Magnetocaloric thermal appliance

A magnetocaloric thermal appliance (10, 20, 30, 40) comprising:

• at least one thermal module (2) having at least one magnetocaloric element (3) in contact with a heat transfer fluid;
• at least one magnetic arrangement (4, 5), having at least first and second magnets, arranged so as to create a magnetic field in a gap (6) bounded by the magnetic arrangement (4, 5) respectively;
• the gap (6) of the at least one magnetic arrangement (4, 5) having at least one opening (7) enabling passage of the at least one thermal module (2) into and out of the gap (6) of the at least one magnetic arrangement (4, 5), by relative movement between the magnetocaloric element (3) and the gap (6);
• the at least one rotatable thermal module (2) facilitating movement of the magnetocaloric element (3) to at least one position located inside the gap (6) and to at least one position located outside of the gap (6);
• the outside of the gap (6) defining a magnetocaloric region (8, 9) that is disposed in an enclosure delimited by the magnetic arrangement (4, 5);
• a recess (15), located inside the enclosure and thus outside the gap, is delimited on first and second sides by the first and the second magnets of the magnetic arrangement (4, 5) respectively;
• an additional magnetic field deflector body (11, 12, 13) having first and second plates being located outside the gap and inserted in the recess, and fixedly supported by the at least one magnetic arrangement (4, 5);
• the additional body (11, 12, 13), having the first and the second plates, being fixedly positioned with respect to the first and the second magnets of the magnetic arrangement (4, 5) respectively;
• the first and the second plates arranged to form a magnetic field deflector which is able to capture and direct a magnetic field flux, produced by the first and the second magnets of the magnetic arrangement (4,5), that appears in the enclosure and outside the gap (6) back towards the first and the second magnets of the magnetic arrangement (4, 5) such that the at least one magnetocaloric element (3) experiences substantially zero magnetic flux, when located within the magnetocaloric region (8, 9) and being subjected to a magnetic field when located within the gap (6);
• and
• the first and the second plates of the magnetic field deflector are spaced from the first and the second magnets of the magnetic arrangement and are arranged between the magnetocaloric region and the first and the second magnets of the magnetic arrangement respectively, such that the recess (15) is sandwiched on opposing first and second sides by the first and second plates respectively, the first and second sides being located adjacent opposing sides of the opening (7) of the gap (6).