Modular, portable cold room storage system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Significant food waste occurs due to lack of proper storage and preservation equipment, particularly in areas with limited infrastructure, resulting in substantial economic losses and potential to feed millions more people.
Innovation Solution
A modular, portable cold room storage system equipped with a refrigeration unit, solar power generation, battery storage, and a monitoring and control unit that can be remotely networked for centralized management, allowing for reliable cool or cold storage deployment anywhere with minimal infrastructure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If portable cold room storage systems are deployed in areas with limited infrastructure, then food waste is reduced, but system complexity and deployment difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cold room storage system is divided into modular components including the cold room unit, power generation system, battery storage, and monitoring system. Each module can be independently deployed, installed, and maintained, reducing overall system deployment complexity while maintaining reliability for food waste reduction
Solution Approach 2:
The system integrates multiple functions into a single platform: refrigeration for food preservation, solar power generation for energy supply, battery storage for energy management, and monitoring for system control. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate infrastructure components in areas with limited support
2Reliability
If remote monitoring and control capabilities are added to portable cold room systems, then system reliability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring and control unit continuously tracks system parameters such as temperature, power generation output, and battery charge levels. This feedback is transmitted remotely to enable real-time system management and early detection of potential failures, improving reliability without requiring complex local intervention systems
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-monitoring and self-reporting of its operational status through the network-capable control unit. This automated self-service capability reduces the need for manual inspection and complex control mechanisms, improving reliability while keeping the added complexity manageable
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 system effectively reduces food waste by providing consistent refrigeration and remote monitoring and control, enabling efficient maintenance and operation across diverse environments, thus addressing the issue of food spoilage and loss.
Implementation Method 1
a portable solar array
Implementation Method 2
a battery storage to store the energy generated by the one or more power sources and to supply the energy to the cold or cool room
Data Source
AI summary
A portable cold room storage system that includes an improved solar panel racking system is provided. The portable cold room storage system provides solar power for the cold room storage system. The portable cold room storage system includes a cold or cool room, one or more power sources to generate energy, a battery storage to store the energy generated by the one or more power sources and to supply the energy to the cold or cool room, and a racking system to mount the one or more power sources.