A Magnetocaloric Booster Unit for Energy-Efficient Air-Conditioning

A concept for the application of a magnetocaloric device in energy-efficient air conditioners is introduced. In order to evaluate this concept, a test stand has been developed equipped with a magnetic field source providing about a 1.5-T flux density change into which different regenerator geometries can be implemented and evaluated. A processing route for the production of profiled magnetocaloric LaFeSiMn-based composite plates by tape casting is presented. The processed plates show a maximum isothermal entropy change of about 3.8 J kg(-1) K-1 at a magnetic field change of 1.5 T at 285 K. The hydraulic and thermal performance of regenerator geometries that can be realized by profiled plates is assessed by calculations.