Eco-friendly magnetic fridges and air-conditioners closer to reality

New research has brought magnetic fridges and air-conditioners a step closer to reality. Magnetic refrigeration technology could provide a ‘green alternative’ to traditional energy-guzzling gas-compression fridges and air-conditioners. These new systems would require 20-30 percent less energy than the best systems available currently. They will also not depend on ozone depleting chemicals or greenhouse gases. In USA alone, refrigeration and air-conditioning account for 50% of the energy consumption in the summer months. A magnetic refrigeration system works by applying a magnetic field to a magnetic material – some of them being promising metallic alloys – causing it to heat up. This excess heat is removed from the system by water, cooling the material back down to its original temperature. The new study shows that the pattern of crystals inside different alloys – otherwise known as their microstructure – has a direct effect on how well they could perform at the heart of a magnetic fridge. This is an exciting discovery as this will become the foundation of building a material required to run a magnetic fridge.
[Duniyalive]