Modular Passive Refrigeration Container With Replaceable Insulation Panels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing passive refrigeration containers are prone to damage and require labor-intensive repairs due to compression of insulation, lack of modularity, and limited cooling duration, making them expensive and maintenance-intensive.
Innovation Solution
A modular passive refrigeration container design featuring a plate-shaped cooling element surrounded by insulating material, allowing for easy disassembly and replacement of components, using binary ice as a coolant to maintain temperature for extended periods without external power, and minimizing the use of environmentally harmful CO2-based coolants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If passive refrigeration containers use very good insulation (polyurethane foam) to maintain cooling temperature, then cooling duration is extended, but the insulation becomes vulnerable to compression damage during intensive use and handling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the insulation into separate removable insulation panels that can be detached from the housing. This segmentation allows the insulation to be protected during handling and transport, and enables easy replacement if damaged, thus maintaining insulation integrity while preserving cooling duration through proper insulation materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs protective measures during the design phase by creating a modular structure where insulation is pre-protected through removable panels. This beforehand cushioning approach prevents compression damage before it occurs during intensive use and handling, maintaining both cooling duration and insulation reliability.
2Ease of manufacture
If passive refrigeration containers are designed as non-disassemblable units, then manufacturing is simplified, but repair becomes labor-intensive and quality is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the refrigeration container into modular components including removable insulation panels, detachable cooling elements, and separable housing sections. This modular design maintains manufacturing simplicity through standardized components while dramatically improving ease of repair, as damaged parts can be quickly replaced without labor-intensive disassembly of the entire unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic characteristics by designing connections that allow easy assembly and disassembly. The modular components can be quickly configured and reconfigured, enabling simple manufacturing processes while facilitating rapid repair operations without compromising the structural integrity or cooling performance.
3Power
If passive refrigeration containers use traditional CO2-based cooling systems, then cooling capacity is sufficient, but environmental harm and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by transitioning from CO2-based cooling to alternative cooling methods such as ice packs or phase change materials. This parameter change maintains sufficient cooling capacity while eliminating the environmental harm and cost issues associated with CO2-based systems, achieving both adequate power and reduced ecological footprint.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs disposable or replaceable cooling elements such as ice packs or single-use cooling cartridges that eliminate the need for harmful CO2-based systems. These inexpensive, short-living cooling objects provide sufficient cooling capacity while being environmentally friendly and cost-effective, allowing easy replacement rather than complex system maintenance.
4Ease of repair
If passive refrigeration containers are disassembled for repair, then component replacement is possible, but the insulation is damaged and requires reassembly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses segmentation to create removable insulation panels that can be detached without damaging the insulation material. This allows component replacement while preserving insulation quality, as the panels can be carefully removed and reinstalled without compression or damage to the insulating properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the insulation into separate removable panels that can be taken out independently from the housing and cooling elements. This extraction approach enables easy component replacement while protecting the insulation from damage, maintaining manufacturing precision through designed separation interfaces that prevent insulation compression or deformation.
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
The modular design extends cooling duration, reduces maintenance needs, maximizes storage volume, and lowers costs by using binary ice, which is more cost-effective and environmentally friendly than traditional CO2-based systems, while ensuring consistent temperature and reduced ecological footprint.
Implementation Method 1
refrigeration containers in which the cooling is carried out by a coolant which is present in the refrigeration container, and which allows for the cooling due to its physical properties, for example, by the sorption of zeolites or by a phase transition (solid/liquid/gas). Typical examples of the refrigeration on the basis of a phase transition, are refrigeration by ice
Implementation Method 2
refrigeration containers in which the cooling is carried out by a coolant which is present in the refrigeration container, and which allows for the cooling due to its physical properties, for example, by the sorption of zeolites
Implementation Method 3
Such passive refrigeration containers are able to hold their desired cooling temperature only for a limited time which is why they must be provided with a very good insulation. Typically, such an insulation is provided in the form of polyurethane foam
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a modular passive refrigeration container for the cold storage and transport of goods, especially fresh produce and deep-frozen goods as well as to a method for the assembly of such a modular passive refrigerated container, comprising at least: (i) a cooling element, suitable for binary ice as coolant, comprising at least three plate-shaped hollow cooling segments, wherein the plate-shaped cooling segments define at least a portion of the refrigeration space, (ii) an insulation material in plate form, and (iii) a housing, suitable for receiving said cooling element and said insulating material in plate form, wherein said cooling element is removably surrounded by said housing, and wherein a space between the said cooling element and said housing is at least partially filled with said insulating material which is reversibly connected with either said housing or said cooling element or both.