Scientists at the Technical University of Denmark created a refrigerator that uses magnets to cool instead of electricity.
Although these refrigerators first prototype won’t be available till 2010, these refrigerators could easily replace existing refrigerators using a fully environmentally friendly power source and would provide an expected 60 percent higher efficiency than most standard refrigerators.
The method used involves opposing magnetic fields to increase the temperature of materials. The heat energy is transported through a non-volatile fluid (like water) and then thermodynamically reversed to a cold temperature. Scientists have already been able to cool a room from 20 degrees Celsius to 11 degrees Celsius.
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That’s one of the coolest things I’ve seen. It’d be nice if they would release how they did it w/ magnets.
Wow! I love eco-friendly technology! God bless these types of scientists..
Great idea how come so long to make commercial product good to people are forward thinking
Luv it! Why 2010?!!! I wish our govenment gave a hoot…this world could be such a better place.
available 2010 but not affordable till 2020
tmoney it because while a prototype has been made they probably don’t have a very good production worthy model yet and what they are looking for is the venture capital to really refine the product and on top of that they need to have a manufacturer be able to produce the refrigerator in mass quantities. I seriously doubt the refrigerator shown above is the prototype, considering it has an LCD screen and ice maker which WOULD require electricity.
It sounds great, but…
I don’t like to use the “If it sounds too good to be true…” on things I like the sounds of, but that makes it doubly important. “Thermodynamically reversing” the heat sounds great, but actually seem to mean anything useful. Similarly, generating heat by opposing magnetic fields sounds a little fishy. Do you have sources? I looked but couldn’t find any.
But hey, if they somehow come up with something like that (maybe you’d have to crank it up or something? and have it plug into the wall just in case it ran out of energy before you got home to wind it up? that would be cool. I would much rather use my body to power something than a power plant), awesome.
Uh… these would have to be electromagnets, powered by electricity.
Either that or the second law of thermodynamics has been repealed… and it hasn’t.
Sounds like it might be worth looking into.
Your first paragraph/sentence was redundant since it repeated the same content.
Dears,
Nothing runs without energy…. if you ask the scientist how this technology work you can be sure that its at least (read that well) 5 times LESS efficient than our current best vapor compression systems….
So bad we have to believe everything so easy, this tech will not be available at 2010 and in 2030 it will be forgotten (because in 2010 everyone will know that it doesn’t work
But its funny to read that kind of knew (NO ELECTRICITY :)) seems that it will work powered by vacuum or some invisible mice).
Grandy
It’s bogus, you’ve all been had.
Why was the first sentence redundant? It was a sub heading, surely? Quite proper in my opinion.
The fridge does look very promising. Wonder if one day we’ll look back and laugh at these days of power stations and using electricity as primitive!
The sentence has been edited. Originally it said something like, “Scientists at the Technical University of Denmark created a refrigerator that uses magnets to cool instead of electricity by developing technology that uses magnetism to cool.”
What a joke - maybe they will call it “Cold Frission” (like another too-good-to-be-true technology you may remember)
As one commenter said, there may be some way something could work if it was wound up by a person once or twice a day… but they do not mention that. Plus the description is ridiculous… reverse heat into cold! Maybe someone made a bet that they could get believers in perpetual motion even in the 21st century.
This is not a hoax, and anybody who says otherwise remains ignorant. Too many people will not adapt to the coming age. This “new” technology, has been around for over 10 years. That’s right, there exists a portable magnetic generator that could power your home for free, no energy use–but the government doesn’t want you to know that, they receive too much money on energy spending. Much like the fact that we have the technology to run cars, and create energy from water–producing null pollution. In fact, that technology has been around for 20 years. It’s all about the money. I’ll be surprised the government lets this go through, but it is smaller than the above situations and gives up energy control at a somewhat slower pace.
If your wondering how this works, I’ll give you a little more insight. I’m going to assume you understand that energy is inherently in all things. Your pencil has energy right now. Potential, of course. But you can’t harness that energy because you are on the same velocity plane. Movement, that is one type of energy. And everything in the universe is moving right now. Second form of energy is from gravity, obviously, that is easily seen from the above. Anything being pulled on speeds up and therefore grants energy to be used. Third type? Magnetism. Just like gravity, but we can harness this energy. Magnets have a pull on each other, you don’t put any energy into them, but the speed up towards each other.
This is, of course, one way to look at it. There are others, with principles in centrifugal force. But listen and understand. Science is an evolving process, it is not a constant state. All of our theories, can be broken. Facts can be reshaped. With more knowledge comes a better understanding and further truth about the processes around us. The world is round now, isn’t it? Become better than your ancestors; who hanged anybody who thought differently. Don’t play the fools, don’t mock those who further our understanding–just because they bring something new to the table.
I’m not certain what qualifications some of you have, but when Physics World and the Ames Lab disagree with your understanding of thermodynamics, you are probably wrong.
“Magnetic refrigerants heat up when they are subjected to a magnetic field because the second law of thermodynamics states that the entropy – or disorder – of a closed system must increase with time. This is because the electron spins in the atoms of the material are aligned by the magnetic field, which reduces entropy. To compensate for this, the motion of the atoms becomes more random, and the material heats up. In a magnetic refrigerator, this heat would be carried away by water or by air. When the magnetic field is turned off, the electron spins become random again and the temperature of the material falls below that of its surroundings. This allows it to absorb more unwanted heat, and the cycle begins again.”
Source:
http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/news/3519
http://www.ameslab.gov/final/News/2001rel/01magneticrefrig.htm
GM, I’m not sure you gave any insight. The fact remains that without some sort of energy (or the potential thereof) input there is no way to continuously generate more energy. If this was solar powered, or wind up or wind or anything more than “magnets make some heat which gets turned into cold” powered you might had a better chance to explain it. With the details given by the article what it seems to describe is some sort of perpetual energy generator - no such thing.
To the author, I would like to ask again for sources. I would be delighted to find that somehow, against what I know of science, there was some way to do this. Without some reference, at least some of the concepts (though I would prefer the formulas) those of us with more scientific knowledge than an orangutan are unlikely to take such things on faith. Skepticism is scientific. Magically harnessing the latent power of a pencil, some magnets and the weakest force in the universe (gravity. yes, the weakest force. we only feel it because there’s so much of it.) is nothing more than gullible wishful thinking - not science.
For some more on energy without all that pesky thinking it through for yourselves: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/elegant/program.html
But I’M off back to my books!
P.S. I’m not sure why you invoked centrifugal force, but since you did… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centripetal_force#Common_misunderstandings
well i hear there is a company in kitchener here that has got a stand alone power plant that can run a house with no fuel
Magnacoaster.com
GM said: “That’s right, there exists a portable magnetic generator that could power your home for free, no energy use–but the government doesn’t want you to know that, they receive too much money on energy spending.”
Ratty sez: go get your tinfoil hat. This is right up there with that non-existent 200 mpg carburetor the oil companies allegedly are hiding by buying out the inventors. This technology is obviously feasible. Cost effective? Hard to say. But I can chill food with a flame-powered refigerator, and also by running a current through a special material, both of which methods are decades-old technology, so don’t be so hasty in your dismissal of a technology.
There are quite a number of comments on this particular science. As listed on the post itself, here is the source url: http://www.denmark.dk/en/servicemenu/News/ScienceAndITNews/MagneticRefrigeratorNeedsNoElectricity.htm
More:
http://www.inhabitat.com/2007/09/12/refrigerators-that-run-on-magnets/#more-5825
http://risoe.dk/About_risoe/research_departments/ABF/Refrigeration/definition.aspx
Thank you for all your responses. I’m open to hear what your opinions are, as I have a biology degree but don’t necessarily understand the exact physics behind magnetic refrigeration as many of those that responded.
sjsuarez, thank you for the source. Now that you’ve posted it I see the convenient little “Source” button below the article. Now I just wish THEY had some sources!
liozzi, thank you for some science behind that. My last comment was written before yours cleared but still came after. That is pretty neat, but does seem to require electric power for the magnets. Similarly, it seems to be a cycle. I guess they could have several distinct electromagnetic arrays and coolant loops working at odd times, but that seems a bit unwieldy and probably bulky.
Mazid - No problem
Who cares about the science behind it: my concern is what to do with all of my current fridge magnets! Will they stick or will people start giving out steel plates instead?
*bows before the fridge* I love it!
Note: when magnetic fields and hand waving are the entire substance of a so-called innovation, suspect a pile of tripe is not far behind.
First of all it’s not a hoax. Magnetic refrigerators exists since 1933. You can read here more:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_refrigeration
And the refrigerators will be with permanent magnets. There is need for electricity, not for the magnets but for the pump (for water).
It is real!
good one….
Can we say perpetual motion?
I’m assuming that the technology of “magnetic refrigeration” is sound, but that this article just left out some of the details in its process. While electricity may not be used in the actual process itself, some sort of electricity will be used to support it. Take a look at the picture…you’re telling me that there is enough power to cool down the entire fridge and power that LCD screen? Give me a break.
People always forget that there is no such thing as “free energy”. Energy is only transferred from one point to another. You never create it. Also, in this transfer of energy, there are ALWAYS losses. So while there is potential energy in the water and magnets, you can’t get it out of the water/magnets without putting more into it.
Now the transfer of energy in this setup sounds like it would be more efficient than current the current refrigeration cycles used, but it isn’t a magical free source of energy.
The coolest thing about this , is that My partner and I bought a LG Titanium Fridge about 3 years ago, WE LOVE IT.. However, this new technology is going to make me want a new one
:) 
plase support me, http://www.starrsearch.net
It isn’t bogus, it is a method of adiabatic cooling using the magnetocaloric effect.
sounds awesome… if ref. can do it, why not others??
may be cars??!!
tv, pc, ps
even in thinking, i felt crazy…
“holly tech”
You don’t get something for nothing. Notice that it says “without electricity”. But it also says:
“using a fully environmentally friendly power source”
Alas they’re not giving out many details. So it may never see the light of day.
This is why I love the study of new energy development…who died to establish the “laws of thermodynamics? We did not invent or create energy…therefore energy is free. Those who reject every claim of free energy, based on the so-called laws are trying to create their own laws, or hide behind the safety of someone else’s so-called laws of observed physics.
A misleading heading, definitely, but interesting nonetheless. I think the point is electricity isn’t used to power the heat exchanger, but that magnets do it. It still requires energy, however it’s way more efficient than normal fridges today and since a fridge is usually the biggest energy hog in your home, this could be a significant path to energy savings.
it is BS. refrigerators are already powered by magnets in the form of an electric motor and a compressor.
unless they are saying they found the perpetual motor they are just lying
One thing that hasn’t been mentioned is that the “special material” that passes between the magnets is actually galladium (sp?) kind of rare. Also, you are probably talking about electromagnets so there would be some electricity in involved their as well as the electric motor to spin the material through the magnetic field. So there is some energy used, albeit significantly less than traditional compressor technology.
BTW Why are we talking about refrigerators? Put this tech in HVAC systems and now you are talking significant savings.
Remember “Being Green is Saving Green($)”
I built one of these for a college sci. proj.
Its actualy annoying that we had to be pushed into finding alternatives for energy and fuel,when people have been struggling to break through the market because of the Oil Magnets, profit driven maniacs! With no consideration of life or earth.
Have a look at the guiness book of records.
The coldest temparature ever produced was by a process called nuclear deMAGNETIZATION - it produced a temparature of 0.001 kelvin which is Extremly cold - about -273 degress below zero celcius - I’m not sure how cold that is in fahrenheit but probably about -400 degrees.
So it is certainly possible to cool things using MAGNETS.
but you still need energy to hold or move or power the magnets and you still have to put the excess energy somewhere else etc - so the fridge itself may be powered.
But I’m sure that many here haven;t heard of propane powered refrigerators either - they actually heat gas which expands which then cools another part of the fridge by the physics of expanding and phase changing gases. just adding my 2 cents worth - but I’m guessing these fridges will cost more than that - especially trading of the “Green” dollar effect - you know save the world by “ripping it off”
WOW. I wonder if they’ll use the same technology to heat and cool a house. If they could develop the same thing on a larger scale to climate control a building, the power savings would be astronomical.
OK TO THE PPL THAT HAVE DETERMINED IN THEIR INFINITE WISDOM THAT THE FRIDGE PICTURED AT THE TOP IS THE ACTUAL PROTOTYPE NEED TO RUN OUT INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY AND START DOING SIT UPS.
Using magnetism to create heat then creating cold from that heat is pretty easy. A adiabatic demagnetization with Praseodymium/nickel alloy and a stirling engine could produce the proper heat/cooling to make this idea feasible.
FOR ALL OF YOU PEOPLE WHO ARE LIKE THE GOVERNMENT DOESN’T WANT US TO HAVE THEM, BLAH BLAH GET, GET OVER UR STUPID CONSPIRACY THEORIES AND THINK ABOUT IT, YOU ARE RETARDS.
Sounds great…but I have suspicions. How does it work? Laws of thermodynamics tell us energy can’t be created or destroyed, only transformed.
Rob on Sep 21st, 2007 at 5:18 pm
well i hear there is a company in kitchener here that has got a stand alone power plant that can run a house with no fuel
Magnacoaster.com
You “hear”?
How about you’re shilling your own site? (do a whois on atombuster.com and magnacoaster.com: willis, Richard
Puterdudes Internet Service Inc.
Kitchener, Ontario).
And it’s still a crock of shit.
P.S. Learn to spell, use punctuation and proper grammar if you want to be a businessman. Otherwise you’re just a joke.
Interesting, but when you hang something on the outside of the refrigerator using magnets will that cause the magnets on the inside to go bonkers???
Nov 23rd, 2007 at 12:49 pm
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