Magnetic refrigerating device and magnetic refrigerating method

A magnetic refrigerating method, comprising:

• applying a first magnetic field with a first intensity to a magnetic refrigerating unit including a magnetic material “A” exhibiting a magneto-caloric effect that the temperature of said material “A” is increased by the application of a magnetic field and the temperature of said material “A” is decreased by the removal of a magnetic field, a magnetic material “B” exhibiting a magneto-caloric effect that the temperature of said material “B” is decreased by the application of a magnetic field and the temperature of said material “B” is increased by the removal of a magnetic field, a heat conductive material “a” exhibiting higher heat conductivity under the application of a magnetic field and lower heat conductivity under the removal of a magnetic field, and a heat conductive material “b” exhibiting lower heat conductivity under the application of a magnetic field and higher heat conductivity under the removal of a magnetic field, wherein said magnetic refrigerating unit is configured so as to include at least one layered structure denoted by “AaBb” which is formed by subsequently stacking said materials “A”, “a”, “B”, “b” or at least one layered structure denoted by “AbBa” which is formed by subsequently stacking said materials “A”, “b”, “B”, “a”;
• and
• applying a second magnetic field with a second intensity smaller than said first intensity to said magnetic refrigerating unit,
• wherein the thus generated heat is transferred from one end to the other end of said magnetic refrigerating unit.