Program cooling instrument

Abstract

A programmed cooling instrument comprises a cooling box with a cryopreservation slot and further comprises a controller and a pre-cooling pool. An oscillation shaking table is mounted below the cooling box; a liquid inlet of the pre-cooling pool is connected with a liquid outlet of the cooling box through a pipeline, and a liquid outlet of the pre-cooling pool is connected with a liquid inlet of the cooling box through a pipeline; a loop is formed among the precooling pool, the cooling box and the two pipelines; the loop is filled with a liquid refrigerant, and one of the two pipelines is provided with a pump body for pushing the liquid refrigerant to circulate; a refrigeration sheet is mounted on the side edge of the pre-cooling pool; and the controller is respectively connected with the oscillation shaking table, the pump body and the refrigeration sheet through leads. The oscillating shaker is mounted below the cooling box, samples are uniformly mixed by the oscillating shaker module before phase change of cell suspension, cell precipitation can be prevented in the cooling process, sample temperature is homogenized, simultaneous phase change is realized, and freezing survival rate is increased in a time-shortened manner.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooling device, and more particularly to a programmable freezer. Background Art

[0002] A programmable freezer is a device used to control the temperature rate to achieve cryopreservation of biological samples with liquid nitrogen, and is widely used in genetic engineering, bone marrow transplantation, umbilical cord blood transplantation, tumor research, hematology research, drug and vaccine production, tissue cell engineering, virus and bacteria preservation, and other medical research fields; its core function is to precisely control the temperature rate to reduce the damage to biological samples during the freezing process.

[0003] Existing programmable freezers generally have the following disadvantages: 1. For programmable freezers, liquid nitrogen evaporation is mostly used as a cold source to cool biological samples. When the cooling rate is too fast, the evaporation amount of liquid nitrogen cannot be accurately controlled, resulting in temperature deviation from the expected value and large fluctuations; 2. The container is not conducive to convection: Existing cryopreservation containers are generally cryogenic tubes and cryogenic bags, which are small in volume and have difficult internal liquid convection, resulting in uneven cooling and asynchronous phase changes, reducing the cryopreservation survival rate; 3. The cell suspension is unstable: Before phase change, the cell precipitate separates from the cryoprotectant, affecting the cryopreservation effect; 4. The temperature measurement is inaccurate: The temperature of the sample is indirectly measured by using a probe to measure a reference sample, and the difference between the sample and the reference sample makes the measured value unrepresentative and the cooling characteristics inconsistent. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention aims to solve the technical problem of providing a programmable freezer that uses a refrigerant for cooling and has an oscillating shaker.

[0005] To solve the above technical problems, the technical solution of a programmable freezer of the present invention is as follows:

[0006] It includes a cooling box with cryopreservation slots, a controller, and multiple pre-cooling pools with different pre-cooling temperature values; each of the multiple pre-cooling pools is provided with an inlet branch pipe and an outlet branch pipe; the inlet branch pipes are all connected to the outlet of the cooling box through an outlet main pipe, and the outlet branch pipes are all connected to the inlet of the cooling box through an inlet main pipe; the pre-cooling pools form a loop with the cooling box through the inlet branch pipes, outlet branch pipes, outlet main pipe, and inlet main pipe; the loop is filled with liquid refrigerant; a first valve is installed on each of the inlet branch pipes; a pump body for promoting the circulation of the liquid refrigerant is installed on each of the outlet branch pipes; the pre-cooling pool includes a recovery bin and a heat preservation bin located below the recovery bin; the recovery bin is connected to the heat preservation bin through a pipeline, and a second valve is installed on this pipeline; the inlet branch pipe is connected to the recovery bin, and the outlet branch pipe is connected to the heat preservation bin; a refrigeration device is installed on the side of the heat preservation bin; an oscillating shaker is installed below the cooling box; the controller is respectively connected to the cooling box, the oscillating shaker, the pump body, the refrigeration device, the first valve, and the second valve through wires; balance valves are installed on both the recovery bin and the heat preservation bin.

[0007] A radiator is connected to the side of the refrigeration device; the radiator is connected to the controller through a wire.

[0008] A cryopreservation container temperature probe is installed in the cryopreservation slot; a liquid refrigerant temperature probe is also installed outside the cryopreservation slot in the cooling box; the cryopreservation container temperature probe and the liquid refrigerant temperature probe are respectively connected to the controller through wires.

[0009] A heat insulation pad is connected between the wall of the cryopreservation slot and the cryopreservation container temperature probe.

[0010] There are three pre-cooling pools provided.

[0011] The refrigeration device is a thermoelectric cooler or an air-conditioning compressor.

[0012] A temperature probe is inserted into the heat preservation bin, and the temperature probe is connected to the controller through a wire.

[0013] The technical effects that the present invention can achieve are:

[0014] 1. An oscillating shaker is installed below the cooling box in the present invention. Before the phase change of the cell suspension, the sample is mixed by the oscillation and shaker module, and it can also prevent cell precipitation during the cooling process, homogenize the sample temperature to achieve simultaneous phase change, and shorten the time to improve the freezing survival rate;

[0015] 2. A cryopreservation container temperature probe and a liquid refrigerant temperature probe are set, and multiple probes are set to monitor the temperature between samples. According to this, the amount of liquid cooling medium and the cooling rate are modulated, and the accuracy is better than the method of measuring the reference sample with a single probe;

[0016] 3. Using liquid refrigerant as a medium, a pre-cooling pool is set up. According to the need, the liquid refrigerant is guided into the sample chamber for cooling. When the latent heat is released during the phase change, the liquid refrigerant has a large specific heat and the pre-cooling can be controlled. It can accurately control the temperature rise rate and heat transfer, and has excellent freezing storage effects.

[0017] 4. By designing multiple pre-cooling pools with different pre-cooling temperature values, the liquid refrigerant is fed step by step from the pre-cooling pool with the highest pre-cooling temperature value into the pre-cooling pool with a pre-cooling temperature value one level lower than its own for recycling, which is more energy-saving. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The present invention will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the drawings and specific embodiments:

[0019] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of a programmable freezer of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 It is a schematic structural diagram of the pre-cooling pool;

[0021] Figure 3 It is a top view of the cooling box;

[0022] Figure 4 It is a cross-sectional view of the cooling box. SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

[0023] The present invention will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the drawings.

[0024] Refer to Figures 1 to 4 。

[0025] A program-controlled cooling instrument includes a cooling box 1 having a cryopreservation slot 11, and also includes a controller 2 and multiple pre-cooling pools 3 with different pre-cooling temperature values. Specifically, three pre-cooling pools 3 are provided in the present invention. Liquid inlet branch pipes 31 and liquid outlet branch pipes 32 are provided on all three pre-cooling pools 3. The liquid inlet branch pipes 31 are all connected to the liquid outlet of the cooling box 1 through a liquid outlet main pipe 33, and the liquid outlet branch pipes 32 are all connected to the liquid inlet of the cooling box 1 through a liquid inlet main pipe 34. The pre-cooling pools 3 form a loop with the cooling box 1 through the liquid inlet branch pipes 31, liquid outlet branch pipes 32, liquid outlet main pipe 33 and liquid inlet main pipe 34, and a liquid refrigerant is filled in the loop. First valves 35 are installed on all the liquid inlet branch pipes 31, and pump bodies 5 for promoting the circulation of the liquid refrigerant are installed on all the liquid outlet branch pipes 32. The pre-cooling pool 3 includes a recovery bin 41 and a heat preservation bin 42 located below the recovery bin 41. The recovery bin 41 is connected to the heat preservation bin 42 through a pipeline, and a second valve 43 is installed on this pipeline. The liquid inlet branch pipe 31 is connected to the recovery bin 41, and the liquid outlet branch pipe 32 is connected to the heat preservation bin 42. A refrigeration device is installed on the side of the heat preservation bin 42. Specifically, the refrigeration device is a refrigeration chip 6 or an air-conditioning compressor. An oscillation shaker 4 is installed below the cooling box 1. The controller 2 is respectively connected to the cooling box 1, the oscillation shaker 4, the pump body 5, the refrigeration device, the first valve 35 and the second valve 43 through wires. Balance valves 44 are installed on both the recovery bin 41 and the heat preservation bin 42.

[0026] Preferably, a radiator 7 is connected to the side of the refrigeration device, and the radiator 7 is connected to the controller 2 through a wire.

[0027] When the present invention is in use, a sample (the sample is a cell suspension placed in a cryopreservation tube or cryopreservation bag, formed by cells suspended in a cryoprotectant solution, and is the object of programmed cooling) is inserted into the cryopreservation slot 11. By setting an oscillating shaker 4, during the sample cooling process, the oscillating shaker 4 can be used to mix it evenly. And during the phase change process of the sample (phase change is the process in programmed cooling where the sample changes from a liquid state to a solid state, this process releases heat and causes great damage to cells, the phase change time should be short and the temperature difference should be small), the oscillating shaker 4 can prevent cell precipitation and homogenize the sample temperature to achieve simultaneous phase change, thereby shortening the time and increasing the cryopreservation survival rate. In terms of cooling, the present invention uses a liquid refrigerant. Taking the liquid refrigerant as a medium, three precooling pools 3 are set for precooling. According to needs, the liquid refrigerant is guided into the cooling box 1 to cool the sample chamber. When the sample releases latent heat during phase change, the liquid refrigerant has a large specific heat and the precooling is controllable, accurately controlling the temperature change rate and heat transfer, and having excellent cryopreservation effects. When the precooling pool 3 is in use, the precooling pool 3 is pre-cooled to the required temperature in advance, and the controller 2 controls the flow rate of the refrigerant flowing into the cooling box 1 from one of the precooling pools 3. The number of precooling pools 3 is set according to needs, and more can be set if there is a strong demand for rapid cooling. The precooling pool 3 meets the requirements of accurate temperature and rapid response for cooling by being pre-cooled to the required temperature in advance. In terms of the cooling method of the precooling pool 3, a thermoelectric cooler 6 or an air-conditioning compressor can be used according to needs, and the cooling methods are diverse, including but not limited to the thermoelectric cooler 6 and the air-conditioning compressor.

[0028] Specific instructions for sample cooling of the present invention are as follows: For example, the present invention is provided with three precooling pools 3 with different precooling temperature values. Specifically, the three precooling pools 3 are, in order of decreasing precooling temperature value, a high-precooling-temperature-value precooling pool, a medium-precooling-temperature-value precooling pool, and a low-precooling-temperature-value precooling pool. First, the liquid refrigerant is located in the high-precooling-temperature-value precooling pool and is sent into the cooling box 1 through a pump body 5 for heat exchange, and then sent into the recovery bin 41 of the medium-precooling-temperature-value precooling pool. Then, by opening the second valve 43 of the medium-precooling-temperature-value precooling pool, the liquid refrigerant enters the heat preservation bin 42 of the medium-precooling-temperature-value precooling pool due to gravity, and the liquid refrigerant is cooled to the set temperature value by the refrigeration device of the medium-precooling-temperature-value precooling pool. Then, it is sent into the cooling box 1 through the pump body 5 of the medium-precooling-temperature-value precooling pool to continue cooling the sample. After the heat exchange of the liquid refrigerant is completed, it is finally sent into the recovery bin 41 of the low-precooling-temperature-value precooling pool. Then, by opening the second valve 43 of the low-precooling-temperature-value precooling pool, the liquid refrigerant enters the heat preservation bin 42 of the low-precooling-temperature-value precooling pool due to gravity, and the liquid refrigerant is cooled to the set temperature value by the refrigeration device of the low-precooling-temperature-value precooling pool. Then, it is sent into the cooling box 1 through the pump body 5 of the low-precooling-temperature-value precooling pool to continue cooling the sample. The liquid refrigerant of the present invention is gradient-cooled through three precooling pools 3 with different precooling temperature values, which is relatively energy-saving.

[0029] Preferably, a cryopreservation container temperature probe 21 is installed in the cryopreservation slot 11 of the present invention. A liquid refrigerant temperature probe 22 is also installed outside the cryopreservation slot 11 in the cooling box 1. The cryopreservation container temperature probe 21 and the liquid refrigerant temperature probe 22 are respectively connected to the controller 2 through wires. Specifically, a heat insulation pad 23 is connected between the wall of the cryopreservation slot 11 and the cryopreservation container temperature probe 21. The heat insulation pad 23 is used to prevent the temperature of the slot wall from interfering with the temperature measurement of the cryopreservation tube or cryopreservation bag (i.e., the cryopreservation container) when the temperature of the slot wall is different from the surface temperature of the cryopreservation tube or cryopreservation bag (i.e., the cryopreservation container). In the present invention, the surface temperature of the sample is measured by the cryopreservation container temperature probe 21, and the actual temperature of the sample is calculated according to the container parameters. A cooling model for different sample containers and amounts is pre-established. The cryopreservation container temperature probe 21 and the liquid refrigerant temperature probe 22 are set to monitor the temperature of the sample and the liquid refrigerant. Accordingly, the amount of the liquid cooling medium and the cooling rate are adjusted, and the accuracy is better than that of the single-probe measurement with reference to the sample method. The cryopreservation container temperature probe 21 can be installed in the cryopreservation slot 11 according to requirements, and it is not necessary to install the cryopreservation container temperature probe 21 in all the cryopreservation slots 11. Preferably, a temperature probe 51 is inserted into the heat preservation chamber 42. The temperature probe 51 is connected to the controller 2 through a wire, and the temperature of the liquid refrigerant in the heat preservation chamber 42 can be conveniently monitored through the temperature probe 51.

Claims

1. A programmed cooling device, comprising a cooling box (1) having a freezing slot (11), characterized in that: It also includes a controller (2) and a plurality of precooling pools (3) with different precooling temperature values; each of the plurality of precooling pools (3) is provided with a liquid inlet branch pipe (31) and a liquid outlet branch pipe (32); each of the liquid inlet branch pipes (31) is connected to the liquid outlet of the cooling box (1) through a liquid outlet main pipe (33), and each of the liquid outlet branch pipes (32) is connected to the liquid inlet of the cooling box (1) through a liquid inlet main pipe (34); the precooling pool (3) forms a loop with the cooling box (1) through the liquid inlet branch pipe (31), the liquid outlet branch pipe (32), the liquid outlet main pipe (33) and the liquid inlet main pipe (34); the loop is filled with liquid refrigerant; each of the liquid inlet branch pipes (31) is provided with a first valve (35); each of the liquid outlet branch pipes (32) is provided with a pump body (5) for promoting the circulation of the liquid refrigerant The precooling pool (3) comprises a recovery bin (41) and a heat preservation bin (42) located below the recovery bin (41); the recovery bin (41) and the heat preservation bin (42) are connected via a pipeline, and a second valve (43) is installed on the pipeline; the liquid inlet branch pipe (31) is connected to the recovery bin (41), and the liquid outlet branch pipe (32) is connected to the heat preservation bin (42); a refrigeration device is installed on the side of the heat preservation bin (42); an oscillating shaker (4) is installed below the cooling box (1); the controller (2) is connected to the cooling box (1), the oscillating shaker (4), the pump body (5), the refrigeration device, the first valve (35) and the second valve (43) via wires; and a balancing valve (44) is installed on both the recovery bin (41) and the heat preservation bin (42).

2. A programmed cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A radiator (7) is connected to the side of the refrigeration device; the radiator (7) is connected to the controller (2) via a wire.

3. A programmed cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A freezing container temperature probe (21) is installed in the freezing slot (11); a liquid refrigerant temperature probe (22) is also installed outside the freezing slot (11) in the cooling box (1); the freezing container temperature probe (21) and the liquid refrigerant temperature probe (22) are respectively connected to the controller (2) via wires.

4. A programmed cooling device according to claim 2, characterized in that: A heat insulation pad (23) is connected between the wall of the freezing slot (11) and the freezing container temperature probe (21).

5. A programmed cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The number of pre-cooling pools (3) is three.

6. A programmed cooling device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The refrigeration device is a refrigeration plate (6) or an air-conditioning compressor.

7. A programmed cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A temperature probe (51) is inserted into the heat preservation chamber (42); the temperature probe (51) is connected to the controller (2) via a wire.

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