Temperature-controllable container with vacuum insulation elements

Abstract

Temperature-controllable container with vacuum insulation elements and with an interior space, which container comprises a wall with an opening for objects to be placed into the interior space, and a door element closing the opening, wherein transport elements are arranged on an outer surface of the container, which transport elements are designed to enable lifting by means of a transport vehicle, and wherein the container further comprises a temperature control unit which is designed so as to bring the interior space to a predetermined temperature T, wherein the temperature control unit comprises a heating/cooling unit operated via a solar energy device or a heating/cooling unit operated via a power supply network, and wherein a receptacle means for melt-storage elements or sample bodies is arranged in the interior space, which receptacle means is designed so as to position at least two melt-storage elements or sample bodies at a distance from each other.

Claims

1. A temperature-controllable container with vacuum insulation elements and with an interior space, which container comprises a wall with an opening for objects to be placed into the interior space, and a door element closing the opening, wherein transport elements are arranged on an outer surface of the container, which transport elements are designed to enable lifting by means of a transport vehicle, and wherein the container further comprises a temperature control unit which is designed so as to bring the interior space to a predetermined temperature T, wherein the temperature control unit comprises a heating and cooling unit, and wherein a receptacle means for melt-storage elements or sample bodies is arranged in the interior space, which receptacle means is designed so as to position at least two melt-storage elements or sample bodies at a distance from each other, wherein the receptacle means comprises spacers into each of which a corner of a plurality of melt-storage elements or sample bodies is insertable or which are each placeable between two melt-storage elements or sample bodies, and wherein the transport elements comprises a plurality of blocks arranged in a square on a lower outer surface of the container, wherein the plurality of blocks are connected to each other in the form of a pallet.

2. The temperature-controllable container of claim 1, wherein the heating and cooling unit is operated via a solar energy device comprising a solar module and a control unit.

3. The temperature-controllable container of claim 2, wherein the control unit comprises a processor unit and an electric accumulator, and wherein the processor unit is adapted to charge the electric accumulator when the solar module supplies electrical energy that is not used to operate the heating and cooling unit at that time.

4. The temperature-controllable container of claim 2, wherein the electric heating and cooling unit comprises a cooling compressor adapted to be operated with varying energy absorption.

5. The temperature-controllable container of claim 2, wherein the electric heating and cooling unit comprises an evaporator for evaporating a coolant.

6. The temperature-controllable container of claim 2, wherein the receptacle means for melt-storage elements or sample bodies comprises transport elements designed to enable lifting by means of a transport vehicle.

7. The temperature-controllable container of claim 2, wherein the receptacle means for melt-storage elements or sample bodies comprise shelve compartments that extend over the entire height of the interior space.

8. The temperature-controllable container of claim 2, wherein the receptacle means for melt-storage elements or sample bodies has such a size and shape to partially fill the interior space.

9. The temperature-controllable container of claim 2, wherein the receptacle means for melt-storage elements or sample bodies has such a size and shape to fill the interior space with a volume in the range of 50% to 90%, in particular 70% to 80%.

10. The temperature-controllable container of claim 2, wherein the wall includes one or more vacuum insulation elements.

11. The temperature-controllable container of claim 10, wherein the vacuum insulation elements are made of pyrogenic silicic acid.

12. The temperature-controllable container of claim 1, wherein the heating/cooling unit heating and cooling unit comprises a plurality of compressors with a mains connection for power supply via a power supply network.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a perspective side view of a temperature-controllable container according to a first exemplary embodiment of the invention with a solar energy device;

(2) FIG. 2 shows a detailed view of the temperature-controllable container from FIG. 1 in a closed state without solar module;

(3) FIG. 3 shows a perspective side view of a temperature-controllable container according to a second exemplary embodiment of the invention with a mains connection;

(4) FIG. 4 shows a perspective side view of a temperature-controllable container with an alternative receptacle means in the pushed-out state;

(5) FIG. 5 shows a perspective side view of a temperature-controllable container with an alternative receptacle means in the pushed-in state; and

(6) FIG. 6 shows a receptacle means in the form of a spacer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) In accordance with a preferred alternative or additive aspect, the electric temperature control unit comprises a heating/cooling unit operated via the power supply network. The heating/cooling unit operated via the power supply network allows particularly low temperatures to be generated. In addition, the electrical energy supplied by the solar energy system can be supplemented. The power supply network can be fed by conventional energy and additionally by a solar system. In one example, the heating/cooling unit comprises several compressors with a mains connection for power supply via the power supply network.

(8) It is advantageous if a receptacle means for melt-storage elements or sample bodies is disposed in the interior space. This can be a single pallet for storage or a shelving device with several slide-in compartments. The receptacle means for melt-storage elements or sample bodes may include rollers.

(9) The receptacle means for melt-storage elements or sample bodies comprises transport elements designed to enable lifting by means of a transport vehicle.

(10) The receptacle means preferably includes spacers into each of which a corner of a plurality of melt-storage elements or sample bodies can be inserted or which can be placed between two melt-storage elements or sample bodies. The spacer can have a distance D in the range from 10 mm to 20 mm, in particular 15 mm. The spacers can be formed integrally at the melt-storage elements or sample bodies or separately formed at the melt-storage elements or sample bodies.

(11) A preferred aspect is that the receptacle means for melt-storage elements or sample bodies has such a size and shape to completely fill the interior space. In contrast to PCM battery receptacles for transport, as described in EP 2 876 389 B 1, the receptacle means provides a maximum bearing surface for the placement of PCM batteries, e.g. for cooling during transport.

(12) The receptacle means for melt-storage elements or sample bodies preferably has such a size and shape to partially fill the interior space.

(13) The preferred size and shape of the receptacle means for melt-storage elements or sample bodies is such that the interior space is filled with a volume in the range of 50% to 90%, especially 70% to 80%.

(14) The method for cooling or heating a temperature-controlled container comprises the steps of:

(15) (a) providing a temperature-controllable container;

(16) (b) filling the temperature-controllable container;

(17) (c) cooling or heating the temperature-controllable container, wherein the temperature is maintained within a range of +/−0.5° C.

(18) Preferably, step a) comprises providing a temperature-controllable container as described above, and step b) comprises filling with melt-storage elements or sample bodies.

(19) In the following, the invention is explained in more detail using the examples shown in the attached drawings.

(20) FIG. 1 shows a perspective side view of a temperature-controllable container 1 according to a first variant of the invention. In this case, the temperature control unit comprises a solar energy device 5. The electric current generated by the solar energy device 5 is used to operate a heating/cooling unit (not shown).

(21) The shown container 1 comprises a wall 3 of four vertically arranged side parts 32 as well as a floor element 33 closing an interior space (receiving space) downwards and a ceiling part 34 supporting the solar energy device 5 as well as the electrically driven heating/cooling unit (not shown). The right side part 32 is shown open, so that four vacuum insulation panels 321 arranged therein can be seen. Two side parts 32 together with the floor element 33 and the ceiling part 34 form an opening 31 for objects to be placed into the interior space 2. The opening 31 can be closed by a door element 4, which is pivotally arranged on a side part 32, in the manner of a single-leaf door which can be pivoted about a vertical axis.

(22) When the door 4 is open, sample bodies or objects or goods, such as foodstuffs, beverages, pharmaceutical products or medical products, can be inserted through the opening 31 into the interior space 2.

(23) The door 4 closes the opening 31 in an airtight and thermally insulating fashion by means of a sealing element 42, so that a predetermined temperature can be maintained in the interior space 2 over long periods of time. The door 4 can be locked via a locking unit 41 to allow access to the interior space 2, for example exclusively with a key.

(24) For transport and storage, transport elements 11 in the form of nine storage blocks 111 being arranged in a square are provided on the lower surface of the floor element 33 of the container 1, which are connected to each other in the form of a pallet. This arrangement enables the tines of a transport vehicle (forklift) to be engaged from two directions.

(25) On the upper surface, the container 1 also has an electric temperature control unit 5 in the form of an electrically driven heating/cooling unit. The electrically driven heating/cooling unit 5 is designed in accordance with the functionality of a compression refrigeration machine in order to cool down the interior space 2 to a predetermined temperature T. The heating/cooling unit 5 is driven by a solar energy device. The solar energy device comprises a solar module 52 in the form of a unit for generating solar power, which completely covers the upper surface of the container 1, and a control unit 51 arranged below the solar module 52. The control unit 51 has all components arranged in the housing (see FIG. 2) and has ventilation slots for the supply of air for cooling of the electrical units.

(26) In FIG. 2 the container 1 of FIG. 1 is shown, whereby the solar module has been removed, so that the control unit 51 of the solar energy device can be seen in partial section. The control unit 51 consists of a processor unit 511 and an electric accumulator 512. Various sensors are connected to the processor unit 511 to determine the electrical energy available in the electric accumulator 512 and due to the solar module. The processor unit 511 is adapted to charge the electric accumulator 512 when the solar module supplies electrical energy which is not currently used to operate the heating/cooling unit 6.

(27) The heating/cooling unit 6 is designed in the form of a compression refrigeration machine and has a cooling compressor which is designed to be operated with varying energy absorption.

(28) In the illustration shown, the door 4 is locked and has a handle 411 to open the door.

(29) In the variant shown, the heating/cooling unit 6, which is driven by the solar energy device, can also be operated via the power supply network and for this purpose has a mains plug 7.

(30) An alternative variant is shown in FIG. 3, whereby the temperature-controllable container 1 comprises a mains connection 7 for supply via a power supply network.

(31) In this example, the electric heating/cooling unit (see FIG. 2), which is operated exclusively via the power supply network, comprises several compressors with a mains connection 7 for energy supply via the power supply network. Ventilation slots 53 are arranged in the upper area.

(32) It is advantageous if a receptacle means 21 for melt-storage elements 81 or sample bodies 82 is arranged in the interior space 2. The melt-storage elements 81 can be prepared for passively cooled transport. The sample bodies 82 can be stored refrigerated for the performance of tests.

(33) The receptacle means 21 for melt-storage elements or sample bodies 82 has such a size and shape to completely fill the interior space 2. In the example shown, these are shelve compartments that extend over the entire height of the interior space 2.

(34) In FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 a perspective side view of a temperature-controllable container with an alternative receptacle means in the pushed-out respectively pushed-in state is shown. The receptacle means 21 comprises spacers (see detail FIG. 6) into each of which a corner of a plurality of melt-storage elements 81 or sample bodies 82 is insertable or which are each placeable between two melt-storage elements 81 or sample bodies 82. A receptacle means in the form of a spacer does also include a profiled layer to be arranged in between of the melt-storage elements 81 or sample bodies 82.