Temperature controlled shipping containers

• US 6,968,711 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2002
• Issued: 11/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pelican Nanocool Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: NanoPore Inc.
• Inventors: Perkes, Richard G., Warren, Lois X., Shrimpton, Quentin, Sinclair, Vanessa, O'Brien, Tamara L., Smith, Douglas M., Roderick, Kevin H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jiang, Chen Wen
• Application Number:
  US10/165,753
• Publication Number:
  US 20030014994A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,272 Days
• Field of Search: 623/71, 624/579, 624/577, 622/381, 622/383, 624/94, 624/76, 624/80, 621/01, 621/09
• US Class Current: 62/371
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 5/047 for absorption-type refrigeration systems
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 17/02 the absorbent or adsorbent being a liquid, e.g. brine F25B17/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 17/08 the absorbent or adsorbent being a solid, e.g. salt F25B17/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 11/003 Transport containers
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2201/126 of cellular type
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2201/14 using subatmospheric pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2331/804 Boxes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 40/00 Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers

Abstract

Novel sorption cooling devices capable of providing cooling over an extended period of time are disclosed. The sorption cooling devices are particularly useful for temperature-controlled shipping containers that are required to maintain a temperature below ambient for a time sufficient to complete delivery of the container and its contents. The shipping containers can be utilized to cost-effectively transport temperature-sensitive products.

Claims

1. A temperature-controlled container, comprising:

a) a bottom container portion comprising a bottom wall and at least a first sidewall defining a cavity adapted to contain a product therein;

b) a top container portion comprising a top surface and a bottom surface and adapted to combine with said bottom container portion to define a product cavity, said top container portion forming a top wall for said container;

c) at least a first sorption cooling device disposed in and integral with said top portion and comprising an evaporator having a cooling surface for providing cooling to said product cavity and an absorber for absorbing vapor formed in said evaporator.

2. A temperature-controlled container as recited in claim 1, wherein said absorber is disposed to dissipate heat generated in said absorber outside of said product cavity.

3. A temperature-controlled container as recited in claim 1, wherein said absorber is integral with said top surface of said top container portion.

4. A temperature-controlled container as recited in claim 1, wherein said top portion comprises a plurality of sorption cooling devices.

5. A temperature-controlled container as recited in claim 1, wherein said bottom container portion comprises at least a second sorption cooling device incorporated therein and adapted to cool said product cavity.

6. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 1, wherein said sorption cooling device is removable from said top container portion.

7. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 1, wherein said container is in the form of a substantially rectangular box comprising four sidewalls.

8. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 1, wherein said container is in the form of a cylindrical container having one contiguous sidewall.

9. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 1, wherein at least said first sidewall comprises a material having a thermal conductivity of not greater than about 0.05 W/m·

k.

10. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 1, wherein said first sorption cooling device is a multiple-stage sorption cooling device.

11. A temperature-controlled shipping container, comprising:

a) a container comprising at least a sidewall and top and bottom walls defining a cavity that is adapted to contain a product therein;

b) a sorption cooling device, comprising;

i) an evaporator having a cooling surface in thermal communication with said cavity and adapted to cool said cavity;

ii) an absorber adapted to absorb vapor formed in said evaporator,

iii) a vapor passageway disposed between said absorber and said evaporator for providing vapor communication between said absorber and said evaporator;

iv) a reservoir adapted to supply a refrigerant liquid to said evaporator, and

v) a liquid conduit for providing liquid communication between said reservoir and said evaporator,

wherein said reservoir is in thermal communication with the exterior of said container and a vapor pressure within said reservoir causes the flow rate of refrigerant liquid to said evaporator to increase with an increase in ambient temperature.

12. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 11, wherein said reservoir comprises a rigid housing, a first flexible pouch disposed within said rigid housing and enclosing a high vapor pressure substance therein and a second flexible pouch disposed within said rigid housing adjacent to said first flexible pouch and enclosing a refrigerant liquid therein, wherein said high vapor pressure substance causes said first flexible pouch to exert pressure on said second flexible pouch thereby assisting the flow of refrigerant liquid from said second flexible pouch to said liquid conduit.

13. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 12, wherein said high vapor pressure substance has a higher vapor pressure than the vapor pressure of said liquid.

14. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 12, wherein the vapor pressure of said high vapor pressure substance increases by about 600 percent with a temperature change from about 20°

C. to about 55°

C.

15. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 12, wherein said high vapor pressure substance comprises a substance selected from the group consisting of ethanol, methanol, isopropanol, n-butane, isobutane, n-pentane, n-hexane and fluorocarbons.

16. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 12, wherein the pressure within said second pouch is greater than the pressure within said evaporator immediately prior to activation of said liquid supply apparatus.

17. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 12, where the pressure within said second pouch immediately prior to activation of said liquid supply apparatus is from about 50 mbar to about 300 mbar.

18. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 11, wherein said refrigerant liquid comprises water.

19. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 11, wherein said liquid conduit further comprises flow restriction means for restricting the flow of liquid from said reservoir to said evaporator.

20. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 11, wherein the pressure within said evaporator immediately prior to activation of said liquid supply apparatus is not greater than about 20 mbar.

21. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 11, further comprising an insert adapted to be inserted into said container, wherein said sorption cooling device is incorporated in said insert.

22. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 11, wherein said reservoir is disposed outside of said cavity.

23. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 11, wherein said container is in the form of a substantially rectangular box.

24. A temperature-controlled shipping container, comprising:

a) a container having at least a sidewall and top and bottom walls defining a cavity that is adapted to contain a product therein;

b) a sorption cooling device comprising an evaporator, an absorber and a vapor passageway disposed between said evaporator and said absorber wherein said evaporator is disposed in thermal communication with said cavity to provide cooling to said cavity and wherein said vapor passageway comprises a thermally insulative material having apertures therethrough to direct the flow of vapor from said evaporator to said absorber; and

c) a liquid reservoir wherein liquid contained in said reservoir can be provided to said evaporator upon activation of said sorption cooling device.

25. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 24, wherein at least one of said top, bottom and sidewall comprises corrugated cardboard.

26. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 24, wherein at least one of said top, bottom and sidewall comprises a material having an thermal conductivity of not greater than about 0.05 W/m·

K.

27. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 24, wherein at least one of said top, bottom and sidewall comprises expanded polystyrene.

28. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 24, wherein at least one of said top, bottom and sidewall comprises a vacuum insulation panel.

29. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 24, wherein said vapor passageway comprises means for controlling passage of vapor through said vapor passageway.

30. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 24, wherein said sorption cooling device has a mass energy density of at least about 100 W·

hr/kg.

31. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 24, wherein said sorption cooling device has a volume energy density of at least about 80 kW·

hr/m³.

32. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 24, wherein said liquid comprises water.

33. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 24, further comprising a vapor-permeable membrane disposed between said evaporator and said absorber.

34. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 24, wherein said absorber comprises a desiccant.

35. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 24, wherein said absorber comprises a desiccant capable of absorbing at least about 0.2 grams of liquid per gram of desiccant at a vapor pressure of about 10 mbar.

36. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 24, wherein said absorber is at least partially disposed on an outer surface defined by said top wall, bottom wall and sidewalls whereby at least a portion of heat generated in said absorber is dissipated to the exterior of said container.

37. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 24, wherein said container is in the form of a substantially rectangular box having four sidewalls.

38. A temperature-controlled shipping container, comprising:

a) an insert comprising top, bottom and sidewalls defining a cavity within said insert;

b) a sorption cooling unit incorporated in said insert wherein said sorption cooling unit comprises an evaporator positioned adjacent to or within said cavity in a manner to provide cooling to said cavity and further comprises an absorber, and

c) a container substantially encasing said insert, wherein said absorber is at least partially disposed on an outer surface of said insert whereby heat generated in said absorber is dissipated to the exterior of said insert and wherein said shipping container comprises venting means for dissipating heat generated by said absorber.

39. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 38, wherein said insert comprises expanded polystyrene.

40. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 38, wherein said insert comprises at least a first vacuum insulation panel.

41. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 38, wherein said container is fabricated from corrugated cardboard.

42. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 38, wherein said sorption cooling device has a mass energy density of at least about 100 W·

hr/kg.

43. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 38, wherein said sorption cooling device has a volume energy density of at least about 80 kW·

hr/m³.

44. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 38, wherein said absorber is at least partially disposed on an outer surface of said insert whereby heat generated in said absorber is dissipated to the exterior of said insert.

45. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 38, wherein said container is in the form of a substantially rectangular box.

46. A temperature-controlled shipping container, comprising:

a) a shipping container having at least a sidewall and top and bottom walls defining a cavity that is adapted to contain a product therein; and

b) a sorption cooling device, comprising;

i) a liquid reservoir adapted to contain a liquid;

ii) an evaporator disposed in thermal communication with said cavity to provide cooling to said cavity;

iii) an absorber, wherein said absorber is thermally isolated from said cavity; and

iv) means for supplying liquid from said liquid reservoir to said evaporator upon activation of said device.

47. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 46, wherein said absorber comprises a desiccant.

48. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 46, wherein said means for supplying liquid comprises a valving mechanism.

49. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 46, wherein at least one of said top, bottom and sidewalls comprises corrugated cardboard.

50. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 46, wherein at least one of said top, bottom and sidewall comprises a material having a thermal resistance of at least about 1 K·

m²/W.

51. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 46, wherein at least one of said top, bottom and sidewalls has a thermal conductivity of not greater than about 0.05 W/m·

k.

52. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 46, wherein at least one of said top, bottom and sidewall comprises expanded polystyrene.

53. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 46, wherein said reservoir comprises a liquid and wherein said liquid comprises water.

54. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 46, wherein said absorber comprises a desiccant.

55. A temperature-controlled shipping container as recited in claim 46, wherein said absorber is in thermal communication with the exterior of said container.

56. A method for transporting a product requiring cooling in a shipping container, said shipping container comprising an external container made from corrugated cardboard, said method comprising the steps of:

a) placing said product in a product cavity defined by at least top and bottom walls of a shipping container;

b) placing a sorption cooling device in thermal communication with said cavity whereby said sorption cooling device is adapted to cool said cavity upon activation, said sorption cooling device comprising an absorber positioned so as to dissipate heat generated in said absorber outside of said product cavity;

c) activating said sorption cooling device to initiate cooling of said cavity;

d) transporting said shipping container from a first location to a second location; and

e) removing said product from said cavity.

57. A method as recited in claim 56, wherein said product is a pharmaceutical product.

58. A method as recited in claim 56, wherein said product is a biological product.

59. A method as recited in claim 56, wherein said product is maintained at a temperature of not greater than about 8°

C. during said transporting step.

60. A method as recited in claim 56, wherein said product is maintained at a temperature of not greater than about 8°

C. for at least about 24 hours during said transporting step.

61. A method as recited in claim 56, wherein said product is maintained at a temperature of not greater than about 8°

C. for at least about 48 hours during said transporting step.

62. A method as recited in claim 56, wherein said product is maintained at a temperature of not greater than about 8°

C. for at least about 72 hours during said transporting step.

63. A method as recited in claim 56, wherein said shipping container is in the form of a shipping envelope.

64. A method as recited in claim 56, wherein said shipping container is in the form of a substantially rectangular box comprising four sidewalls.

65. A method as recited in claim 56, wherein said shipping container is in the form of a cylindrical container having one contiguous sidewall.