Bulk fluid refrigeration and heating

摘要

An apparatus for refrigeration and heating of bulk fluid, and particularly, but not exclusively, to the refrigeration of bulk milk freshly obtained from dairy animals such as cows. The apparatus is provided with a refrigerated bulk milk tank and magnetic refrigeration unit for refrigerating and heating, as appropriate, the fluid stored in said tank. The fluid stored in the tank is one of (i) milk, (ii) milk and one or more fermenting agents, (iii) a cleaning fluid, (iv) water, and (v) air. Normally, the fluid stored in the tank is milk.

主权项

1. A system for refrigerating milk freshly obtained from a dairy animal, comprising:
a refrigerated bulk milk tank (5) with connections to receive and hold milk freshly obtained from a dairy animal; and a magnetic refrigeration unit connecting to the milk tank (5), the magnetic refrigeration unit operative to maintain the milk in the milk tank at least at a coldest temperature, wherein the magnetic refrigeration unit comprises i) a magnetic heat pump (7) comprising plural magnetocaloric members of different Curie points and overlapping temperature ranges operating in a magnetocalo effect to provide refrigeration over a continuous temperature range from the coldest temperature to warmest temperature, ii) a first thermal communication loop (9) thermally connecting the milk tank (5) to the heat pump (7) to transport heat from the milk stored in the tank (5) to the heat pump (7), and iii) a second thermal communication loop (11) thermally connecting the heat pump (7) to transport heat away from the heat pump (7), wherein each of the first and second thermal communication loops comprises a closed loop fluid circuit (13, 15) with first and second heat transporting fluids respectively therein, the first thermal communication loop being fluid-isolated from the second thermal communication loop during operation of the heat pump (7).