Patent ID: 8656725

Claim:
A heat generator with a magnetocaloric material, the heat generator comprising: at least one thermal flux generation unit ( 2 , 102 , 202 ) provided with at least one thermal module ( 3 ) containing a magnetocaloric element ( 4 ), crossed by a heat transfer fluid circulated according to an alternating movement on both sides of the magnetocaloric element ( 4 ); a magnetic arrangement ( 9 , 24 ) being movable to subject alternately the magnetocaloric element ( 4 ) to a magnetic field variation and alternately create, in the magnetocaloric element ( 4 ), a heating cycle and a cooling cycle, generating creation of and then maintaining a temperature gradient between two opposite ends ( 7 , 8 ) of the magnetocaloric element ( 4 ), alternating displacement of the heat transfer fluid being synchronized with the magnetic field variation; the thermal flux generation unit ( 2 , 102 , 202 ) comprising a field closing device ( 30 , 31 , 32 ) arranged to loop magnetic flux generated by the magnetic arrangement ( 9 , 24 ); the magnetocaloric element ( 4 ) being integrated in a closed heat transfer fluid circulation circuit ( 6 ) which interconnects the two opposite ends ( 7 , 8 ) of the magnetocaloric element ( 4 ), and the closed heat transfer fluid circulation circuit ( 6 ) comprising a single means of displacement ( 5 , 50 , 60 ) of the heat transfer fluid through the magnetocaloric element ( 4 ) in both displacement directions; wherein the field closing device ( 30 , 31 , 32 ) is movable and comprises a control device ( 19 , 192 ) for driving the means of displacement ( 5 , 50 , 60 ) of the heat transfer fluid.