Method for preconditioning latent heat storage elements

Abstract

A method is for preconditioning at least one latent heat storage element, which is arranged in a thermally insulated, closed container having a space for accommodating goods to be transported. The latent heat storage element has a target temperature preferably slightly in excess of 0 DEG C. In such an arrangement, it is particularly practical for the accommodation space in the container to be filled with a certain amount of a coolant, particularly ice, and for the container to be closed, and therefore the latent heat storage element located in the container is cooled to the target temperature.

Claims

1. A method for preconditioning at least one latent heat storage element which is arranged in a thermally insulated, closed container having a receiving space for items to be transported, wherein the latent heat storage element has a defined target temperature, the method comprising: using an initial temperature of the latent heat storage element, a thermal capacity of the latent heat storage element and the target temperature of the latent heat storage element to calculate a mass of a coolant appropriate for the target temperature of the latent heat storage element that has to be placed into the receiving space so that the latent heat storage element reaches the target temperature thereof; placing the mass of coolant calculated in this manner into the receiving space; and wherein the latent heat storage element located in the container reaches the target temperature thereof when the cooling in the receiving space has substantially melted.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coolant is removed from the receiving space once the target temperature of the latent heat storage element has been reached.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, after the coolant is placed into the receiving space of the container, the container is closed.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coolant is placed into the receiving space of the container in a separate, closed vessel.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the latent heat storage element has a target temperature greater than 0 C.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein ice is used as the coolant.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising placing the items to be transported into the receiving space and transporting the items in the closed container.

8. A method for preconditioning at least one latent heat storage element to be used in a thermally insulated closed container having a receiving space for items to be transported, wherein said latent heat storage element has an initial temperature, a particular thermal capacity, and a defined target temperature, the method comprising: using the initial temperature of said latent heat storage element, the thermal capacity of said latent heat storage element, and the target temperature of said latent heat storage element to calculate a mass of a coolant appropriate for the target temperature of said latent heat storage element, placing said latent heat storage element in the receiving space of said thermally insulated container, placing said mass of coolant as calculated before into the receiving space of said thermally insulated container, closing said thermally insulated container, and wherein the latent heat storage element located in the container reaches the target temperature thereof when the cooling in the receiving space has substantially melted.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the coolant is removed from the receiving space once the target temperature of the latent heat storage element has been reached.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a preferred container for use in preconditioning of latent heat storage elements.

(2) FIG. 2 shows the container prepared for receiving a temperature-sensitive item in accordance with the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(3) The invention is now explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing illustrating just one preferred exemplary embodiment.

(4) The container 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawing has a container wall 2 in which vacuum insulation panels 2 are located as thermal insulation. The vacuum insulation panels 2 of the exemplary embodiment illustrated are arranged concealed in the walls 2 and are therefore indicated only by dashed lines. However, reference should be made to the prior art mentioned in this respect.

(5) The container 1 is closeable by a lid 3 which is hinged on the container 1 at the top, wherein, in the single figure of the drawing, the lid 3 is illustrated in an open position. The lid 3 also has a heat-insulating installation in the form of a vacuum insulation panel or a plurality of vacuum insulation panels.

(6) In order to be able to transport temperature-sensitive items 4 in the interior of the container 1, there is a receiving space 5 in the interior of the container 1. The manner in which corresponding items 4 can be located in the receiving space 5 is indicated by dashed lines in the single figure of the drawing. The item 4 can be a correspondingly temperature-sensitive product, for example an organ which is intended for transplant and which is optionally arranged for its part in a storage container 4.

(7) Thin walls 6, for example in the form of a thin inner wall made from plastic, are seen on the right and left of the receiving space 5. However, any type of sheet metal or cardboard or a corresponding laminated material plate could also be suitable here. By means of the wall 6, a narrow space is created in each case toward the container wall 2. A latent heat storage element 7 is located here in each of these two spaces. This latent heat storage element 7 (PCM) is similar to a cooling battery. The characteristics of a latent neat storage element 7 have been explained by way of introduction in the description.

(8) In addition, it is preferably the case that there is no connection between the receiving space 5 and the latent heat storage element 7 except for the heat-transmitting connection through the wall 6.

(9) The arrangement of the latent neat storage element 7 in the container 1 is not restricted to the side walls. In principle, the latent heat storage element 7 could also be arranged in the base and/or in the lid 3, or, for example, also just on one side.

(10) The illustrated and preferred exemplary embodiment is furthermore distinguished in that the base of the container 1 is likewise covered on the inside by a latent heat storage element 8. The latter extends from the left to the right between the two latent heat storage elements 7 and forms the base of the receiving space 5. This results in a comprehensive, uniform temperature control of the receiving space 5 and thermal coupling of the lateral latent heat storage element 7. However, this is only a preferred, not necessary, refinement for the container 1 according to the invention.

(11) According to the invention, within the scope of the exemplary embodiment which is described here, and is particularly preferred, but should be understood as not limiting, if is of importance now the latent heat storage elements 7 are preconditioned in the interior of the container 1. In order to understand this better, FIG. 2 of the drawing will be used.

(12) In FIG. 2 of the drawing, the temperature-sensitive item 4, which is indicated by dashed lines in FIG. 1 of the drawing, and the storage container 4 of the item are omitted. FIG. 2 shows the situation in which the container 1 is prepared for subsequently receiving a temperature-sensitive item 4.

(13) As explained above, this is done by the fact that the user pours a correspondingly appropriate quantity of a coolant 9, water ice in the preferred example, into the receiving space 5. This should preferably be crushed ice so that it is distributed as widely as possible. The coolant 9 which is located in the receiving space 5 and is in the form of crushed ice in this exemplary embodiment is seen indicated in FIG. 2. The lid 3 of the container 1 is still open here.

(14) The lid 3 of the container 1 is closed. A mixing temperature defined by the initial temperature of the latent heat storage element 7, the inner walls of the container 1 and the temperature of the coolant 9, i.e. in particular of the water ice, is formed in the interior of the container 1. After a while, the latent heat storage elements 7 have reached the target temperature thereof. The remaining cold water is then poured away from the receiving space 5, the receiving space 5 is dried out and the container 1 is ready to transport the item 4 (FIG. 1).

(15) The statements in the general part of the description and in the claims apply in general to all of the variants of the method according to the invention. The operating principle of the invention basically consists in that because of the latent heat storage element 7 heat does not flow out of the receiving space 5 of the container 1, but rather heat is supplied to a certain extent to said interior by the latent heat storage elements 7 and 8. As a result, a somewhat higher temperature is set in the receiving space 5 of the container 1 than would be predetermined per se by the coolant 9 located there. If the coolant is water ice, with this methodology, the temperature in the interior for items 4 inserted later or isochronously can be kept in the desired manner just above the limiting temperature, in particular above the freezing point.

(16) Reference should be made in detail to the various possible method steps which have been explained in the general part of the description.