Caloric heat pump system

Abstract

A caloric heat pump system includes a plurality of stages, a plurality of conduits and a plurality of flow restrictors. Each stage includes a caloric material disposed within a respective chamber of a plurality of chambers. Each conduit is coupled to a regenerator housing at a respective one of the plurality of chambers. Each flow restrictor is coupled to the regenerator housing or a respective one of the plurality of conduits. A related method for regulating fluid flow through a plurality of stages of a caloric heat pump is also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A caloric heat pump system, comprising:
 a regenerator housing comprising a plurality of chambers;   a plurality of stages, each stage comprising a caloric material disposed within a respective chamber of the plurality of chambers;   a plurality of conduits, each conduit coupled to the regenerator housing at a respective one of the plurality of chambers;   a pump coupled to the conduits of the plurality of conduits, the pump operable to circulate a working fluid through the conduits of the plurality of conduits and the stages of the plurality of stages; and   a plurality of flow restrictors, each flow restrictor coupled to the regenerator housing or a respective one of the plurality of conduits, the flow restrictors of the plurality of flow restrictors configured such that a flow rate of the working fluid through each stage of the plurality of stages is uniform.   
     
     
         2 . The caloric heat pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the flow restrictors of the plurality of flow restrictors comprise at least one of an orifice, a needle valve or a pinch valve. 
     
     
         3 . The caloric heat pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the flow restrictors of the plurality of flow restrictors are orifices and are positioned on the regenerator housing. 
     
     
         4 . The caloric heat pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the flow restrictors of the plurality of flow restrictors are needle valves or pinch valves and each flow restrictor is coupled to the respective one of the plurality of conduits. 
     
     
         5 . The caloric heat pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of stages comprises four stages and at least two of the four stages are plumbed in parallel with the conduits of the plurality of conduits such that working fluid from the pump simultaneously flows through the at least two of the four stages during operation of the pump. 
     
     
         6 . The caloric heat pump system of  claim 5 , wherein the pump comprises a pair of pistons. 
     
     
         7 . The caloric heat pump system of  claim 6 , wherein the pump further comprises a cam and a motor, the cam coupled to the motor such that the cam is rotatable with the motor, each piston of the pair of pistons having a follower positioned on the cam. 
     
     
         8 . The caloric heat pump system of  claim 1 , the flow rate of the working fluid through each stage of the plurality of stages is within five percent of one another. 
     
     
         9 . The caloric heat pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the caloric material is a magneto-caloric material. 
     
     
         10 . The caloric heat pump system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first heat exchanger; and   a second heat exchanger separate from the first heat exchanger,   wherein the pump is operable to circulate the heat transfer fluid between the first and second heat exchangers and the plurality of stages.   
     
     
         11 . A caloric heat pump system, comprising:
 a regenerator housing comprising a plurality of chambers;   a plurality of stages, each stage comprising a caloric material disposed within a respective chamber of the plurality of chambers;   a plurality of conduits, each conduit coupled to the regenerator housing at a respective one the plurality of chambers;   a pump coupled to the conduits of the plurality of conduits, the pump operable to circulate a working fluid through the conduits of the plurality of conduits and the stages of the plurality of stages; and   a plurality of flow restrictors, each flow restrictor coupled to the regenerator housing or a respective one of the plurality of conduits, the flow restrictors of the plurality of flow restrictors configured such that a flow rate of the working fluid through each stage of the plurality of stages is within five percent of one another,   wherein the flow restrictors of the plurality of flow restrictors comprise at least one of an orifice, a needle valve or a pinch valve.   
     
     
         12 . The caloric heat pump system of  claim 11 , wherein the flow restrictors of the plurality of flow restrictors are orifices and are positioned on the regenerator housing. 
     
     
         13 . The caloric heat pump system of  claim 11 , wherein the flow restrictors of the plurality of flow restrictors are needle valves or pinch valves and each flow restrictor is coupled to the respective one of the plurality of conduits. 
     
     
         14 . The caloric heat pump system of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of stages comprises four stages and at least two of the four stages are plumbed in parallel with the conduits of the plurality of conduits such that working fluid from the pump simultaneously flows through the at least two of the four stages during operation of the pump. 
     
     
         15 . The caloric heat pump system of  claim 14 , wherein the pump comprises a pair of pistons. 
     
     
         16 . The caloric heat pump system of  claim 15 , wherein the pump further comprises a cam and a motor, the cam coupled to the motor such that the cam is rotatable with the motor, each piston of the pair of pistons having a follower positioned on the cam. 
     
     
         17 . The caloric heat pump system of  claim 11 , wherein the caloric material is a magneto-caloric material. 
     
     
         18 . The caloric heat pump system of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a first heat exchanger; and   a second heat exchanger separate from the first heat exchanger,   wherein the pump is operable to circulate the heat transfer fluid between the first and second heat exchangers and the plurality of stages.   
     
     
         19 . A method for regulating fluid flow through a plurality of stages of a caloric heat pump, the method comprising
 flowing a fluid through each stage of the plurality of stages;   measuring a flow rate of the fluid through each stage of the plurality of stages; and   adjusting a plurality of flow restrictors such that the flow rate of fluid through each stage of the plurality of stages is uniform.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the flow rate of a working fluid through each stage of the plurality of stages is within five percent of one another after said step of adjusting.