Patent ID: 9377221
Filing Date: 2016-06-28
CPC Classification: F25B,Y02B

Claim Text:
1. A heat pump, comprising: a plurality of stages arranged sequentially along an axial direction, each of the stages comprising magneto caloric material having a Curie temperature range, the stages arranged so that the Curie temperature ranges of the plurality of stages increase along the axial direction; an adjustable heat transfer fluid flow path through the heat pump, the fluid flow path configured so that the number of stages through which heat transfer fluid passes is adjustable; a magnetic device positioned adjacent to the plurality of stages, the magnetic device configured to subject one or more of the plurality of stages to a magnetic field; a regenerator extending along the axial direction, the regenerator and magnetic device rotatable relative each other about the axial direction so as to cycle the stages through the magnetic field, the regenerator including the plurality of stages, the regenerator defining a first aperture along the fluid flow path, the first aperture configured as a slot extending along the axial direction; and a housing containing the plurality of stages and the regenerator, the housing defining a second aperture smaller than the first aperture and alignable with the first aperture; wherein the regenerator and housing are movable relative to each other along the axial direction so as to adjust the alignment between the first aperture and second aperture and modify the number of stages through which the heat transfer fluid passes.