A passive refrigeration apparatus comprising: (i) a container defining a cargo space; (ii) a liquid carbon dioxide cylinder; (iii) a control valve, in fluid communication with the cylinder; (iv) a controller for activating the control valve to control the flow of liquid CO2; and (v) a heat transfer assembly within the container, in fluid communication with the control valve; wherein the heat transfer assembly has (a) an expansion section for receiving the flow of liquid CO2; and (b) an expansion chamber bounded by a heat transfer surface in thermal contact with the cargo space; wherein the expansion section allows the vaporization of the liquid CO2 into the expansion chamber to create a mixture of carbon dioxide snow and CO2, thereby cooling the cargo space via the heat transfer surface.

A locker system for delivering heat sensitive products comprising a plurality of lockable compartments including at least one refrigerated lockable compartment, a control unit for controlling said plurality of lockable compartments, a cooling device comprising an expansion chamber receiving liquid CO.sub.2 from a reserve of liquid CO.sub.2 and delivering gaseous CO.sub.2 in each of said refrigerated lockable compartments through at least one common duct, and an extraction system to avoid excessive concentration of CO.sub.2 in a building where the locker system is located.

The present invention involves using either liquid nitrogen, dry ice, a gel-like solution of water and alcohol in an ice pack, or a combination of these in a method or device for rapidly lowering the temperature of multiple food and beverage products at the same time. The gel-like ice pack may be shaped around the food or beverage product to increase the surface area resulting in faster cooling. The device may also contain a scale, infrared temperature sensor, and bar code scanner for determining the initial weight, temperature, density, and type of food or beverage product to be cooled.

A first exemplary aspect is a cooling apparatus including: a heat insulator covering at least a part of a target object a supply pipe connected to a space between the heat insulator and the target object; a crusher configured to supply a sublimable coolant powder to the supply pipe; and an air cooler configured to jet gas to the supply pipe so that the coolant powder flows therethrough.

A locker system for delivering heat sensitive products comprising a plurality of lockable compartments including at least one refrigerated lockable compartment, a control unit for controlling said plurality of lockable compartments, a cooling device comprising an expansion chamber receiving liquid CO.sub.2from a reserve of liquid CO.sub.2 and delivering gaseous CO.sub.2 in each of said refrigerated lockable compartments through at least one common duct, and an extraction system to avoid excessive concentration of CO.sub.2 in a building where the locker system is located.

The present invention involves using either liquid nitrogen, dry ice, a gel-like solution of water and alcohol in an ice pack, or a combination of these in a method or device for rapidly lowering the temperature of multiple food and beverage products at the same time. The gel-like ice pack may be shaped around the food or beverage product to increase the surface area resulting in faster cooling. The device may also contain a scale, infrared temperature sensor, and bar code scanner for determining the initial weight, temperature, density, and type of food or beverage product to be cooled.

A first exemplary aspect is a cooling apparatus 100 including: a heat insulator 70 covering at least a part of a target object 80; a supply pipe 30 connected to a space 81 between the heat insulator 70 and the target object 80; a crusher 21 configured to supply a sublimable coolant powder to the supply pipe 30; and an air cooler 22 configured to jet gas to the supply pipe 30 so that the coolant powder 42 flows therethrough.

The invention relates to a cabinet used for freezing or storing food, medical or biological products, using a cryogenic fluid as cooling fluid, said cabinet being of the type that is: provided with one or more convection fans located in the enclosure of the cabinet and capable of moving the air inside the cabinet and thus of contributing to the thermal exchange that occurs therein; and provided with a system for extracting the gases formed in the enclosure of the cabinet due to the vaporization of said cryogenic fluid, said extraction system including an extraction tube connecting to one wall of the cabinet and linking the enclosure to the outside; characterized in that it includes a flap, located on said wall, at the point where the extraction tube enters the cabinet, and extending into the cabinet, the shape, position and direction of said flap making it possible to divert all or part of the turbulence created by the or said convection fans towards the extraction tube.

A storage container in a current temperature is cooled to a target temperature in two phases comprising a first phase of convective heat transfer from the storage container to dry ice, and a second phase of flowing sublimed dry ice to the storage container. Deviation of the current temperature from the target temperature is measured. The first phase is applied, when the deviation of the current temperature inside the storage container is higher than a threshold value for the deviation. The second phase is applied, when the deviation of current temperature inside the storage container is less than a threshold value.

A passive refrigeration apparatus comprising: (i) a container defining a cargo space; (ii) a liquid carbon dioxide cylinder; (iii) a control valve, in fluid communication with the cylinder; (iv) a controller for activating the control valve to control the flow of liquid CO2; and (v) a heat transfer assembly within the container, in fluid communication with the control valve; wherein the heat transfer assembly has (a) an expansion section for receiving the flow of liquid CO2; and (b) an expansion chamber bounded by a heat transfer surface in thermal contact with the cargo space; wherein the expansion section allows the vaporization of the liquid CO2 into the expansion chamber to create a mixture of carbon dioxide snow and CO2, thereby cooling the cargo space via the heat transfer surface.