Modular Inner Wall Elements for Adaptable Thermal Transport Containers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transport container systems lack flexibility in adapting to different thermal requirements for maintaining target temperatures during the transport of temperature-sensitive products, as they are typically equipped with fixed inner wall elements that cannot be easily modified to meet varying thermal demands.
Innovation Solution
A transport container system that 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, ensuring optimal thermal performance while maintaining a simple and reliable packing arrangement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If fixed inner wall elements are used in transport container systems, then the structural simplicity and reliability are maintained, but the adaptability to different thermal requirements is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The inner wall elements are segmented into modular components that can be independently selected and replaced. Each inner wall element can be chosen from different versions (latent heat storage element, vacuum insulation panel, or placeholder element) to create customized thermal configurations without redesigning the entire container system.
Solution Approach 2:
The container system is designed with universal mounting structures that accommodate multiple types of inner wall elements. The same container framework can support different thermal solutions (latent heat storage, vacuum insulation, or placeholder elements) depending on the specific application requirements.
2Reliability
If latent heat storage elements are used as inner wall elements, then the thermal performance is optimized, but the cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Different versions of inner wall elements are applied to different locations or applications based on specific thermal requirements. Latent heat storage elements can be used where temperature stability is critical, while placeholder elements with lower cost are used where basic insulation suffices, optimizing the overall cost-performance ratio.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows changing the thermal parameters by selecting different inner wall element versions. The placeholder element provides a baseline thermal performance, while latent heat storage elements enhance temperature stability when needed, enabling parameter optimization without fixed commitment to expensive solutions throughout.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple versions of inner wall elements are provided for selection, then the adaptability to different thermal requirements is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The container system transitions from a static, fixed configuration to a dynamic, reconfigurable system. Inner wall elements can be added, removed, or replaced based on changing thermal requirements, allowing the system to adapt dynamically to different applications while maintaining a standardized framework that limits complexity.
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 precise adaptation to specific thermal requirements by allowing the selection of inner wall elements with varying thermal effects, optimizing the container's performance and reducing costs by using less expensive alternatives when necessary, thus ensuring the stability of temperature-sensitive products.
Implementation Method 1
A latent heat storage element is based on the utilization of latent heat storage material. A latent heat storage material has the advantage that it can be used to store relatively large quantities of heat with a small temperature difference. Since the phase transition takes place at substantially constant temperature over a certain time span, it is possible to equalize temperature fluctuations and avoid temperature peaks.
Implementation Method 2
All these inner container wall elements are in this case vacuum insulation panels.
Data Source
AI summary
A transport-container system has at least one container with a base, a casing and a top, and having inner-wall elements, which are arranged on the inner surfaces of the walls of the container and can be removed from the container and inserted into the container. Each inner-wall element has predetermined dimensions matching those of the associated inner surface of the container. At least as far as some of the inner-wall elements 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 of inner-wall elements at the position in the container which is envisaged for the relevant inner-wall element. A method is for providing a container of a transport-container system with correspondingly different embodiments of inner-wall elements.