Concentric Halbach cylinder magnetic refrigerator cost optimization

Commercial magnetic refrigeration near room temperature faces technological challenges and high costs. Although several laboratory devices have been developed, no design is realistically close to the performance, reliability, and financial proposition of a vapor compression refrigerator. This study examines the total cost of cooling provided by an idealized dual-regenerator concentric Halbach design. An optimization process, based on a simplified analytical model rather than a computationally intensive finite element model, is applied to geometrical and operational parameters, with the objective function minimizing capital and operating cost. Additionally, the model utilizes a refrigerant with ideal magnetocaloric (MCE) properties and constant specific heat. The model is first validated against extrapolated experimental data from an existing device, and then the optimization routine is applied to a range of cooling demand and MCE values. Results help in identifying target refrigerant properties, and refrigerator geometrical/operational parameters. Moreover, a sensitivity analysis demonstrates how the design variables affect the system performance. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd and IIR. All rights reserved.