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US 9,851,128 B2Granted
Magneto caloric heat pump
AssigneeHaier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
InventorsMichael Alexander Benedict, David G. Beers
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heat pump system is provided that uses MCM to provide for heating or cooling. The heat pump is constructed from a continuously rotating regenerator where MCM is cycled in and out of a magnetic field in a continuous manner. A heat transfer fluid is circulated therethrough to provide for heat transfer in a cyclic manner. The MCM may include stages having different Curie temperature ranges. A field of varying magnetic flux may be used. The rotating regenerator can be equipped with one or more gaskets to improve fluid seals between the rotating regenerator and stationary parts. An appliance using such a heat pump system is also provided. The heat pump may also be used in other applications for heating, cooling, or both.
Claims18
A heat pump system for use with a heat transfer fluid, comprising:
- a regenerator housing defining a circumferential direction and rotatable about an axial direction, the axial direction extending along a direction of flow of the heat transfer fluid between a first end and a second end of the regenerator housing, the regenerator housing comprising a plurality of chambers with each chamber extending along the axial direction between a pair of openings, the plurality of chambers arranged proximate to each other along the circumferential direction;
- a plurality of working units, each working unit positioned within one of the plurality of chambers and extending along the axial direction, each working unit comprising a plurality of stages arranged adjacent to each other along the axial direction, wherein each stage comprises magneto caloric material having a Curie temperature range, the plurality of stages arranged so that the Curie temperature ranges of the plurality of stages increase along the axial direction, and wherein the Curie temperature ranges of the plurality of stages overlap between stages that are adjacent to each other along the axial direction;
- a magnetic device comprising one or more magnets having a thickness along a radial direction defined by the regenerator housing, the thickness of the one or more magnets decreasing along the axial direction, the magnetic device positioned proximate to the regenerator housing and extending along the axial direction, the magnetic device creating a field of magnetic flux, the magnetic device positioned so that one or more of the plurality of working units are moved in and out of the magnetic field as the regenerator housing is rotated about the axial direction;
- a pair of rotatable plates comprising a first rotatable plate attached to the first end of the regenerator housing and a second rotatable plate attached to the second end of the regenerator housing, the first and second rotatable plates each comprising a respective plurality of apertures spaced apart from each other along the circumferential direction with each aperture of the respective plurality of apertures positioned adjacent to one of the pair of openings of one of the plurality of chambers so as to provide fluid communication;
- a pair of fixed plates comprising a first fixed plate positioned proximate to the first rotatable plate and a second fixed plate positioned proximate to the second rotatable plate such that the regenerator housing and the pair of rotatable plates are rotatable relative to the pair of fixed plates, the first fixed plate and the second fixed plate each comprising a plurality of ports including one or more pairs of the plurality of ports positioned in an opposing manner relative to each other and also positioned so that each port of the plurality of ports can selectively align with at least one of the pair of openings of the plurality of chambers to provide fluid communication as the regenerator housing is rotated about the axial direction;
- and
- a pair of gaskets comprising a first gasket positioned between the first fixed plate and the first rotatable plate and a second gasket positioned between the second fixed plate and the second rotatable plate, the pair of gaskets configured for providing fluid seals between the pair of rotatable plates and the pair of non-rotatable plates.
4 more elements
A heat pump system for use with a heat transfer fluid, comprising:
- a regenerator housing defining a circumferential direction and rotatable about an axial direction, the axial direction extending along a direction of flow of the heat transfer fluid between a first end and a second end of the regenerator housing, the regenerator housing comprising a plurality of chambers with each chamber extending along the axial direction between a pair of openings, the plurality of chambers arranged proximate to each other along the circumferential direction;
- a plurality of working units, each working unit positioned within one of the plurality of chambers and extending along the axial direction, each working unit comprising a plurality of stages arranged adjacent to each other along the axial direction, wherein each stage comprises magneto caloric material having a Curie temperature range, the plurality of stages arranged so that the Curie temperature ranges of the plurality of stages increase along the axial direction, and wherein the Curie temperature ranges of the plurality of stages overlap between stages that are adjacent to each other along the axial direction;
- a magnetic device positioned proximate to the regenerator housing and extending along the axial direction, the magnetic device creating a field of magnetic flux, the magnetic device positioned so that one or more of the plurality of working units are moved in and out of the magnetic field as the regenerator housing is rotated about the axial direction, wherein the magnetic device creates a magnetic field of decreasing magnetic flux along the axial direction as the Curie temperature ranges of the plurality of stages increase along the axial direction;
- a pair of rotatable plates comprising a first rotatable plate attached to the first end of the regenerator housing and a second rotatable plate attached to the second end of the regenerator housing, the first and second rotatable plates each comprising a plurality of apertures spaced apart from each other along the circumferential direction with each aperture positioned adjacent to one of the pair of openings of one of the plurality of chambers so as to provide fluid communication;
- a pair of fixed plates comprising a first fixed plate positioned proximate to the first rotatable plate and a second fixed plate positioned proximate to the second rotatable plate such that the regenerator housing and the pair of rotatable plates are rotatable relative to the pair of fixed plates, the first fixed plate and the second fixed plate each comprising a plurality of ports including one or more pairs of the plurality of ports positioned in an opposing manner relative to each other and also positioned so that each port of the plurality of ports can selectively align with at least one of the pair of openings of the plurality of chambers to provide fluid communication as the regenerator housing is rotated about the axial direction;
- and
- a pair of gaskets comprising a first gasket positioned between the first fixed plate and the first rotatable plate and a second gasket positioned between the second fixed plate and the second rotatable plate, the pair of gaskets configured for providing fluid seals between the pair of rotatable plates and the pair of non-rotatable plates.
4 more elements
A heat pump for heating and cooling a heat transfer fluid, comprising:
- a regenerator housing defining a circumferential direction and rotatable about an axial direction, the axial direction extending longitudinally between a first end and a second end of the regenerator housing and parallel to a direction of flow of the heat transfer fluid through the regenerator housing, the regenerator having one or more openings for fluid flow at each end of the housing;
- a plurality of working units positioned within the regenerator housing and extending along the axial direction, the working units positioned adjacent to each other along the circumferential direction, each working unit comprising a plurality of stages arranged sequentially along the axial direction, each stage comprising magneto caloric material having a Curie temperature range, the plurality of stages arranged so that the Curie temperature ranges of the plurality of stages increase along the axial direction, and wherein the Curie temperature ranges of the plurality of stages overlap between stages that are adjacent to each other along the axial direction;
- a magnetic device positioned proximate to the regenerator housing and extending along the axial direction, the magnetic device creating a field of magnetic flux, the magnetic device positioned so that one or more of the plurality of working units are moved in and out of the magnetic field as the regenerator housing is rotated about the axial direction, wherein a magnitude of the field of magnetic flux of the magnetic device decreases linearly along the axial direction;
- a pair of rotatable plates comprising a first rotatable plate attached to the first end of the regenerator housing and a second rotatable plate attached to the second end of the regenerator housing, the first and second rotatable plates each comprising a respective plurality of apertures spaced apart from each other along the circumferential direction with each aperture of the respective plurality of apertures positioned adjacent to at least one of the openings at the ends of the regenerator housing so as to provide fluid communication;
- a pair of fixed plates comprising a first fixed plate positioned proximate to the first rotatable plate and a second fixed plate positioned proximate to the second rotatable plate such that the regenerator housing and the pair of rotatable plates are rotatable relative to the pair of fixed plates, the first fixed plate and the second fixed plate each comprising a plurality of ports including one or more pairs of the plurality of ports positioned in an opposing manner relative to each other and also positioned so that each port of the plurality of ports can selectively align with at least one of the openings at the ends of the regenerator housing as it is rotated about the axial direction;
- and
- a pair of gaskets comprising a first gasket positioned between the first fixed plate and the first rotatable plate and a second gasket positioned between the second fixed plate and the second rotatable plate, the pair of gaskets configured for providing fluid seals between the pair of rotatable plates and the pair of non-rotatable plates.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.