Refrigeration effect of La(FeCoSi)13B0.25 compounds and gadolinium metal in reciprocating magnetic refrigerator

The LaFe11.9–xCoxSi1.1B0.25 with x=0.9 and x=0.82 compounds were synthesized from commercial purity raw materials. The magnetic property of LaFe11.9–xCoxSi1.1B0.25 and Gd particles were tested on the reciprocating refrigerator at the same condition in order to compare the cooling capacity of the two materials. The results showed that the cooling velocity of Gd was obviously higher than that of LaFe11.9–xCoxSi1.1B0.25. The maximum temperature span was 12.7 °C for LaFe11.0Co0.9Si1.1B0.25, 14.9 °C for Gd metal whose mass is the same as that of LaFe11.0Co0.9Si1.1B0.25, 8.1 °C for Gd metal whose volume is the same as that of LaFe11.0Co0.9Si1.1B0.25. Series connection of LaFe11.0Co0.9Si1.1B0.25 and LaFe11.08Co0.82Si1.1B0.25 had the maximum cooling temperature span of 15.3 °C.