Magneto Caloric Effect

Vishakha Patil Roll No:25 Third Semester Materials Science

What is Magneto Caloric Effect?

The magneto caloric effect is a magnetothermodynamic phenomenon in which a reversible change in temperature of a suitable material is caused by exposing the material to a changing magnetic field.

SYSTEM=SPIN+LATTICE

Magnetic Refrigeration Cycle(1/4)

Adiabatic magnetization:

The substance is placed in an insulated environment. The increasing external magnetic field (+H) causes the magnetic dipoles of the atoms to align, thereby decreasing the material's magnetic entropy. Since overall energy is not lost and therefore total entropy is not reduced (according to thermodynamic laws), the net result is that the item heats up (T + Tad).

Magnetic Refrigeration

Magnetic Refrigeration Cycle(2/4)

Isomagnetic enthalpic transfer:

This added heat can then be removed by a fluid like water or helium. The magnetic field is held constant to prevent the dipoles from reabsorbing the heat. Once sufficiently cooled, the magneto caloric material and the coolant are separated (H=0).
Magnetic Refrigeration

Magnetic Refrigeration Cycle(3/4)

Adiabatic demagnetization: The substance is returned to another adiabatic (insulated) condition so the total entropy remains constant. There is a net lowering of temperature.
Magnetic Refrigeration

Magnetic Refrigeration Cycle(4/4)

Isomagnetic entropic transfer:

The magnetic field is held constant to prevent the material from heating back up. The material is placed in thermal contact with the environment being refrigerated. Because the working material is cooler than the refrigerated environment (by design), heat energy migrates into the working material (+Q).

Magnetic Refrigeration

Schematic picture that shows the two basic processes of the magnetocaloric effect: When a magnetic field is applied or removed in a magnetic system The isothermal process, which leads to an entropy change, and the adiabatic process,which yields a variation in temperature

Entropy vs Temperature

Magnetic Refrigeration
Refrigeration Cycle Refrigerator

Fig: Schematic representation of a magneticrefrigeration cycle

Calorimeter
Measurement of magneto caloric effect.

Fig: Calorimeter

How is a magnetic field used for cooling?

Magnetic cooling technology exploits the fact that when a magnetic material, in this case the element gadolinium, is magnetised, heat is produced as a byproduct of entropy. The principle of entropy is that there will always be a constant amount of order/disorder in a substance. When the magnet puts the substance in order, it has to get rid of the excess disorder and this becomes heat. Conversely, when the magnetic field is again removed, the substance becomes cold.

Magneto Caloric Materials

The magneto caloric effect is an intrinsic property of a magnetic solid.

Magnetocaloric effect in paramagnets.

Using the paramagnetic salt Gd2(SO4)38H2O, T lower than 1 K could be reached. Ferric ammonium alum [Fe(NH4)(SO4)2H2O],chromic potassium alum and cerous magnesium nitrate. The problem for the practical application of adiabatic de magnetization using PM salts lies in its low thermal conductivity. The next step was the study of PM intermetallic compounds. Using PrNi5 the lowest working temperature has been reached: 27 K. Another group of materials that have extensively been studied are PM garnets, because of their high thermal conductivity, low lattice heat capacity.

Contd

For instance, Tad within 6 and 10 K have been reached in ytterbium (Y3Fe5O12) and gadolinium (Gd3Fe5O12) iron garnets.

MCE in the low-temperature range (10-80 K)

The first evident choice for low-temperature magnetic refrigerant materials are some pure rare earths such as Nd, Er and Tm, since they order at low temperatures. Anyway, the expectations for large MCE are not fulfilled. MCE in Nd reach Tad ~ 2.5 K at T=10 K for a magnetic field rise H= 10 T. The materials which display the largest MCE in the 1080 K range are intermetallic compounds which contain lanthanide metals.

MCE in the intermediatetemperature range (80-250 K)

This temperature range has not been much studied, because there are not many applications in this range.

MCE near room temperature

The prototype material at room temperature is Gd (Gadolinium), a rare earth metal which orders ferromagnetism at TC=294 K. A variety of alloys using Gd and other rare earths have been prepared in order to improve the MCE in Gd. Gd-rare earth alloys, with rare earths like Tb, Dy, Er, Ho.

Why Magnetic Refrigerators?

Large entropy change in ordering Based on a REVERSIBLE process. Refrigerant and Heat Transfer Media are DIFFERENT (No chlorofluorocarbons). No Compressor & Few Moving Parts (Low vibration, High durability).

Conclusions

Magneto Caloric Effect are dependent on particle size and distribution. Enhanced magneto caloric effects can be obtained in small particle materials. (magnetic nano composites). Their maximum enhancements are at low fields and/or High temperature. Ultra-low temperatures can be reached (mK-K).

Commercial Development

This refrigeration, once proven viable, could be used in any possible application where cooling, heating or power generation is used today. The technology is clearly not cost-efficient and efficient for home appliances, but for experimental, laboratorial, and industrial use only.

References

A. M. Tishin, Handbook of Magnetic Materials, edited by K. H. J.Buschow (North Holland, Amsterdam, 1999), Vol. 12, pp. 395.524. The Chemistry of Nanomaterials, C. N. R. Rao, A. Muller, A. K. Cheetham,2004 Edition. Magnetic Refrigeration , Robert D. Shull (Group Leader, Magnetic Materials Group) National Institute of Standards and Technology Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA. Superparamagnetism and Magneto Caloric Effect, Srikanth Hariharan,James Gass,Rev.Adv.Mater.Sci.10(2005)398-402. Supporting Online Materials:

www.wikipedia.com www.sciencedirect.com

Thank You