Anisotropic Heat-Retaining Container Walls for Uniform Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat retaining containers with high thermal conductivity are cooled by heat storage media, leading to reduced cold retention time and temperature irregularities due to external warm heat conduction, while lowering conductivity results in non-uniform temperature distribution.
Innovation Solution
The heat retaining container design features walls with higher conductivity in the surface direction and lower conductivity in the thickness direction, incorporating thermally conductive fillers with anisotropic shapes and electrical insulation properties, allowing efficient cooling and uniform temperature distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the heat conductivity of the inner container is increased to improve cooling efficiency, then the cooling effect is enhanced, but the cold reserving time is reduced due to increased conduction of outside warm heat
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating directional anisotropy in the wall material's thermal conductivity. The wall is designed with different heat conductivity values in different directions: high conductivity in the surface direction (parallel to the inner surface) for efficient cooling, and low conductivity in the thickness direction (orthogonal to the inner surface) for heat insulation. This local differentiation of thermal properties resolves the contradiction between cooling efficiency and cold reserving time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials consisting of a resin matrix combined with thermally conductive fillers having anisotropic shapes (such as plate-like or needle-like structures). This composite structure enables the wall to exhibit direction-dependent thermal conductivity, achieving both efficient heat dissipation in the surface direction and effective heat blocking in the thickness direction, thus resolving the technical contradiction.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the heat conductivity of the inner container is increased to uniformize temperature distribution, then the temperature uniformity is improved, but the heat conduction from outside to accommodating space increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating directional anisotropy in the wall material's thermal conductivity. The wall is designed with different heat conductivity values in different directions: high conductivity in the surface direction (parallel to the inner surface) for efficient cooling, and low conductivity in the thickness direction (orthogonal to the inner surface) for heat insulation. This local differentiation of thermal properties resolves the contradiction between cooling efficiency and cold reserving time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials consisting of a resin matrix combined with thermally conductive fillers having anisotropic shapes (such as plate-like or needle-like structures). This composite structure enables the wall to exhibit direction-dependent thermal conductivity, achieving both efficient heat dissipation in the surface direction and effective heat blocking in the thickness direction, thus resolving the technical contradiction.
3Temperature
If the heat conductivity of the wall in the thickness direction is increased to improve cooling, then the cooling efficiency is improved, but the temperature in the accommodating space becomes non-uniform
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating directional anisotropy in the wall material's thermal conductivity. The wall is designed with different heat conductivity values in different directions: high conductivity in the surface direction (parallel to the inner surface) for efficient cooling, and low conductivity in the thickness direction (orthogonal to the inner surface) for heat insulation. This local differentiation of thermal properties resolves the contradiction between cooling efficiency and cold reserving time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials consisting of a resin matrix combined with thermally conductive fillers having anisotropic shapes (such as plate-like or needle-like structures). This composite structure enables the wall to exhibit direction-dependent thermal conductivity, achieving both efficient heat dissipation in the surface direction and effective heat blocking in the thickness direction, thus resolving the technical contradiction.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration maintains uniform temperature in the accommodating space for extended periods by reducing external heat conduction and temperature irregularities, while enabling temperature monitoring without opening the container.
Implementation Method 1
Heat conductivity of each wall in a surface direction is higher than heat conductivity of the wall in a thickness direction orthogonal to the inner surface of the wall
Implementation Method 2
since the heat conductivity of the wall in the thickness direction is low, the heat conduction from the outside of the heat retaining container to the accommodating space is suppressed
Data Source
AI summary
A heat retaining container (70) includes: an accommodating space (71); and walls (72) including inner surfaces surrounding the accommodating space (71). Heat conductivity of each wall (72) in a surface direction is higher than heat conductivity of the wall (72) in a thickness direction orthogonal to the inner surface of the wall, the surface direction being orthogonal to the thickness direction and extending along the inner surface of the wall.