System for cooling a cabinet

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a cooling system comprising an active magnetic regenerator having a cold side and a hot side, a hot side heat exchanger connected to the hot side of the magnetic regenerator, one or more cold side heat exchangers, and a cold store reservoir comprising a volume of heat transfer fluid and connected between said one or more cold side heat exchangers and the cold side of the magnetic regenerator, wherein the cooling system is configured to provide a first flow cycle of said heat transfer fluid between the cold store reservoir, the magnetic regenerator and the hot side heat exchanger adapted to transfer thermal energy from the cold store reservoir to the hot side heat exchanger, and at least a second flow cycle of said heat transfer fluid between the cold store reservoir and said one or more cold side heat exchangers adapted to transfer thermal energy from said one or more cold side heat exchangers to the cold store reservoir.

1 . A cooling system comprising
 an active magnetic regenerator having a cold side and a hot side,   a hot side heat exchanger connected to the hot side of the magnetic regenerator,   one or more cold side heat exchangers, and   a cold store reservoir comprising a volume of heat transfer fluid and connected between said one or more cold side heat exchangers and the cold side of the magnetic regenerator,   wherein the cooling system is configured to provide:   a first flow cycle of said heat transfer fluid between the cold store reservoir, the magnetic regenerator and the hot side heat exchanger adapted to transfer thermal energy from the cold store reservoir to the hot side heat exchanger, and   at least a second flow cycle of said heat transfer fluid between the cold store reservoir and said one or more cold side heat exchangers adapted to transfer thermal energy from said one or more cold side heat exchangers to the cold store reservoir.   
     
     
         2 . The cooling system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the system is configured such that the first flow cycle is operated independently of the second flow cycle(s). 
     
     
         3 . The cooling system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the system is configured such that the flow rate of the first flow cycle is operated independently of the flow rate of the second flow cycle(s). 
     
     
         4 . The cooling system according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising one or more pumps configured to operate the first and/or the second flow cycle. 
     
     
         5 . The cooling system according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a mixing element located in the cold store reservoir and configured to control the mixing of hot and cold heat transfer fluid inside the cold store reservoir. 
     
     
         6 . The cooling system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the cold store reservoir is stratified to provide for layers of heat transfer fluid. 
     
     
         7 . The cooling system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the inlet to the cold store reservoir from the cold side heat exchanger is located at a higher level than the corresponding outlet. 
     
     
         8 . The cooling system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the inlet to the cold store reservoir from the active magnetic regenerator is located at a lower level than the corresponding outlet. 
     
     
         9 . The cooling system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the heat transfer fluid comprises water and/or brine. 
     
     
         10 . The cooling system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the heat transfer fluid comprises a corrosion inhibitor. 
     
     
         11 . The cooling system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the cold store reservoir further comprises an expansion volume, preferably filled with a gas such as air. 
     
     
         12 . The cooling system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least 80% of the total volume of heat transfer fluid in the cooling system is located in the cold store reservoir, or at least 85%, or at least 90%, or at least 92%, or at least 94%, or at least 95%, or at least 96%, or at least 97%, or at least 98%, or at least 99% of the total volume of heat transfer fluid in the cooling system is located in the cold store reservoir. 
     
     
         13 . The cooling system according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a release valve configured to pressure-equalize the cold store reservoir. 
     
     
         14 . A method for cooling a cabinet from a first higher temperature to a second lower temperature, the cabinet incorporating a cold side heat exchanger of the cooling system according to any of the preceding claims, the method comprising the steps of:
 operating the first flow cycle at a first steady state flow rate,   operating the second flow cycle at a second flow rate higher than the first steady state flow rate, and   monitoring the temperature in the cabinet and the temperature difference across the active magnetic regenerator.   
     
     
         15 . A refrigerator comprising and/or incorporating the cooling system according to any of the preceding  claims 1 - 13 . 
     
     
         16 . A refrigeration plant comprising a plurality of refrigeration cabinets and the cooling system according to any of the preceding  claims 1 - 13  configured for cooling the plurality of refrigeration cabinets, wherein each refrigeration cabinet is connected to the cold store reservoir of the cooling system by means of one of said second flow cycles.