Performance analysis of a room temperature rotary magnetic refrigerator for two different gadolinium compounds

A thermodynamic performance analysis is developed for a Steyert-like rotary magnetic refrigeration (RMR) system operating in the near-room temperature range with two possible, alternative, gadolinium compounds. The first magnetocaloric material (MCM) is an alloy (Gd7Pd3) with a well defined Curie temperature (around 318 K), while the second MCM (Gd76Pd24) is an eutectic compound with a smoothed double Curie transition (at 298 and 318 K, respectively). The main issues linked to the thermodynamic properties of the magnetic material are outlined and the influence of the magnetocaloric properties on the global performance (useful effect, coefficient of performance, and so on) of the refrigeration system is discussed.