Magnetic Refrigeration Design Technologies: State of the Art and General Perspectives

Abstract

Magnetic refrigeration is a fascinating superior choice technology as compared with traditional refrigeration that relies on a unique property of particular materials, known as the magnetocaloric effect (MCE). This paper provides a thorough understanding of different magnetic refrigeration technologies using a variety of models to evaluate the coefficient of performance (COP) and specific cooling capacity outputs. Accordingly, magnetic refrigeration models are divided into four categories: rotating, reciprocating, C-shaped magnetic refrigeration, and active magnetic regenerator. The working principles of these models were described, and their outputs were extracted and compared. Furthermore, the influence of the magnetocaloric effect, the magnetization area, and the thermodynamic processes and cycles on the efficiency of magnetic refrigeration was investigated and discussed to achieve a maximum cooling capacity. The classes of magnetocaloric magnetic materials were summarized from previous studies and their potential magnetic characteristics are emphasized. The essential characteristics of magnetic refrigeration systems are highlighted to determine the significant advantages, difficulties, drawbacks, and feasibility analyses of these systems. Moreover, a cost analysis was provided in order to judge the feasibility of these systems for commercial use.

Gadolinium-oxide nanoparticles for cryogenic magnetocaloric applications

“…The demand for eco-friendly technologies we are facing in recent years is the impetus for the development of advanced energy-efficient systems and devices. It is evident, in particular, in the scope of refrigeration, what is documented by an increasing number of related scientific publications 1 – 3 . It is expected that conventional technology based on gas expansion will be soon replaced by a fundamentally different principle exploiting magnetocaloric effect (MCE).…”

Development of Magnetocaloric Microstructures from Equiatomic Iron–Rhodium Nanoparticles through Laser Sintering

“…These materials exhibit a temperature change when subjected to an external magnetic field, making them attractive for replacing compressed chlorofluorocarbon/ fluorocarbon (CFC/FC) gas-based refrigeration systems. [52][53][54][55] Compared to conventional cooling systems, magnetocaloric refrigeration is more environmentally friendly, quieter, and potentially more efficient. [53,56] Furthermore, solid-state refrigeration is a viable option for miniaturized heat sinks, as it avoids leakage issues and efficiently extracts heat from hotspots.…”

“…[52][53][54][55] Compared to conventional cooling systems, magnetocaloric refrigeration is more environmentally friendly, quieter, and potentially more efficient. [53,56] Furthermore, solid-state refrigeration is a viable option for miniaturized heat sinks, as it avoids leakage issues and efficiently extracts heat from hotspots. A number of materials have been investigated for magnetocaloric refrigeration across different temperature ranges.…”

Crystal structure and magnetocaloric effect of non-rare-earth KBa8Fe12(Bi6−xFex)O38

“…1 Magnetic refrigeration is a promising alternative to the conventional gas compression refrigeration technology due to its high efficiency and compact volume, and being energy saving, clean and pollution-free. [2][3][4][5] The magnetocaloric effect (MCE) is the core of magnetic refrigeration technology. 6 The definition of MCE was reported early in 1881.…”