Active dehumidification container of dehumidification box module

Abstract

The dehumidification box module provided in the container in the present application comprises a coupling member (220) installed through a side wall of the container, one end of which is arranged inside the container and the other end is arranged outside the container, and the inside has an air flow path; a valve member (240) having a 2-1 end (242) coupled to one end of the coupling member, and a 2-2 end (244) and a 2-3 end (246) respectively communicating with the 2-1 end; a vertical cylinder member (260) coupled to the 2-2 end (244) of the valve member and guiding the air to flow downward; a vertical plate (270) coupled with the vertical cylinder member, so that the air flowing out of the vertical cylinder member flows inside; and a dehumidification space (280) arranged on the inside air flow path of the vertical plate, and inside which a dehumidifier is arranged to remove moisture in the flowing air.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a dehumidifying container with a dehumidifying box module, designed to prevent condensation on goods loaded inside the container and to control the relative humidity inside the container below a certain level. Specifically, this invention relates to a technology that senses the temperature, humidity, or pressure inside the container and, based on this, induces airflow between the inside and outside of the container, thereby maintaining the relative humidity inside the container at a consistently low level. Background Technology

[0002] Generally, a variety of goods can be packed into shipping containers, including rubber, leather products, household appliances, plastic products, canned goods, food, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, toys, office supplies, raw hides, pulp, metal products, and wood products. However, depending on the nature, volume, weight, and shape of the goods, some may not be suitable for container loading. Therefore, when loading goods into containers, it is essential to first ascertain their dimensions, weight, volume, and nature, and then, based on this information, comprehensively consider the safe transport and economic efficiency of the goods to select the most suitable container.

[0003] On the other hand, for large goods that are difficult to fit into containers or require refrigerated or frozen transport, special packaging is used, and various special containers have been developed and used for this purpose. For example, for large goods that are difficult to fit inside containers, flat rack containers with the roof and side walls removed or open top containers with open roofs are used for special packaging; for frozen or refrigerated goods, refrigerated containers with insulated internal spaces and refrigeration units are used for transport.

[0004] In contrast, the transport of ordinary cargo, apart from the aforementioned special containers, is mainly carried out through ordinary containers known as dry containers. These dry containers are welded-steel structures, with each component forming the internal space individually constructed as a module. Their design provides structural strength and protection against corrosion and external impacts.

[0005] To this end, the dry cargo container is constructed by welding multiple steel guide rails, corner posts and frames to form a skeleton, and each side is formed by corrugated steel plates of a predetermined thickness and integrally welded with the guide rails, corner posts and frames, thereby constructing a structure that ensures structural strength and provides a buffer against external impacts.

[0006] On the other hand, dry cargo containers with the above-mentioned structure are mainly used for maritime transport using ships. When transporting goods by sea, they may be exposed to drastic changes in external temperature during the transport period, which can cause condensation (Dew drop), a phenomenon known as "container rain," on the inner walls of the container and on the cargo. This can lead to fatal damage to the loaded cargo, such as mold, corrosion, oxidation, and warping.

[0007] In particular, among the goods stored inside containers, metal goods have a relatively high heat capacity, and their surface temperature is lower than that of the air inside the container. Therefore, the possibility of condensation occurring directly on the surface of the goods is extremely high. If the salty air during sea transport causes condensation on the surface, the possibility of oxidation or corrosion of the goods will be further increased.

[0008] To prevent condensation, methods such as applying rust-preventive coatings to the products themselves or adding preservatives to prevent mold have been used. However, rust-preventive coatings need to be removed after transportation, and adding preservatives cannot fundamentally solve the condensation problem. Furthermore, special containers are not economically viable for transporting large quantities of low-priced goods.

[0009] On the other hand, as a representative container for transporting frozen or refrigerated goods, refrigerated containers (also known as reefers) use external power to set arbitrary temperature and humidity target values ​​in order to regulate internal humidity and temperature, and use external power to force these target values ​​to be achieved. This can be considered a so-called passive dehumidification container. However, in areas where power supply is difficult, passive dehumidification containers are difficult to use.

[0010] In particular, shipping containers used at sea travel for extended periods and are exposed to diverse temperature and humidity environments. To prevent condensation inside the containers, a technology is needed that can maintain relative humidity below a certain level. Summary of the Invention

[0011] The purpose of this invention is to provide a dehumidifying container that utilizes temperature, humidity and pressure data inside the container to circulate the air inside and outside the container, while maintaining the humidity of the air inside the container at a certain level.

[0012] This invention relates to a dehumidifying container with a dehumidifying box module, designed to prevent condensation on goods loaded inside the container by controlling the relative humidity inside the container below a certain level. Its specific structure is as follows:

[0013] The present invention includes a dehumidification box module installed on the side wall of a container, the dehumidification box module connecting the air inside the container with the outside air, and simultaneously regulating the humidity inside the container.

[0014] The dehumidification box module includes: a connecting member 220, which is installed through the side wall of the container, with one end located inside the container and the other end located outside the container, and has an airflow path inside; a valve member 240, which has a 2-1 end 242 connected to one end of the connecting member, and a 2-2 end 244 and a 2-3 end 246 respectively connected to the 2-1 end; a vertical cylindrical member 260, which is connected to the 2-2 end 244 of the valve member and guides the air to flow downward; a vertical plate 270, which is connected to the vertical cylindrical member, so that the air flowing out from the vertical cylindrical member flows inside; and a dehumidification space 280, which is located on the internal airflow path of the vertical plate, and contains a desiccant to remove moisture from the flowing air.

[0015] The present invention is characterized in that: the air outside the container flows into the container after passing through the connecting member, the valve member, the vertical cylindrical member, the vertical plate and the dehumidification space in sequence and being dehumidified; while the air inside the container is discharged to the outside of the container through the valve member and the connecting member.

[0016] The present invention further includes the following components to achieve control of airflow: a first one-way valve 244a, which is installed at the 2-2 end 244, allowing air to flow from the valve member to the vertical cylindrical member, but blocking air from flowing from the vertical cylindrical member to the valve member; and a second one-way valve 246a, which is installed at the 2-3 end 246, allowing air inside the container to flow to the valve member, but blocking air in the valve member from flowing into the container.

[0017] The connecting member 220 consists of a cylindrical part installed through the side wall of the container and a shell part attached to the side wall of the container; the lower end of the shell part is provided with an inclined surface, which is formed in an inclined shape and is provided with an air inlet.

[0018] The invention may further include: a locking protrusion 135 that protrudes outward from the inside of the container sidewall; and a locking hole 275 formed on the vertical plate 270 for the locking protrusion to be inserted, thereby attaching the vertical plate to the container sidewall.

[0019] Preferably, the dehumidification box module is located inside the corrugated part of the container side wall, so as not to occupy the cargo storage space that serves as the internal space of the container.

[0020] Inside the vertical plate, a plurality of dehumidification spaces 280 are spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction; air flowing into the vertical plate is dehumidified by the desiccant inside the dehumidification space.

[0021] The present invention utilizes the above structure to enable communication between the air inside the container and the outside air, while maintaining the humidity of the air inside the container at a certain level. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a container equipped with a dehumidification box module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of a dehumidifier box module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 3 and Figure 4 These are diagrams showing the state of a dehumidifier module integrated into a container wall according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from different angles.

[0025] Figure 5 This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a dehumidification box module installed on the container wall according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 6 and Figure 7 This is an exploded perspective view of a dehumidifier box module according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from different angles. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The objectives, specific advantages, and novel features of this invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description and preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, the terminology used herein is defined in consideration of the functionality within the invention and may vary depending on the intent or convention of the user or operator. Therefore, the definitions of these terms should be defined in conjunction with the overall content of this specification. Additionally, in describing the constituent elements of the invention, constituent elements with the same name may be assigned different reference numerals depending on the accompanying drawings, or the same reference numerals may be assigned even if the drawings differ. However, even in this case, it does not mean that the constituent element has different functions depending on the embodiment, or has the same function in different embodiments. The function of each constituent element should be defined based on the specific description of each constituent element in the corresponding embodiments.

[0028] Figure 1 A perspective view of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 1As shown, the container 100 according to the present invention includes: a bottom plate 110 located below; a top plate 120 spaced above the bottom plate 110 and spaced apart from it; and side plates 130 vertically installed between the bottom plate 110 and the top plate 120. Furthermore, the container of the present invention also includes a rear bulkhead 140 and a front bulkhead 150 vertically disposed between the bottom plate 110 and the top plate 120 and respectively installed at the rear and front, similar to a conventional container structure. Additionally, corner posts P are provided at the corners of the container to bear the container load vertically. Each surface of the container is formed of corrugated steel plate of a predetermined thickness and integrally welded together.

[0029] This invention relates to a container with active dehumidification function, characterized as follows:

[0030] 1) The present invention is a sealed container, which prevents air inside the container from flowing freely to the outside or air from flowing freely into the container by keeping the interior of the container containing goods sealed; for this purpose, the gaps inside the container are sealed or welded to achieve a completely sealed state.

[0031] 2) In the sealed container constructed as described above, there is a passage that allows the air inside the container to communicate with the air outside. This passage is the air passage formed by the dehumidification box module, which will be described in detail below.

[0032] That is, when the container doors are closed, the container interior forms a completely sealed structure; except for the air passage through the valve section, the interior of the container is completely isolated from the outside. Therefore, in the container of the present invention, the contact points of the bottom plate 110, top plate 120, side plates 130, and rear and front panels 140 are all welded or sealed to achieve a completely sealed interior. Thus, the interior of the container is in a sealed state isolated from the outside, and communication between the internal and external air is only possible through the dehumidification box module.

[0033] The reason for constructing this air passage through the dehumidification box module is that if the interior of a container is completely isolated from the outside air and the container as a whole is completely sealed, the air pressure fluctuations due to changes in internal temperature will cause the container's side walls to expand or dent. In other words, when a container is loaded onto a ship and sailing on the ocean, it is exposed to various temperature environments; in a sealed state, if the internal temperature of the container drops, the internal pressure decreases, causing the side walls to dent; conversely, in a sealed state, if the internal temperature of the container rises, the internal pressure increases, causing the side walls to bulge outwards. To prevent such problems, this invention provides a path for pressure compensation and air circulation through the dehumidification box module.

[0034] like Figure 2 As shown, a dehumidifier module 200 is disclosed, which is integrated into a shipping container to allow air communication between the interior and exterior of the container, while simultaneously removing moisture from the incoming air. The dehumidifier module 200 of this invention is installed at an appropriate location on the side wall of the container, serving both as a passage for air to escape from the interior of the container to the exterior and a passage for air to flow into the interior, while also removing moisture from the incoming air. The location and number of dehumidifier modules 200 installed on the side wall of the container are not limited; an appropriate number can be installed at appropriate locations as needed.

[0035] Figure 3 This diagram illustrates, as an example, the state of the dehumidifier module installed on the side panel (wall) of a container. Specifically, an opening is formed in the container wall, and the dehumidifier module, detailed below, is positioned at the location of the opening. Furthermore, it is preferable to position the dehumidifier module 200 inside the corrugated portion of the container side wall, thereby not occupying (consuming) cargo storage space that would otherwise be used as interior space within the container.

[0036] Referring to the accompanying drawings, the dehumidification box module 200 of the present invention is composed of a connecting component 220, a valve component 240, a vertical cylindrical component 260, a vertical plate 270, and a dehumidification space 280, wherein a dehumidifier is placed in the dehumidification space.

[0037] The connecting member 220 is a component inserted into a through hole 134 formed for engaging with the container side wall 130; one end is located inside the container, and the other end is located outside the container, serving as a passage for air to enter and exit the container. Specifically, the connecting member 220 consists of a cylindrical portion 222 installed through the container side wall, and a housing portion 224 attached to the container side wall; the lower end of the housing portion 224 has an inclined surface 225, where an air passage 236 is provided. Furthermore, a sealing gasket 228 is appropriately provided between the connecting member and the container side wall to prevent air leakage.

[0038] The valve component 240 is disposed inside the container and connected to the connecting component 220, thereby providing space for airflow through the connecting component. The valve component 240 has three air inlet and outlet passages: a 2-1 end 242 located at one end; a 2-2 end 244 located at the other end horizontally of the 2-1 end; and a 2-3 end 246 located vertically; these ends are interconnected to allow airflow. The direction of airflow is controlled by a one-way valve, detailed below.

[0039] A vertical cylindrical component 260 is attached to the 2-2 end 244 located below the valve component to guide air downward flow; a vertical plate 270 is attached to the vertical cylindrical component to guide the air flowing out of the vertical cylindrical component to flow inside. Furthermore, a dehumidification space 280 is provided in the airflow path inside the vertical plate, and the dehumidification space contains a desiccant to remove moisture from the flowing air.

[0040] The invention is characterized in that: external air flows into the container after passing sequentially through a connecting member, a valve member, a vertical cylindrical member, a vertical plate, and a dehumidification space, where moisture is removed (e.g., ...). Figure 2 and Figure 3 The flow path is indicated by the middle arrow A); while the air inside the container is exhausted to the outside of the container through valve components and connecting components (such as...). Figure 2 and Figure 3 The flow path indicated by the middle arrow B).

[0041] Furthermore, this invention utilizes one-way valves 244a and 246a to allow air flowing into the container from the outside to be dehumidified before entering, while air exiting the container from the inside is discharged directly without undergoing a dehumidification process. The first one-way valve 244a is installed at end 244 of section 2-2, allowing air to flow from the valve member to the vertical cylindrical member, but blocking air from flowing from the vertical cylindrical member to the valve member. The second one-way valve 246a is installed at end 246 of section 2-3, allowing air from inside the container to flow to the valve member, but blocking air from flowing into the container from the valve member.

[0042] In this invention, the dehumidification box module 200 is installed on the side wall of a container; to achieve stable installation, a protruding locking protrusion 135 is provided on the inner side of the container side wall, and a locking hole 275 is provided on the vertical plate to engage with the locking protrusion of the container side wall. Furthermore, as... Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the dehumidification box module is located inside the corrugated part of the container side wall, so as not to occupy (or lose) the cargo storage space that serves as the internal space of the container.

[0043] The dehumidification spaces 280 are arranged in multiple spaces spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction inside the vertical plate; the air flowing into the vertical plate is dehumidified by the desiccant inside the dehumidification space. The dehumidification space is a space located inside the vertical plate and filled with desiccant; when multiple dehumidification spaces are arranged in the vertical direction, the air flow paths between the spaces are interconnected.

[0044] The dehumidifier module 200 may further include a valve that, based on specific physical quantities inside the container, allows or blocks the communication between the external air and the internal air of the container. The valve may be one or two, installed in the airflow passage inside the valve member 240. Furthermore, the dehumidifier module 200 of the present invention may further include a sensing unit for sensing specific physical quantities inside the container. The valve member, based on the physical quantities sensed by the sensing unit, allows or blocks the communication between the external air and the internal air of the container. In this case, the physical quantities inside the container sensed by the sensing unit are any one or more of temperature, humidity, and pressure, but are not limited to the physical quantities indicated herein. The sensing unit may be integrally formed with the valve member or separate from the valve member and positioned inside the container to more effectively sense specific physical quantities.

[0045] Furthermore, the operation of the valve or sensing unit may require a power source; for this purpose, a battery can be configured, or a solar panel can be externally mounted. If a solar panel is configured for power supply, it is preferable to mount it on the side panel of the container. The valve can be operated electrically, magnetically, or based on the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the container.

[0046] From a working principle perspective, if the specific physical quantity inside the container is pressure, when the internal pressure of the container is higher than a specific value, the second one-way valve 246a inside the valve component 240 opens, allowing air inside the container to be discharged to the outside. At this time, the first one-way valve 244a is in the closed state. Conversely, when the internal pressure of the container is lower than the specific value, the first one-way valve 244a opens, allowing air from outside the container to flow into the container. At this time, the second one-way valve 246a is in the closed state. Furthermore, when the first one-way valve 244a is open and air from outside the container flows into the container, since the outside air contains moisture, to solve this problem, the outside air is dehumidified by a desiccant in the dehumidification space before flowing into the container, thereby maintaining the humidity inside the container below a specific value.

[0047] While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Various modifications and alterations made by those skilled in the art using the basic concepts of the present invention as defined in the following claims also fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An active dehumidification container, characterized in that, This includes dehumidifier modules installed on the side walls of containers to allow airflow between the inside and outside of the container and to regulate the humidity inside the container. The dehumidification box module includes: The connecting component (220) is installed through the side wall of the container, with one end located inside the container and the other end located outside the container, and has an airflow path inside; A valve component (240) has a 2-1 end (242) connected to one end of the connecting component, and a 2-2 end (244) and a 2-3 end (246) respectively connected to the 2-1 end; A vertical cylindrical member (260) is attached to the 2-2 end (244) of the valve member and guides air downward; A vertical plate (270), which is combined with the vertical cylindrical member, allows air flowing from the vertical cylindrical member to circulate internally; and A dehumidification space (280) is provided in the internal airflow path of the vertical plate and is equipped with a desiccant to remove moisture from the flowing air. Outside air flows into the container after passing through the connecting member, the valve member, the vertical cylindrical member, the vertical plate, and the dehumidification space and having its moisture removed. Air inside the container is discharged to the outside of the container through the valve component and the connecting component.

2. The active dehumidification container according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A first one-way valve (244a), mounted at the end (244) of the 2-2, allows air to flow from the valve member to the vertical cylindrical member, but blocks air from flowing from the vertical cylindrical member to the valve member; and A second one-way valve (246a), which is installed at the end (246) of the 2-3, allows air inside the container to flow to the valve member, but blocks air from flowing into the container from the valve member.

3. The active dehumidification container according to claim 2, characterized in that, The connecting member (220) consists of a cylindrical part installed through the side wall of the container and a shell part attached to the side wall of the container; An inclined surface is provided at the lower end of the housing portion, the inclined surface is formed in an inclined shape and has an air inlet.

4. The active dehumidification container according to claim 3, characterized in that, Also includes: A locking protrusion (135) is provided that protrudes outward from the inside of the container side wall; as well as A locking hole (275) is formed on the vertical plate (270) for the locking protrusion to be inserted, thereby attaching the vertical plate to the side wall of the container.

5. The active dehumidification container according to claim 2, characterized in that, The dehumidification box module is located inside the corrugated part of the container side wall, so as not to occupy the cargo storage space inside the container.

6. The active dehumidification container according to claim 2, characterized in that, Inside the vertical plate, a plurality of dehumidification spaces (280) are spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction, and the air flowing into the vertical plate is dehumidified by the desiccant inside the dehumidification space.

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