KR100684527B1 - Magnetic heat-exchanging unit for magnetic refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

A magnetic heat exchange unit for a magnetic refrigerator is provided to hold magnetocaloric materials by magnets so as to prevent loss of the magnetocaloric materials and separate the magnetocaloric materials from heat transfer fluid for making flow of the heat transfer fluid without blocking an outlet. A magnetic heat exchange unit for a magnetic refrigerator includes a container formed with an inlet(16) and an outlet(17) and having a magnetic heat exchange chamber. Magnetocaloric materials such as Gd powder are included in the magnetocaloric chamber for passing flow of heat transfer fluid to carry out heat exchange therewith. A magnet(14) is coupled with the container or received in the magnetocaloric materials so as to apply attraction to the magnetocaloric materials. The inlet and the outlet are mounted with meshes to prevent loss of the magnetocaloric materials.

Description

Magnetic heat-exchanging unit for magnetic refrigerator

1 is a plan view of a thermally conductive fluid component in a conventional rotating magnetic magnetic refrigerator.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an exemplary magnetic heat exchange unit comprising the magnetocaloric material of FIG. 1. FIG.

3 and 4 are internal plan and side views of an exemplary magnetic heat exchange unit comprising a magnetocaloric material in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a perspective view of the components of the magnetic refrigerator in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a front view of FIG. 5;

7 is a cross-sectional view of the magnetic heat exchange unit used in FIG.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

5,160,161: Pump 6,162: High temperature heat exchanger (outdoor unit)

12,163: low temperature heat exchanger (indoor part) 13: magnetic heat exchange unit

14 magnet 16,17 mesh

17aa, 17ab: first heat conducting fluid 17bb, 17bc: second heat conducting fluid

112: magnetocaloric material (Gd) 113,213: magnetic heat exchange unit

113a: high temperature side magnetic heat exchange unit 113b: low temperature side magnetic heat exchange unit

115: mounting cylinder 116,117: mesh

118: rotating plate 130,131,132,133: pipe

140: magnet 144: motor

148: shaft

Korean Unexamined Patent Publication No. 204-00604

U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 6,66,6,600

Japanese Patent Publication No. 205-551333

The present invention relates to a magnetic heat exchange unit for a magnetic refrigerator equipped with a magnet.

Conventionally, as the magnetic refrigerator, the publications described above have been proposed, for example. As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the conventional magnetic cooler absorbs heat heated by the self-heating effect of the magnetic caloric material to which the magnetic field is applied while the thermal conductive fluid introduced into the first flows into the second. To the pipe through the outlet 2 to cool the magnetocaloric material. The high temperature part passes through the third pipe, passes through the pump 5 through the distributor 5, and passes through the outdoor unit part (high temperature heat exchanger) 6, and is then introduced into the magnetic heat exchange chamber 7. In the 7th pipe, the high temperature part is divided into the 8th pipe and the 9th pipe and moves to the low temperature part at 10 to proceed to the distributor 11. When the hot portion moves from 7 to 8 and from 9 to 10, it cools through the magnetocaloric material already cooled by the hot portion. The same cycle is continued while the low temperature portion passing through the distributor 11 moves to the 13, 14 and 15 pipes past the indoor base portion (low temperature heat exchanger) 12.

By the way, the conventional magnetic heat exchange unit 13 is comprised by the container which has the magnetic heat exchange chamber containing the magnetocaloric material which passes the flow of a heat conductive fluid, as shown in FIG.

With this configuration, when the thermally conductive fluid enters the mesh 16 and passes through the magnetocaloric material and exits to the opposite mesh 17, separation of the powder-type magnetocaloric material and the thermally conductive fluid is achieved through the mesh 17. Calorie material is lost.

In addition, the magnetocaloric material accumulates in the thermally conductive fluid outlet mesh 17 according to the strength of the thermally conductive fluid flow, thereby preventing the flow of the thermally conductive fluid outlet.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to provide a magnetic heat exchange unit for a magnetic refrigerator that can prevent the loss of magnetic caloric material and facilitate the flow of the thermally conductive fluid.

A magnetic heat exchange unit for a magnetic refrigerator of the present invention for achieving the above object is a container having an inlet and an outlet and a magnetic heat exchange chamber; A magnetocaloric material that is included in the magnetic heat exchange chamber and heat exchanges through the flow of the heat conductive fluid; A magnet that applies attraction to the magnetocaloric material; It is made, including.

According to this configuration, the magnet grabs the magnetocaloric material, thereby preventing the loss of the magnetocaloric material and smoothly flowing the heat conducting fluid.

In the above configuration, the magnet can be implemented to be coupled to the container or to be inside the magnetocaloric material.

In addition, if the mesh is further provided at the inlet and the outlet, it is possible to reliably prevent the loss of the magnetocaloric material.

In addition, the magnetocaloric material is preferably implemented by gadolinium (Gd).

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, where like reference numerals are used to designate like parts, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

3 and 4 are internal plan and side views of an exemplary magnetic heat exchange unit comprising a magnetocaloric material in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, the magnetic heat exchange unit 213 for a magnetic refrigerator according to the present embodiment is composed of a container, a magnetocaloric material contained in the container, and a magnet 14 for applying attraction force to the magnetocaloric material. It is.

A magnetic heat exchange chamber including the magnetocaloric material is formed inside the container, and an inlet 16 and an outlet 17 through which a flow of the heat conducting fluid is passed are formed. The inlet 16 and the outlet 17 are connected to a pipe through which a thermally conductive fluid flows.

This inlet 16 and outlet 17 are preferably arranged on the same plane and above, as shown in Fig. 4, for the purpose of preventing loss of magnetocaloric material and smooth flow of the heat conducting fluid.

The magnetocaloric material has a characteristic of changing temperature when a magnetic field is applied, and a material having excellent characteristics is gadolinium (Gd), which is a fine powder. This gadolinium has pores that are excellent in permeability to the flow of heat conducting fluid, and has excellent heat absorption and release.

Preferably, the magnet 14 is coupled to the container or in the magnetocaloric material.

3 and 4, in the case of a container-attached magnet, it is coupled to the outer wall (or inner wall) of the container so as to attract the magnetocaloric material.

In addition, a magnet may be planted in the magnetocaloric material to form a lump.

In this way, the magnetocaloric material is agglomerated by the magnet 14, and the loss of heat can be prevented by the flow of the heat conductive fluid.

In addition, the accumulation of the magnetocaloric material at the outlet is suppressed to the maximum, and the flow of the heat conductive fluid can be smoothly performed.

In particular, when the meshes 16 and 17 are further provided at the inlet and outlet, the loss of the magnetocaloric material can be further suppressed.

On the other hand, Figure 5 is a perspective view of the components of the magnetic refrigerator according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, Figure 6 is a front view of Figure 5, Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the magnetic heat exchange unit of FIG.

5 and 6, the magnetic refrigerator of the present embodiment is a plurality of magnetic heat exchange unit 113, the rotary plate 118, the magnetic heat exchange unit 113 is installed at predetermined intervals along the circumferential direction, It is disposed between the rotating plate 118, the magnet 140 to increase the temperature by applying a magnetic field when the magnetic heat exchange unit 113 passes, and disposed on the high temperature side 113a of the magnetic heat exchange unit 113 And a low temperature heat exchange member disposed on the low temperature side 113b of the magnetic heat exchange unit 113.

The heat conducting fluid is separated into a first heat conducting fluid 17a circulating in the high temperature heat exchange member and a second heat conducting fluid 17b circulating in the low temperature heat exchange member to form a cycle.

That is, the high temperature heat exchange member includes a high temperature heat exchanger 162 and a first pipe for flowing the first heat conductive fluid 17aa at the low temperature side outlet of the high temperature heat exchanger 162 to the high temperature side magnetic heat exchange unit 113a. 130 and the first heat-conducting fluid 17ab that absorbs and heats the heat of the magnetocaloric material 112 while passing through the high temperature side magnetic heat exchange unit 113a to the high temperature side inlet of the high temperature heat exchanger 162. It consists of the 2nd pipe 131 which flows.

Similarly, the low temperature heat exchange member includes a low temperature heat exchanger 163 and a third pipe for flowing the second heat conductive fluid 17bb of the high temperature side outlet of the low temperature heat exchanger 163 to the low temperature side magnetic heat exchange unit 113b. 132 and the second heat conducting fluid 17bc cooled by discharging heat to the magnetocaloric material 112 while passing through the low temperature side magnetic heat exchange unit 113b to the low temperature side inlet of the low temperature heat exchanger 163. It consists of the 4th pipe 133 made to flow.

The magnetic heat exchange unit 113 is configured to include a magnetocaloric material 112 for passing the flow of the heat conducting fluid. The magnetocaloric material 112 has a characteristic that the temperature changes when a magnetic field is applied, and gadolinium (Gd) is an excellent material. This gadolinium has pores that are excellent in permeability to the flow of heat conducting fluid, and has excellent heat absorption and release.

The rotating plate 118 is rotated by a motor 144 that rotates the shaft 148 coupled to the center thereof. In the circumferential direction of the rotating plate 118, the magnetocaloric material 112 is arranged at predetermined intervals.

That is, the mounting plate is drilled in the circumferential direction in the rotating plate 118, and the magnetic heat exchange unit 113 shown in FIG. 7 is mounted in the mounting hole.

The magnetic heat exchange unit 113 includes a mounting cylinder 115 mounted to the mounting hole, meshes 116 and 117 installed at both ends of the mounting cylinder 115, and a mounting cylinder 115 between the meshes 116 and 117. The magnetocaloric material 112 is included. By this structure, it is easy to attach to the rotating rotating plate 118.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above-described magnets may be coupled to the mounting cylinder 115 or may be planted inside the magnetocaloric material 112 to prevent loss of the magnetocaloric material 112 and facilitate the flow of the heat conducting fluid. Will do.

The magnet 140 is fixedly disposed above and below the rotating plate 118 immediately before the first pipe 130 and the second pipe 131, and applies a magnetic field to increase the temperature when the magnetic heat exchange unit 113 passes. Configuration.

Hereinafter, the cycle of the magnetic refrigerator according to the present embodiment will be described. The atmospheric temperature of heat exchange with the outdoor unit 162 and the indoor temperature of heat exchange with the indoor unit 163 are set to 26 ° C., and the characteristics of the magnetocaloric material are tested. When the magnetocaloric material is usually magnetized, the temperature rises about 3 ° C above the atmospheric temperature, and when cooled with a thermally conductive fluid, the temperature drops about 3 ° C below the atmospheric temperature.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the rotating plate 118 is rotated by the motor 144, so that the magnetic heat exchange units 113 sequentially pass through the magnet 140, the high temperature heat exchanger, and the low temperature heat exchanger.

The magnetic heat exchange unit 113a passing through the magnet 140 becomes hot due to the self-heating effect of the magnetocaloric material 112 (29 ° C.), and the heat passes through the magnetocaloric material 112 to the first pipe 130. The first heat conducting fluid 17aa is cooled to 26 ° C and the first heat conducting fluid 17ab is heated to 29 ° C. The heated first thermoelectric fluid 17ab passes through the high temperature heat exchanger 162 through the second pipe 131 to release heat, and the first heat conductive fluid 17aa cooled to a temperature of 26 ° C. is the first pipe. Repeat the cycle passing through the magnetic heat exchange unit 113 again through (130).

The temperature of the magnetocaloric material (26 ° C) deprived of heat by the first heat conducting fluid is lowered to 23 ° C while moving to the low temperature heat exchange part. The 23 ° C magnetocaloric material 113b recovers its own heat lost through the second heat conducting fluid 17bb (26 ° C) of the third pipe 132 back to 26 ° C, while the second heat conducting fluid The temperature is lowered to 23 ℃. The cooled second heat conductive fluid 17bc passes through the low temperature heat exchanger 163 through the fourth pipe 133 to discharge cold air (23 ° C.), and is heated to a temperature of 26 ° C. (17bb). ) Repeats the cycle of passing through the magnetic heat exchange unit 113 again through the third pipe 132.

At this time, it is preferable that the pumps 160 and 161 are installed in the second pipe 131 and the fourth pipe 133 to propel the first heat conductive fluids 17aa and 17ab and the second heat conductive fluids 17bb and 17bc. Do.

In this way, the circulation of the heat conducting fluid is separated into a high temperature heat exchange part and a low temperature heat exchange part, and two cycles are formed. The structure of the refrigeration cycle can be greatly simplified.

In addition, in such a system, the thermally conductive fluid at the atmospheric temperature is introduced into the magnetocaloric material, so that the thermally conductive fluid is heated and cooled more, depending on the state of the material, thereby increasing the efficiency of heat exchange.

In addition, since the high temperature heat exchanger and the low temperature heat exchanger are separated, it is possible to control the flow of the first heat conducting fluid and the second heat conducting fluid differently. Therefore, a large amount of the first heat conducting fluid is flowed into the high temperature side magnetic heat exchange unit to cool the heat of the magnetocaloric material as quickly as possible.

The magnetic heat exchange unit for a magnetic refrigerator of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and may be variously modified and implemented within the range permitted by the technical idea of the present invention.

As apparent from the above description, the magnetic heat exchange unit for a magnetic refrigerator of the present invention has the following effects.

By holding the magnetocaloric material with a magnet, the loss of the magnetocaloric material can be prevented, and the magnetocaloric material and the heat conducting fluid can be separated smoothly, so that the flow of the heat conducting fluid can be smoothed without blocking the outlet.

In addition, by providing a mesh at the inlet and outlet of the container, even if the magnetocaloric material is lost, the loss can be suppressed as much as possible.

Claims (5)

A container having an inlet and an outlet and a magnetic heat exchange chamber; A magnetocaloric material that is included in the magnetic heat exchange chamber and heat exchanges through the flow of the heat conductive fluid; A magnet that applies attraction to the magnetocaloric material; Magnetic heat exchange unit for a magnetic refrigerator comprising a. The method of claim 1, The magnet heat exchange unit for a magnetic refrigerator characterized in that the magnet is coupled to the container. The method of claim 1, And the magnet is inside the magnetocaloric material. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The magnetic heat exchange unit for a magnetic refrigerator characterized in that the mesh is further provided at the inlet and outlet. The method of claim 4, wherein And the magnetocaloric material is gadolinium (Gd).

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