Transport container

Abstract

In a transport container for transporting temperature-sensitive goods, there is a container wall (2) surrounding an internal space (3) for accommodating the goods, having a plurality of walls (5,6,7,8) adjacent to each other at an angle, wherein the container wall (2) is self-supporting and has an opening (4) for loading and unloading the internal space (3), the opening (4) being able to be closed by means of a separate wall element (16), and wherein the container wall (2) surrounds the internal space (3) on all sides except the opening (4), the container wall (2) having an outer wall (9), an inner wall (10) spaced therefrom, and a vacuum chamber (11) constructed between the outer wall and the inner wall (9,10), wherein the vacuum chamber (11) is constructed as a continuous vacuum chamber (11) surrounding the internal space (3) on all sides except the opening (4).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a transport container for transporting temperature-sensitive goods, having a container wall surrounding an internal space for accommodating the transported goods, having a plurality of walls adjacent to each other at an angle, wherein the container wall is self-supporting and has openings for loading and unloading the internal space, the openings being closable by means of separate wall elements, and wherein the container wall surrounds the internal space on all sides except for the openings. Background Technology

[0002] When transporting temperature-sensitive goods (such as pharmaceuticals) over periods of several hours or days, a predetermined temperature range must be maintained during storage and transport to ensure the availability and safety of the goods. For various pharmaceuticals, a temperature range of 2 to 25°C, especially 2 to 8°C or 15 to 25°C, is specified as the storage and transport condition.

[0003] To permanently and verifiably maintain the desired temperature range for transported goods during transit, transport containers with special isolation capabilities, such as air freight containers, are used. The technical implementation of temperature-controlled transport containers typically utilizes a combination of active or passive cooling systems with an outer enclosure for isolation. The quality of this isolation plays a crucial role in the container's performance capabilities, especially in passive cooling systems.

[0004] Traditional implementations of isolation systems for temperature-controlled transport containers involve layering insulating materials such as polystyrene, polyisocyanurate (PIR), and extruded polystyrene (XPS). However, these materials have limited insulating properties and require thick wall structures to achieve the desired performance capabilities of the container. This results in a reduction in available internal space and an increase in container weight. Both of these factors are particularly disadvantageous for air transport from both economic and ecological perspectives.

[0005] Another implementation of temperature-controlled transport containers includes a wall structure with plate-like vacuum plates. These are typically composed of a porous core material that also serves as a support for the vacuum present within the vacuum plate, and a high-density shroud that prevents gas from entering the vacuum plate. However, vacuum plates are easily damaged, which can lead to a sharp decline in insulation performance. Therefore, additional wall structures are needed to protect the vacuum plate from external influences, resulting in an undesirable increase in weight. Furthermore, additional components are required at the edges of the vacuum plates to connect the various container walls to each other. This creates thermal bridges, which reduce effective insulation performance and increase the overall weight of the container. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Therefore, the object of this invention is to provide a wall-integrated vacuum insulation for temperature-controlled transport containers. The outer wall of the container should be flat to optimally utilize available space during air transport. The insulation performance should be significantly superior to current transport containers of the same size. This means that, for a container size of, for example, 1 x 1.2 x 1.2 meters, the equivalent thermal conductivity of the insulation (including all thermal bridges) should be in the range of <5 mW / (m·K). Since the transport container is preferably designed for air transport, the weight of the insulation plays a crucial role. Therefore, the structural design should be optimized in terms of the total weight of the container. At the same time, the stability of the container should be ensured without requiring additional structural components.

[0007] To achieve this objective, the present invention is substantially configured in the transport container of the type mentioned at the beginning, wherein the container wall has an outer wall, an inner wall spaced apart therefrom, and a vacuum chamber constructed between the outer and inner walls, wherein the vacuum chamber is constructed as a continuous vacuum chamber surrounding the internal space on all sides except the opening. Therefore, the container wall is implemented as a double-walled vacuum container, which surrounds the internal space on all sides except the container opening. Thus, compared to using conventional vacuum plates, the isolation is not composed of a single vacuum element that must be assembled into the container, but rather all sides of the transport container are included in one part except for the opening. The transport container or container wall can be implemented in various geometries, wherein multiple walls are provided adjacent to each other at certain angles. Preferably, it is a cuboid transport container with six walls, wherein the wall according to the invention is constructed with five walls, and individual wall elements are provided to close the opening of the internal space formed by the walls. Preferably, the walls thus form the lid, bottom, side walls, and rear wall of the transport container.

[0008] According to the present invention, a continuous vacuum chamber is constructed between the inner and outer walls of the container wall, which surrounds the interior space on all sides except for the opening. This means that the interior space is not surrounded by multiple independent vacuum chambers, as is the case in conventional constructions, where the cover, bottom, side walls, and rear wall are each formed by independent vacuum plates, and thermal bridges are correspondingly generated at the joints between adjacent plates.

[0009] The walls of a double-walled container are self-supporting, so no separate structural element is required to ensure the stability of the container.

[0010] Preferably, the outer and inner walls are made of metal plates, particularly stainless steel, aluminum, or titanium, and preferably have a thickness of 0.01 to 1 mm. This ensures both the necessary stability and the airtightness of the walls. Preferably, the outer and inner walls can be assembled from multiple flat plates, wherein the joints can be airtightly connected to each other by welds.

[0011] Furthermore, the vacuum chamber is preferably closed by a connecting collar that extends along the edge of the opening and connects to the outer and inner walls.

[0012] Preferably, the outer and inner walls of the container are flat.

[0013] The transport container according to the invention is preferably implemented as an air transport container, and therefore preferably has an external dimension of at least 0.4x0.4x0.4 meters, preferably from 0.4x0.4x0.4 meters to 1.6x1.6x1.6 meters, and preferably from 1.0x1.0x1.0 meters to 1.6x1.6x1.6 meters.

[0014] The term "vacuum chamber" means that the space between the inner and outer walls of a container is evacuated to achieve thermal insulation by reducing or preventing thermal conduction by gas molecules through a vacuum. Preferably, the pressure in the vacuum chamber is 0.001-0.1 mbar.

[0015] To withstand the pressure of the surrounding air without making the outer and inner walls excessively thick, the outer and inner walls are preferably connected by a plurality of spacing elements having a thermal conductivity preferably <2 W / (m·K), more preferably <1 W / (m·K), more preferably <0.5 W / (m·K), more preferably <0.35 W / (m·K), and particularly preferably <0.2 W / (m·K), and preferably made of plastic, such as polyetheretherketone or aromatic poly(ethylene ether ketone), ceramic material, or glass. The spacing elements ensure the desired distance between the outer and inner walls, thereby preserving the cavity, i.e., the vacuum chamber, located in the middle. Since the spacing elements form thermal bridges, it is advantageous to construct them from materials with the lowest possible thermal conductivity.

[0016] To further minimize heat transfer between the outer and inner sides, the spacing retainer is preferably configured as a thin element as possible. In particular, the spacing retainer can be configured as a pin-shaped element, which preferably has a circular, especially perfectly circular, cross-section, and preferably has a diameter of 1-5 mm at its thinnest part.

[0017] Preferably, the normal distance between the outer wall and the inner wall is 10-40 mm, and more preferably 10-20 mm.

[0018] This results in a structure in which the length of the spacing element is significantly greater than its diameter, which minimizes heat conduction.

[0019] Preferably, the spacing elements are spaced 10-100 mm apart.

[0020] To avoid point loads at the contact points between the outer and inner walls and the spacing retainer, a preferred embodiment of the invention is configured such that the spacing retainer contacts both the outer and inner walls via at least one pressure distribution element. Because pressure is distributed over a larger wall surface, the outer and inner walls can be implemented with smaller wall thicknesses, resulting in weight reduction. In the case of embodiments made of stainless steel, a wall thickness of 0.1-1 mm is preferably sufficient, and in the case of embodiments made of aluminum, a wall thickness of 0.5-5 mm is preferably sufficient. Without the pressure distribution element, there is a risk that the spacing retainer could puncture the outer and inner walls under ambient air pressure with such small wall thicknesses.

[0021] Preferably, the at least one pressure distribution element is configured as a support plate, wherein the support plate preferably forms a common support for a plurality of mutually aligned spacing holders. In this case, the pressure distribution element can be configured as an elongated plate-like element, having, for example, a thickness of 0.3 to 5 mm and a width of 5 to 30 mm, and preferably made of aluminum, stainless steel, or plastic. These plurality of such elongated plate-like elements can be arranged parallel to each other and extending from each other at intervals, according to a grid arrangement of the spacing holders.

[0022] Alternatively, the at least one pressure distribution element may be formed from a widened end of the spacing retainer, wherein the widened end is preferably integrally formed with the spacing retainer and thus constructed of the same material as the spacing retainer. The widened end may have a mushroom shape. For example, the widened end may have a height of 2-5 mm and a diameter of 6-50 mm, thereby uniformly introducing the resulting force into the outer or inner wall of the container wall.

[0023] To further improve the thermal insulation performance of the container walls, a preferred improvement involves arranging a plurality of insulating membranes stacked at a certain distance within the vacuum chamber, their planes extending substantially parallel to the planes of the outer and inner walls. In particular, the insulating membranes are present in a stacked form, preferably arranged in each wall of the chamber, the stack extending substantially across the entire wall. Preferably, the insulating membranes are arranged such that they surround the interior space on all sides except for the openings.

[0024] Preferably, the isolation membrane is arranged such that a gap (protective space) is maintained between the inner surface of the outer or inner wall facing the vacuum chamber and the membrane stack, respectively, so that the membrane stack does not press together due to possible deformation of the wall. Furthermore, this gap provides space for the structural stability of the gap holder and facilitates evacuation.

[0025] Another preferred configuration is that the separating membranes are held apart from each other by planar spacing elements, wherein the planar spacing elements are preferably made of woven planar materials. Formed, especially constructed as polyester nonwovens.

[0026] In particular, the separator can be constructed as a metal coating or a plastic film deposited with metal. This type of separator is also known as a so-called super separator. For example, the metal coating is made of aluminum.

[0027] The function of the insulating membrane is derived from the following physical relationship: the thermal conductivity of air depends not only on pressure but also on the width of the gap to be bridged. This can be explained by molecular thermodynamics, and occurs when the gap width is on the same order of magnitude as the mean free path length of air molecules. The mean free path length of air molecules is inversely proportional to air pressure; that is, at very low air pressures or very small gap widths, the mean free path length of air molecules is relatively large. This relationship is described by the Knudsen number, which is derived from the ratio between the mean free path length and the characteristic length of the flow. When the Knudsen number exceeds 10, it can be said that there is free molecular motion, and the thermal conductivity of air is very low. Furthermore, convective heat conduction effects can be ignored.

[0028] Within the scope of this invention, a combination of low air pressure and small gap width is used to achieve very low thermal conductivity of air (preferably <1 mW / (m·K)). Here, the gap width is the distance between the individual layers of the insulating membrane, and is preferably in the range of 0.1 to 5 mm.

[0029] The membrane stack preferably consists of 2-50 layers of films coated with metal, especially aluminum, and 2-50 layers of membrane spacing retainers (e.g., polyester spunbond fabric). Combined with the reduction in gap width and the resulting inhibition of heat conduction through the air, thermal radiation is also significantly reduced by the insulating membrane. This is achieved, on the one hand, by the low emissivity of the metal coating, especially the aluminum coating. On the other hand, each of the opposing membrane layers is in thermal equilibrium and emits or absorbs approximately the same amount of energy. Solid-state thermal conduction in the membrane spacing retainers is preferably minimized by the membrane spacing retainers, such as polyester nonwoven fabric, being loosely located between the membranes, with actual contact occurring only at a few locations. The use of polyester nonwoven fabric offers the advantages that polyester fibers are weakly thermally conductive, the nonwoven fabric has a small thread thickness, and direct connections between the opposing membranes occur very rarely in the chaotic nonwoven structure.

[0030] As already mentioned, the vacuum chamber is preferably closed by a connecting collar extending along the edge of the opening and connecting to the inner and outer walls. The connecting collar should be as airtight as possible and should be able to connect to the outer and inner walls in an airtight manner. For example, stainless steel or titanium are considered as materials for the connecting collar.

[0031] Preferably, the connecting collar is made of the same material as the inner and outer walls, especially the same metal as the inner and outer walls, and is preferably welded to them.

[0032] Alternatively, the connecting collar may be made of a metal different from the inner and outer walls, and preferably welded to them by friction welding.

[0033] In the case of metals, the thermal conductivity of the connecting collar is relatively high, and most of the heat input into the transport container passes through the connecting collar (thermal bridge). Therefore, structural optimization of the connecting collar and surrounding structure is advantageous to improve the overall insulation performance. Important parameters are the connection length between the outer and inner walls and the cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting collar.

[0034] To increase the path length between the outer and inner walls, according to a preferred construction scheme, the connecting collar is arranged to be inclined relative to the plane of the outer wall (i.e., at an angle other than 90°), particularly at an angle of 10-80°.

[0035] Another possibility for increasing the path length is that the connecting collar has a corrugated or bent direction that travels from the outer wall to the inner wall.

[0036] The overall isolation capability of the transport container naturally also depends on the thermal insulation performance of the elements that seal the openings of the internal space. Preferably, the transport container is further configured to have a separate wall element that seals the openings, wherein the separate wall element preferably has an outer wall and an inner wall spaced apart therefrom, forming a vacuum chamber between them.

[0037] The individual wall element can have the same wall structure as the container wall. Therefore, the individual wall element can also contain multiple isolation membranes stacked on top of each other at a certain distance within its vacuum chamber.

[0038] For example, a single wall element can be constructed as a door and thus secured to the transport container by means of hinges.

[0039] As already mentioned, most of the heat enters the transport container through the connecting collar. Therefore, it is important to prevent heat from being directly transferred to the transported goods. Latent heat reservoirs are capable of absorbing a large amount of heat through a phase change from solid to liquid. Therefore, a preferred improvement of the invention is configured such that a phase change material layer is arranged on the side of the independent wall element facing the interior space, extending at least along the edge region of the opening. Thus, this phase change material receives and absorbs the heat introduced through the connecting collar.

[0040] Preferably, the phase change material covers the entire surface of the independent wall element facing the interior space, wherein an energy distribution layer made of a material having a thermal conductivity >100 W / (m·K), particularly >200 W / (m·K), can be arranged between the independent wall element and the phase change material. The more uniform the phase change of the phase change material, the more effectively the introduced heat can be absorbed. Therefore, the phase change material can be combined with an energy distribution layer or plate made of a highly thermally conductive material (such as aluminum or carbon nanotubes). Heat introduced locally through the connecting collar is distributed over a larger area of ​​the energy distribution layer and uniformly absorbed by the latent heat storage.

[0041] Besides arranging the phase change material (PCM) at individual wall elements or doors, PCM can also be used in the container walls, i.e., on the side walls, bottom, lid, and rear wall. Furthermore, an energy distribution layer can be used to distribute heat to the PCM in the rear region of the transport container. It is important here to maintain sufficient distance from the connecting collar to avoid direct thermal bridging. In particular, a preferred embodiment of the invention is configured such that a PCM layer is arranged on the inner wall of the container wall facing the interior space, surrounding the interior space on all sides except for the opening, and preferably an energy distribution layer made of a material having a thermal conductivity >100 W / (m·K), especially >200 W / (m·K), is arranged between the inner wall of the container wall and the PCM.

[0042] Preferably, at least one energy distribution layer is made at least partially, and especially entirely, of aluminum, copper, or carbon nanotubes.

[0043] Regarding the construction of the transport container to optimize weight as much as possible, the at least one energy distribution layer is preferably constructed to be relatively thin, and in particular has a thickness of less than 2 mm.

[0044] Preferably, a phase change material is selected having a phase transition temperature that matches the desired temperature range within the interior space of the transport container, so that the desired temperature range can be maintained as stably as possible, independent of external temperature. Preferably, the phase transition temperature is in the range of 2°C to 15°C.

[0045] The phase change material layer includes phase change material elements preferably configured as planar latent heat reservoirs, wherein conventional configurations can be used for the medium forming the latent heat reservoir. A preferred medium for the latent heat reservoir is a mixture of paraffin and salt.

[0046] To further improve insulation performance, an insulation layer, not configured as a vacuum, can be arranged on the outer side of the container wall. This insulation layer further reduces energy flow in the radial direction toward the interior space of the transport container. The insulation layer preferably surrounds the interior space of the transport container on all sides. The insulation layer may have a thermal conductivity of <0.02 W / (m·K), preferably <0.012 W / (m·K).

[0047] Alternatively, the outer wall of the container wall forms the outer surface of the transport container, so that no additional layers or components are placed on the outer wall.

[0048] To determine potential damage to the transport container, it is preferable to arrange at least one temperature sensor within the internal space, and more specifically, at least one temperature sensor on each side of the transport container. Based on the measurements from the at least one temperature sensor, the insulation performance can be continuously controlled. Additionally, a sensor for measuring ambient temperature can be installed, wherein the insulation performance of the container wall can be continuously calculated from the temperature difference curves between the at least one temperature sensor located inside the internal space and the external temperature sensor. This data can be continuously transmitted wirelessly to a central database, thereby enabling comprehensive monitoring and ensuring the functional efficiency of the transport container. Attached Figure Description

[0049] The invention will now be explained in more detail with the aid of embodiments schematically shown in the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 A perspective view of the rectangular transport container according to the present invention is shown. Figure 2 Shows a detailed view of the structure of the container wall. Figure 3 Showing a detailed view of the implementation of the spacing retainer. Figure 4 Showing a cross-sectional view of a transport container with a closed opening. Figure 5 Display according to Figure 4 Alternative implementation schemes for transport containers, Figure 6 A detailed view showing the wall design in the area of ​​the connecting collar. Figure 7 Detailed views of alternative wall designs are shown in the area of ​​the connecting collar, and Figure 8 The details of the connecting collar 12 are shown in cross section. Detailed Implementation

[0050] Figure 1 The image shows a rectangular transport container 1, whose container walls 2 surround the internal space 3 on all sides except for the opening 4. The container walls 2 include two side walls 5, a rear wall 6, a bottom 7, and a lid 8. The container walls 2 are constructed as a double-walled vacuum container and include an outer wall 9 and an inner wall 10, which are parallel to each other and extend at a certain distance. The wall structure... Figure 1 In the area shown in the broken section and in accordance with Figure 2You can see this in the detailed view.

[0051] The outer wall 9 consists of five plate-shaped outer wall sections, one for each of the two side walls 5, the rear wall 6, the bottom 7, and the cover 8. The wall sections can be formed from a single-faceted block of material, such as a bent sheet metal, and connected to each other along their adjacent edges, especially by welding. Alternatively, the wall sections can be made from independent blocks of material, such as individual plates, thus requiring connections at each edge, especially welds.

[0052] Similarly, the inner wall 10 consists of five plate-shaped outer wall sections, one for each of the two side walls 5, the rear wall 6, the bottom 7, and the cover 8. The wall sections can also be made of a single-faceted material block, such as a bent metal plate, and connected to each other along their adjacent edges, especially welded together. Alternatively, the wall sections can be made of independent-faceted material blocks, such as individual plates, thus requiring connections at each edge, especially welds.

[0053] The outer wall 9 and the inner wall 10 thus form two separate shells, with a continuous vacuum chamber 11 constructed between them. To close the vacuum chamber 11, the outer wall 9 and the inner wall 10 are connected at the front, i.e., along the opening 4, by means of a connecting collar 12. The connecting collar 12 may also be made of a surface-shaped material block, especially a metal plate, and is welded to the outer wall 9 and the inner wall 10 at their adjacent edges.

[0054] To maintain the outer wall 9 and the inner wall 10 at a predetermined distance, a plurality of spacing retainers 13 extend between the outer wall 9 and the inner wall 10, the plurality of spacing retainers being adjusted according to... Figure 2 In the proposed implementation, the spacer is constructed as a pin. The spacer 13 must be able to absorb any pressure that arises and transfer it as evenly as possible to the walls of the vacuum container. Additionally, solid-state heat conduction through the spacer 13 must be minimized, as otherwise the insulation performance of the spacer would deteriorate. Furthermore, the overall weight of the structure plays a significant role and must also be minimized. To meet these requirements, a large number of relatively thin spacer elements 13 are provided.

[0055] With the pressure distribution element 14 connected in the middle, the spacing retainer 13 contacts the outer wall 9 and the inner wall 10. The pressure distribution element is constructed as a flat bridging portion. The spacing retainer 13 is fixed in the hole along the bridging portion 14 by a connecting post.

[0056] exist Figure 1 As can be seen, a stack 15 consisting of isolation membranes extending across the entire wall surface is arranged in the vacuum chamber 11. For the isolation membranes to be inserted, the spacing retainers 13 can be designed to be interlocked, or the isolation membranes can be provided with corresponding slots.

[0057] Figure 3Alternative construction options for the spacing retainer 13 are shown. Force transfer between the spacing retainer 13 and the outer wall 9 and inner wall 10 is achieved through mushroom-shaped features on both sides of the spacing retainer 13. The mushroom-shaped features are part of the spacing retainer 13 and are made, for example, of a low-thermal-conductivity plastic (such as PEEK or synthetic fibers). The minimum diameter of the spacing retainer 12 is preferably 1-5 mm, and therefore significantly smaller than its length, resulting in a further reduction in solid-state heat conduction. The mushroom-shaped features preferably have a corresponding height of 2-5 mm and a diameter of 6-50 mm at their support, uniformly distributing the resulting forces into the walls.

[0058] Figure 4 The structure of transport container 1 is schematically shown in cross-section. A vacuum container is combined with a separate wall element 16 for front isolation, thus making transport container 1 closed. Since the greatest heat input is expected in the area of ​​the connecting collar 12, in this variant, a latent heat reservoir 17 is mounted only at the front to absorb heat and keep it away from the transported goods. A highly thermally conductive energy distribution plate 18 between the door isolation and the latent heat reservoir 17 ensures uniform heat distribution to prevent localized melting of the phase change material in the latent heat reservoir 17.

[0059] Figure 5 An alternative structure of the transport container 1 is schematically shown in cross-section. The vacuum container 1 is combined with a separate wall element 16 to isolate the front side, thus the transport container is sealed. Again, the greatest heat input is expected in the region of the connecting collar 12. In addition to the front latent heat reservoir 17, latent heat reservoirs 19 are also used in this variant at the side walls 5, rear wall 6, bottom 7, and cover 8. Furthermore, a highly thermally conductive energy distribution plate 20 is used to distribute heat to the latent heat reservoir 19 in the rear region of the transport container 1. It is important here to maintain a sufficient distance from the connecting collar 12 to avoid direct thermal bridging.

[0060] Figure 6 The details of the connecting collar 12 are shown in cross-section, wherein the connecting collar 12 extends at an angle to the outer wall 9 and the inner wall 10, thereby increasing the path length between the outer wall 9 and the inner wall 10. In this embodiment, the outer wall 9 and the inner wall 10, as well as the connecting collar 12, may be made of stainless steel (e.g., V2A) with a thickness of 0.01 to 1 mm, wherein the sheet metal is welded to the front.

[0061] According to Figure 7In an alternative embodiment, the outer wall 9 and the inner wall 10 are made of aluminum with a thickness of, for example, 0.5-5 mm. The connecting collar 12 is made of stainless steel (e.g., V2A) with a thickness of, for example, 0.1 to 1 mm. Welding of the different materials is achieved by friction welding or by coating the mating parts with a weldable material. The connecting collar 12 is implemented as a labyrinthine device, thereby increasing the path length between the outer wall 9 and the inner wall 10 and thus reducing heat input. Additionally, the connecting collar 12 is isolated from the outside by a heat insulation portion 21. The beginning of the aluminum inner wall 10 is offset rearward to reduce heat input to the rear region of the transport container 1.

[0062] Figure 8 An alternative embodiment of the connecting collar 12 is shown in cross-section, wherein the connecting collar 12 extends in an asymmetrical U-shape between the outer wall 9 and the inner wall 10, thus increasing the path length between the outer wall 9 and the inner wall 10. Additionally, the connecting collar 12 is isolated by a U-shaped heat insulation portion 22. In this embodiment, the outer wall 9 and the inner wall 10, as well as the connecting collar 12, can be made of stainless steel (e.g., V2A) with a thickness of 0.01 to 1 mm, wherein the sheet metal is welded to the front.

[0063] Another possibility for increasing the path length between the outer and inner walls of the vacuum container is to implement the connecting collar as corrugated.

[0064] The overall isolation performance of the transport container according to the present invention derives from the interrelationship of its various thermal resistances. Consider the following elements:

[0065] - Door isolation

[0066] - Thermal radiation

[0067] -Vacuum container:

[0068] - Outerwear and innerwear

[0069] - Spacing retainers include reinforcement structures

[0070] -Air in the surrounding protected space

[0071] - Air between the layers of the super-insulating membrane

[0072] - Super-isolated membrane spacing retainer (e.g., polyester nonwoven fabric)

[0073] - Super-isolated membrane

[0074] The equivalent thermal conductivity can be calculated using the total thermal resistance, the surface area of ​​the container, and the insulation thickness. This invention can be used in the case of a transport container with dimensions of approximately 1 x 1.2 x 1.2 mm. The equivalent thermal conductivity is reduced to 0.5 mW / (m·K). In contrast, conventional vacuum plates have a thermal conductivity of approximately 5 mW / (m·K). Therefore, the present invention provides significantly better insulation performance.

[0075] Another advantage is low weight. Since the vacuum plate consists of individual components, additional structural elements are required to ensure the stability of the transport container. This translates to additional weight. In the case of this invention, the transport container is stabilized by vacuum isolation. The vacuum container is designed to withstand external pressure while maintaining a low self-weight. Furthermore, the vacuum container surrounds the five sides of the transport container. This ensures stability without the need for additional structural components. Even in the event of damage to the vacuum container, such as from external influences, the stability of the transport container is maintained. The materials used for the outer and inner walls are preferably highly ductile and capable of high plastic deformation before they fail. First, the two sides of the vacuum chamber are completely compressed together before the walls fail. Although the weight of the vacuum isolation (depending on the structural design and material selection) is slightly higher than that of the vacuum plate (approximately 4 kg / m²), the resulting total weight of the transport container is significantly lower.

Claims

1. A transport container for transporting temperature-sensitive goods, having a container wall (2) surrounding an internal space (3) for accommodating the transported goods, the container wall having a plurality of walls (5,6,7,8) adjacent to each other at a certain angle, wherein, The container wall (2) is self-supporting and has an opening (4) for loading and unloading the internal space (3), the opening (4) being able to be closed by means of a separate wall element (16), and wherein the container wall (2) surrounds the internal space (3) on all sides except the opening (4), wherein the container wall (2) has an outer wall (9), an inner wall (10) spaced therebetween therebetween, and a vacuum chamber (11) constructed between the outer wall (9) and the inner wall (10), wherein the vacuum chamber (11) is constructed as a continuous vacuum chamber (11) surrounding the internal space (3) on all sides except the opening (4), characterized in that a plurality of isolation membranes (15) are arranged in the vacuum chamber (11) and stacked on top of each other at a certain distance, the membrane planes of which extend parallel to the planes of the outer wall (9) and the inner wall (10), and the isolation membranes (15) are held apart from each other by a surface-shaped spacing element, wherein the surface-shaped spacing element is formed by a woven planar configuration.

2. The transport container according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer wall (9) and the inner wall (10) are connected by a plurality of spacing retainers (13) having a thermal conductivity of <2 W / (m·K).

3. The transport container according to claim 2, characterized in that, The spacing retainer (13) is made of plastic, ceramic or glass.

4. The transport container according to claim 2, characterized in that, The spacing retainer (13) is made of polyetheretherketone or aromatic polymer.

5. The transport container according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer wall (9) and the inner wall (10) are connected by a plurality of spacing retainers (13) having a thermal conductivity of <1 W / (m·K).

6. The transport container according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer wall (9) and the inner wall (10) are connected by a plurality of spacing retainers (13) having a thermal conductivity of <0.5 W / (m·K).

7. The transport container according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer wall (9) and the inner wall (10) are connected by a plurality of spacing retainers (13) having a thermal conductivity of <0.35 W / (m·K).

8. The transport container according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer wall (9) and the inner wall (10) are connected by a plurality of spacing retainers (13) having a thermal conductivity of <0.2 W / (m·K).

9. The transport container according to any one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that, The spacing retainer (13) is constructed as a pin-shaped element with a circular cross-section and a diameter of 1-5 mm at its thinnest part.

10. The transport container according to any one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that, The spacing retainer (13) is constructed as a pin-shaped element with a perfectly circular cross-section and a diameter of 1-5 mm at its thinnest part.

11. The transport container according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The spacing retainer (13) contacts the outer wall (9) and the inner wall (10) through at least one pressure distribution element (14).

12. The transport container according to claim 11, characterized in that, The at least one pressure distribution element (14) is configured as a support plate, wherein the support plate forms a common support for a plurality of mutually aligned spacing retainers (13).

13. The transport container according to claim 11, characterized in that, The at least one pressure distribution element (14) is formed from the widened end of the spacing retainer.

14. The transport container according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The isolation membrane (15) is constructed as a plastic membrane deposited by metal vapor deposition.

15. The transport container according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The outer wall (9) and the inner wall (10) are made of metal plates and have a thickness of 0.01 to 1 mm.

16. The transport container according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The outer wall (9) and the inner wall (10) are made of stainless steel, aluminum or titanium and have a thickness of 0.01 to 1 mm.

17. The transport container according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The vacuum chamber (11) is closed by a connecting collar (12) extending along the edge of the opening (4) and connected to the outer wall and the inner wall.

18. The transport container according to claim 17, characterized in that, The connecting collar (12) extends at an angle relative to the plane of the outer wall (9).

19. The transport container according to claim 17, characterized in that, The connecting collar (12) extends at an angle of 10-80° relative to the plane of the outer wall (9).

20. The transport container according to claim 17, characterized in that, The connecting collar (12) has a corrugated or bent orientation from the outer wall (9) to the inner wall (10).

21. The transport container according to claim 20, characterized in that, The bend has a U-shape, in which the heat insulation portion (22) is introduced into the recess created by the U-shape.

22. The transport container according to claim 17, characterized in that, The connecting collar (12) is made of the same material as the inner wall (10) and the outer wall (9) and is welded to them.

23. The transport container according to claim 17, characterized in that, The connecting collar (12) is made of a metal different from the inner wall (10) and the outer wall (9) and is welded to them by friction welding.

24. The transport container according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The transport container (1) also has a separate wall element (16) for closing the opening (4), wherein the separate wall element (16) has an outer wall and an inner wall spaced apart therefrom, forming a vacuum chamber between them.

25. The transport container according to claim 24, characterized in that, A phase change material layer is disposed on the side of the individual wall element (16) facing the interior space (3), and the phase change material layer extends at least along the edge region of the opening (4).

26. The transport container according to claim 25, characterized in that, The phase change material layer covers the entire surface of the individual wall element (16) facing the interior space (3), and an energy distribution layer (18) made of a material with a thermal conductivity >100 W / (m·K) is arranged between the individual wall element and the phase change material layer.

27. The transport container according to claim 25, characterized in that, The phase change material layer covers the entire surface of the individual wall element (16) facing the interior space (3), and an energy distribution layer (18) made of a material with a thermal conductivity >200 W / (m·K) is arranged between the individual wall element and the phase change material layer.

28. The transport container according to claim 25 or 26, characterized in that, A phase change material layer is arranged on the side of the inner wall (10) of the container wall (2) facing the internal space (3), which surrounds the internal space (3) on all sides except the opening (4), and an energy distribution layer (20) is arranged between the inner wall (10) of the container wall (2) and the phase change material layer, the energy distribution layer being made of a material with a thermal conductivity >100 W / (m·K).

29. The transport container according to claim 25 or 26, characterized in that, A phase change material layer is arranged on the side of the inner wall (10) of the container wall (2) facing the internal space (3), which surrounds the internal space (3) on all sides except the opening (4), and an energy distribution layer (20) is arranged between the inner wall (10) of the container wall (2) and the phase change material layer, the energy distribution layer being made of a material with a thermal conductivity >200 W / (m·K).

30. The transport container according to claim 26 or 27, characterized in that, The at least one energy distribution layer (18, 20) is made at least partially of aluminum, copper or carbon nanotubes.

31. The transport container according to claim 26 or 27, characterized in that, The at least one energy distribution layer (18, 20) is made entirely of aluminum, copper or carbon nanotubes.

32. The transport container according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The air pressure in the vacuum chamber (11) is 0.001-0.1 mbar.

33. The transport container according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The external dimensions of the transport container (1) are at least 0.4 x 0.4 x 0.4 meters.

34. The transport container according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The external dimensions of the transport container (1) are 0.4 x 0.4 x 0.4 meters to 1.6 x 1.6 x 1.6 meters.

35. The transport container according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The external dimensions of the transport container (1) are 1.0 x 1.0 x 1.0 meters to 1.6 x 1.6 x 1.6 meters.

36. The transport container according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The normal distance between the outer wall (9) and the inner wall (10) is 10-40 mm.

37. The transport container according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The normal distance between the outer wall (9) and the inner wall (10) is 10-20 mm.

38. The transport container according to claim 1, characterized in that, The spacing element of the surface is constructed of polyester non-woven fabric.

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