Cooler Food Temperature Prediction for Non-Invasive Cold Chain Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for measuring core temperatures of food items in cooled environments are invasive, labor-intensive, and wasteful, failing to accurately account for fluctuations caused by thawing cycles, customer interaction, and environmental changes, while non-invasive methods lack reliability.
Innovation Solution
A non-invasive food safety system comprising a temperature sensor unit and a control center that uses deterministic and stochastic models to predict core temperatures based on cooler-specific and food-specific heat transfer parameters, with data transmission via LoRaWan, allowing for real-time monitoring and alerting when temperatures exceed thresholds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a probe thermometer is inserted into the food item to measure core temperature directly, then measurement precision is improved, but the food item must be disposed and cannot be sold anymore, causing loss of substance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses packaging material as an intermediary object that contains temperature sensors. The packaging serves dual purposes: protecting the food item and enabling non-invasive temperature measurement. The sensor is embedded in the packaging rather than inserted into the food, allowing temperature monitoring without compromising the food's edibility or requiring disposal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical insertion of a probe thermometer into the food with a non-contact sensing system. Temperature sensors are integrated into the packaging structure, eliminating the need for physical penetration of the food item. This substitution maintains measurement capability while preserving the food's integrity and sellability.
2Loss of substance
If peripheral thermal compartment temperatures are measured non-invasively, then loss of substance is reduced, but measurement precision of core product temperature is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The packaging material acts as an intermediary that bridges the gap between non-invasive measurement and core temperature accuracy. By embedding sensors directly in the packaging that surrounds the food item, the system can measure temperatures close to the food's core without physical contact with the food itself, combining the benefits of non-invasive measurement with improved precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent places temperature sensors at specific locations within the packaging that are thermally coupled to the food item's core. This localized positioning ensures that the sensors measure temperatures representative of the food's core rather than just the ambient compartment temperature, improving measurement precision while maintaining non-invasive measurement.
3Reliability
If specimen temperature is measured by inserting a probe thermometer, then reliability of temperature indication is improved, but labor intensity increases and measurement time is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The temperature sensors are pre-integrated into the packaging material during manufacturing, before the food item is placed inside. This preliminary action eliminates the need for separate temperature measurement steps during inspection. The system continuously monitors temperature automatically, improving productivity while maintaining reliable temperature indication throughout the cold chain.
Solution Approach 2:
The packaging with embedded sensors performs self-monitoring of temperature conditions. The system automatically records and tracks temperature data without requiring manual intervention for measurement. This self-service capability maintains reliable temperature indication while significantly reducing labor intensity and improving measurement efficiency.
4Reliability
If direct core temperature measurement is performed, then reliability of cold chain compliance indication is improved, but device complexity increases due to invasive measurement requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The packaging serves as an intermediary structure that simplifies the measurement system. By integrating sensors into the packaging rather than requiring separate probe insertion mechanisms, the system achieves reliable core temperature measurement with reduced overall complexity. The packaging itself becomes part of the measurement system, eliminating complex invasive measurement apparatus.
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
Provides reliable, accurate, and cost-effective core temperature monitoring, reducing waste and labor, while ensuring compliance with cold chain regulations by predicting temperature changes and alerting for potential issues.
Implementation Method 1
a temperature sensor, a power supply, a data transmission element and a control unit. The temperature sensor unit can be battery based for the power supply. The data transmission element is intended to make a direct or indirect connection with the control center
Implementation Method 2
a heat transfer process exchanges the heat of the cold goods to the cooled environment inside a fridge
Implementation Method 3
The core product temperature may rise, when the air circulation in the cooler keeps dropping rapidly due to a problem within the cooling process
Data Source
AI summary
A food safety system for food items in cooled environments includes a temperature sensor unit having a temperature sensor, a power supply and a data transmission element. The temperature sensor unit is positioned in a cooler, wherein the cooler has a plurality of predefined food item positions. A control center unit having a computer processor and a memory is adapted to execute a deterministic mode function to predict the core temperature change of such a food item on a predefined food item position in said cooler. The deterministic mode function depends on heat transfer parameters related to the predefined food item position of the cooler used, food specific coefficients related to the kind of food item taken from a group of food types, the environment temperature measured by the temperature sensor, and the predicted current core temperature of the food item.