Patent ID: 9625185
Date: 2017-04-18
CPC Classifications: F25B,Y02B

Claim:
1. A heat pump, comprising: a plurality of stages arranged sequentially along an axial direction from a first end to a second end, each stage comprising magneto caloric material having a Curie temperature range, the plurality of stages arranged so that the Curie temperature ranges of the plurality of stages increase along the axial direction; and a magnetic device positioned adjacent to the plurality of stages and axially fixed at a predetermined position relative to the first end and the second end, the magnetic device configured to subject the plurality of stages to a magnetic field of decreasing magnetic flux along the axial direction; wherein magnetic flux of the magnetic field decreases from the first end to the second end along the plurality of stages in axial alignment therewith, and wherein a rate of decrease between each respective stage corresponds to an increase in the Curie temperature range of the stage.