Food Heating Kit Using CaCl2 Phials for Portable Meal Service
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current food containers lack the ability to effectively heat and cool foods in situations where conventional heating and cooling sources are unavailable, such as during meal service on airplanes, and existing solutions like dry ice have limitations due to short duration and impracticality for retail use.
Innovation Solution
A dual-purpose container kit that utilizes chemical transformations, specifically exothermic reactions with CaCl2 and deionized water for heating and solid CO2 for cooling, allowing temperature variation and featuring a separable design with ultrasound welding and polystyrene insulation for efficient and aesthetically pleasing food temperature management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If dry ice (solid CO2) is used for cooling foods, then effective cooling is achieved, but the duration of action is too short for retail use
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into separate compartments: an upper compartment for food and a lower compartment for cooling agents. This segmentation allows the cooling agent to be replaced or refilled without affecting the food, thereby extending the overall duration of cooling action while maintaining effective temperature control.
Solution Approach 2:
The lower compartment is designed to accommodate multiple types of cooling agents (ice, gel packs, or replaceable cooling cartridges). This multi-functionality allows the system to adapt to different cooling duration requirements by selecting appropriate cooling agents, thus resolving the contradiction between immediate cooling effectiveness and extended duration.
2Temperature
If chemical heating agents are used in food containers, then heating capability is provided, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating agent is segregated into a separate, removable lower compartment rather than being integrated into the main food container. This segmentation simplifies the overall device by allowing the heating component to be a standalone unit that can be easily attached or detached, reducing structural complexity while maintaining heating functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
A thermal barrier or insulating layer is introduced as an intermediary between the heating agent and the food. This mediator controls the heat transfer rate, preventing direct contact while still enabling effective heating, thus simplifying the design by avoiding complex direct-heating mechanisms.
3Duration of action of moving object
If conventional cooling methods are used in retail settings, then cooling duration is sufficient, but portability and ease of operation are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Cooling agents are pre-packaged in ready-to-use cartridges or compartments that can be quickly inserted into the container. This preliminary preparation allows the consumer to achieve long-duration cooling without complex setup procedures, maintaining portability while ensuring sufficient cooling duration for retail use.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes disposable or replaceable cooling cartridges that provide extended cooling duration through standardized, pre-filled units. These affordable, single-use components eliminate the need for complex reusable cooling systems, thereby maintaining ease of operation and portability while achieving sufficient cooling duration for retail applications.
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
Enables effective heating and cooling of foods in unconventional settings, providing a practical and transportable solution for meal service, extending the usability of chemical-physical properties of substances like CaCl2 and CO2, and enhancing consumer convenience.
Implementation Method 1
the exothermic reaction of dissolution of calcium chloride in water: CaCl2+H2O→Ca2+aq.+2Cl−aq.
Implementation Method 2
Carbon dioxide in solid state (CO2(s)), commonly known as 'dry ice'... its temperature is −78° C., with a cooling power of 150 frigories/Kg... Carbon dioxide in solid state, moreover, neither wets nor creates humidity, since it sublimates the moment it comes in contact with the air
Implementation Method 3
Ultrasound welding
Data Source
AI summary
A kit for heat treating foods comprises a first portion including at least one plate, at least one vat, at least one coil-shaped phial, at least one wall, and at least one pin. The at least one plate has a first compartment and a second compartment. The at least one vat is attached to the at least one plate to form an interspace containing CaCl2 scales. The at least one coil-shaped phial is disposed in the interspace and contains deionized water. The at least one wall is arranged transversely to the at least one coil-shaped phial and divides the at least one coil-shaped phial into at least two sectors. The at least one pin extends from a surface of the at least one vat and is arranged adjacently to the at least one coil-shaped phial. The at least one pin is configured to break the at least one coil-shaped phial.