Magneto-caloric cooling device and method of operation

1. A method comprising:

controlling a temperature of the plurality of magneto-caloric elements to be substantially equal to an activation temperature of each respective magneto-caloric element, wherein said controlling includes:

subjecting magneto-caloric elements in a first magneto-caloric block to a magnetic regenerative refrigeration cycle to regulate a temperature of magneto-caloric elements of a second magneto-caloric block, wherein said regulation includes selectively establishing thermal contact between the magneto-caloric elements of the first and second magneto-caloric block and one or both of a medium flow configured to transfer thermal energy to the magneto-caloric elements of the first magneto-caloric block and a medium flow configured to receive thermal energy from the magneto-caloric elements of the first magneto-caloric block;

when the temperature of the magneto-caloric elements of the second magneto-caloric block is substantially equal to an activation temperature for the magneto-caloric elements of the second magneto-caloric block, and while subjecting the magneto-caloric elements in the first magneto-caloric block to the magnetic regenerative refrigeration cycle, subjecting the magneto-caloric elements in the second magneto-caloric block to a magnetic regenerative refrigeration cycle.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the activation temperature of the magneto-caloric elements is determined based upon a Curie temperature of a respective magneto-caloric element, or a magneto-caloric effect curve of the respective magneto-caloric element, or intensity of an applied magnetic field, or combinations thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising regulating a temperature of magneto-caloric elements of a third magneto-caloric block via the magnetic regenerative refrigeration cycles of the magneto-caloric elements of the first and second magneto-caloric blocks only after initiation of the magnetic regenerative refrigeration cycles of the magneto-caloric elements of both the first and second magneto-caloric blocks.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

measuring a temperature of at least one of the magneto-caloric elements in the second magneto-caloric block;

comparing the measured temperature of the at least one magneto-caloric element in the second magneto-caloric block with the activation temperature for each respective magneto-caloric element; and

heating or cooling the at least one magneto-caloric element in the second magneto-caloric block by transferring heat through a fluid medium.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the fluid medium comprises ethylene glycol, or water, or propylene glycol, or helium, or nitrogen, or dynalene, or combinations thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein subjecting the magneto-caloric elements in the first magneto-caloric block to the magnetic regenerative refrigeration cycle comprises heating, or cooling the magneto-caloric elements through isentropic magnetization, or through isentropic demagnetization, and transferring heat from the magneto-caloric elements through the fluid medium.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said selectively establishing thermal contact between the magneto-caloric elements of the first magneto-caloric block and one or both of a medium flow configured to transfer thermal energy to the magneto-caloric elements of the first magneto-caloric block and a medium flow configured to receive thermal energy from the magneto-caloric elements of the first magneto-caloric block includes selectively establishing thermal contact between the magneto-caloric elements of the first magneto-caloric block and one or both of a medium flow configured to transfer thermal energy to the magneto-caloric elements of the first magneto-caloric block and a medium flow configured to receive thermal energy from the magneto-caloric elements of the first magneto-caloric block based upon a measured temperature of the at least one magneto-caloric element and the activation temperature for the respective magneto-caloric element in the second magneto-caloric block.

8. A method comprising:

sequentially regulating a respective temperature of each of a plurality of thermally coupled magneto-caloric elements to be substantially equal to an activation temperature of the respective magneto-caloric element, wherein said sequentially regulating a respective temperature includes selectively establishing thermal contact between the respective magneto-caloric elements and one or both of a medium flow configured to transfer thermal energy to the magneto-caloric elements and a medium flow configured to receive thermal energy from the magneto-caloric elements;

when the respective temperature of each of the magneto-caloric elements is substantially equal to the activation temperature for that respective magneto-caloric element, subjecting that magneto-caloric element to a magnetic regenerative refrigeration cycle; and

simultaneously subjecting each of the magneto-caloric elements to a magnetic regenerative refrigeration cycle to maintain the respective temperature of each of the plurality of magneto-caloric elements at the temperature substantially equal to the activation temperature of the respective magneto-caloric element to facilitate cooling of an environment.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein sequentially regulating comprises:

selecting a first magneto-caloric block having one or more magneto-caloric elements, at least one of the magneto-caloric elements having a temperature substantially equal to the activation temperature of the respective element;

selecting a second magneto-caloric block having one or more magneto-caloric elements; and

subjecting the magneto-caloric elements in the first magneto-caloric block to a magnetic regenerative refrigeration cycle to regulate the temperature of the magneto-caloric elements of the second magneto-caloric block to be substantially equal to the activation temperature for each respective magneto-caloric element.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising sequentially repeating the process of selecting the first and second magneto-caloric blocks and subjecting the first magneto-caloric block to the magnetic regenerative cycle for regulating temperatures of the plurality of magneto-caloric elements of the second magneto-caloric block to be substantially equal to the activation temperature for each respective magneto-caloric element.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the activation temperature of each of the magneto-caloric elements is determined based upon a Curie temperature of the respective magneto-caloric element, or a magneto-caloric effect curve of the respective magneto-caloric element, or intensity of an applied magnetic field, or combinations thereof.

12. A cooling device, comprising:

a plurality of thermally coupled magneto-caloric elements configured to be selectively subjected to a magnetic regenerative refrigeration cycle and to provide cooling of an environment;

a control system configured to control a temperature of the plurality of magneto-caloric elements to be substantially equal to an activation temperature of each respective magneto-caloric element and to selectively subject the magneto-caloric elements to a magnetic regenerative refrigeration cycle;

one or more reservoirs containing a fluid medium; and

first and second heat exchangers thermally coupled to the plurality of magneto-caloric elements and at least one of the one or more reservoirs for transferring heat between the magneto-caloric elements and the environment through the fluid medium,

wherein the control system is configured to subject a first, but not a second or third, of the magneto-caloric elements to a magnetic regenerative refrigeration cycle so as to regulate the temperature of the first and a second, but not the third, of the magneto-caloric elements until the temperature of the second of the magneto-caloric elements is substantially equal to the activation temperature of the second of the magneto-caloric elements, and then to subject the first and second, but not the third, of the magneto-caloric elements to a magnetic regenerative refrigeration cycle so as to regulate the temperature of the first, second, and third of the magneto-caloric elements until the temperature of the third of the magneto-caloric elements is substantially equal to the activation temperature of the third of the magneto-caloric elements, and then to subject the first, second, and third of the magneto-caloric elements to a magnetic regenerative refrigeration cycle.

13. The cooling device of claim 12 , wherein the control system is configured to sequentially regulate the temperature of each of the plurality of magneto-caloric elements to be substantially equal to the activation temperature of the respective magneto-caloric element during a start-up mode of operation.

14. The cooling device of claim 13 , wherein the control system is configured to maintain the temperature of each of the plurality of magneto-caloric elements to be substantially equal to the activation temperature of the respective magneto-caloric element during a steady-state mode of operation.

15. The cooling device of claim 12 , wherein the control system is configured to estimate the activation temperature of each of the plurality of magneto-caloric elements based upon a Curie temperature of the respective magneto-caloric element, or a magneto-caloric effect curve of the respective magneto-caloric element, or intensity of an applied magnetic field, or combinations thereof.

16. The cooling device of claim 15 , further comprising a memory configured to store Curie temperatures, or magneto-caloric effect curves, or combinations thereof for each of the plurality of magneto-caloric elements for estimation of the activation temperature of each of the magneto-caloric elements.

17. The cooling device of claim 12 , wherein said one or more reservoirs include first and second reservoirs containing a fluid medium.

18. The cooling device of claim 17 , further comprising:

a plurality of temperature sensors configured to monitor temperature of at least one of the plurality of magneto-caloric elements; and

a plurality of bypass valves configured to selectively, via the control system, control flow of the fluid medium through the plurality of magneto-caloric elements based upon a measured temperature of the at least one of the plurality of magneto-caloric elements and the activation temperature of respective magneto-caloric element.

19. The cooling device of claim 12 , further comprising a valve for coupling, or decoupling the environment from the plurality of magneto-caloric elements during a steady-state, or a start-up mode of operation.

20. The cooling device of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of magneto-caloric elements comprise Gadolinium alloys, or lanthanum alloys, or manganese alloys, or samarium alloys, or cobalt alloys, or tin alloys, or combinations thereof.

21. The cooling device of claim 12 , wherein the device is configured to provide cooling of a refrigeration system, or a chiller, or a gas liquefaction plant, or a cryocooler, or a magnetic bearing device, or an electronic device, or an automotive, or an air conditioning system, or a rotating machine, or combinations thereof.

22. A system, comprising:

at least one cooling device having a plurality of magneto-caloric elements subjected to a magnetic regenerative refrigeration cycle and configured to provide cooling of an environment;

a magnet configured to magnetize and demagnetize the plurality of magneto-caloric elements;

a control system configured to control a temperature of the plurality of magneto-caloric elements to be substantially equal to an activation temperature of each respective magneto-caloric element;

one or more reservoirs containing a fluid medium; and

first and second heat exchangers thermally coupled to the plurality of magneto-caloric elements and at least one of the one or more reservoirs for transferring heat between the magneto-caloric elements and the environment through the fluid medium,

wherein the control system is configured to sequentially regulate the temperature of each of the plurality of magneto-caloric elements to be substantially equal to the activation temperature of the respective magneto-caloric element, and to initiate, and then simultaneously maintain, the magnetic regenerative refrigeration cycle for each of the plurality of magneto-caloric elements after the temperature of each of the plurality of magneto-caloric elements is substantially equal to the activation temperature of the respective magneto-caloric element.

23. The system of claim 22 , wherein the system comprises a refrigeration system, or a chiller, or a gas liquefaction plant, or a cryocooler, or a magnetic bearing device, or an electronic device, or an automotive, or an air conditioning system, or a rotating machine, or combinations thereof.

24. The system of claim 22 , wherein the control system is configured to sequentially regulate the temperature of the plurality of magneto-caloric elements to be substantially equal to the activation temperature of each respective magneto-caloric element during a start-up mode of operation.

25. The system of claim 22 , wherein the control system is configured to maintain the temperature of the plurality of magneto-caloric elements to be substantially equal to the activation temperature of each respective magneto-caloric element during a steady-state mode of operation.

26. The system of claim 22 , wherein the control system is configured to estimate the activation temperature of each of the plurality of magneto-caloric elements based upon a Curie temperature of the respective magneto-caloric element, or a magneto-caloric effect curve of the respective magneto-caloric element, or intensity of an applied magnetic field, or combinations thereof.

27. The system of claim 22 , wherein said one or more reservoirs includes first and second reservoirs having a fluid medium.

28. The system of claim 27 , further comprising:

a plurality of temperature sensors configured to monitor temperature of at least one of the magneto-caloric elements; and

a plurality of bypass valves configured to selectively, via the control system, control flow of the fluid medium through the plurality of magneto-caloric elements based upon a measured temperature of the at least one of the plurality of magneto-caloric elements and the activation temperature of respective magneto-caloric element.