Thermomagnetic cycle device

Abstract

A thermomagnetic cycle device includes: a magneto-caloric element; a magnetic field modulation device that modulates an external magnetic field applied to the magneto-caloric element; a heat transport device that generates a both-way flow of heat transport medium; a phase controller that adjusts a phase difference between a magnetic field phase of change in the external magnetic field generated by the magnetic field modulation device and a flow phase of the both-way flow generated by the heat transport device; and a control device that controls the phase controller. The control device includes: a phase acquisition part that acquires the flow phase of the both-way flow of the heat transport medium or a reaction phase represented by change in heat emitted or absorbed by the magneto-caloric element; and a control part that controls the phase controller based on the flow phase or the reaction phase.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A thermomagnetic cycle device comprising:
 a magneto-caloric element that emits or absorbs heat depending on an intensity of an external magnetic field;   a magnetic field modulation device that modulates the external magnetic field applied to the magneto-caloric element;   a heat transport device that generates a both-way flow of heat transport medium that exchanges heat with the magneto-caloric element so that a high temperature end and a low temperature end are generated in the magneto-caloric element;   a phase controller that adjusts a phase difference between a magnetic field phase representing change in the external magnetic field generated by the magnetic field modulation device and a flow phase of the both-way flow generated by the heat transport device; and   a control device that controls the phase controller, wherein the control device includes
 a phase acquisition part that acquires the flow phase of the both-way flow of the heat transport medium or a reaction phase representing change in the heat emitted or absorbed by the magneto-caloric element, and 
 a control part that controls the phase controller based on the flow phase or the reaction phase. 
   
     
     
         2 . The thermomagnetic cycle device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the control device includes a phase difference acquisition part that acquires a phase difference between the magnetic field phase and the flow phase,   the phase acquisition part acquires the flow phase,   the control part controls the phase controller so that an acquisition phase difference acquired by the phase difference acquisition part approaches a target phase difference,   the target phase difference is a delay phase difference by which the flow phase is delayed from the magnetic field phase, and   the acquisition phase difference is a delay phase difference that is further delayed than the target phase difference.   
     
     
         3 . The thermomagnetic cycle device according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the control part acquires the phase difference between the magnetic field phase and the flow phase as the acquisition phase difference, and controls the phase controller to reduce an error phase difference between the acquisition phase difference and the target phase difference.   
     
     
         4 . The thermomagnetic cycle device according to  claim 2 , wherein the control part controls the acquisition phase difference within a target range including the target phase difference. 
     
     
         5 . The thermomagnetic cycle device according to  claim 1 , wherein the phase controller is disposed between the magnetic field modulation device and the heat transport device, and controls the phase difference in a mechanical interlocking relation between the magnetic field modulation device and the heat transport device. 
     
     
         6 . The thermomagnetic cycle device according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the phase controller is configured to correspond to an advance direction and a retard direction, and has a component that defines a plurality of capacity chambers in which operation fluid is arranged.   
     
     
         7 . The thermomagnetic cycle device according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the control part controls the phase difference by controlling a ratio of volume between the plurality of capacity chambers.   
     
     
         8 . The thermomagnetic cycle device according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the control part controls the phase difference by providing a dumping function to the phase controller.   
     
     
         9 . The thermomagnetic cycle device according to  claim 8 , further comprising: an air bubble provider that provides the dumping function by injecting air bubbles into the capacity chamber, wherein
 the control part controls the phase difference by controlling the air bubble provider.   
     
     
         10 . The thermomagnetic cycle device according to  claim 9 , wherein
 the operation fluid has a known gas solubility, and   the air bubble provider has a thermoregulator that controls a temperature of the operation fluid to inject air bubbles into the capacity chamber.   
     
     
         11 . The thermomagnetic cycle device according to  claim 1 , wherein the phase controller shifts a relative position between the magnetic field modulation device and the magneto-caloric element. 
     
     
         12 . The thermomagnetic cycle device according to  claim 11 , wherein
 the phase controller is configured to move the magneto-caloric element.   
     
     
         13 . The thermomagnetic cycle device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the phase acquisition part includes a flow phase acquisition part that acquires the flow phase of the both-way flow of the heat transport medium,   the phase acquisition part further includes a phase determining part that acquires the phase difference between the magnetic field phase and the flow phase as an acquisition phase difference, and   the control part controls the phase controller so that the acquisition phase difference approaches a target phase difference.   
     
     
         14 . The thermomagnetic cycle device according to  claim 13 , further comprising: a flow sensor that observes the both-way flow of the heat transport medium, wherein
 the flow phase acquisition part detects the flow phase based on an output of the flow sensor.   
     
     
         15 . The thermomagnetic cycle device according to  claim 13  further comprising: a sensor that observes a state of the heat transport medium, wherein the flow phase acquisition part presumes the flow phase based on an output of the sensor. 
     
     
         16 . The thermomagnetic cycle device according to  claim 1 , wherein the phase controller controls the phase difference so that the magneto-caloric element is able to have high ability as an AMR cycle. 
     
     
         17 . A thermomagnetic cycle device comprising:
 a magneto-caloric element that emits or absorbs heat depending on an intensity of an external magnetic field;   a magnetic field modulation device that modulates the external magnetic field applied to the magneto-caloric element;   a heat transport device that generates a both-way flow of heat transport medium that exchanges heat with the magneto-caloric element so that a high temperature end and a low temperature end are generated in the magneto-caloric element; and   a phase controller that adjusts a phase difference between a magnetic field phase representing change in the external magnetic field generated by the magnetic field modulation device and a flow phase of the both-way flow generated by the heat transport device by shifting a relative position between the magnetic field modulation device and the magneto-caloric element.   
     
     
         18 . The thermomagnetic cycle device according to  claim 17 , wherein
 the phase controller is configured to move the magneto-caloric element.   
     
     
         19 . The thermomagnetic cycle device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the phase acquisition part calculates the reaction phase to include a delay in change of the heat generated or absorbed by the magneto-caloric element, that is caused by a change in the external magnetic field generated by the magnetic field modulation device, and   the control part controls the phase controller such that a relation between the flow phase and the reaction phase approaches a target relation.   
     
     
         20 . The thermomagnetic cycle device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the phase acquisition part includes a reaction sensor that detects the reaction phase by observing a change in the heat emitted or absorbed by the magneto-caloric element, that is caused by a change in the external magnetic field generated by the magnetic field modulation device, and   the control part controls the phase controller such that a relation between the flow phase and the reaction phase approaches a target relation.