MXPA01006010A - Insulated container with fillable cooling module - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an insulated container (1) comprising a cooling module (3). In the upper area of its insulated wall the container has a fill hole (5) which communicates with a supply hole (4) of the cooling module (3) which makes it possible for a cooling medium to be introduced into the cooling module (3). The cooling module (3) also has at least one outlet hole (7) from which cooling medium can escape into the interior of the container (1) so as to cool same. According to a method for filling a cooling module (3) in an insulated container (1) with a cooling medium said cooling medium is filled into the cooling module (3) from above via a fill hole (5) in the upper wall of the insulated container and a supply hole (4) of the cooling module (3) which communicates with the fill hole. Via at least one outlet hole (7) the cooling medium can escape from the cooling module (3) into the interior of the container (1) so as to cool same.

Description

INSULATING VESSEL WITH FULL COOLING MODULE The invention relates to an insulating container with a cooling module and a method for filling a cooling module for an insulating container. Methods have long been known to cause food or other temperature sensitive items to decompose more slowly. Especially by means of a cooling process, most foods can be preserved in the prepared state. This is because, at lower temperatures, physical, chemical, microbial and enzymatic reactions become slower. In order to transport and store products that are susceptible to decomposition, especially foods, containers with a thermally insulating wall (insulating containers) are therefore used. The insulating containers are cooled, in general, additionally, in order to be able to maintain a low temperature in the internal part of the insulating container for a prolonged period. To cool the insulating vessels, solid or liquid carbon dioxide or liquid nitrogen is used. For example, in the case of the Cryogen® process, liquid nitrogen stored in a vacuum-insulated container under a refrigerated transport is sprayed into the chamber in the form of a gas, removing the thermal energy from the chamber's air for the purpose of cooling the products sensitive to temperature inside said chamber (Gas Aktuell, Notebook 51, Page 8, Messer Griesheim GmbH, 1996). Likewise, cold storage plates, filled with what is known as "eutectic liquid" or cooling liquid, are used for cooling purposes.

In the case of cooling modules that are filled with liquid carbon dioxide, either in the form of snow or liquid nitrogen as cooling agents, the connection connection for filling is generally on the front side of the cooling module, in such a way that the filling can be carried out after the opening of the door of the insulating container. This has the disadvantage that, during the filling process, the cold coming from the insulating container escapes in the generally hotter environment. In this way the filling process is always related to a cooling loss that can negatively affect the temperature sensitive products found in the insulating container. The object of the present invention is therefore to provide an insulating container with a cooling module, with which the process of filling the cooling module with a cooling agent without opening a door of the insulating container can be carried out in a technically easy and safe manner. In addition, a procedure for filling a cooling module is presented in an insulating container which provides for the filling of the cooling agent in the cooling module efficiently and safely without opening a door of the insulating container. The object is solved according to the present invention by means of an insulating container with a cooling module which has a filling opening in the upper wall of the insulating container which communicates with a supply opening of the cooling module in order to carry a cooling agent to the cooling module and wherein the cooling module has at least one evacuation opening, through which the cooling agent can exit towards the internal part of the container in order to cool said internal part of the container. The term "insulating container" refers to all possible types of containers that are at least partially enclosed, for example, containers, cabinets, transport trolleys or transport vehicles that have a thermally insulating wall and where they can be stored or transported. Temperature sensitive products by maintaining a certain temperature for a certain period. The term "cooling agent" refers here especially to a gas or a mixture of gases freezing, which at normal room temperature (approximately 23 ° C) and at normal pressure (approximately 1 bar) is in the form of gas, for example nitrogen, carbon dioxide or air, and at the corresponding temperature and under a corresponding pressure it is in a liquid, supercritical or solid state so the concept "solid" state also includes a form of snow type, nuclei or particles. Preferably, freezing liquid nitrogen is used as cooling agent, whereby the freezing nitrogen is stored essentially in liquid form in the cooling module, evaporates over time and escapes through the evacuation opening in the cooling module in the form of gas towards the internal part of the container in order to cool said internal part of the container. In accordance with the present invention, the filling hole can be closed with the aid of a closing device, which does not protrude from the surface of the upper wall of the insulating container. As a closing device for the filling opening, for example, a permanent ring magnet can be used, in the middle of which an insulating material is placed which is applied to the conduit that passes through the wall of the filling opening and seals it, wherein the ring magnet is fastened, for example, through a washer steel placed in the filling opening. In this way, cold losses can be avoided to a large extent. It is contemplated that at least a part of the closing means of the filling opening cooperates with means of a device for feeding the cooling agent into the cooling module in order to connect the device to bring the cooling agent to the insulating container or to the cooling module. For this purpose, the installation for supplying the cooling agent has, in the area of its end that can be connected to the filling opening, magnetic or electromagnetic means cooperating with corresponding magnetic or magnetizable means in the area of the filling opening of the insulating container with the object of connecting the cooling agent supply device to the insulating container or to the cooling module, so that the connection is preferably made through the cooperation of an electromagnet that is placed in the cooling agent supply device in the area of its end connected to the filling opening, and a ring-shaped steel washer which is placed in the area of the filling opening. Preferably, this steel washer is integrated into the insulating material of the thermally insulating wall of the insulating container in such a way that no part protrudes from the surface of the wall top of the insulating container. For example, the cooling agent supply device has an injection tube for the cooling agent, an electromagnetic coil is placed around this injection tube and a steel washer is placed around the filling opening. A magnetic attraction force is applied to the injection tube relative to the insulating container or to the cooling module, so that the cooling agent supply device is connected to the cooling module. The steel washer is made of a magnetic or magnetizable material, for example, a chromium or nickel steel. The injection tube is preferably made of a metallic material, for example copper or stainless steel, and the outlet opening for the cooling agent in the injection tube is selected corresponding to the desired volume of current. The term "injection tube" is understood herein as encompassing all possible types of injection devices, for example, nozzles and nozzles, which are suitable for feeding the cooling agent to the cooling module. It is further contemplated that the cooling agent supply device in the cooling module has a supply line which is connected to a source of refrigerant under pressure.

According to the present invention, the cooling agent supply device has a device for controlling the filling quantity, therefore it has a closing device and a chronometer correlated with the closing device, with whose help the time of feeding the cooling agent to the cooling module in order to feed the cooling module with different amounts of coolant. As a closing device, for example, a valve or a distributor is used. When using an electromagnet in the coolant feed device, for example, an electromagnetic coil placed around an injection pipe and a steel washer placed around the filling opening, the coolant feed device is maintained when there is current supply in the coil and can be interrupted at any time by interrupting the current, possibly automatically after the completion of the filling process. In accordance with the present invention, the cooling module is releasably connected to the insulating container and shows devices that relate to corresponding devices of the insulating container and enables the introduction and permanence of the cooling module in the insulating container in such a manner That it can also feed the cooling agent to the cooling module when said module is outside the insulating container. In accordance with the present invention, it is contemplated that the cooling module consists of stainless steel and has thermal insulation by vacuum. The vacuum of this insulation preferably reaches less than 20 mbar, especially from 0.01 to 1 mbar. To improve the thermal insulation properties, a gas filling of the internal space with carbon dioxide or argon can be used in the vacuum pressure. According to the present invention, the height of the cooling module is from 50 to 200 mm, preferably from 60 to 100 mm. According to the present invention, there is at least one cooling module and at least one nearby cold storage plate in the insulating container. This has the advantage that a part of the cold pipe of the cooling agent is received first by the cold storage plate. In this way, an initial subcooling of the article to be cooled can be beneficially avoided. Afterwards, the cold of the cold storage plate is released again, so that the cooling period is remarkably prolonged. The cold storage plate works as a cold buffer and cold storage. In accordance with the present invention, the plate Cold storage is placed under the cooling module in the insulating container. The cold storage plate functions advantageously as a buffer against a too strong cooling effect of the lower side of the cooling module. The use of a eutectic liquid is contemplated in accordance with the present invention as liquid in the cold storage plate. According to the present invention, the eutectic liquid has a freezing temperature of 0 to -40 ° C, preferably of about -2 to -4 ° C. The cooling module has an exhaust opening, through the in which the cooling agent, essentially in the form of a gas, escapes towards the internal part of the container, whereby the exhaust opening of the cooling module is preferably at the same time the supply opening. Preferably, this opening can have a valve, which through its own mass based on the force of gravity or with the help of a suitable closing mechanism is kept closed and only in the case of a certain pressure in the internal part of the valve. Cooling module can be opened through the force exerted by the cooling agent in the form of accumulated gas. The volume of the coolant cooling module it is up to 20,000 g, preferably from 500 g to 15,000 g. Advantageously, different amounts of cooling agent can be filled into the cooling module. The quantities of cooling agent to be filled depend on several parameters, for example, the external temperature, the temperature to be maintained in the insulating container, the initial temperature of the insulating container, the type of product found in the insulating container, of the duration of the refrigeration, the type of transport and / or the type and size of the insulating container. For example, in the case of ship tanks, large quantities are required and in the case of insulating containers for vaccines or in the case of certain trolleys only relatively small amounts (up to a few grains) of coolant are required. In accordance with the present invention, the essentially vertical walls of the insulating container have, for example, on their internal surface a determined sheet-like structure, which better bears the refrigerating agent in the form of gas which is formed in the upper zone of the insulating container towards the lower area of the insulating container. In this way, the distribution of the temperature inside the insulating container can be advantageously improved. The object forming the basis of the present invention is achieved further through a method for filling a cooling module in an insulating container with a cooling agent wherein the cooling agent of the cooling module is fed from above through a filling opening in the upper wall of the insulating container and an opening of connected power of the cooling module so that the cooling agent coming from the cooling module can escape through at least one exhaust opening towards the internal part of the container in order to cool said internal part of the container. Through this method, in accordance with the present invention, during the filling process, a cooling agent supply device is connected through a magnetic force to the insulating container or to the cooling module, so preferably the magnetic force is applied with the help of an electromagnet in the area of the end that can be connected to the filling opening of the cooling agent feed device and with the help of a steel washer placed in the area of the filling opening. Preferably, an amount of 200 to 2000 g, preferably 800 to 1,200 g, of coolant is evaporated in one hour in order to cool the internal part of the insulating container.

The duration of the feeding of the cooling agent to the cooling module is controlled through one of the control devices related to the filling device according to the present invention in order to feed the cooling module with different quantities of cooling agent for the cooling module. regulate in time the desired preservation of the cold of the product inside the insulating container. By controlling the filling time, at a given pressure of the cooling agent in the filling process, different amounts of cooling agent can be fed to the cooling module in order to adjust the desired cooling of the product within a period for a period of time. insulating container. For a given application case it is advantageous and also possible to introduce alternatively or additionally a regulation of the coolant pressure to control the amount of coolant supplied. Liquid freezing nitrogen is preferably used as the cooling agent. The insulating container according to the present invention and the method for keeping the temperature-sensitive products cold for a certain period is preferably used for cooling food. Furthermore, with the device and with the method according to the present invention, it can be cooled previously and / or freeze products. A profitable use is found in the storage of fresh products, to protect against oxidation and to prolong the conservation of fresh products. The device according to the present invention as well as the method will be described below in relation to drawings (figure 1, figure 2, and figure 3). The figure is a perspective representation of the insulating container with cooling module, Figure 2 is a section through the upper part of the insulating container and the cooling module with a closure of the insulating container, Figure 3 is a section through of the upper part of the insulating container and of the cooling module and of the part of an insulating container connection device for feeding the cooling agent to the cooling module. The insulating container 1 shown in FIG. 1 has a thermally insulating wall 2. Inside the insulating container there is a cooling module 3. The cooling module has a supply opening 4, connected to a filling opening 5 of the insulating container 1 The upper side (shaded surface) of the insulating container wall 2 has a recess 6 in the form of a depression and the cooling module 3 has a supply opening 7 for cooling agent. In FIG. 2, the closure of the insulating container 1 is illustrated more precisely. In the region of the filling opening 5 of the insulating container 1, a depression 6 is present with a ring-shaped steel washer 8 placed there, so that this steel washer 8 is so integrated in the insulating material of the thermally insulating wall 2 of the insulating container 1 that no part protrudes from the surface of the upper wall of the insulating container 2. As closure of the filling opening 5 it can for example use a permanent ring magnet 9, in whose central part an insulating material 10 is placed which is applied in the conduit passing through the wall 11 of the filling opening 6 and seals it. In this way, cold losses can be avoided to a large extent. The conduit passing through the wall 11 can be a section of pipe and can end with the outer wall 12 of the cooling module 3. The steel washer is made of a magnetic or magnetizable material, for example a chromium or nickel steel. Figure 3 shows a device for feeding the cooling agent to the cooling module 3 of an insulating container 1 with the aid of a device 13. The cooling module 1 has an inlet opening 4 for the cooling agent, which is fed through an injection tube 14 of device 13. The injection tube 14 is connected to the inlet opening 4 for liquid nitrogen or to the filling opening 5. Around the injection pipe 14 is the coil 15 of an electromagnet. The coil 15 is internally hollow. The coil 15 may have a detector (not shown here) for the purpose of detecting the operation of the coil. The device 13 can also have adjustment devices. With the aid of these adjustment devices it is possible, for example, to adjust the ambient air temperature of the insulating container 1 or the required temperature in the insulating container 1 through a temperature adjustment and indication device and / or the The desired cooling time for the given insulating container 1 can be selected in advance by means of a setting and time indication device. Based on these values of temperature and time, the corresponding amount of coolant supplied can be adjusted and regulated. The supply of cooling agent can be regulated, for example, with the aid of a supply pump which can be switched on and off and with the aid of a magnetic valve or a distributor for the cooling agent. Other control possibilities are also possible and are not excluded from the invention. The cooling agent is preferably fed through of the drive of a drive device. With respect to a corresponding regulation of the injection pipe 14, a special desired quantity of cooling agent can be fed to the cooling module 3. According to the present invention, it is contemplated that the injection can be carried out only when there is a secure connection between the pipeline of injection 14 and the cooling module 3. It is contemplated, for example, that the actuator can open a closing device only when, through a corresponding sensor, which detects for example the presence of a closed magnetic field, it is indicates that the electromagnet is working correctly. Through this development, the security of the service personnel increases on the one hand and, on the other hand, the protection of the environment is ensured.

Claims (18)

1. CLAIMS An insulating container with a cooling module, which has a filling opening in the area of the upper wall of the insulating container that is connected to a cooling module supply opening, in order to feed a cooling agent to the cooling module. cooling and wherein the cooling module has at least one outlet opening, through which the cooling agent can exit into the internal space of the container for the purpose of cooling, which is characterized in that the cooling module consists of steel stainless steel and presents a vacuum thermal insulation.
2. An insulating container according to claim 1, characterized in that the vacuum in the vacuum thermal insulation of the cooling module reaches 0.01 to 1 mbar.
3. An insulating container according to claim 1 or according to claim 2, characterized in that the cooling module contains, as a cooling agent, essentially liquid nitrogen.
4. An insulating container according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the The filling opening can be closed with the aid of a closing device which does not protrude above the surface of the upper wall of the insulating container.
5. An insulating container according to claim 4, characterized in that at least a part of the closure device of the filling opening cooperates through a device for feeding the cooling agent to the cooling module in order to connect the feeding device of the cooling agent with the insulating container or the cooling module.
6. An insulating container according to claim 5, characterized in that the cooling agent supply device in the area of its end connected to the filling opening has a magnetic or electromagnetic medium that cooperates with corresponding magnetic or magnetizable means in the region of the filling opening of the insulating container in order to connect the cooling agent supply device with the insulating container or the cooling module.
7. An insulating container according to claim 6, characterized in that the device for feeding the cooling agent in the area of its end connected to the filling opening has an electromagnet and in the area of the filling opening has a ring-shaped steel washer.
8. An insulating container according to any of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the device for feeding the cooling agent has a device for controlling the filling quantity that has a closing device and a stopwatch connected to the closing device with whose help is controlled the duration of the feeding of the cooling agent in the cooling module in order to feed variable amounts of cooling agent to the cooling module.
9. An insulating container according to any of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the cooling module is detachably attached to the insulating container and has devices connected with corresponding devices of the insulating container and allows an introduction and housing of the cooling module in the insulating container.
10. An insulating container according to any of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the insulating container has at least one module of cooling and at least one nearby cold storage plate.
11. An insulating container according to any of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the exhaust opening of the cooling module also serves as a supply opening.
12. An insulating container according to any of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the volume of the cooling module is from 500 g to 15,000 g of cooling agent.
13. A method for driving a cooling module in an insulating container with a cooling agent, wherein the cooling agent is fed to the cooling module from above through a filling opening in the upper wall of the insulating container and a connected supply opening. with it the cooling module, so that the cooling agent can exit the cooling module through at least one outlet opening into the interior space of the insulating container in order to cool it, which is characterized in that it evaporates in a period of one hour an amount of 800 to 1,200 g of coolant.
14. A method according to claim 13, characterized in that, during filling, a The cooling agent feeding device is connected to the insulating container or to the cooling module by means of a magnetic force.
15. 15. A method according to claim 14, characterized in that the magnetic force is applied through an electromagnet in the area of the end of the coolant supply device that can be connected to the filling opening and through a steel washer placed in the area of the filling opening.
16. 16. A method according to any of claims 13 to 15, characterized in that the duration of the feeding of the cooling agent to the cooling module is controlled through a control device related to the feeding device in order to feed the cooling agent. feeding module a variable amount of cooling agent to adjust in this way a cold storage of the product that is inside the insulating container for a desired period of time.
17. 17. A method according to any of claims 13 to 16, characterized in that the cooling agent used is liquid nitrogen.
18. 18. The use of an insulating container in accordance with any of claims 1 to 12 or a method according to any of claims 13 to 17 for keeping the temperature sensitive products cool for a certain period of time. The use according to claim 18 for cooling food.