Arrangement for tempering a volume

Abstract

Arrangement (22) for tempering a volume (18), wherein the arrangement comprises a first phase change material (30) which changes its phase at approximately a lower limit temperature, and a second phase change material (32) which changes its phase at approximately an upper limit temperature, characterized in that the arrangement (22) comprises at least a first shaped body (24a-c) with a first support material layer (26) and a second shaped body (24d-e) with a second support material layer (28), wherein the first phase change material (30) is embedded in the first support material layer (26) and the second phase change material (32) is embedded in the second support material layer (28), wherein the arrangement (22) comprises at least two shaped bodies (24a-e) which are arranged parallel to one another and immediately adjacent to one another, characterized in that the at least two shaped bodies (24a-e) are arranged in a common casing (34).thereby creating a closed and protected composite of the shaped bodies (24a-e).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an arrangement for tempering a volume according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] For example, when shipping medication, it is important that the medication is reliably kept within a certain temperature range during transport. A typical temperature range for this is between 2°C and 8°C. For this purpose, it is known to transport the medication in a transport container made of an insulating material. The transport container contains an arrangement with which the volume within the transport container is temperature-controlled. The arrangement comprises two phase change materials, one of which changes phase at a lower limit temperature and the other of which changes phase at an upper limit temperature. Both phase change materials are brought to a temperature between the lower limit temperature and the upper limit temperature in advance to temperature-control the volume.The phase change material with the upper limit temperature is then, for example, solid, whereas the phase change material with the lower limit temperature is, for example, liquid.

[0003] If the temperature in the volume rises to the upper phase change temperature, for example due to a high outside temperature, the phase change material with the upper limit temperature extracts energy from the volume in order to be able to change phase from solid to liquid. This cools the volume. If the temperature in the volume drops to the lower phase change temperature, for example due to a low outside temperature, the phase change material with the lower limit temperature releases energy to the volume during the phase change. This heats the volume. In this way, the volume can be tempered to a temperature range between the lower limit temperature and the upper limit temperature over a certain period of time, regardless of the temperature outside the transport container.

[0004] An example of such an arrangement of phase-change materials is mentioned in WO 2017 / 055280 A1. WO 2011 / 098225 A1 also discloses the production of a fiber- or film-like molded body from a carrier component and a phase-change material embedded therein. US 2002 / 0 164 473 A1 describes a material for a garment in which a phase-change material is embedded. DE 198 13 562 A1 discloses a transport container with several latent heat bodies containing a phase-change material arranged therein.

[0005] It is the object of the present invention to provide an arrangement for tempering a volume which can be used particularly simply and flexibly.

[0006] This object is achieved by an arrangement having the features of claim 1. Advantageous developments of the invention are specified in subclaims.

[0007] By embedding the phase-change material in a respective carrier material layer, handling of the assembly is significantly simplified. Filling a container with a liquid phase-change material is no longer necessary. Furthermore, the dimensions of a molded body with its carrier material layer can be very easily adapted to the individual requirements of the transport container to be equipped. For example, it could be provided that the carrier material layer with the embedded phase-change material can be cut to size using a cutting device, so that the corresponding molded body has a desired shape or contour.Because the molded bodies can have virtually any external contour, they can be very easily tempered in advance, together with the goods to be transported, for example, in a temperature-controlled storage chamber to the target transport temperature, which lies between the upper and lower limit temperatures. Furthermore, the flexible shaping eliminates the need for special tools, which are otherwise necessary to produce, for example, plastic containers. The present invention fundamentally involves "charging" both phase-change materials to 100%, i.e., bringing them into the respective phase state, at a storage temperature that lies between the upper and lower limit temperatures.

[0008] The term "carrier material layer" is to be understood as meaning that such a layer has a width and a length, at least one of which is a multiple of the thickness. Accordingly, the molded body also has a width and a length, at least one of which is a multiple of the thickness. The carrier material layer can comprise, for example, a polymer or polymer mixture, a styrene block polymer, and various additives. The phase-change material can comprise a natural or synthetic paraffin, a long-chain dialkyl ether, long-chain alkyl alcohols, low-molecular-weight, highly crystalline PE waxes, polyethylene glycol, and mixtures thereof.The phase change material can, for example, be mixed with the material of the carrier material layer and, together with the carrier material layer, for example, in a mold to form a molded body comprising both the carrier material layer and the phase change material in order to distinguish it from the prior art.

[0009] The two molded bodies create an arrangement that is very easy to handle and can reliably temper a volume in a transport container to a specific and desired temperature range.

[0010] Specifically, this is achieved by an arrangement for tempering a volume, wherein the arrangement comprises a first phase-change material which changes its phase at approximately a lower limit temperature, and a second phase-change material which changes its phase at approximately an upper limit temperature. The arrangement comprises at least one first molded body with a first carrier material layer and a second molded body with a second carrier material layer, wherein the first phase-change material is embedded in the first carrier material layer and the second phase-change material is embedded in the second carrier material layer. The term "embedded" is to be understood broadly. It encompasses any type of permanent incorporation of the phase-change material into the carrier material layer.

[0011] The arrangement according to the invention comprises at least two molded bodies arranged parallel to one another and directly adjacent to one another. Thus, a type of "sandwich" is created consisting of at least two molded bodies with different phase-change materials. This is particularly easy to handle.

[0012] In this case, the at least two molded bodies are arranged in a common casing. This casing protects the molded bodies with the embedded phase-change materials from damage. Furthermore, an adhesive layer is not required in this case, as the molded bodies are firmly held together by the casing.

[0013] In a further development, the at least two molded bodies are bonded together by means of an adhesive layer. This creates a solid bond between the two molded bodies, consisting of carrier material layers and embedded phase-change materials, which is even easier to handle.

[0014] In a further development, the wrapping is made of cardboard, particularly corrugated cardboard. This is cost-effective.

[0015] In a further development, at least one molded body with the embedded phase-change material is soft and flexible at a temperature above the limit temperature and hard and inflexible at a temperature below the limit temperature. If both molded bodies with the embedded phase-change material have a temperature above the upper limit temperature, both molded bodies are soft and flexible and can thus easily be formed into the desired shape. After tempering, however, they are fixed in the desired shape, especially if they are bonded to one another over a large area.

[0016] In a further development, at least one molded body with the embedded phase-change material has a cover layer on at least one upper side and / or one lower side. This facilitates production, for example, in a mold, and also protects the actual carrier material layer with the embedded phase-change material from environmental influences and mechanical damage.

[0017] In a further development, the cover layer comprises a foil, in particular an aluminum foil. This type of foil is minimally bulky and lightweight.

[0018] In a further development, it is provided that it has a plurality of first molded bodies with the first phase-change material and / or a plurality of second molded bodies with the second phase-change material. This increases the performance of the arrangement in a simple manner. Furthermore, it can respond flexibly to specific requirements. For example, the number of first molded bodies can be different from the number of second molded bodies. This is advantageous, for example, if high ambient temperatures or low ambient temperatures are to be expected in a particular transport scenario.

[0019] In a further development, it is provided that the plurality of first molded bodies or the plurality of second molded bodies are arranged in blocks or alternately. This also ensures either optimal performance, i.e., optimal energy release or absorption, or particularly simple production of the arrangement.

[0020] Embodiments of the invention are explained below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings: Fig. 1 a partial section through a transport container containing goods to be transported and two arrangements for tempering the volume present in the transport container; Fig. 2 a perspective view of the arrangement for tempering the volume of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 a side view of the arrangement of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a side view of an alternative embodiment of an arrangement; Fig. 5 a perspective view of yet another alternative embodiment of an arrangement; Fig. 6 a section through the arrangement of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 a detail VII of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a perspective view of yet another alternative embodiment of an arrangement; Fig. 9 a side view of the arrangement of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a perspective view of yet another alternative embodiment of an arrangement; Fig. 11 a partial section through the arrangement of Fig. 10; Fig. 12 is a perspective view of yet another alternative embodiment of an arrangement; and Fig. 13 a partial section through the arrangement of Fig. 12.

[0021] In the following, functionally equivalent elements and areas bear the same reference numerals, even in different embodiments. They are not normally described in detail more than once.

[0022] A transport container carries Fig. 1 as a whole, the reference numeral 14. It comprises a container wall 16 made of a thermally insulating material. The container wall 16 delimits a volume 18. In this case, three goods 20 are arranged, which may be, for example, medications. The goods 20 must have a temperature within a very specific desired range during transport. Therefore, two arrangements 22 for tempering the volume 18 are arranged in the volume 18. The two arrangements 22 are designed identically in this case, for example. One arrangement 22 lies on the bottom of the transport container 14, and the other arrangement 22 on the goods 20. In principle, however, other configurations are also conceivable. For example, it would be possible for more than two arrangements 22 to be arranged in the volume 18, for example on all six sides, i.e., a total of six arrangements 22.These could be identical or different from each other.

[0023] Orders 22 of Fig. 1 will now be discussed with reference to the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 is explained in more detail. However, for the sake of simplicity, reference is always made to only one arrangement 22.

[0024] The arrangement 22 comprises five shaped bodies 24a-e, which in the present case, for example, are approximately square in plan view and whose thickness is many times smaller than their length and width. In principle, however, the shaped bodies 24a-e can have virtually any external contours in plan view. The shaped bodies 24a-e are therefore comparatively thin and are arranged parallel to one another and directly adjacent to one another, whereby the arrangement 22 forms a sandwich consisting of five thin layers. In an embodiment not shown, shaped bodies of different thicknesses could also be used, for example in combination of a comparatively thick and a comparatively thin shaped body. A thick shaped body could have a thickness in the range of 6 to 20 mm, a thin shaped body a thickness in the range of a maximum of 5 mm.

[0025] In the present example, the molded bodies 24a-c are identical to one another. The molded bodies 24d-e are also identical to one another, but different from the molded bodies 24a-c. The molded bodies 24a-c are therefore also referred to as first molded bodies, and the molded bodies 24d-e as second molded bodies. The first molded bodies 24a-c comprise a first carrier material layer 26, and the second molded bodies 24d-e comprise a second carrier material layer 28.

[0026] The two carrier material layers 26 and 28 are identical in this example. They can comprise, for example, a polymer or polymer mixture, a styrene block polymer, and various additives. Fig. 3, the two carrier material layers 26 and 28 in the uppermost and lowermost molded bodies 24a and 24e are drawn by short lines, which are intended to illustrate by way of example that the carrier material layers 26 and 28 can contain short fibers or other particle-like parts or solids.

[0027] A first phase change material 30 is embedded in the first carrier material layer 26, and a second phase change material 32 is embedded in the second carrier material layer 28. The phase change materials 30 and 32 can comprise a natural or synthetic paraffin, a long-chain dialkyl ether, long-chain alkyl alcohols, low-molecular, highly crystalline PE waxes, polyethylene glycol, and mixtures thereof. The phase change material 30 changes its phase at a lower limit temperature, whereas the second phase change material 32 changes its phase at an upper limit temperature. "Upper" and "bottom" respectively mean that the upper limit temperature is higher than the lower limit temperature. The two phase change materials 30 and 32 are for the uppermost molded body 24a and the lowermost molded body 24e in Fig. 3 symbolized by dots of different sizes.

[0028] The respective phase change material 30 or 32 can, for example, be mixed with the material of the respective carrier material layer 26 or 28 and produced together with the carrier material layer 26 or 28, for example in a mold, to form the molded body 24a-c or 24d-e comprising both the carrier material layer 26 or 28 and the phase change material 30 or 32, for example by drying and / or curing. It is possible for the molded bodies 24a-e to be soft and flexible, in particular gel-like ("gel-like" = no flow behavior), at a temperature above their limit temperature and hard and inflexible at a temperature below their limit temperature.

[0029] It is conceivable, for example, that the lower limit temperature of the first phase change material 30 is approximately 2°C, whereas the upper limit temperature of the second phase change material 32 is approximately 8°C. The first phase change material 30 can, again merely by way of example, be in a liquid phase above the lower limit temperature of 2°C, and the corresponding shaped body 24a-c is thus soft and flexible, whereas at a temperature below the lower limit temperature of 2°C it is in a solid phase, and the corresponding shaped body 24a-c is thus hard and solid. The second phase change material 32 can, also merely by way of example, be in the solid phase below the upper limit temperature of 8°C, and the corresponding shaped body 24d-e is thus hard and solid, whereas above the upper limit temperature of 8°C it is in the liquid phase, and the corresponding shaped body 24d-e is thus soft and flexible.

[0030] The temperature range to which the volume 18 can be tempered by the arrangements 22 would thus be between 2 °C and 8 °C in the present exemplary case. For this purpose, the two arrangements 22, together with the goods 20, are brought to a temperature between 2 °C and 8 °C, preferably to a temperature of approximately 5 °C, in a temperature control chamber beforehand, i.e., before transport into the transport container 14.

[0031] If the temperature in volume 18 rises to the upper phase change temperature of 8°C, for example due to a high external temperature, the second phase change material 32 with the upper limit temperature of 8°C extracts energy from volume 18 in order to be able to change phase from solid to liquid. This cools volume 18. If the temperature in volume 18 drops to the lower phase change temperature of 2°C, for example due to a low external temperature, the first phase change material 30 with the lower limit temperature of 2°C releases energy to volume 18 during the phase change. This heats volume 18. In this way, volume 18 can be tempered over a certain period of time to a temperature range between the lower limit temperature of 2°C and the upper limit temperature of 8°C, regardless of the temperature outside transport container 14.In principle, depending on the phase change materials, other temperature ranges can also be represented, for example temperature ranges around 20 °C and temperature ranges below 0 °C.

[0032] In the embodiment of the arrangement 22 of the Fig. 2-3, the first molded bodies 24a-c are arranged directly next to one another and thus together as a block, and the second molded bodies 24d-e are also arranged directly next to one another and thus together as a block. In an embodiment not shown, the first molded bodies and the second molded bodies could also be arranged alternately with one another, for example, in the order 24a, 24d, 24b, 24e, 24c.

[0033] By specifically selecting the number of molded bodies within an arrangement 22, the thermal capacity of the arrangement 22 can be adapted to the specific requirements of an application. In the simplest case, which is Fig. 4, the arrangement 22 comprises only two molded bodies, namely a first molded body 24a with a first carrier material layer 26 and a first phase change material 30 and a second molded body 24d with a second carrier material layer 28 and a second phase change material 32, wherein the phase change materials 30 and 32 again have different limit temperatures at which they change their phase.

[0034] In the embodiments of the arrangement 22 of the Fig. 2-4, the molded bodies 24a-e or 24a and 24d are arranged close to each other, i.e., directly adjacent to each other, but overall loose. As can be seen from the Fig. 5-7, the molded bodies 24a-e can also be arranged in a common casing 34, for example a box made of a cardboard material, in particular of corrugated cardboard. As is particularly evident from Fig. As can be seen in Figure 7, the assembly 22 is preferably received in the casing 34 with a certain amount of play. Overall, this creates a closed and protected composite of the molded bodies 24a-e.

[0035] In a variant of the arrangement 22, the shaped bodies 24a-e have a covering layer on both their upper side and their lower side, which, however, for reasons of simplicity, is shown in the Fig. 8-9 are provided with the reference numeral 36 only for the uppermost molded body 24a. The cover layer 36 can, for example, comprise a foil, in particular an aluminum foil. The cover layer 36 can be applied during the production of the molded body 24a-e, for example, laminated by being inserted into the mold or placed onto the molded body 24a-e before the curing of the molded body 24a-e. In this way, the cover layer 36 is firmly bonded to the respective carrier material layer 26.

[0036] In addition, Order 22 of the Fig. 8-9 adjacent molded bodies 24a-e are firmly and permanently connected to one another by means of an adhesive layer 38. Here, too, for the sake of simplicity, Fig. 8-9 only the adhesive layer 38 between the two uppermost molded bodies 24a-b is provided with a reference symbol.

[0037] As can be seen from the Fig. 10-11, the arrangement 22 of the Fig. 8-9 can also be arranged in an enclosure 34 as described above in connection with the Fig. 5-7 was explained.

[0038] In the Fig. 12-13 shows a variant that is similar to that of Fig. 10-11, whereby the adhesive layer was omitted.

Claims

[1] Arrangement (22) for tempering a volume (18), wherein the arrangement comprises a first phase change material (30) which changes its phase approximately at a lower limit temperature, and a second phase change material (32) which changes its phase approximately at an upper limit temperature, characterized by that the arrangement (22) comprises at least a first shaped body (24a-c) with a first carrier material layer (26) and a second shaped body (24d-e) with a second carrier material layer (28), wherein the first phase change material (30) is embedded in the first carrier material layer (26) and the second phase change material (32) is embedded in the second carrier material layer (28), wherein the arrangement (22) comprises at least two shaped bodies (24a-e) which are arranged parallel to one another and immediately adjacent to one another, characterized bythat the at least two shaped bodies (24a-e) are arranged in a common casing (34), whereby a closed and protected composite of the shaped bodies (24a-e) is created. [2] Arrangement (22) according to claim 1, characterized by that the at least two shaped bodies (24a-e) are connected to one another by means of an adhesive layer (38). [3] Arrangement (22) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the wrapping (34) is made of a cardboard material, in particular corrugated cardboard. [4] Arrangement (22) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by that at least one shaped body (24a-e) is soft and flexible at a temperature above the limit temperature and hard and inflexible at a temperature below the limit temperature. [5] Arrangement (22) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat at least one shaped body (24a-e) has a cover layer (36) on at least one upper side and / or one lower side. [6] Arrangement (22) according to claim 5, characterized by that the cover layer (36) comprises a foil, in particular an aluminum foil. [7] Arrangement (22) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by that it comprises a plurality of first shaped bodies (24a-c) and / or a plurality of second shaped bodies (24d-e). [8] Arrangement (22) according to claim 7, characterized by that the plurality of first shaped bodies (24a-c) or the plurality of second shaped bodies (24d-e) are arranged in blocks or alternately.

Images