Stackable Chilling Plate for Compact Multi-Sample Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional comet assay apparatuses face issues with cooling techniques, such as ice-based systems causing uneven cooling and energy-intensive electrical cooling, and require significant space and frequent maintenance, limiting their efficiency and convenience for handling multiple samples.
Innovation Solution
A modular, stackable chilling system with thermally-conductive plates and a refrigerant space between them allows for efficient cooling and freezing of samples, accommodating multiple samples in a compact configuration, using a non-toxic refrigerant with high heat capacity, such as water, and maintaining a stable environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If ice-based cooling is used, then the cooling mechanism is simple and low-cost, but it requires frequent maintenance and causes uneven cooling
Solution Approach 1:
The refrigerant container is designed to be self-contained and self-cooling. The refrigerant (ice or gel pack) is placed inside the container and automatically cools the samples through thermal conduction via the thermally conductive plate, eliminating the need for external cooling mechanisms or frequent maintenance of complex systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling function is extracted from the main apparatus by using a separate, removable refrigerant container. This allows the cooling component to be independently replaced or refilled without affecting the rest of the system, simplifying maintenance while keeping the overall mechanism simple.
2Temperature
If electrical cooling system is used, then cooling temperature is controlled and stable, but it requires additional energy input
Solution Approach 1:
The system utilizes the phase transition of water (freezing and melting) as the refrigerant to provide cooling. The refrigerant absorbs heat from the samples during melting, providing passive cooling without requiring electrical energy input, while still maintaining stable temperatures through the phase change process.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrical cooling system is replaced with a passive thermal conduction system using a thermally conductive plate and refrigerant container. This mechanical/thermal system eliminates the need for electrical components, motors, or control systems while achieving stable cooling through material properties.
3Temperature
If conventional cooling apparatuses are used, then cooling function is provided, but they require considerable space and accommodate limited samples
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling apparatus transitions from a horizontal spread-out configuration to a vertical stacked configuration. Multiple sample plates can be stacked vertically on top of each other, with the refrigerant container positioned at the bottom, effectively utilizing vertical space to accommodate more samples in a smaller footprint area.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermally conductive plate serves multiple functions: it provides thermal conduction from the refrigerant, supports multiple sample plates simultaneously, and enables vertical stacking configuration. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, saving space while maintaining cooling capability.
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 provides a convenient, space-saving, and easy-to-maintain solution for cooling and freezing samples, enabling efficient processing of multiple samples while maintaining a stable temperature, suitable for applications like the comet assay and other biological sample handling.
Implementation Method 1
The refrigerant material is then in intimate thermal contact with a sample that is placed on the thermally-conductive top plate
Implementation Method 2
a refrigerant material (or a container holding a refrigerant material) can be placed in the refrigerant space
Data Source
AI summary
The subject invention provides an apparatus for cooling and/or freezing samples. In an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus is a stackable chilling plate used in a comet assay. In specific embodiments, the chilling plate can accommodate glass slides deposited with an agarose gel suspension, wherein the gel is cured by a refrigerant disposed underneath a thermally-conductive top plate. Advantageously, the cooling/freezing apparatus provided herein can easily accommodate the placement of multiple cellular sample slides in a compact configuration.