Translatory antagonistic machine architecture for elastocaloric climatization systems

Solid-state-based cooling principles increasingly represent a promising alternative to conventional compressions refrigeration machines. One of these ferroic principles is the field of elastocalorics, which uses the release and the absorption of latent heats upon mechanical deformation of certain alloys. In this context more and more machine concepts are being developed and presented.

The first concept presented out of Saarland University was based on a rotational drive design resulting in a cylinder-shaped machine geometry. The focus of this contribution is the introduction of a novel translatory and antagonistic machine concept for more compact elastocaloric climatization systems. The core idea of the concept is, a translatory drive train, which drives a pair of elastocaloric elements in such a way that they are phase shifted in their loading and unloading phases. Advantages of such a linear setup are its scalability potential to high power density and possible modular increase in the power range and temperature gradient range of the system.

To validate the first machine concept, a test rig was built to enable first measurements of the drive concept including a fluid, which serves as the heat transfer medium. First experimental data regarding thermal power, mechanical power, resulting COP and temperature gradients are presented and discussed. Possible scalability based on this experimental validation is generated through machine level simulation studies.