Permanent magnet array for the magnetic refrigerator

Abstract

Recent research into the development of magnetic refrigeration (MR) operating at room temperature has shown that it can provide a reliable, energy-efficient cooling system. To enhance the cooling power of the magnetic refrigerator, it is required to use a magnetic refrigerant material with large magnetocaloric effect (MCE) at the appropriate temperature. Most advanced magnetic refrigerant materials show largest MCE at high applied magnetic fields generated by a superconducting magnet. For application of MCE to air conditioners or household refrigerators, it is essential to develop a permanent magnet array to form a compact, strong, and energy-efficient magnetic field generator. Generating a magnetic field well above the remanence of a permanent magnet material is hard to achieve through conventional designs. A permanent magnet array based on a hollow cylindrical flux source is found to provide an appropriate geometry and magnetic field strength for MR applications. © 2002 American Institute of Physics.