Ricardo’s research focuses on the development of a novel magnetic refrigeration system based on the rotating magnetocaloric effect for vaccine cooling. By harnessing the demagnetizing effect, a rotating magnetocaloric effect is attainable in any magnetocaloric material, allowing for the reduction of the magnetic field source and thus providing a cheaper, more compact and potentially more efficient system than current state of the art magnetic refrigerators. He has experience on the production of magnetocaloric alloys by arc-melting technique and in various characterization techniques, namely, direct thermometry, x-ray diffraction (XRD), DSC and SQUID magnetometry. His expertise also extends to FEM modeling/simulation of multiphysics systems (magnetic, thermal and CFD) using COMSOL Multiphysics. He is also interested in novel heat dissipation technologies, more specifically on the utilization of room temperature liquid metals as active cooling fluids.

Research Topics: Magnetocaloric Materials; Magnetic Refrigeration; Magnetic, thermal and structural characterization; FEM modeling; Heat Dissipation