Dual-Container Beverage Cooler Using CO2 Gas and Endothermic Salts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing self-cooling food product container technologies face challenges such as high costs, environmental concerns due to ozone-depleting and global warming refrigerants, complexity in manufacturing, and inefficiencies in desiccant-based systems, which hinder commercial viability and effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A novel method using a dry gas, such as CO2, in combination with endothermic solvation and a cooling structure made from urea and endothermic salts, to efficiently cool beverages within a pair of standard beverage containers, eliminating the need for high-pressure vessels and desiccants, and utilizing a filtration membrane to separate gases from liquids.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If traditional refrigerants (HFCS, CFCS, hydrocarbons, ethers) are used in pressurized containers, then cooling effect is achieved, but environmental harm (ozone depletion, global warming) and safety risks (flammability, asphyxiation) occur
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical state parameter of CO2 from liquid (requiring high pressure) to gas (stored in interstitial spaces), eliminating the need for pressurized containers while maintaining cooling effectiveness through phase change during expansion
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses CO2 gas as an inert atmosphere that provides cooling through phase change without the environmental harm of traditional refrigerants. CO2 is non-flammable and does not deplete ozone, creating a safe inert environment for cooling
2Temperature
If desiccant-based cooling systems are used, then cooling is achieved through evaporation, but system complexity and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the desiccant component from the cooling system. Instead of using desiccants to absorb moisture and drive evaporation, the system directly uses CO2 phase change and expansion to achieve cooling, simplifying the overall system architecture
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling structure performs self-cooling through the inherent properties of CO2 phase change and expansion. The system does not require external desiccant materials or complex vacuum mechanisms, allowing the CO2 itself to provide the cooling function
3Quantity of substance
If high-pressure vessels are used to store CO2, then cooling capacity is increased, but manufacturing costs and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the storage pressure parameter of CO2 from high pressure (liquid phase) to atmospheric pressure (gas phase). The CO2 is stored as gas in interstitial spaces between cooling agents, eliminating the need for high-pressure vessels while maintaining adequate cooling capacity through phase change during use
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses porous or interstitial spaces within the cooling structure to store CO2 gas. These spaces naturally contain the gas without requiring high-pressure containment, simplifying the vessel design while maintaining cooling effectiveness
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 approach provides a cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and efficient cooling mechanism that effectively reduces the volume of cooling agents needed, enhances thermodynamic potential, and maintains cooling efficiency without the risks associated with traditional refrigerants.
Implementation Method 1
endothermic solvation and a cooling structure made from urea and endothermic salts
Implementation Method 2
cooling structure made from urea and endothermic salts
Implementation Method 3
utilizing a filtration membrane to separate gases from liquids
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling apparatus includes an inner beverage container for containing a food product and having a rim and a side wall and a base dome, and an outer shell container having an open rim and a side wall and a base dome, where the inner beverage container is snugly fitted into the open rim of the outer shell container and a common lid on the container rims, and the inner beverage container is shorter than the outer shell container defining a dry gas chamber between the container base domes containing a dry gas and a cooling structure, and where the diameters of the inner beverage container is less than that of the outer shell container leaving a radial space between the container cylindrical walls defining a humidification liquid chamber containing a humidification liquid, and a deformable barrier between the dry gas chamber and the humidification liquid chamber.