Magnetic Cooling: A New Future for Heating and Refrigeration

Today’s heating and cooling systems mostly use a technology called vapor compression, which is over 100 years old. It relies on refrigerant gases — chemicals that, when leaked, can harm people and the environment. Scientists have been working for years to find a better way, and it looks like a big breakthrough is finally here.

A research team at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Ames National Laboratory recently developed a new configuration of the magnetocaloric heat pump. Instead of using harmful gases, this pump uses magnets and special materials to move heat — a process known as magnetic cooling. Even better, their new design matches current systems in weight, cost, and performance — a huge milestone that hasn’t been achieved until now.

So, how does Magnetic Cooling work?

The magnetocaloric heat pump changes the temperature of special materials by applying a magnetic field. A spinning magnet creates changes in the material, allowing it to absorb or release heat. This method uses less energy and eliminates the need for chemical refrigerants entirely, making it a cleaner and more efficient alternative for both residential and commercial applications, such as retail environments, hospitality businesses, and medical facilities.

The team focused on using common magnetocaloric materials like gadolinium and lanthanum-iron-silicon. They also worked hard to make the pump more compact and affordable by using fewer magnets and less magnetic steel — the heaviest and most expensive parts of the system.

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