METHOD FOR PROVIDING A TRANSPORT CONTAINER SYSTEM, AND A TRANSPORT CONTAINER SYSTEM

Abstract

The invention relates to a process for providing a transport container system with a container internal temperature within a target range. The transport container system has a container having a receiving space wherein the temperature in the receiving space of the container is the container internal temperature and at least two PCM elements which can be removed from the container and inserted into the container. All PCM elements have the same phase change material. At least one first PCM element is tempered outside the container in such a way that the phase change material of this first PCM element is in a completely solid state. At least one second PCM element is tempered outside the container in such a way that the phase change material of this second PCM element is in a completely liquid state. The tempered PCM elements are arranged in the container. The tempering and the PCM elements are configured in such a way that after the PCM elements have been arranged in the container, the container internal temperature reaches a value within the target range.

The invention also relates to a suitable transport container system for transporting a temperature-sensitive object in a target range of a container's internal temperature.

Claims

1. A method for providing a transport container system with a container internal temperature within a target range, wherein the transport container system comprises a heat-insulated, closable container having a receiving space for an object to be transported, wherein the temperature in the receiving space of the container is the container internal temperature, wherein the transport container system has at least two PCM elements which can be removed from the container and inserted into the container, wherein all PCM elements have the same phase change material, wherein the method comprises the following steps: at least one first PCM element is tempered outside the container in such a way that the phase change material of this first PCM element is in the completely solid state of aggregation, and at least one second PCM element is tempered outside the container in such a way that the phase change material of this second PCM element is in the completely liquid state of aggregation, the PCM elements thus tempered are arranged in the container and the tempering and the PCM elements are configured in such a way that after the PCM elements have been arranged in the container, the container internal temperature reaches a value within the target range.

2. The method for providing a transport container system with a container internal temperature within a target range, wherein the transport container system comprises a heat-insulated, closable container having a receiving space for an object to be transported, wherein the temperature in the receiving space of the container is the container internal temperature, wherein the transport container system has at least two PCM elements which can be removed from the container and inserted into the container, wherein all PCM elements have the same phase change material, wherein the method comprises the following steps: at least one first PCM element is tempered outside the container to a temperature below the phase change temperature range and at least one second PCM element is tempered outside the container a temperature in the phase change temperature range or above the phase change temperature range, the PCM elements thus tempered are arranged in the container and the tempering and the PCM elements are configured in such a way that, after the PCM elements have been arranged in the container, the container internal temperature reaches a value within the target range.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the number of PCM elements selected in such a way that after arranging the accordingly tempered PCM elements in the container, the container internal temperature reaches a value within the target range.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the size of the PCM elements is selected in such a way that after arranging the accordingly tempered PCM elements the container, the internal temperature of the container reaches a value within the target range.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the arrangement of the PCM elements is selected in such a way that after arranging the accordingly tempered PCM elements in the container, the container internal temperature reaches a value within the target range.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mass of the phase change material of the PCM elements is selected such that after arranging the accordingly tempered PCM elements in the container, the container internal temperature reaches a value within the target range.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first PCM element is tempered in a cold room with an internal temperature of about 2° C. to about 8° C. or in a deep-freeze room with an internal temperature of less than or equal to −10° C., preferably about −25° C.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein all first PCM elements together have a mass fraction of the total phase change material arranged in the container of 5-85%, preferably 5-35%.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein an object to be transported is placed in the receiving space of the container and the container is closed.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the container has a bottom, a mantle and a lid, wherein a PCM element is tempered outside the container in such a way that the phase change material of this first PCM element is in a completely solid or completely liquid state of aggregation, and is arranged on the bottom or lid, wherein a further PCM element is tempered outside the container in such a way that the phase change material of this further PCM element is in a completely solid or completely liquid state of aggregation, and is arranged on the lid or bottom.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein at least one further PCM element, preferably four further PCM elements, is/are tempered outside the container in such a way that the phase change material of the respective second PCM element is in a completely solid or completely liquid state of aggregation, and is/are arranged on the mantle.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the container has a bottom, a mantle and a lid, wherein a PCM element is tempered outside the container to a temperature below the phase change temperature range, in the phase change temperature range or above the phase change temperature range and is arranged on the bottom or lid, wherein a further PCM element is tempered outside the container to a temperature below the phase change temperature range, in the phase change temperature range or above the phase change temperature range and is arranged on the lid or bottom.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein at least one further PCM element, preferably four further PCM elements, is/are tempered outside the container to a temperature below the phase change temperature range, in the phase change temperature range or above the phase change temperature range and is/are arranged on the mantle.

14. A transport container system for transporting a temperature-sensitive object in a target range of a container internal temperature, wherein the transport container system comprises a thermally insulated, closable container having a receiving space for the object to be transported, the transport container system has at least two PCM elements which can be removed from the container and inserted into the container, all PCM elements have the same phase change material, and the phase change material of at least one first PCM element is completely in the solid state of aggregation when inserted into the container and the phase change material of at least one second PCM element is completely in the liquid state of aggregation when inserted into the container.

15. A transport container system for transporting a temperature-sensitive object in a target range of a container internal temperature, wherein the transport container system comprises a thermally insulated, closable container having a receiving space for the object to be transported, the transport container system has at least two PCM elements which can be removed from the container and inserted into the container, all PCM elements have the same phase change material, and the phase change material of at least one first PCM element has a temperature below the phase change temperature range when inserted into the container, and the phase change material of at least one second PCM element has a temperature in the phase change temperature range or above the phase change temperature range when inserted into the container.

16. The transport container system according to claim 14, wherein the phase change material of all first PCM elements together have a mass fraction of the total phase change material present in the container of 5-85%, preferably 5-35%.

17. The transport container system according to claim 14, wherein the PCM elements contain an immobilized, preferably gel-like, phase change material and/or a foam.

18. The transport container system according to claim 14, wherein the phase change material comprises a nucleating agent for nucleation during phase change.

19. The transport container system according to claim 14, wherein thermal insulation elements, preferably designed as vacuum insulation panels, are arranged in the container for thermal insulation.

20. The transport container system according to claim 14, wherein the container has a bottom, a mantle and a lid, at least one of the first PCM elements and/or one of the second PCM elements is arranged on the bottom, and at least one of the first PCM elements and/or one of the second PCM elements is arranged on the lid.

21. The transport container system according to claim 20, wherein at least one of the first PCM elements and/or one of the second PCM elements is arranged on the lid.

22. The transport container system according to claim 20, wherein at least one of the first PCM elements is arranged on the bottom, at least one of the first PCM elements is arranged on the lid, and at least one of the second PCM elements is arranged on the mantle.

Description

[0075] In the following, the invention is now explained in more detail by means of two preferred design examples; it shows

[0076] FIG. 1 schematically in an exploded view a first example of an embodiment of a transport container system according to the invention and

[0077] FIG. 2 schematically in a front view a second example of an embodiment of a transport container system according to the invention.

[0078] FIG. 1 shows schematically in an exploded view a first example of a transport container system 1. The transport container system 1 serves for the transport of a temperature-sensitive object in a target range of a container internal temperature. The transport container system 1 has a heat-insulated, closable container 2 with a receiving space for an object to be transported. Six thermal insulation elements 3, here designed as vacuum insulation panels, are arranged in container 2. The temperature inside the container 2 is the temperature of the container.

[0079] In the illustrated and preferred example of an embodiment, the transport container system 1 has six PCM elements 4 that can be removed from container 2 and inserted into container 2. All PCM elements 4 have the same phase change material with a specific phase change temperature range. All PCM elements 4 are of the same dimensions and contain the same mass of phase change material.

[0080] In the illustrated and preferred example of an embodiment, the container 2 has a bottom 5, a mantle 6 and a lid 7. The container 2 is here designed as a cuboid. The mantle 6 thus has four side walls standing perpendicular to each other. Already in the general part of the description it has been pointed out that other container shapes are also known, for example with a cylinder or cube shape.

[0081] In the example of an embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the thermal insulation elements 3 are arranged in the container 2 on the wall side of its inner surfaces. The thermal insulation elements 3 can be removed from the container 2 and inserted into the container 2. Each thermal insulation element 3 has predetermined dimensions which match the assigned inner surface of the container 2. The thermal insulation elements 3 result in a good insulation of the receiving space of the container 2.

[0082] In FIG. 1, a total of five of the six thermal insulation elements 3 used are visible, wherein each of the inner surfaces of the four mantle sides is assigned a thermal insulation element 3 and wherein each of the inner surfaces of the lid 7 and the bottom 5 is assigned a thermal insulation element 3. The thermal insulation elements 3 can be individually removed from the transport container system 1 and individually inserted into the transport container system 1. If a thermal insulation element 3 is damaged, only the defective thermal insulation element 3 can be replaced. However, in the general description section it has already been pointed out that there could also be only one thermal insulation element 3 which completely covers both the inner surface of the bottom 5 and the inner surfaces of the mantle 6. Thus, only two thermal insulation elements 3 would be provided, with the second thermal insulation element 3 located on the inner surface of the lid 7.

[0083] In the example of an embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the six PCM elements 4 in the transport container system 1 are arranged on the wall side on the inner surfaces of the thermal insulation elements. Each PCM element 4 can be removed from container 2 and inserted into container 2. Each PCM element 4 has predetermined dimensions matching the assigned inner surface of the thermal insulation elements 3.

[0084] In the illustrated and preferred example of an embodiment, two PCM elements 4—namely the one arranged at the bottom 5 and the one arranged at the lid 7—have a temperature below the phase change temperature range when inserted into the container 2, preferably about 13 K below the phase change temperature range. The phase change material of these two PCM elements 4 is then in a completely solid state of aggregation. Four PCM elements 4—namely those arranged on the mantle 6—have a temperature above the phase change temperature range when inserted into the container 2, preferably about 1 K to 4 K above the phase change temperature range. The phase change material of these four PCM elements 4 is then in a completely liquid state of aggregation.

[0085] In the illustrated and preferred example of an embodiment, the phase change material of the PCM elements 4, whose phase change material is present in a completely solid state of aggregation when inserted into container 2, makes up a mass fraction of ⅓ of the total phase change material present in container 2.

[0086] On the basis of the transport container system shown in FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of the procedure according to the invention is described below. The phase change temperature of the PCM elements is preferably 17.8° C.

[0087] First, two PCM elements 4 outside the container 2 are tempered to a temperature below the phase change temperature, preferably to −5° C. For this purpose, a cold room with an internal temperature of approx. 2° C. to approx. 8° C. is used. Four PCM elements 4 are tempered outside of container 2 to a temperature above the phase change temperature, preferably to a temperature above 19° C. The tempered PCM elements 4 are then placed inside the container 2. A PCM element 4, which has been tempered to a temperature above the phase change temperature, is placed at the bottom 5. The second PCM element 4, which has been tempered to a temperature above the phase change temperature, is placed on the lid 7. The remaining four PCM elements 4, namely the PCM elements 4 tempered to a temperature above the phase change temperature, are arranged on the mantle 6. Finally, an object to be transported is placed in the receiving space of container 2 and container 2 is closed.

[0088] Due to the selected temperature below the phase change temperature and the temperature above the phase change temperature and the dimensioning and arranging of the pre-tempered PCM elements, the internal temperature in container 2 reaches a value within the target range.

[0089] FIG. 2 shows schematically in a front view a second example of an embodiment of a transport container system 1. The transport container system 1 serves for the transport of a temperature-sensitive object in a target range of a container internal temperature. The transport container system 1 has a heat-insulated, closable container 2 with a receiving space for an object to be transported. Several thermal insulation elements 3, here designed as vacuum insulation panels, are arranged in the container 2. The temperature inside the container 2 is the same as the temperature inside the container.

[0090] The transport container system 1 according to FIG. 2 has several, namely 52, PCM elements 4 that can be removed from container 2 and inserted into container 2. It is generally preferred if the number of PCM elements 4 is between 36 and 76. All PCM elements 4 have the same phase change material with a specific phase change temperature. All PCM elements 4 are of the same dimensions and contain the same mass of phase change material.

[0091] The transport container system 1 shown in FIG. 2 has a bottom 5, a mantle 6 and a lid 7, which is firmly connected to the mantle 6. The mantle 6 has a door 8. Thermal insulation elements 3 are arranged on the inner surfaces of the transport container system 1. On each inner surface of the thermal insulation elements 3, slide-in guides 9 can be provided in which the PCM elements 4 can be arranged. The slide-in guides 9 can be designed to be extendable in order to facilitate insertion and/or removal of the PCM elements 4. The transport container system 1 shown in FIG. 2 is particularly suitable for large goods to be transported or alternatively for a large number of small goods to be transported which are to be transported within the same temperature range.

[0092] In the preferred example of an embodiment shown in FIG. 2, 43 PCM elements 4 have a temperature below the phase change temperature when inserted into container 2, preferably approx. −25° C. Nine PCM elements 4 have a temperature above the phase change temperature when inserted into container 2, preferably approx. 20.5° C.

[0093] In the illustrated and preferred example of an embodiment, the phase change material of the PCM elements 4, whose phase change material is present in a completely solid state of aggregation when inserted into container 2, makes up a mass fraction of the total phase change material present in container 2 of 43/52.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0094] 1 transport container system [0095] 2 container of 1 [0096] 3 thermal insulation element of 2 [0097] 4 PCM element from 1 [0098] 5 bottom of 2 [0099] 6 mantle of 2 [0100] 7 lid of 2 [0101] 8 door from 6 [0102] 9 slide-in guides