Magnetocaloric Heat Exchange Device

Abstract

Various implementations include a magnetic heat exchange device including a magnetocaloric chamber, a magnet, a heating loop, and a cooling loop. The magnetocaloric chamber contains a magnetocaloric material and is configured to transfer heat between the magnetocaloric material and a fluid. The magnet is movable between a first position and a second position. The magnetic field from the magnet interacts with the magnetocaloric material in the first position, and the magnetic field from the magnet does not interact with the magnetocaloric material in the second position. In the heating mode, the magnet is in the first position and the fluid flows through the heating loop and the magnetocaloric chamber. In the cooling mode, the magnet is in the second position and the fluid flows through the cooling loop and the magnetocaloric chamber.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A magnetic heat exchange device comprising:
 a magnetocaloric chamber containing a magnetocaloric material, wherein the magnetocaloric chamber is configured to transfer heat between the magnetocaloric material and a fluid;   a magnet movable between a first position and a second position, wherein a magnetic field from the magnet interacts with the magnetocaloric material in the first position and the magnetic field from the magnet does not interact with the magnetocaloric material in the second position;   a heating loop having a first heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from the fluid to an atmosphere when the device is in a heating mode; and   a cooling loop having a second heat exchanger configured to transfer heat to the fluid from the atmosphere when the device is in a cooling mode,   wherein, in the heating mode, the magnet is in the first position and the fluid flows through the heating loop and the magnetocaloric chamber, and   wherein, in the cooling mode, the magnet is in the second position and the fluid flows through the cooling loop and the magnetocaloric chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a bypass loop, wherein, in a bypass mode, the fluid flows through the bypass loop and the magnetocaloric chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to move the magnet between the first position and the second position and control the flow of fluid through the heating loop and the cooling loop. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one valve, wherein the at least one valve is configured to control the flow of fluid through the heating loop and the cooling loop. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising an actuator configured to move the first magnet between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the magnet is a permanent magnet. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the magnetocaloric chamber comprises at least one magnetocaloric container, wherein the magnetocaloric material is disposed within the magnetocaloric container and the magnetocaloric material is configured to be in fluid communication with the fluid. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the magnetocaloric container comprises a mesh, wherein one or more openings defined by the mesh are smaller than the magnetocaloric material. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the heating loop further comprises a heating temperature sensor and the cooling loop further comprises a cooling temperature sensor, wherein the controller is configured to switch from the heating mode to the cooling mode in response to a measurement from the heating temperature sensor and switch from the cooling mode to the heating mode in response to a measurement from the cooling temperature sensor. 
     
     
         10 . A method of cooling a fluid comprising:
 circulating a fluid through a magnetic heat exchange device, the magnetic heat exchange device comprising:
 a magnetocaloric chamber containing a magnetocaloric material, wherein the magnetocaloric chamber is configured to transfer heat between the magnetocaloric material and a fluid, 
 a magnet movable between a first position and a second position, wherein a magnetic field from the magnet interacts with the magnetocaloric material in the first position and the magnetic field from the magnet does not interact with the magnetocaloric material in the second position, 
 a heating loop having a first heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from the fluid to an atmosphere when the device is in a heating mode, and 
 a cooling loop having a second heat exchanger configured to transfer heat to the fluid from the atmosphere when the device is in a cooling mode, 
 wherein, in the heating mode, the magnet is in the first position and the fluid flows through the heating loop and the magnetocaloric chamber, and 
 wherein, in the cooling mode, the magnet is in the second position and the fluid flows through the cooling loop and the magnetocaloric chamber; 
   operating the magnetic heat exchange device in the heating mode; and   switching the magnetic heat exchange device from heating mode to cooling mode.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising a bypass loop, wherein, in a bypass mode, the fluid flows through the bypass loop and the magnetocaloric chamber, wherein the method further comprises:
 operating in the bypass mode before switching the magnetic heat exchange device from heating mode to cooling mode.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the magnetic heat exchange device further comprises at least one valve, wherein the at least one valve is configured to control the flow of fluid through the heating loop and the cooling loop. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein:
 operating the magnetic heat exchange device in the heating mode further comprises actuating the at least one valve to cause the fluid to flow through the heating loop and the magnetocaloric chamber; and   operating the magnetic heat exchange device in the cooling mode further comprises actuating the at least one valve to cause the fluid to flow through the cooling loop and the magnetocaloric chamber.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the magnetic heat exchange device further comprises at least one valve, wherein the at least one valve is configured to control the flow of fluid through the heating loop and the cooling loop, wherein the bypass mode further comprises actuating the at least one valve to cause the fluid to flow through the bypass loop and the magnetocaloric chamber. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising a controller configured to move the magnet between the first position and the second position and control the flow of fluid through the heating loop and the cooling loop. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the magnetic heat exchange device further comprises an actuator configured to move the first magnet between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the magnet is a permanent magnet. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the magnetocaloric chamber comprises at least one magnetocaloric container, wherein the magnetocaloric material is disposed within the magnetocaloric container and the magnetocaloric material is in fluid communication with the fluid while disposed in the magnetocaloric container. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the magnetocaloric container comprises a mesh, wherein one or more openings defined by the mesh are smaller than the magnetocaloric material. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the heating loop further comprises a heating temperature sensor and the cooling loop further comprises a cooling temperature sensor, wherein the controller is configured to switch from the heating mode to the cooling mode in response to a measurement from the heating temperature sensor and switch from the cooling mode to the heating mode in response to a measurement from the cooling temperature sensor.