Shipping Container Maturation System with Convective Airflow
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The current distilled spirits aging process faces challenges with inconsistent flavor profiles, structural unsoundness, and environmental risks due to inadequate seismic and wind-load design in storage facilities, leading to product loss and contamination.
Innovation Solution
A shipping container-based racking system with a convective airflow mechanism, utilizing heavy gauge steel construction, light reflective coatings, and adjustable louvers to support and mature distilled spirits, mimicking traditional rack-supported warehouses while enhancing safety and sustainability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional rack-supported warehouses are used for aging distilled spirits, then flavor maturation can be achieved, but structural stability and seismic resistance are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the structural parameters from traditional wooden rack-supported buildings to steel shipping containers with standardized dimensions and materials. This transformation maintains the aging function while dramatically improving seismic resistance and structural stability through the inherent strength of steel container construction designed to withstand harsh transport conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The aging facility is segmented into modular shipping container units that can be independently constructed, positioned, and stacked. Each container acts as an independent structural module with its own racking system, allowing the facility to be built incrementally and improving overall structural reliability through distributed load-bearing capacity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional warehouse designs are used, then aging capacity can be achieved, but environmental safety and contamination risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The steel shipping containers provide pre-engineered protection against environmental hazards before spirits are introduced. The containers' robust construction, sealed doors, and controlled access points prevent contamination from the outset, while the modular design simplifies implementation compared to constructing entirely new protected facilities.
3Ease of manufacture
If shipping containers are used for aging, then structural safety and cost-effectiveness improve, but internal space utilization and airflow optimization become challenges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the vertical dimension by stacking multiple shipping containers vertically and configuring multi-level racking systems within each container. This three-dimensional utilization maximizes the limited internal space of compact containers while maintaining cost-effectiveness through efficient use of standard container dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The racking systems are designed with adjustable and movable components that can be configured to create optimal airflow patterns around the barrels. This dynamic configuration allows adaptation to different aging requirements while maintaining structural safety and cost efficiency of the container-based system.
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
The solution provides a cost-effective, structurally sound, and sustainable aging facility that maintains flavor consistency, reduces environmental risks, and meets seismic design criteria, offering a safer and more efficient maturation process for distilled spirits.
Implementation Method 1
the external surface of the roof has a high light reflective value of about 75 or more to induce a convective air flow around the racking system
Implementation Method 2
the external surface of the each of the two side walls of the shipping container has a light reflective value of less than about 10 and an external surface of the roof has a light reflective value of about 75 or more
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly for maturing distilled spirits comprises a shipping container and a racking system positioned within the shipping container. The racking system includes a racking column attached to a pair of racking rails for supporting one or more barrels inside the shipping container. An external surface of the side walls of the shipping container has a light reflective value of less than about 10 while an external surface of the roof of the shipping container has a light reflective value of about 75 or more to induce a convective air flow around the racking system. Systems for maturing distilled spirits include a plurality of the assemblies for maturing distilled spirits in a stacked configuration. Methods for maturing distilled spirits comprise placing a plurality of barrels including distilled spirits on the racking system of an assembly for a period of time and under conditions sufficient to age the distilled spirits.