Operational test of bonded magnetocaloric plates

Bonded plates made by hot pressing La0.85Ce0.15Fe11.25Mn0.25Si1.5Hy particles and resin have been tested as active magnetic regenerators in a small scale magnetocaloric device. Firstly, the plates were carefully characterised magnetically and thermally. The plates were prepared with 5 wt% resin, and from density measurements it was found that the volume ratio of the magnetocaloric material in the plates was 0.53, due to the resin and porosity. The best operating conditions for the plate regenerator were determined at which a temperature span of 6.4 K was measured along the plates.