Heat Retaining Container With Anisotropic Wall Conductivity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat retaining containers with high thermal conductivity are cooled by heat storage media, leading to reduced cold retention time and temperature irregularities due to external heat conduction, while lowering conductivity results in non-uniform temperature distribution.
Innovation Solution
The heat retaining container design features walls with higher conductivity in the surface direction than in the thickness direction, utilizing thermally conductive fillers with anisotropic shapes and electrical insulation properties, and a laminated structure to enhance temperature uniformity and retention time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the heat conductivity of the inner container is increased to improve cooling efficiency, then the cooling effect is enhanced, but the cold reserving time is reduced due to external heat conduction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different heat conductivity characteristics to different directions of the same wall structure. The wall has high heat conductivity in the surface direction (parallel to the inner surface) to distribute heat uniformly, while maintaining low heat conductivity in the thickness direction (perpendicular to the inner surface) to prevent external heat penetration. This directional differentiation resolves the contradiction by optimizing heat transfer locally in each direction.
Solution Approach 2:
The wall is constructed as a composite structure with thermally conductive fillers dispersed in a resin matrix. The conductive fillers (such as metal particles or carbon materials) provide high in-plane heat conductivity for uniform temperature distribution, while the resin matrix maintains low through-thickness heat conductivity. This composite material approach enables simultaneous achievement of efficient cooling and extended cold retention.
2Duration of action of moving object
If the heat conductivity of the inner container is decreased to reduce external heat conduction, then the cold reserving time is extended, but temperature uniformity in the accommodating space deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The wall structure exhibits anisotropic thermal conductivity with high conductivity in the surface direction and low conductivity in the thickness direction. This local quality differentiation allows the wall to efficiently distribute heat laterally across the surface (improving temperature uniformity) while maintaining resistance to heat penetration from outside (extending cold retention).
Solution Approach 2:
The composite wall structure combines thermally conductive fillers arranged to provide lateral heat distribution with a low-conductivity matrix material. The conductive filler network in the plane direction ensures uniform heat distribution, while the overall composite structure maintains low through-thickness conductivity, simultaneously achieving temperature uniformity and extended cold storage.
3Temperature
If high thermal conductivity material is used for the inner container, then the cooling uniformity is improved, but the heat insulation performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The wall employs a composite material system where thermally conductive fillers (metal particles, carbon black, graphite) are dispersed in a resin matrix. This composite structure provides high in-plane heat conductivity for uniform cooling distribution while maintaining low through-thickness heat conductivity for effective heat insulation, resolving the contradiction between cooling uniformity and energy loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal conductivity of the wall is optimized locally in different directions: high conductivity in the surface direction for uniform heat distribution and low conductivity in the thickness direction for heat insulation. This directional quality differentiation allows the same wall structure to simultaneously achieve both cooling uniformity and energy conservation.
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 configuration achieves uniform temperature distribution and extended heat retention by minimizing external heat conduction and maintaining consistent cooling through the use of anisotropic fillers and a laminated wall structure.
Implementation Method 1
heat conductivity of each wall in a surface direction is higher than heat conductivity of the wall in a thickness direction orthogonal to the inner surface of the wall
Implementation Method 2
heat conductivity of the wall in the thickness direction is low, the heat conduction from the outside of the heat retaining container to the accommodating space is suppressed
Data Source
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AI summary
A heat retaining container (70) includes: an accommodating space (71); and walls (72) including inner surfaces surrounding the accommodating space (71). Heat conductivity of each wall (72) in a surface direction is higher than heat conductivity of the wall (72) in a thickness direction orthogonal to the inner surface of the wall, the surface direction being orthogonal to the thickness direction and extending along the inner surface of the wall.