Driving system for mechanocaloric heating or cooling apparatus

Abstract

A driving system (100), in particular for a mechanocaloric heating, cooling or dehumidifying apparatus, the driving system (100) comprising: an arrangement with at least a first set and a second set of mechanocaloric elements, wherein each set comprises at least one mechanocaloric element (120), each mechanocaloric element (120) comprising at least one mechanocaloric material, and a loading system (140), which is configured to load and unload the first set and the second set of mechanocaloric elements (120) in a plurality of consecutive operational cycles by applying a deformation, in particular a shape or volume change, to the at least one mechanocaloric element (120), and wherein, in each operational cycle, the loading system (140) is configured to cyclically load and unload the first and second set of mechanocaloric elements (120), such that during a respective loading phase of the first and second set of mechanocaloric elements an at least approximately constant mechanical input power is applied on the mechanocaloric elements (120), and such that during a respective unloading phase of the first and second set of mechanocaloric elements an at least approximately constant mechanical output power is applied from the mechanocaloric elements (120) on the loading system (140).