Magnetocaloric Thermal Generator With Separate Hot and Cold Circuits
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat generators with magnetocaloric materials face challenges in achieving economic profitability, energy efficiency, and simplified design due to complex construction and high manufacturing costs, as well as limited scalability and flexibility, primarily due to the use of a single heat transfer fluid for both hot and cold circuits.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates separate 'hot' and 'cold' collector circuits within each thermal element, allowing the heat transfer fluid to alternate between circuits based on the magnetic field exposure, with fluid passages of small size to promote laminar flow and efficient heat exchange, and uses a fixed support with rotating magnetic means to subject thermal elements to a varying magnetic field.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single heat transfer fluid is used for both hot and cold circuits, then the device complexity is reduced, but the energy efficiency deteriorates due to thermal inertia
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single heat transfer fluid circuit into two separate circuits: a hot circuit and a cold circuit. Each circuit has dedicated fluid passages (35a for hot, 35b for cold) that are hydraulically sealed and thermally isolated from each other. This segmentation eliminates thermal inertia issues by preventing hot and cold fluids from mixing, thereby improving energy efficiency while maintaining manageable device complexity through modular design.
2Loss of energy
If separate hot and cold circuits are implemented, then the energy efficiency is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the hot and cold circuits into a single integrated thermal element structure. Both circuits share the same thermal element body, mounting support, and external housing, but maintain hydraulic separation through internally sealed fluid passages. This merging approach improves energy efficiency through separate fluid paths while minimizing device complexity by consolidating common components.
3Productivity
If fluid passages of small size are used to promote laminar flow, then the heat exchange efficiency is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs porous magnetocaloric material as the thermal element, which naturally provides extensive surface area and interconnected fluid pathways. The porous structure facilitates laminar flow and efficient heat exchange without requiring precisely machined small passages, thereby improving heat exchange efficiency while reducing manufacturing precision requirements compared to traditional machined channels.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach results in a scalable, flexible, and modular thermal generator with improved energy efficiency, reduced energy consumption, and enhanced heat output, suitable for both industrial and domestic applications, while minimizing thermal inertia and environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
heat generators with magnetocaloric material use the magnetocaloric properties of certain materials, such as gadolinium or certain alloys, which have the particularity of heating up under the effect of a magnetic field and of cooling down to a temperature below their initial temperature, after disappearance of the magnetic field or following a decrease in this magnetic field
Implementation Method 2
The calories and cold temperatures emitted by the thermal elements are guided towards heat exchangers by hot and cold circuits, in which a heat transfer fluid circulates
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4A
AI summary
The invention relates to a non-polluting thermal generator having a very good energy efficiency and a simple and economical design, low consumption of energy, all while being scalable, versatile and modular. In this thermal generator (1), the thermal elements (3) composed of magnetocaloric material each comprise two distinct collector circuits (31, 32), one hot collector circuit (31) being connected to a hot heat transfer fluid circuit (51) and one cold collector circuit (32) being connected to a cold heat transfer fluid circuit (52). The heat transfer fluid is set in alternating motion in one or the other collector circuit (31, 32) depending on whether the thermal elements (3) are subjected to or not subjected to the magnetic field generated by the magnets (40) rotating about a central axis (B) with regard to the thermal elements (3). The heat transfer fluid circuits (51, 52) are integrated, in part, in a plate (2) supporting the thermal elements (3) and are connected to external circuits comprising heat exchangers (55, 56) using the calories and the negative calories generated by the thermal elements (3). The applications of the invention include: heating, tempering, air-conditioning, and refrigeration in every industrial installation and every household application.