Modular Inner Wall Inserts for Thermally Adaptive Transport Containers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transport container systems lack flexibility in adapting to varying thermal requirements for temperature-sensitive goods, as they are typically designed with predetermined inner wall elements that cannot be easily modified to meet specific thermal demands.
Innovation Solution
The system allows for the selection and replacement of inner wall elements with different thermal properties, including latent heat storage elements, vacuum insulation panels, and placeholder elements with varying thermal insulation effects, enabling customization to meet specific thermal requirements without altering the packing scheme.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If inner wall elements are predetermined and fixed in design, then manufacturing and assembly are simplified, but adaptability to varying thermal requirements is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The container's inner wall is divided into multiple replaceable inner wall elements that can be independently selected and exchanged. Each element serves a specific thermal function (insulation, heat storage, heat generation), allowing customization of the thermal profile by selecting different combinations of elements without redesigning the entire container structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The container system is designed to accommodate multiple types of inner wall elements with the same mounting interface. A single container structure can universally accept insulation elements, latent heat storage elements, and heat generation elements, enabling one container to serve multiple thermal requirements through element substitution.
2Adaptability or versatility
If inner wall elements are made replaceable to increase flexibility, then adaptability to different thermal demands is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Different inner wall elements can be selectively placed in specific positions within the container based on local thermal requirements. For example, higher insulation elements can be positioned on walls with greater heat transfer risk, while latent heat storage elements can be placed near temperature-sensitive goods. This localized optimization simplifies the overall system by addressing only where thermal adjustment is needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner wall elements are designed to be dynamically replaceable during operation or between uses. Mounting mechanisms allow quick installation and removal without permanent fixation, enabling the system to adapt to changing thermal demands while maintaining a relatively simple structural framework that does not require complex adjustment mechanisms.
3Temperature
If high-performance vacuum insulation panels are used throughout, then thermal insulation is optimized, but cost and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
Vacuum insulation panels are deployed only in specific locations within the container where superior thermal performance is critically needed, such as walls with high heat transfer coefficients or areas with prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures. Other less critical areas use lighter, lower-performance insulation materials, reducing overall weight while maintaining adequate thermal protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulation strategy varies the thermal performance parameters of different inner wall elements based on location and requirement. Rather than uniformly applying high-performance vacuum insulation throughout, the system adjusts insulation parameters (material type, thickness, performance level) to match local thermal demands, optimizing the weight-performance ratio.
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 allows for optimal thermal adjustment of the container system, ensuring that the internal temperature remains within the required range for sensitive goods, extending the holding time and accommodating different thermal demands efficiently.
Implementation Method 1
A latent heat storage element is based on the use of latent heat storage material. A latent heat storage material has the advantage that it can be used to store relatively large amounts of heat within a small temperature interval. Since the phase transition takes place at an essentially constant temperature over a certain period of time, one has the possibility of compensating for temperature fluctuations
Implementation Method 2
These inner container wall elements are all vacuum insulation panels
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a transport-container system having at least one container (1) with a base (2), a casing (3) and a top (4), and having inner-wall elements (6), which are arranged on the inner surfaces (5) of the walls of the container (1) and can be removed from the container (1) and inserted into the container (1), wherein each inner-wall element (6) has predetermined dimensions matching those of the associated inner surface (5) of the container (1). At least as far as some of the inner-wall elements (6) are concerned, the transport-container system has a number of embodiments with at least substantially the same dimensions, wherein it is possible to insert optionally one of the embodiments (6.1; 6.2; 6.3) of inner-wall elements (6) at the position in the container (1) which is envisaged for the relevant inner-wall element (6). The invention also relates to a method for providing a container of a transport-container system with correspondingly different embodiments of inner-wall elements (6).