Abstract: A magnetocaloric cascade contains a sequence of magnetocaloric material layers having different Curie temperatures TC, wherein the magnetocaloric material layers include a cold-side outer layer, a hot-side outer layer and at least three inner layers between the cold-side outer layer and the hot-side outer layer, and each pair of next neighboring magnetocaloric layers of the magnetocaloric cascade has a respective Curie-temperature difference amount ?TC between their respective Curie temperatures, wherein the hot-side outer layer or the cold-side outer layer or both the hot-side and cold-side outer layer exhibits a larger ratio m?Smax/?TC in comparison with any of the inner layers, m denoting the mass of the respective magnetocaloric material layer and ?Smax denoting a maximum amount of isothermal magnetic entropy change achievable in a magnetic phase transition of the respective magnetocaloric material layer.

Abstract: A magnetocaloric cascade contains a sequence of magnetocaloric material layers having different Curie temperatures TC, wherein the magnetocaloric material layers include a cold-side outer layer, a hot-side outer layer and at least three inner layers between the cold-side outer layer and the hot-side outer layer, and each pair of next neighboring magnetocaloric layers of the magnetocaloric cascade has a respective Curie-temperature difference amount ?TC between their respective Curie temperatures, wherein the hot-side outer layer or the cold-side outer layer or both the hot-side and cold-side outer layer exhibits a larger ratio m?Smax/?TC in comparison with any of the inner layers, m denoting the mass of the respective magnetocaloric material layer and ?Smax denoting a maximum amount of isothermal magnetic entropy change achievable in a magnetic phase transition of the respective magnetocaloric material layer.

Abstract: A magnetocaloric cascade contains a sequence of magnetocaloric material layers having different Curie temperatures TC, wherein the magnetocaloric material layers include a cold-side outer layer, a hot-side outer layer and at least three inner layers between the cold-side outer layer and the hot-side outer layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a porous thermal regenerator apparatus and method of making a porous thermal regenerator comprised of metallic or intermetallic particles that are held together in a porous three dimensional network by a binding agent (such as epoxy). One aspect of the apparatus is that the porosity of the porous thermal regenerator is greater than the tapped porosity of the particles comprising the porous thermal regenerator; moreover, the high-porosity apparatus is durable, that is, it remains intact when exposed to strong time-varying magnetic forces while immersed in aqueous fluid. This high porosity, when combined with high strength and aqueous heat transfer fluid stability, leads to improved porous thermal regenerators and concomitantly to magnetic refrigerators with improved performance.

Abstract: The present invention provides a porous thermal regenerator apparatus and method of making a porous thermal regenerator comprised of metallic or intermetallic particles that are held together in a porous three dimensional network by a binding agent (such as epoxy). One aspect of the apparatus is that the porosity of the porous thermal regenerator is greater than the tapped porosity of the particles comprising the porous thermal regenerator; moreover, the high-porosity apparatus is durable, that is, it remains intact when exposed to strong time-varying magnetic forces while immersed in aqueous fluid. This high porosity, when combined with high strength and aqueous heat transfer fluid stability, leads to improved porous thermal regenerators and concomitantly to magnetic refrigerators with improved performance.

Abstract: An expeditious method for introducing geometric perturbations into lightguide during fabrication offers a perturbation stream of amplitude and periodicity—constant or varying—to satisfy a variety of needs.

Abstract: An expeditious method for introducing geometric perturbations into lightguide during fabrication offers a perturbation stream of amplitude and periodicity—constant or varying—to satisfy a variety of needs.

Abstract: The specification describes a process and apparatus for monitoring and controlling the ellipticity of preform tubes during Modified Chemical Vapor Deposition. In response to computer generated signals from the monitoring device, the tube collapse rate is adjusted dynamically by locally changing the temperature of the glass tube, or by changing the physical force acting to collapse the tube.