Automated Storage Cooling via Void Air Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automated storage and retrieval systems face inefficiencies in temperature control due to the need to move insulating covers to access storage containers, which slows down operations and requires additional container handling vehicles.
Innovation Solution
An automated storage and retrieval system with a cooler system integrated within the grid structure that draws air from beneath the storage columns, cools it, and releases it below the horizontal rails, eliminating the need for lids/covers and allowing multiple storage volumes to be maintained at different temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If insulating covers are used to maintain temperature in storage columns, then temperature control is improved, but operational speed deteriorates due to the need to move covers during container access
Solution Approach 1:
The storage system is divided into multiple independent storage volumes (first storage volume, second storage volume, etc.), each with its own temperature control. This segmentation allows different zones to be maintained at different temperatures without requiring blanket insulation coverage, enabling faster access since only specific zones need temperature maintenance rather than moving covers across entire columns.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulating covers are completely removed from the system. Instead of using physical covers to maintain temperature, the invention uses direct cooling of air that flows through the storage columns. This extraction of the cover component eliminates the need to move insulation during container access, resolving the contradiction between temperature control and operational speed.
Solution Approach 3:
Cooled air acts as an intermediary medium to transfer temperature control to storage containers. The cooling system cools air in the void space, and this cooled air naturally flows upward through the storage columns, providing temperature control without physical contact or moving parts. This intermediary approach maintains temperature while allowing unrestricted container access.
2Temperature
If insulating covers are used to maintain temperature, then temperature control is improved, but additional container handling vehicles are required to manage the covers
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating covers and their associated handling mechanisms are completely removed from the system. The temperature control function is achieved through a different mechanism (cooled air flow) that does not require physical movement or specialized handling vehicles, thereby reducing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system is self-regulating through natural convection. Cooled air is introduced at the bottom of storage columns and automatically rises through the containers due to temperature-driven density differences, providing temperature control without requiring external actuators or handling vehicles to move insulation components.
3Use of energy by stationary object
If a single cooling system cools the entire storage area, then energy efficiency is improved, but temperature precision for different storage needs deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The storage system is divided into multiple independent storage volumes (first storage volume, second storage volume, third storage volume, etc.), each capable of being maintained at different temperatures. This segmentation allows precise temperature control for different storage needs while maintaining energy efficiency through localized cooling zones rather than cooling an entire large space uniformly.
Solution Approach 2:
Different storage volumes are maintained at different temperatures according to their specific storage requirements. The cooling system provides localized temperature control to each storage volume independently, allowing precise temperature management for different product types while avoiding the energy waste of cooling entire columns or sections that don't require low temperatures.
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 solution enhances operational efficiency by reducing retrieval times and freeing container handling vehicles from lid management, while enabling precise temperature control for various storage needs.
Implementation Method 1
a cooler system adapted to draw air from the void, cool the air, and release the cooled air into an air release area arranged below the horizontal rails
Implementation Method 2
a cooler system adapted to draw air from the void, cool the air, and release the cooled air into an air release area arranged below the horizontal rails
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4
AI summary
The invention relates to an automated grid-based storage and retrieval system. The system comprising a framework structure comprising upright members and a grid of horizontal rails provided at upper ends of the upright members, the framework structure defining at least one storage volume below the horizontal rails. The storage volume comprising a plurality of storage columns arranged adjacent one another, a plurality of walls surrounding the at least one storage volume, a void extending beneath the storage columns and a cooler system adapted to draw air from the void, cool the air, and release the cooled air into an air release area arranged below the horizontal rails. The cooler system is arranged within an cooler enclosure arranged inside the plurality of walls and adjacent the plurality of storage columns, the cooler enclosure comprising at least one opening from the void for the cooler system to draw air from the void, and further comprising a conduit for releasing the cooled air in the air release area.