Mobile refrigeration apparatus
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigeration equipment is ineffective in areas with unreliable electricity supplies, making it difficult to store and transport temperature-sensitive items like vaccines and perishable goods, as they require consistent cooling without freezing the contents.
Innovation Solution
A mobile refrigeration apparatus with a thermally conductive spherical shell filled with water and a centrally suspended insulating cup that maintains a temperature of 4 degrees Celsius, allowing for orientation-independent cooling using a gimbal or powered rotation bar, ensuring continuous cooling even without a consistent power supply.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional refrigeration equipment is used, then cooling function is provided, but it requires reliable electricity supply which is unavailable in many areas
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the energy source from electrical power to solar energy, transforming the operating parameters of the refrigeration system. The solar-powered refrigeration unit uses photovoltaic panels to generate electricity, enabling operation in areas without reliable grid access while maintaining consistent cooling temperatures for vaccines and perishables.
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigeration system incorporates onboard solar panels and battery storage that enable it to be self-sufficient. The unit generates its own power through solar energy conversion and stores excess energy in batteries, allowing continuous operation during periods without sunlight or when grid power is unavailable, thus serving itself without external electricity infrastructure.
2Temperature
If conventional refrigeration equipment is used, then cooling is provided, but it cannot maintain consistent temperature during transportation with minimal access to electricity
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-cools the refrigerated space and pre-charges the battery system before periods of anticipated power interruption or during transportation. The solar-powered unit accumulates cooling capacity and electrical energy in advance, ensuring that temperature consistency is maintained throughout the entire transportation duration even when external power sources are unavailable.
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigeration unit carries its own power generation and storage systems onboard. Solar panels convert sunlight to electricity during the day, and batteries store this energy for use during nighttime or cloudy periods, enabling the system to maintain cooling temperatures autonomously throughout extended transportation periods without relying on external electricity infrastructure.
3Temperature
If ice is used for cooling, then portability is improved, but the temperature drops below freezing which damages vaccines and perishables
Solution Approach 1:
The invention precisely controls the refrigeration temperature parameter to maintain it within the optimal range of 2-8°C for vaccine and perishable storage. The solar-powered system uses temperature sensors and control algorithms to regulate the cooling cycle, ensuring the temperature never drops below freezing (0°C) while still providing effective cooling, thus eliminating the harmful freezing effect associated with using ice.
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 apparatus effectively maintains a consistent temperature of 4 degrees Celsius, enabling the storage and transportation of vaccines and perishable items without freezing, and can operate in various orientations, addressing the limitations of conventional refrigeration in areas with intermittent power.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling element that generates ice from the water contained within the thermally conductive shell
Implementation Method 2
a thermally conductive spherical shell contained within an insulated container and substantially full of water
Implementation Method 3
an insulated container
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigeration unit designed for prolonged cooling with intermittent power supplies and adaptability to rotation is described. A spherical design is utilized comprising internal compartments that shift according to orientation of the sphere and enable internal cycling of water at substantially 4 degrees Celsius about an icy core.