Transport container for transporting temperature-sensitive transport goods

Abstract

In a transport container for transporting temperature-sensitive transport goods, there is a chamber for receiving the transport goods and a shell enclosing the chamber. The shell has at least one first latent heat storage element wherein the heat storage element is arranged in a heat exchanging relationship with the chamber. The at least one first latent heat storage element includes a carrier material which is dimensionally stable at use temperature, and a phase change material distributed within the mass of the carrier material, so that the at least one first latent heat storage element is dimensionally stable in a temperature range both below and above the melting point of the phase change material. The at least one first latent heat storage element is designed as a casting part which surrounds the chamber in one piece, seen in cross section, at least over half the circumference.

Claims

1. A transport container for transporting temperature-sensitive transport goods, comprising a chamber for receiving the transport goods and a shell enclosing the chamber wherein the shell comprises at least one first latent heat storage element, wherein the at least one first latent heat storage element is arranged in a heat exchanging relationship with the chamber, wherein the at least one first latent heat storage element comprises a carrier material in the form of a cast body which is dimensionally stable at use temperature and a phase change material distributed within a solidified mass of the carrier material, so that the at least one first latent heat storage element is dimensionally stable in a temperature range both below and above the melting point of the phase change material, wherein the at least one first latent heat storage element is a cast part which surrounds the chamber in one piece, seen in cross section, at least over half a circumference of the chamber.

2. The transport container according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first latent heat storage element is formed as a cast part surrounding the chamber in one piece, seen in cross section, over the entire circumference.

3. The transport container according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first latent heat storage element has a jacket section which completely surrounds the circumference of the chamber and a bottom section closing the jacket section on a bottom side thereof, wherein the jacket section and the bottom section are formed integrally with one another.

4. The transport container according to claim 1, wherein further a second latent heat storage element designed as a cast part is provided, the first and the second latent heat storage elements together forming a jacket section which completely surrounds the circumference of the chamber and forming a bottom section closing the jacket section on a bottom side thereof.

5. The transport container according to claim 4, wherein an insulating layer surrounding the chamber is provided, which is arranged outside the at least one first latent heat storage element.

6. The transport container according to claim 1, wherein the shell is double-walled comprising an inner wall and an outer wall and a cavity arranged therebetween and the at least one first latent heat storage element is arranged in the cavity.

7. The transport container according to claim 1, wherein the phase change material is formed from paraffin, esters, linear alcohols, ethers, organic anhydrides, salt hydrates, water-salt mixtures, salt solutions and/or water-based solutions.

8. The transport container according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first latent heat storage element is dimensionally stable in a temperature range of 5° C. to 15° C. above a phase transition temperature of the phase change material.

9. The transport container according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first latent heat storage element is an injection molded cast part.

10. The transport container according to claim 1, wherein the phase change material has a phase transition temperature of 3-10° C.

11. The transport container according to claim 1, wherein an insulating layer surrounding the chamber is provided, which is arranged outside the at least one first latent heat storage element.

12. The transport container according to claim 11, wherein the insulating layer is formed from a gas which has a negative pressure compared to the environment.

13. The transport container according to claim 11, wherein an intermediate wall is arranged between the at least one first latent heat storage element and the insulating layer, the intermediate wall being coated with a reflective layer on a side facing the insulating layer.

14. The transport container according to claim 11, wherein the insulating layer is confined on the inside by the at least one first latent heat storage element, wherein the at least one first latent heat storage element is coated with a reflective layer on a side facing the insulating layer.

15. The transport container according to claim 14, wherein the reflective layer consists of a metallic coating with an emissivity of <0.5.

16. The transport container according to claim 11, wherein the insulating layer is confined on the outside by an outer wall which is coated with a reflective layer on a side facing the insulating layer.

17. The transport container according to claim 16, wherein the reflective layer consists of a metallic coating with an emissivity of <0.5.

18. A method for producing the transport container according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first latent heat storage element is an injection molded cast part.

Description

(1) The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments shown schematically in the drawing. FIG. 1 shows a transport container according to the invention in a first section and FIG. 2 shows the transport container according to FIG. 1 in a second section.

(2) In FIG. 1, a transport container according to the invention is shown in longitudinal section. The transport container is cuboid and comprises a shell 1 which encloses a chamber 2 on all sides. The chamber 2 is used to receive goods to be transported. The shell 1 comprises a jacket section 3 which, in the cross section shown in FIG. 2, surrounds the chamber 2 circumferentially, i.e. on four sides. The shell 1 further comprises a bottom section 4 connected in one piece to the jacket section 3, the jacket section 3 and the bottom section 4 together defining the chamber 2 on five sides. The sixth side of the chamber 2 is closed by the lid 5, which can be opened to enable access to the chamber 2.

(3) The shell 1 has a layer structure in the jacket section 3 and in the bottom section 4 which, viewed from the inside to the outside, comprises an inner wall 6, a layer of a latent heat storage 7, an intermediate wall 8, an insulating layer 9 and an outer wall 10. The lid 5 can have the same layer structure. The inner walls 6 of the five sides formed by the jacket section 3 and the bottom section 4 together form an inner wall body which is formed in one piece and is preferably produced by an injection molding process. The intermediate walls 8 of the five sides formed by the jacket section 3 and the bottom section 4 together form an intermediate wall body which is formed in one piece and is preferably produced by an injection molding process. The outer walls 10 of the five sides formed by the jacket section 3 and the bottom section 4 together form an outer wall body which is formed in one piece and is preferably produced by an injection molding process.

(4) The cavity formed by the inner wall body and the intermediate wall body is completely filled by a latent heat storage element 7, which is designed as a cast body, the production preferably taking place in such a way that the material of the latent heat storage element is heated above the softening point and poured into the cavity and then allowed to solidify.

(5) The cavity formed by the outer wall body and the intermediate wall body is completely filled by a gas, whereby an insulating layer 10 is formed. The surface of the intermediate wall 8 and/or the outer wall 10 facing the gas space can be provided with a reflective coating over the entire area.

(6) In this embodiment, the lid 5 also has a further insulating layer 11 in order to seal the connection between the lid 1 and the jacket section 3.

(7) FIG. 2 shows a cross section of the transport container of the invention according to section II-II of FIG. 1. It can be seen that the latent heat storage 7 surrounds the chamber 2 in one piece over the entire circumference. The inner wall 6, the intermediate wall 8, the insulating layer 9 and the outer wall 10 also surround the chamber 2 over the entire circumference.

(8) In an alternative design of the transport container, not shown, the intermediate wall 8 is omitted so that the latent heat storage element 7 confines the insulating layer 9, i.e. the gas space, on the inner side. The latent heat storage element 7 can be provided with a reflective coating over the entire area on the surface facing the gas space.