Self-Cooling Beverage Container Using Endothermic Vapor Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing self-cooling food product container technologies face challenges due to high costs, inefficiencies, and safety concerns related to the use of pressurized refrigerants and desiccants, which are often ozone-depleting and flammable, and require complex manufacturing processes and specialized materials.
Innovation Solution
A novel method using a dry gas with a low dew point to absorb vapor from a humidification liquid, generating a vacuum that pulls the liquid into a dry gas chamber, where endothermic chemical compounds react to cool the beverage, eliminating the need for pre-formed vacuums and complex actuation mechanisms, and utilizing flexible, collapsible containers to maximize cooling surface area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If pressurized refrigerants are used for cooling, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but safety concerns increase due to flammability and ozone depletion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful refrigerant substances from the system and replaces them with water as the cooling medium. The refrigerant charge is completely removed and substituted with a safe, non-flammable, ozone-friendly alternative that achieves the same cooling effect through endothermic dissolution rather than phase change.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the previously harmful refrigerant function into a beneficial water-based system. Water, which is safe and environmentally friendly, is used to achieve cooling through endothermic dissolution of salts or sugars, transforming the cooling mechanism from potentially harmful phase-change refrigerants to beneficial endothermic chemical reactions.
2Ease of operation
If complex actuation mechanisms are used to release refrigerant, then cooling control is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service cooling system where the consumer simply opens the container to activate cooling. The endothermic reaction automatically initiates upon opening through pressure equalization, eliminating the need for complex actuators, valves, or control mechanisms while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical actuation systems with a pressure-driven chemical reaction system. Instead of using motors, valves, or mechanical actuators to release refrigerant, the system uses pressure differential created upon opening the container to drive the endothermic dissolution process, simplifying the mechanical complexity.
3Reliability
If specialized materials are used for pressure vessels, then refrigerant containment is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the cooling system by replacing pressurized gaseous refrigerants with aqueous solutions operating at atmospheric pressure. This parameter change allows the use of standard, inexpensive container materials instead of specialized pressure vessel materials, significantly reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adopts a disposable container approach where the entire cooling system is integrated into a single-use or limited-use container. This eliminates the need for durable, expensive pressure vessels and allows the use of cheaper materials that are sufficient for the intended service life of the product.
4Temperature
If desiccants are used to absorb water vapor, then cooling is achieved, but manufacturing complexity increases due to vacuum requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operating pressure parameter from vacuum conditions to atmospheric pressure. Instead of using desiccants in a vacuum environment, the system uses endothermic dissolution of salts or sugars in water at atmospheric pressure, eliminating the need for vacuum chambers and complex sealing requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical vacuum system with a chemical endothermic reaction system. The cooling effect is achieved through the dissolution process rather than vacuum evaporation, eliminating the need for vacuum pumps, sealing mechanisms, and desiccant materials while simplifying the overall device structure.
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 provides a cost-effective, thermodynamically simple, and efficient cooling method that effectively cools beverages by utilizing the thermodynamic potential of dry gases and endothermic reactions, reducing material usage and manufacturing complexity while ensuring safety and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a dry gas with a low dew point to absorb vapor from a humidification liquid, generating a vacuum that pulls the liquid into a dry gas chamber
Implementation Method 2
endothermic chemical compounds react to cool the beverage
Data Source
AI summary
A novel self-cooling food product container apparatus (10) and a process for manufacturing the same is disclosed. A self-cooling food product container (20) combined with a substantive vapor transport system producing a humidification cooling process for cooling food and beverage products P. Methods of assembling and operating the apparatus (10) are also provided.