Storage and retrieval system

Abstract

A storage and retrieval system comprising an enclosure 160 with walls 162, 164, 166 & 168 and in which the air temperature is regulated. Enclosure houses 160 a storage structure 1 comprising a track system (Fig 3) arranged in a grid pattern to form grid cells 11 under which a plurality of storage columns 150, storing stacks of storage containers (9, Fig 2), and a plurality of port columns 152, including a drop-off column and a pick-up column are provided. A portion of enclosure 160 houses an access station 180 for accessing the contents of a storage container (9), this being located below the track structure and between drop-off pick-up columns, thereby defining a passage or tunnel 170. Access station 180 may comprise a conveying device (Fig 12) configured to convey a storage container along the passage. A portion of enclosure 160 comprises an external opening for allowing access to a storage container at the access station from outside the enclosure (see Fig 8). Also shown are first and second structure zones 190, 192 and first temperature zone 100, having a temperature below freezing, compared to a second temperature zones which may have a temperature between -10 and 10 degrees Celsius.

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