US 12,106,899 B2
Magnetic field application device
Atsushi Ogasahara, Tokyo (JP); Shun Tonooka, Tokyo (JP); and Masaru Shinozaki, Tokyo (JP)
Assigned to MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
Appl. No. 18/283,828
Filed by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Tokyo (JP)
PCT Filed Apr. 1, 2021, PCT No. PCT/JP2021/014203
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 25, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/208851, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 6, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0274341 A1, Aug. 15, 2024
Int. Cl. H01F 7/06 (2006.01); F25B 21/00 (2006.01)
CPC H01F 7/064 (2013.01) [F25B 21/00 (2013.01); F25B 2321/0022 (2013.01); F25B 2321/0023 (2013.01)] 5 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A magnetic field application device applying a magnetic field to a magnetocaloric material, the magnetic field application device comprising:
a magnetic field generating component that is an electromagnet;
a first yoke connected to both poles of the magnetic field generating component;
a second yoke disposed movably between a first position and a second position; and
a controller to control magnetic force of the electromagnet,
wherein
a first closed magnetic circuit formed by the magnetic field generating component and the first yoke passes through a magnetic field application region in which the magnetocaloric material is accommodated,
a second closed magnetic circuit formed by the magnetic field generating component, the first yoke, and the second yoke bypasses the magnetic field application region and is larger than the first closed magnetic circuit,
a relative positional relationship among the magnetic field generating component, the first yoke, and the magnetic field application region is constant,
magnetic resistance of the second closed magnetic circuit when the second yoke is located at the second position is smaller than the magnetic resistance of the second closed magnetic circuit when the second yoke is located at the first position,
the second yoke moves from the first position to the second position by increasing magnetic force generated between the second yoke and the first yoke,
the magnetic force generated between the first yoke and the second yoke is increased when the controller increases the magnetic force of the electromagnet,
the controller periodically changes the magnetic force of the electromagnet and the position of the second yoke in order of a first state, a second state, a third state, and a fourth state,
the first state is a state in which the magnetic force of the electromagnet has first intensity and the second yoke is located at the first position,
the second state is a state in which the magnetic force of the electromagnet has second intensity larger than the first intensity and the second yoke is located at the first position,
the third state is a state in which the magnetic force of the electromagnet has the second intensity and the second yoke is located at the second position, and
the fourth state is a state in which the magnetic force of the electromagnet has the first intensity and the second yoke is located at the second position.