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Microchannel Magnetic Coolers with Negative Magnetocaloric Effect--MER Corporation (Materials and Electrochemical Research),
7960 South Kolb Road, Tucson, AZ 85706‑9237;
520‑574‑1980; www.mercorp.com
Dr. Lev Tuchinskiy,
Principal Investigator, jcwithers@mercorp.com
Dr. Raouf O. Loutfy, Business Official, rloutfy@mercorp.com
DOE Grant No. DE‑FG02‑07ER84943
Amount:
$750,000
The
recent discovery of a negative magnetocaloric effect
in CoMnT1-xT’x alloys (where T, T’ = Si, Ge, Sn) at room temperature opens new prospects for the
development of high-efficiency solid micro-cooling devices. This project will combine these novel alloys
with cutting edge technology for microchannel
regenerators to develop lightweight, compact, low cost, and environmentally
friendly cooling devices. Phase I
explored the use of solid microchannel regenerator
cartridges instead of traditional regenerator beds packed with spheres. Technologies were demonstrated for the
fabrication of magnetocaloric CoMnT1-xT’x powders and
for the fabrication of microchannel structures from
these powders. The basic requirements
(with respect to source materials, methods of deformation, and consolidation of
the powders) needed to preserve the magnetocaloric
effect in the microchannel structures produced from
these powders were established. Phase II
will optimize and scale up the fabrication technologies, both for the CoMnT1-xT’x
powders and for the microchannel regenerators for
magnetic coolers. The microchannel magnetocaloric
regenerators will be manufactured and tested with respect to thermal efficiency
and mechanical stability in active magnetic cooling systems.
Commercial Applications and Other
Benefits as described by the awardee: Solid state cooling devices hold a
promise to revolutionize the current market for refrigeration systems. Magnetocaloric
materials would enable the creation of compact refrigeration units that run
silently and vibration free, and most importantly, without the use of
ozone-depleting gases. Magnetocaloric coolers should provide the cooling power
required for markets such as home refrigerators, air conditioning, electronics
cooling, and fluid chilling.