New perspectives for the refrigerator of the future

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hand pushing innovation button on a touch screen interfaceAs reported by Ansa, the next innovation in the refrigerators segment could be the magnetic refrigerator, based on the magnetic refrigeration, replacing the refrigerant gases with solid materials characterized by magnetic properties. The magnetic refrigeration systems use the properties of the magnetocaloric materials, able to increase or decrease their temperature thanks to the application and removal of a magnetic field. The advantage of this technology is the increased protection of the environment as it avoids the dispersion of the refrigerant fluids, and the materials can be recycled. There are already prototypes that have been exposed in Turin during a recent conference on the magnetic refrigeration at room temperature, organized by the National Institute of Metrological Research (Inrim). ā€œThe realized prototypes offer more energy efficiency, are more silent and may have even reduced dimensionsā€, said Elena Olivetti of Inrim, as reported by Ansa. The magnetic refrigeration has been known since the 30s of the last century, but it has long remained confined within the physics laboratories. Thanks to the evolution in the study of materials, this technology is attracting growing interest today.