Automated blast gel pack conditioning equipment is provided and includes a housing with an evaporator and heater and defining a void space for containing a set of gel packs, at least one fan for circulating air within the housing such that a path of air flow extends through an air insufflation end to an air return end within the housing, at least one temperature sensor located within the housing, and a controller for receiving temperature measurements from the at least one temperature sensor and for automatically controlling operation of the evaporator, heater, and fans during phase change processing and conditioning of gel packs. A method of phase change processing and conditioning gel packs and a temperature sensor assembly are also provided.

A refrigerator appliance assembly includes a cabinet having at least one chamber for receipt of an item, a door permitting access to the at least one chamber, a temperature port within the at least one chamber, and a temperature probe communicatively coupled with the temperature port. The temperature probe is configured to generate one or more first temperature signals representative of an actual temperature of at least one of the item or the at least one chamber. The refrigerator appliance also includes a controller communicatively coupled to the temperature probe. Thus, upon receipt of the one or more first temperature signals, the controller determines the actual temperature of at least one of the item or the at least one chamber. Further, the refrigerator appliance also includes a user interface communicatively coupled to the controller. Accordingly, the user interface displays the actual temperature to a user and allows the user to adjust the actual temperature of at least one of the item or the at least one chamber to a desired temperature of the item.

A portable thermal insulated apparatus for cooling or heating items stored therein. The thermal insulated apparatus includes a container having a lid that removably secures to an open first end thereof and a reservoir unit that removably secures to an open second end. The container includes an inner tube and an outer tube forming an insulated double-wall sealed at both ends in which the lid and reservoir unit can be connected thereto. The reservoir unit removably receives a thermal unit that provides cooling or heating to the contents of the container when affixed thereto. The thermal unit is separable from the reservoir unit, such that the thermal units are interchangeable as needed. In some embodiments, the thermal unit is directly securable to the lid and the second end of the container is permanently sealed.

A food safety system for food items in cooled environments includes a temperature sensor unit having a temperature sensor, a power supply and a data transmission element. The temperature sensor unit is positioned in a cooler, wherein the cooler has a plurality of predefined food item positions. A control center unit having a computer processor and a memory is adapted to execute a deterministic mode function to predict the core temperature change of such a food item on a predefined food item position in said cooler. The deterministic mode function depends on heat transfer parameters related to the predefined food item position of the cooler used, food specific coefficients related to the kind of food item taken from a group of food types, the environment temperature measured by the temperature sensor, and the predicted current core temperature of the food item.

A cargo transport system includes a container for storing perishable products, and a control assembly for controlling an environment parameter. A sensor of the system is configured to measure the environment parameter. A detector of the system may be directly secured to the perishable products for measuring a product condition. A control module of the system is configured to receive signals from the sensor and the detector indicative of the measured environment parameter and product condition, process the signals, and send a command signal to the control assembly for adjusting the environment parameter.

A method for controlling the temperature of a fluid in a container received by a retaining device is provided. The retaining device includes one or more temperature controllers which are configured to control a temperature of the fluid. The method includes detecting a container accommodated in the retaining device; determining one or more parameters; determining a target temperature based on the one or more parameters; detecting the temperature of the fluid; determining a deviation between the target temperature and the detected temperature; and controlling the one or more temperature controllers based on the deviation.

The disclosure features various embodiments and aspects of a chest for quenching beverages. The chest can include a tank for holding a chilled mixture of ice and water, an ice maker adapted for making ice having an output for ejecting ice into a conduit in fluid communication with the tank, and a plurality of quench trays disposed above the tank for holding containers of beverages located in first and second positions. The trays can be filled with cold water by way of a conduit in fluid communication with the tank. The quench trays can include a compartment defined by a bottom and a plurality of walls, and defining therein a plurality of rows for aligning and containing a plurality of beverage containers. The drawers can further include at least one drain orifice configured to guide water out of the quench tray.

An apparatus for the rapid cooling of packaged beverages that includes a thermally insulated immersion tank capable of containing a liquid refrigerant and an evaporator coil placed within the tank, where the container will be submerged while held by gripping means connected to a vertical rotation axis mounted on a vertically movable cart, both driven by driving means under the control of a control unit that commands a series of sequential steps such as driving the rotation of said axial rotation axis within a predetermined speed range and period of time followed by slowing down of the rotation of said axial rotation axis at a predetermined speed with a simultaneous vertical reciprocating movement of the container by means of the vertically movable cart for a predetermined period of time as many times as established by the control unit.

The present invention provides a refrigerator and a control method thereof; the refrigerator includes: a constant temperature compartment, a cooling unit for cooling the constant temperature compartment, at least one tray located in the constant temperature compartment, a compartment temperature sensor for detecting a temperature in the constant temperature compartment, a tray temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of the tray, and a controller, and the cooling unit, the compartment temperature sensor and the tray temperature sensor are all communicatively connected with the controller.