TRANSPORT CONTAINER

Abstract

A transport container for transporting temperature-sensitive goods, having a container wall arrangement surrounding an interior chamber for accommodating the goods comprising a plurality of walls adjoining one another at an angle. The container wall arrangement has an opening for loading and unloading the interior chamber, which opening can be closed by means of a door device, and the container wall arrangement encloses the interior chamber on all sides with the exception of the opening. The container wall arrangement consists of a layered structure comprising, from the outside to the inside, a first insulation layer, optionally a second insulation layer, and an energy distribution layer bounding the interior chamber and made of a material having a thermal conductivity of >100 W/(m.Math.K). In the interior chamber, at least one coolant reservoir for holding a coolant is arranged and/or fastened to at least one wall, in particular an upper wall.

Claims

1-20. (canceled)

21. A transport container for transporting temperature-sensitive goods, comprising: a container wall arrangement surrounding an interior chamber for receiving the goods, the container wall arrangement comprising a plurality of walls adjoining one another at an angle, the container wall arrangement having an opening for loading and unloading the interior chamber, and having a door device by means of which the opening can be closed, and the container wall arrangement enclosing the interior chamber on all sides except the opening, the container wall arrangement consisting of a layered structure comprising, from the outside to the inside a first insulation layer, and an energy distribution layer bounding the interior chamber and made of a material with a thermal conductivity of >100 W/(m.Math.K), and in that at least one coolant reservoir for receiving a coolant is at least one of arranged and fastened in the interior chamber on at least one wall; wherein the door device comprises at least one inner door panel and at least one outer door panel, and in that the at least one inner door panel is arranged to keep the coolant reservoir accessible via the opened outer door panel in the closed state of the at least one inner door panel; and wherein one of the at least one coolant reservoir and a support of the at least one coolant reservoir is directly in heat-conducting connection with the energy distribution layer. a layered structure comprising, from the outside to the inside a first insulation layer, at least one coolant reservoir for receiving a coolant is at least one of arranged and fastened in the interior chamber on at least one wall.

22. The transport container according to claim 21, wherein the at least one coolant reservoir is at least one of arranged and fastened in the interior chamber on at least an upper wall.

23. The transport container according to claim 21, wherein the door device consists of a layered structure comprising from the outside to the inside: a first insulation layer; and an energy distribution layer bounding the interior chamber and made of a material having a thermal conductivity of >100 W/(m.Math.K).

24. The transport container according to claim 21, wherein the at least one coolant reservoir comprises a drawer guided in a drawer guide, the drawer extractable from the interior chamber and insertable into the interior chamber.

25. The transport container according to claim 21, wherein: the first insulation layer has a thermal conductivity of 4 to 300 mW/(m.Math.K); and the second insulation layer has a thermal conductivity of 1 to 30 mW/(m.Math.K).

26. The transport container according to claim 25, wherein the first insulation layer has a higher thermal conductivity than the second insulation layer.

27. The transport container according to claim 21, wherein one of the first and the second insulation layer comprises a multilayer structure of honeycomb-shaped deep-drawn plastic foils, the multilayer structure being provided on both sides with a heat-reflecting coating.

28. The transport container according to claim 21, wherein one of the first and the second insulation layer comprises a vacuum thermal insulation.

29. The transport container according to claim 26, wherein the vacuum insulation panels comprise a porous core material as a support body for the vacuum present in the interior and a gas-tight envelope surrounding the core material.

30. The transport container according to claim 21, wherein one of the first and the second insulation layer has an outer wall, an inner wall spaced therefrom and a vacuum chamber formed between the outer and inner walls, the vacuum chamber comprising a continuous vacuum chamber surrounding the interior chamber on all sides except the opening.

31. The transport container according to claim 30, wherein the outer wall and the inner wall are connected by a plurality of spacers.

32. The transport container according to claim 30, wherein the inner wall forms the energy distribution layer.

33. The transport container according to claim 21, wherein the energy distribution layer consists of one of aluminum, graphite, and a graphite composite material.

34. The transport container according to claim 21, wherein the at least one coolant reservoir consists of a material with a thermal conductivity of >100 W/(m.Math.K).

35. The transport container according to claim 21, wherein: the at least one outer door panel forms a first door insulation layer of the door device; and the at least one inner door panel forms a second door insulation layer of the door device.

36. The transport container according to claim 21, wherein: the coolant reservoir comprises an access portion arranged in the opening; and the at least one inner door panel in a closed state cooperates with the access portion on a side facing the access portion to sealingly close off the interior chamber.

37. The transport container according to claim 21, further comprising: at least one inner circumferential seal between the at least one inner door panel and the opening; at least one outer circumferential seal between the at least one outer door panel and the opening; and a buffer space arranged between the at least one inner door panel and the at least one outer door panel.

38. The transport container according to claim 37, wherein: the at least one inner circumferential seal comprises at least one inner sealing element displaceable by pressure difference adapted to open a gas passage from an inside to the buffer space when a predetermined pressure difference is exceeded; and the at least one outer circumferential seal comprises at least one outer sealing element displaceable by pressure difference adapted to open a further gas passage from the buffer space to an outside when the predetermined pressure difference is exceeded.

39. The transport container according to claim 21, wherein the at least one inner door panel comprises an inner aluminum shell and an outer aluminum shell, and a vacuum thermal insulation is arranged between the inner and outer aluminum shells for thermal decoupling thereof.

40. The transport container according to claim 21, wherein the coolant reservoir comprises a vacuum thermal insulation on a front side facing the opening of the container wall arrangement.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0063] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to schematic examples of embodiments shown in the drawings.

[0064] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a cuboid transport container according to the invention,

[0065] FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal section of the transport container according to FIG. 1 with closed doors and filled coolant drawers,

[0066] FIG. 3 shows a detailed view in area A of FIG. 2 of the door device of a first embodiment,

[0067] FIG. 4 shows a detailed view in the area of the door device of a second embodiment,

[0068] FIG. 5 shows a front view in partial section of the second embodiment, and

[0069] FIG. 6 shows a detailed view of a coolant drawer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0070] FIG. 1 shows a cuboid transport container 1 whose container wall arrangement surrounds an interior chamber on all sides except for an opening. The container wall arrangement includes two side walls, a back wall, a bottom and a ceiling.

[0071] The container wall arrangement consists of a multilayer insulation 2 and 3, an inner double door 4, an outer door 5, an energy distribution layer 6 forming the inner shell, drawers 7 with dry ice and a drawer guide 8, which are attached to the energy distribution layer 6 of the ceiling.

[0072] As can be seen in the sectional view according to FIG. 2, the insulation consists of an outer, first insulation layer 2 and an inner, second insulation layer 3. The first insulation layer is, for example, 60-80 mm thick and consists of a multilayer structure of honeycomb deep-drawn PET foils coated on both sides with aluminum. As a result, an insulating performance of the first insulation layer of 4 to 300 mW/(m.Math.K) is achieved. The second insulation layer 3 is 30-50 mm thick and consists of a high-performance insulation, such as vacuum insulation panels (VIP) or aerogel, achieving an insulation performance of 1 to 30 mW/(m.Math.K).

[0073] In the area of the front opening of the transport container, the inner double door 4 can be attributed to the inner, second insulation layer 3 and the outer door 5 to the outer, first insulation layer 2. As shown in FIG. 3, the inner double door 4 consists in each case of an inner 13 and an outer aluminum half-shell 14, with the inner and outer shells being thermally decoupled. Decoupling is achieved with inner insulation 3 consisting of 30-50 mm thick high-performance insulation, such as vacuum panels, and connecting elements made of low-heat conducting, cold-resistant plastic 12 (e.g. PEEK). The outer door 5 is insulated with a 60-80 mm thick multi-layered structure of honeycomb deep-drawn PET foils coated on both sides with aluminum. The combination of high insulation performance of the inner double door 4 (1 to 30 mW/(m.Math.K)) and medium insulation performance of the outer door 5 (4 to 300 mW/(m.Math.K)) results in a temperature of around 0 C. (between 20 C. and 8 C.) on the outside of the inner double door 4 at a temperature of the interior chamber of 60 C. to 80 C. This makes it possible to open the inner double door 4 manually (without risk of cold burn) during operation.

[0074] At the edge of the inner door 4 there is a seal 11 which allows the CO.sub.2 gas produced to escape, but at the same time largely prevents warm ambient air from flowing in. Seals 10 are also located on the outer door so that, together with the inner door seal 11, a labyrinth is created which, on the one hand, allows the CO.sub.2 gas produced to escape and, on the other hand, ensures that the moisture of incoming air condenses on the outside of the inner double door 4, which has a temperature around 0 C. (between 20 C. and 8 C.). This prevents the penetration of humidity into the interior chamber and the associated formation of ice.

[0075] The energy distribution layer 6 consists of e.g. 0.5-5 mm thick aluminum plates. These have a thermal conductivity of about 150 W/(m.Math.K), which distributes local heat inputs across the interior envelope and creates a uniform temperature distribution in the interior chamber. The joints of the individual aluminum plates on the sides and corners are reinforced with rivets so that they can withstand the forces generated by thermal stresses.

[0076] The drawers 7 as well as the drawer guides 8, which are attached to the upper side of the inner shell 6, are also made of 0.5-5 mm thick aluminum plates with a thermal conductivity of 150 W/(m.Math.K). The dry ice 9 is introduced directly into the drawers.

[0077] FIGS. 4 and 5 show a modified version, where in FIG. 5 the left half is a front view of the transport container with the inner double door 4 closed and the outer door 5 open, and the right half shows a cross-section through the transport container with drawers. In the modified version shown here, the inner double door 4 is made smaller so that the drawers 7 can be opened when the inner double door 4 is closed. In addition, the outside of the dry ice drawers 7 is insulated by 30-50 mm thick vacuum panels 17. This has the advantage that the running time of the transport container can be extended as required by renewing the dry ice. In this case, the inner double door does not have to be opened and the transported goods do not have to be taken out.

[0078] Furthermore, in this variant, the insulation of the outer door 5 is improved by inserting additional vacuum panels 16 or partially replacing the existing insulation 15 with vacuum panels. This reduces the heat input through the front door and therefore has a beneficial effect on the running time of the transport container.