1. ELICiT Workshop THERMAG VII, September 14th 2016
Magnetic cooling engine for domestic refrigeration appliances Turin, Italy
ELICiT Workshop
THERMAG VII,
September 14th 2016

2. Sustainable Energy-efficient compact magnetic cooling refrigeration for everyone.
Shareholders
Camfridge’s mission and technology has been strongly supported by

3. High-volume Market opportunity
There are 1.4 billion domestic cooling appliances worldwide
Domestic refrigeration appliances consume 5-7% of all electricity
Average appliance efficiency is only 10%
All of them use gas compressors.
61% of the 200 million units sold annually world-wide still use high-GWP gases (HFCs)

4. Domestic refrigerator functional view
A domestic refrigerator (both gas compressor based and magnetically cooled) can be modeled as composed by:
One “energy conversion device” (i.e. the cooling engine, the heat exchangers and the temperature control system)
One “passive system” (i.e. the insulated cold-box)
Control system
Magnetic cooling engine
Cold exchanger
Pump
Hot exchanger

5. The design challenge of the energy conversion device of a refrigerator

6. Camfridge design approach
Magnetism
Fluid dynamics
Thermodynamics
Modelling
CAD
LCA
Computer-Aided Design
Specifications for materials (TC, machinability, …), heat exchangers, pump, …
Prototypes assembly and test using available industrially manufactured MCE material

7. How LCA analysis helped to nudge the engineering choice: example of ferrite vs NdFeB permanent magnet (1/2)
At thermag VI in September 2014 was announced that Ferrite for permanent magnet assemblies was an option to be studied due to low cost of Ferrite.
Ferrite
NdFeB
cost
+++
---
weight - +
power density -- ++
So, Good idea for reducing the costs. But from an environmental point of view?

8. How LCA analysis helped to nudge the engineering choice: example of permanent magnet ferrite vs NdBFe (2/2)
Source: Impact assessment for ferrite motor (red) and NdFeB motor (green) assemblies using TRACI J. Navarro, F. Zhao, J. Sutherland, “Comparative LCA of NdFeB and ferrite motors used in microfabrication industry”, IWMF 2014, 9th international workshop on microfactories, October 5-8, 2014, Honolulu

9. The process in practise
The bulk material from material suppliers
Proven highly scalable industrial manufacturing processes
Shaping and assembling
Designed to fit domestic appliances

10. Energy conversion device T span measurements in some operational environments
Cascade of 5 TC MCE
Time
By virtue of the materials incorporated, the Energy Conversion Device achieve 15K operating span (18°C on hot side, 3°C on the cold side) vs expected 18K (1°C to 19°C). Current optimization activities are on-going.

11. Magnetic refrigeration industry value chain for high-volume market
Electric motor
pump manufactures
Heat exchanger manufacturers
...
OEM
components
Key component
Manufacturing
and reference
machine design
Bulk refrigerant material
Cooling machine
System
Assembly
End user: consumer
Distribution
Consumer
Assembling
tier 1 supplier of system manufacturer …
Fridge manufacturers

12. Services Revenue growth: Technology validation (R&D)
Camfridge Market exploitation plan
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
Services Revenue growth:
Evaluate, Design, Test
IP Licensing
revenues growth
Technology validation (R&D)
Forecasted magnetic refrigeration technology market growth (98.7% CAGR)
End Dec. 31st 2016
Customers will have a complete refrigeration system to test for a certain period of time
USD$ M
Start on Oct. 1st 2016 duration 30 months

13. Novel green/advanced technology challenge for commercial success
Technical challenges
- e.g. compactness
Compartmentalized thinking / Inertial behaviour
Big organization Innovation Governance should be able to catch the value of new opportunities
Systemic complexity
It takes time to deploy a new technology
Legislation plays a fundamental role
Scale matters
Head-on competition
- cost, environmental impact, efficiency of the complete system
Attractiveness for the investors
Clear Business model and Market introduction
Change of paradigm (eg. From “market growth” to “market shift”)
Technical Challenges
Solar cell technology has undoubtedly advanced, but it still faces technological hurdles to improving efficiency. Similarly, battery technology, which is critical for electric vehicles, is coming up against natural chemical boundaries. Fuel cells, elements of the smart grid, and wind turbines all run into technological problems.
Systemic Complexity
Promising technologies fail is that they are rarely “plug compatible” with existing value chains. For example Hydrogen-powered fuel cells where the refueling station problem is a well-known barrier to hydrogen adoption. Hydrogen production is also a problem
Head-on competition
head-on competition with established technologies. When a technology is forced into direct competition against an established foe, it will be adopted only if it is more cost and performance-effective than the established technology in the markets where it is being used. This creates enormous barriers against commercial success. New technologies have much better success rates when they are aimed initially at nonconsumers—those who are not consuming the existing products or services because of lack of wealth, expertise, or access. These nonconsumers often embrace products with limited functionality or quality, because they are superior to the alternative: no product at all.
Customers don’t want it
Consumers will change their behavior only if the technology helps them accomplish a job they were already trying to do.
Incumbent fossil sources set the standard for competition
• Unrecognized truths to transformation
• It takes decades to deploy a new technology
• The world is used to the current energy and feedstock infrastructure that was put over a century
• Scale makes small company success challenging
• Fundamental engineering and judgment is crucial to long term innovation
• Can society afford to pay for a different solution?
Customers want it?
Awareness, status

14. Environmental credentials of the technology based on LCA
Energy conversion device prototype first demonstration in some operational environments.
Demonstration of highly scalable industrial processes for manufacturing a compact and low cost magnetic cooling engine for high-efficiency domestic appliances.
Environmental credentials of the technology based on LCA
Clear Commercial Exploitation plan
Contacts: elicit-project.eu #MagneticCooling