacent to the heat absorption section on the heat absorption side to house the working fluid, and so on, A heat pump comprising a movable member, at least part of which is made of a magnetic material, and which is configured to move from one of the two spaces to the other space and then move to the first space.
5. The heat pump according to claim 4, comprising a stirring blade provided within the one space for stirring the working fluid contained within the one space.
6. The heat pump according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the movable member is a rotating plate that rotates across the two spaces.
7. The heat pump according to claim 6, wherein a gap for the working fluid to flow is formed between the outer circumferential surface of the rotating plate and the inner surface of each of the spaces facing the outer circumferential surface.
8. The heat pump according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the heat transport device is provided at a fixed position with respect to the two spaces and has a magnetic field generating unit that applies a magnetic field to the first space.
9. The heat pump according to claim 8, wherein the magnetic field generating unit is made of a permanent magnet.
10. A method for operating a heat pump that transfers heat using a working fluid, In the heat absorption section, the process involves causing the working fluid to absorb heat, In the heat dissipation section, the process involves releasing the heat to the working fluid that has absorbed the heat, A heat transport device having two adjacent spaces includes the steps of receiving the working fluid that has absorbed the heat from the heat absorption section and sending it to the heat dissipation section, and receiving the working fluid that has released the heat from the heat dissipation section and sending it to the heat absorption section, The process of receiving and discharging the working fluid is, The process involves circulating the heat-absorbing working fluid through a first space to which a magnetic field is applied, and circulating the heat-releasing working fluid through a second space to which no magnetic field is applied, or to which a magnetic field weaker than that applied to the first space is applied. A step of moving a movable member, at least in part, made of a magnetic material, within two spaces, the step of moving the portion of the movable member made of the magnetic material from one of the two spaces to the other space, and then moving it back into the first space, The movable member is arranged in each of the two spaces so as to be perpendicular to the flow direction of the working fluid. A method for operating a heat pump, wherein the working fluid that flows into each of the aforementioned spaces flows in the flow direction through the gap between the outer surface of the movable member and the inner surface of each of the aforementioned spaces that are opposite the outer surface, bypassing the periphery of the movable member.