Magnetic heat exchange unit
A magnetic heat exchange unit includes a magnetocaloric material, and at least one fluid pathway. The fluid pathway is formed in the magnetocaloric material and has a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. A main fluid flowing direction is defined between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, and the cross-section of the fluid pathway varies along the main fluid flowing direction.
1. A magnetic heat exchange unit, comprising:
at least two magnetocaloric materials;
at least one insulator, disposed between the at least two magnetocaloric materials; and
at least one fluid pathway, formed in the magnetocaloric material, having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet to define a main fluid flowing direction,
wherein the fluid pathway is tapered and a cross-section of the fluid pathway varies along the main fluid flowing direction.
2. The magnetic heat exchange unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the magnetocaloric material comprises at least two different Curie temperatures.
3. The magnetic heat exchange unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the magnetocaloric material comprises at least two different types of magnetocaloric materials.
4. The magnetic heat exchange unit as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a dispersant, an anti-corrosion agent, an antifreeze agent, or a drag-reduction agent disposed within the fluid pathway.
5. A magnetic heat exchange unit, comprising:
a case;
at least one insulator, disposed in the case;
at least one heat-exchanging element comprising a magnetocaloric material, disposed in the case; and
at least one fluid pathway, defined by the case and the heat-exchanging element, having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet to define a main fluid flowing direction,
wherein the fluid pathway is tapered and a cross-section of the fluid pathway varies along the main fluid flowing direction.
6. The magnetic heat exchange unit as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the heat-exchanging elements have different Curie temperatures.
7. The magnetic heat exchange unit as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the heat-exchanging elements are made of different types of magnetocaloric materials.
8. The magnetic heat exchange unit as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the case is made of a magnetocaloric material.
9. The magnetic heat exchange unit as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the cross-sectional shape of the case is triangular, rectangular, circular, annular, sector, arc-shaped or any combination thereof.
10. The magnetic heat exchange unit as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the case has an axis, and the cross-sectional shape of the heat-exchanging element along the axis is triangular, rectangular, polygonal, circular, elliptic, droplet-shaped, fusiform or any combination thereof.
11. The magnetic heat exchange unit as claimed in claim 5 , further comprising at least one of a protrusion and depression formed on at least one of an inner wall of the case and the heat-exchanging element.
12. The magnetic heat exchange unit as claimed in claim 5 , further comprising a barrier layer formed on at least one of an inner wall of the case and the heat-exchanging element.
13. The magnetic heat exchange unit as claimed in claim 5 , further comprising a dispersant, an anti-corrosion agent, an antifreeze agent, or a drag-reduction agent disposed within the fluid pathway.