Flexible Polymeric Vessel With Resistive Heating Element
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for thawing frozen biological materials often cause physical damage, leading to inactivation of pharmaceutical compounds and live cells due to non-uniform heat application during the thawing process.
Innovation Solution
A flexible polymeric vessel equipped with a resistive heating element that applies heat energy through its sidewall to thaw frozen biological materials uniformly and rapidly, allowing for controlled heat flux distribution to minimize damage during the thawing process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional thawing methods (convection heating or water bath heating) are used to thaw frozen biological materials, then the thawing process can be completed, but the biological materials suffer physical damage and inactivation due to non-uniform heat application
Solution Approach 1:
The heating element applies heat locally and uniformly through the flexible polymeric sidewall at the vessel level, ensuring even heat distribution across the biological material. This localized quality control prevents the non-uniform heating that causes physical damage in conventional methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible polymeric sidewall acts as an intermediary between the heating element and the biological material, allowing controlled heat transfer while protecting the material from direct exposure to extreme temperatures and non-uniform heat flux that would cause damage.
2Reliability
If freezing is used to store and transport biological materials, then chemical degradation is reduced and metabolic processes are slowed, but physical damage occurs during the freezing and thawing cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The invention controls the thermal parameters during phase change by using a flexible heating element that can be applied directly to the vessel, enabling precise temperature control during thawing. This parameter control minimizes thermal shock and physical damage while maintaining the stability benefits of freezing for storage.
3Productivity
If rapid thawing is implemented to preserve biological activity, then the thawing time is reduced, but uniform heat distribution becomes more difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The heating element is merged with or directly coupled to the flexible polymeric sidewall of the vessel, ensuring intimate thermal contact and uniform heat distribution. This integration allows rapid heat transfer while maintaining even heat distribution across the entire contents of the vessel.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible polymeric sidewall provides dynamic adaptation to the vessel shape and contents, allowing the heating element to conform and maintain uniform thermal contact during the thawing process, enabling both speed and uniformity.
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 method enables rapid and uniform thawing of frozen biological materials, preserving their biological activity and allowing for on-site thawing of high-value medicines at the point of use, reducing the risk of damage compared to traditional thawing methods.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible resistive heating element adapted to provide heat energy through the flexible polymeric sidewall to the interior
Implementation Method 2
provide heat energy through the flexible polymeric sidewall to the interior
Implementation Method 3
thaw the frozen liquid to cause the frozen liquid to melt
Data Source
AI summary
Described are flexible vessels that are useful for containing a liquid and freezing the liquid, and a flexible resistive heating element that is adapted to heat the frozen liquid to cause the frozen liquid to melt.