Patent ID: 9528728
Filing Date: 2016-12-27
CPC Classification: F25B,Y02B

Claim Text:
1. A magnetic refrigerator assembly, comprising: a first magnetocaloric stage configured to operate with a first temperature span, and arranged to receive a first heat transfer fluid for flow in the first magnetocaloric stage; and a second magnetocaloric stage configured to operate with a second temperature span, arranged to receive a second heat transfer fluid for flow in the second magnetocaloric stage, and arranged in parallel relationship to the first magnetocaloric stage; wherein the first and second temperature spans are substantially the same but the absolute temperatures of cold ends of the first and second magnetocaloric stages are different and/or the absolute temperatures of hot ends of the first and second magnetocaloric stages are different, wherein each of the first and second magnetocaloric stages have a respective cold side and hot side, each of the first and second magnetocaloric stages include a hot side heat exchange circuit, and each of the first and second magnetocaloric stages include a cold side heat exchange circuit; wherein the hot side heat exchange circuit is a closed circuit configured to allow a first heat exchange fluid to continuously circulate within the hot side heat exchange circuit so that the first heat exchange fluid passes sequentially through the hot side of the first magnetocaloric stage, then through the hot side of the second magnetocaloric stage, and then through a hot side heat exchanger, and after passing through the hot side heat exchanger the first heat exchange fluid flows within the hot side heat exchange circuit to the hot side of the first magnetocaloric stage thereby defining the hot side heat exchange circuit, and wherein, with the first heat exchange fluid passing through the hot side heat exchange circuit, the temperature of the hot side of the first magnetocaloric stage is lower than that of the hot side of the second magnetocaloric stage; and wherein the cold side heat exchange circuit is a closed circuit, fluidly isolated from the hot side heat exchange circuit and configured to allow a second heat exchange fluid to continuously circulate within the cold side heat exchange circuit so that the second heat exchange fluid passes sequentially through the cold side of the second magnetocaloric stage, then through the cold side of the first magnetocaloric stage, and then through a cold side heat exchanger, and after passing through the cold side heat exchanger the second heat exchange fluid flows within the cold side heat exchange circuit to the cold side of the second magnetocaloric stage, thereby defining the cold side heat exchange circuit, and, wherein, with the second heat exchange fluid passing through the cold side heat exchange circuit, the temperature of the cold side of the second magnetocaloric stage is higher than that of the cold side of the first magnetocaloric stage.