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Magnetic Refrigeration

Heating and Cooling

Magnetic refrigeration is a cooling technology based on the magnetocaloric effect, a phenomenon in which certain materials warm up when a magnetic field is applied to them, as changes in the material's internal state release heat; when the magnetic field is removed, the material reabsorbs that heat and returns to its original temperature. A magnetic refrigeration cycle exploits this by letting the material radiate away its heat while it is magnetized and hot, then removing the magnetic field so the material cools to below its original starting temperature.

Facts
Technology Type
A cooling technology based on the magnetocaloric effect, using cycles of magnetization and demagnetization of a refrigerant material to move heat. 1
Invented Year
1933 1
Classification
Maturity
TRL 9: Actual System Proven in Operational Environment 1
Sources
1. Wikipedia
Wikimedia Foundation
Magnetocaloric effect (Wikipedia)
  • Wikipedia: Magnetocaloric effect (redirects from Magnetic refrigeration), opening paragraph
    The first working magnetic refrigerators were constructed by several groups beginning in 1933.
  • Wikipedia: Magnetocaloric effect (redirects from Magnetic refrigeration), cooling mechanism paragraph
    This can be used to achieve refrigeration, by allowing the material to radiate away its heat while in the magnetized hot state.
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