Abstract
Magnetic refrigeration (MR) based on the magnetocaloric effect (MCE) is a prime candidate for the next generation of cooling systems. The essential components of magnetic refrigeration are the magnetic field generator and the magnetocaloric material. Although, several permanent magnet systems (magnetic field sources) for MR have been developed, recent development in magnetic refrigeration technology has encouraged researchers all over the world to think about new and original systems. This paper aims to describe a new and original magnetic refrigeration system based on a simple principle of magnetism called the Halbach effect. The proposed system is running with rotating bar-shaped magnets. This structure provides the desired varying magnetic field to the magnetocaloric material. Several configurations for the proposed systems have been investigated and presented in this paper. The design and modeling have been accomplished by using the finite elements method. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd and IIR. All rights reserved.