Performance modeling of AMR refrigerators

A system modeling approach for predicting the performance of active magnetic regenerators using a one-phase approximation is presented. The approach is described for an arbitrary AMR device independent of the magnetic refrigerant, thermal losses or magnetic waveform. A general expression for magnetic work is derived which can be used for cycles where the low-field intensity is not zero. Additionally, a means of treating the varying magnetic field waveform as a single high and low field is described. The model is applied to a permanent magnet magnetic refrigerator using water glycol as the heat transfer fluid. Simulated results are compared to experimental data which vary by heat load, frequency and utilization. A sensitivity analysis is performed using utilization, adiabatic temperature change, effective conductivity and particle size as independent variables. Comparisons to experimental data show that reducing the calculated magnetocaloric effect by 25% provides good agreement between simulations and experimental results. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd and IIR. All rights reserved.