A storage and retrieval
system (Fig 1) comprises an
enclosure (30, Fig 5) with side walls 32 defining internal volume 31 having a
temperature control system (-18 to -30 degrees centigrade) configured to control
air temperature therein. A frame module 121 extending over openings to define conveyor apertures, and an associated gap insulation jacket 123 to occlude a gap between storage
enclosure and frame module 121. Also shown are conveyor sections 114, 124 and
doors 125.
Enclosure (30) houses a grid (4), with a plurality of storage containers (2) stacked (3) below, container access
station (100) and load handling devices (20) moving containers between stacks and container access
station (100), which further comprises source container
system (103) with drop off location disposed within
enclosure (30), receives containers from devices (20). Also included are: source container presentation location (106, 109) disposed outside enclosure (30), source container pick-up location (107) within enclosure (30), source container
conveyor system (102 ) conveying containers from source container drop-off location to source container pick-up location via container presentation location. Grid interfaces (101), beneath a plurality of the grid spaces, with each of drop-off / pick-up locations (l08, 112) exposed beneath grid space allows devices (20) operating on grid to transfer containers between devices and drop-off / pick-up locations (105, 112). Source and destination systems convey containers through enclosure side wall 32 openings and have linear direction change sections, the latter disposed outside enclosure (30).