Refrigerated Container Lid Orientation for Adjustable Dry Ice Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerated containers using dry ice as a cooling medium struggle to maintain desired temperatures, as they require adjustments in the type or quantity of cooling medium to achieve different temperature settings, which is not feasible without restrictions.
Innovation Solution
The container design features a coolant receiving area that is fluidically connected to the storage space in one orientation and isolated in another, allowing for adjustable cooling by controlling the flow of sublimating CO2 gas, enabling the same container to maintain different temperatures using the same cooling medium.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the coolant receiving area is fluidically connected to the storage space, then cooling efficiency is improved through convective cooling, but the temperature becomes too low for applications requiring higher temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the fluidic connection between the coolant receiving area and storage space adjustable rather than fixed. The cover can be rotated between a first orientation where channels provide open fluidic connection for convective cooling, and a second orientation where the same channels become blocked, isolating the coolant receiving area. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the system to adapt between different cooling modes (convective vs. conductive) to achieve different temperature ranges.
2Temperature
If dry ice is used as cooling medium, then low temperature cooling is achieved, but the temperature is too low for applications requiring higher temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by altering the thermal transfer parameters between the coolant receiving area and storage space. By changing the cover orientation, the system switches between parameter states: open fluidic connection for high heat transfer (convective cooling at lower temperatures) and blocked fluidic connection for reduced heat transfer (conductive cooling at higher temperatures). This allows the same cooling medium (dry ice) to serve different temperature requirements.
3Ease of manufacture
If the cover is attached in the first orientation with open fluidic connection, then convective cooling is achieved, but gas flow into the storage space cannot be prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses dynamics to create a system where the fluidic connection state is changeable. The channels are designed to be blocked when the cover is in the second orientation, preventing gas flow into the storage space, while remaining open in the first orientation to enable convective cooling. This dynamic blocking mechanism allows control over gas flow based on operational requirements.
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 design allows for efficient cooling by convective means at lower temperatures and relies on thermal conduction at higher temperatures, providing a flexible solution for transporting items at various temperature settings with the same cooling medium.
Implementation Method 1
Under normal conditions, dry ice has a temperature of approximately minus 80°C (-78.5°C) and changes from the solid state of aggregation directly to the gaseous state of aggregation through sublimation.
Implementation Method 2
The fluidic connection allows cold gas from the coolant receiving area to enter the storage space via the fluidic connection, and the storage space can be cooled convectively, ie by an inflow of cold gas, which can be cooled air and/or sublimated CO2.
Implementation Method 3
The storage space is therefore only or mainly cooled by thermal conduction via a wall delimiting the coolant receiving area.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a refrigerated container (10) with a body (12) which includes a storage space, with a cover (14) which can be attached to the body in at least two orientations and is designed to at least largely cover the storage space when attached close, wherein the lid (14) and / or the body (12) comprises a coolant receiving area (24) which is fluidically connected to the storage space when the lid (14) on the body (12) in a first orientation is attached, and in that the coolant receiving area (24) is substantially fluidly isolated from the storage space when the cover (14) is attached to the body (12) in a second orientation.