EP2687797B1 - Transport and storage container for temperature-sensitive goods - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a transport and storage container for temperature-sensitive goods according to the preamble of the main claim. The invention further relates to a method for operating such a container.

Temperature-sensitive goods, such as blood, blood plasma, platelets, human organs intended for transplantation, tissue samples, biological samples, vaccines, drugs or food require transport and storage of a container having a temperature in a hold for holding the product in a predetermined temperature range a period of at least a few hours or at least a few days. For this purpose, known transport and storage containers for temperature-sensitive goods to a heater and / or a cooling device, by means of which the temperature is at least in the loading space of the container to a predetermined value or within a predetermined temperature range adjustable. To the rules The temperature of the container typically additionally comprises at least one temperature measuring unit arranged in the loading space and a control and regulating unit connected to the temperature measuring unit, the heating device and / or the cooling device. This is usually set up to control the heating device and / or the cooling device as a function of a temperature value measured in the loading space by means of the temperature measuring unit and depending on a predetermined temperature value or a predetermined temperature range. Preferably, known containers also have ventilation means with which air to be tempered can be mixed at least in the loading space of the container.

However, known containers of the type described can each be used only for a limited temperature range or target temperature range and are therefore only suitable for transporting and storing certain goods.

US2007289976A1 relates to a container with disclosed a container according to the preamble of claim 1, the container has a cargo space for transporting a temperature-sensitive cargo. An air passage in fluid communication with the cargo space is a heating element and an evaporator. A fan may produce an airflow cooled by the evaporator or heated by the heating element that circulates through the duct and the cargo hold.

US2004226309A1 relates to a container for transporting temperature-sensitive materials with a cargo space and with a cooling unit and a heating unit for regulating a temperature in the cargo hold. The cooling unit and the heating unit are arranged in a shaft which is in fluid communication with the cargo space. A fan may produce an airflow cooled by the cooling unit or heated by the heating element that circulates through the duct and the cargo compartment.

US2009212047A1 concerns a freight container. The freight container has a loading space and a housing standing in fluid communication with the loading space, in the interior of which an evaporator and a heating element are arranged. A fan may generate an airflow cooled by the evaporator or heated by the heating element that circulates through the cargo compartment and the housing.

The present invention is therefore an object of the invention to provide a transport and storage container which is adapted to a temperature in a hold for receiving temperature-sensitive goods within a maximum target temperature range, as independent as possible from an outside temperature and over the longest possible period as accurately as possible as reliable as possible.

This object is achieved by a transport and storage container according to claim 1 and by a method for operating this container. Specific embodiments of the proposed container are described in the subclaims.

It is proposed therefore a transport and storage container for temperature-sensitive goods, comprising a cargo space for receiving the goods, a refrigerator with a cooling device for cooling air, a heating room with a heater for heating air and ventilation means for circulating air in the container. The loading space, the cooling space and the heating space are separate spaces, which are each connected to the other two spaces via at least one opening and / or via at least one air duct, and the ventilation means are arranged, in the container an air flow to generate, which flows through the cargo space, the boiler room and the refrigerator in series.

Characterized in that the ventilation means are adapted to generate an air flow in the container, which flows through the cargo space, the heating chamber and the cooling chamber in series, the flow behavior of this temperature to be tempered air flow inside the container and in particular in the cargo compartment is largely independent of a respective temperature of the airflow. Thus, the temperature in the interior of the container and in particular in the cargo space can be set within a large target temperature range with great accuracy. The cargo space, the refrigerator and the boiler room are separate, d. H. separate rooms. Characterized in that the heating device and the cooling device are each arranged outside the cargo space, the temperature in the cargo space over the entire cargo hold with particularly good accuracy in the predetermined temperature range can be maintained. For then, when a temperature of the heating device or a temperature of the cooling device is different from the temperature of the air flow, a strong temperature gradient may occur in the immediate vicinity of the heating device or the cooling device. However, especially in the hold, where a spatial temperature distribution is usually supposed to be as homogeneous as possible, this is normally undesirable. The fact that the heater and the cooling device are arranged in separate rooms, they can be isolated in a particularly simple manner thermally against each other. This is particularly advantageous if the heating device or the cooling device have components or substances that are themselves temperature-sensitive. The ventilation means may, for. B. be designed as fans and / or as nozzles. For autonomous supply of the container with electrical energy, this can have at least one power supply unit, the z. B. is given in each case in the form of a battery and / or a fuel cell and / or a solar module. The power supply unit is typically arranged in or on the container.

The statement that the air flow flows through the cargo space, the boiler room and the cold room in series, should include that the air flow flows through the said spaces in each case one after the other. The loading space, the boiler room and the refrigerator are thus connected to each other in the manner of a "series connection" via the openings and / or the channels. For example, the air flow flows through the cargo compartment, the boiler room and the refrigerator compartment in succession, or the air flow flows through the cargo compartment, the refrigerator compartment and the boiler room one after the other. The statement that the said spaces are each separate rooms should preferably include that an area of the opening, via which a first of the three rooms is connected to a second of the three rooms, is less than 20%, less than 10 %, less than 5%, less than 2% or less than 1% of an area of an inner wall of the first room enclosing the first space. Preferably, the surface of the opening is intended to be determined at the point at which the opening opens into the first space.

Typically, the container is approximately cuboidal or has an approximately cylindrical shape. A height and / or a width and / or a depth of the container is typically a few decimeters. The dimensions mentioned can also be a few meters each. A volume of the cargo space may be greater than 100 liters, preferably greater than 300 liters, more preferably greater than 500 liters. Additionally or alternatively, the volume of the hold may be less than 5 m ³ , preferably less than 2 m ³ , more preferably less than 1 m ³ . Usually the container is wholly or partly made of metal or wholly or partly made of plastic. For example, outer walls of the container may be wholly or partially formed of aluminum. Preferably, the outer walls of the container to a single or a double vacuum insulation. The cargo space is normally accessible via at least one door or at least one lid.

A special embodiment, in which a particularly homogeneous air flow can be generated in the cargo compartment, is characterized in that the cargo space is separated from the boiler room or the cold room by an at least partially perforated wall, wherein the ventilation means are arranged to the air through perforation holes in to feed the wall. In this embodiment, therefore, the air flow from the boiler room or from the refrigerator through the perforations in the hold occurs. An area of the perforated wall including the area of the perforation holes can in this case amount to at least 5%, at least 10%, at least 20% or at least 30% of an area of an inner wall of the cargo space enclosing the cargo space.

A current density distribution caused in the cargo compartment usually depends sensitively in this embodiment on a size, a shape, an area and an arrangement of the perforation holes in the partially perforated wall. It has been found that it is particularly advantageous if one surface of all perforation holes wipe and amounts to 5% and 20%, preferably between 8% and 15%, of an area of the wall. The area of the individual perforation holes is preferably between 0.005% and 0.05%, but more preferably between 0.01% and 0.03% of the area of the wall. It has been shown that a particularly homogeneous current density distribution in the cargo space can be achieved with the values mentioned in a particularly large temperature range. It has also been found that it is particularly advantageous if at least 80%, but preferably at least 90% of the perforation holes have a round shape. Ideally, all perforation holes in the perforated wall have a round shape. In particular, the area, arrangement, shape and number of perforation holes can be chosen such that they inhibit the flow of air that the ventilation means the loading space through the perforation holes, partially, so that the air accumulates in front of the cargo space. This allows a particularly controlled and uniform inflow of air through the perforation holes in the hold. The area of the individual perforation holes and / or the total area of all perforation holes can thus be selected and / or the ventilation means or some of the ventilation means can be operated depending on the area of the perforation holes such that on the side facing away from the loading space side of the partially perforated wall Air congestion forms. In this way, a particularly homogeneous spatial temperature distribution in the hold can be achieved. Goods stored in the hold can be changed in their temperature uniformly and in a controlled way. An undesirable uneven temperature distribution within the goods can be largely minimized or completely prevented.

A particularly homogeneous and stable current density distribution in the loading space can be achieved by feeding openings in a loading space inner wall, which are set up for supplying air into the loading space, from discharge openings in the loading space inner wall, which are set up for discharging air from the loading space, along a vertical path are spaced to a container bottom aligned vertical direction. This includes, for example, that the feed openings and the discharge openings are each arranged at different vertical positions in the loading space inner wall. Ideally, all feed openings are each spaced from all discharge openings along the vertical direction. But good flow conditions in the hold can still be produced even if not all supply openings are spaced from all discharge openings along the vertical direction. Thus, the vertical positions of some of the feed openings may overlap in whole or in part with the vertical positions of some of the discharge openings. A feed opening overlaps, for example, with a discharge opening along the vertical direction, when both are arranged at the same height in the loading space inner wall, ie at the same distance from the load compartment floor. Preferably, an area of the feed openings which completely or partially overlap with the discharge openings along the vertical direction is less than 20%, particularly preferably less than 10%, of an area of all feed openings in the loading space inner wall. Likewise, an area of the discharge openings that completely or partially overlap with the supply openings along the vertical direction is preferably less than 20%, particularly preferably less than 10%, of an area of all discharge openings in the loading space inner wall.

Of course, the feed openings and the discharge openings can also be arranged in a load compartment ceiling or in the load compartment floor. Then it is advantageous if lateral positions of the feed openings are each spaced from lateral positions of the discharge openings. The lateral positions denote positions in a plane which is aligned parallel to the container bottom or to the load compartment floor. With respect to a partial overlap of the lateral positions of the feed openings and the discharge openings, what has been said above with respect to the partial overlap along the vertical direction may apply.

A further embodiment in which a particularly homogeneous and stable current density distribution in the cargo space can be achieved is characterized in that the cargo space for receiving the goods has baskets which can preferably be inserted into the cargo space and removed from the cargo space and which are designed in this way and, when inserted into the hold, are arranged such that, to reduce flow resistance, air gaps are formed between adjacent baskets and / or between the baskets and an inner wall of the cargo space, the air gaps extending along at least one direction over the entire cargo space , The inner wall may be a side wall, a door, a front wall, a rear wall, a ceiling or a floor of the cargo space. For example, a width and / or a height of the air gaps may each amount to at least 1% or at least 5% of a width and / or a height and / or a depth of the cargo space. The air gaps guarantee that the baskets and the goods arranged in the baskets are respectively circulated as evenly as possible and completely.

An embodiment which ensures a particularly accurate and reliable control of the temperature of the air flow and thus the goods stored in the cargo space, characterized in that the ventilation means are adapted to be operated so that the air flow in relation to a net volume of the cargo space, the is equal to a volume of the hold in the unloaded state minus a volume of goods stored in the hold and / or baskets arranged in the hold, having a value at least equal to 100 times or at least equal to 200 times the net volume per hour. This ensures that the air flow used for controlling the temperature of the goods stored in the cargo space circulates at a sufficiently high rate in the vessel.

A special embodiment is characterized in that the coolant and / or the heating means are adapted to set a temperature of the air flow in a temperature range between -30 ° C and + 40 ° C. In the temperature range mentioned, a large number of temperature-sensitive goods can be stored or transported over a long period of time. Noteworthy examples include blood, vaccines, biological samples and food.

An embodiment in which the heating device and thus also the heating chamber can be designed to save space is characterized in that the heating device has at least one heating mat for converting electrical current into heat, wherein a conductive layer of the heating mat has a thickness of less than 0 , 5 cm or less than 0.3 cm. The conductive layer of the heating mat, which usually serves to generate the heat, may be formed of graphite, Teflon, copper or other conductive material, for example. Electrical connections of the heating mat can be designed as gold conductors. Typically, a single heating mat has a rectangular shape with a length of about 30 cm and a width of about 20 cm. Preferably, a plurality of heating mats of the type mentioned are arranged uniformly on an inner wall of the boiler room. For example, the heating mats can be glued to the inner wall of the boiler room. A heating capacity of the heating mat is typically between 100 and 500 W / m ² .

The cooling device may comprise at least one fin evaporator. Typically, several finned evaporator are arranged in the refrigerator. A power of a compressor for operating the cooling device or the finned evaporator may be more than 50 W or more than 100 W. With finned evaporators, cooling temperatures of up to -30 ° C can be conveniently achieved. They are also very durable and inexpensive to produce.

Another particularly space-saving embodiment of the container is characterized in that the at least one cargo space comprises a first cargo space and a second cargo space, wherein the first and the second cargo space with the heating space or with the cooling space arranged on one between the first and the second cargo space common discharge channel for discharging the air flow from the first and the second cargo space are connected. In this embodiment, the ventilation means are preferably at least partially disposed in the discharge channel. The discharge channel may, for example, each open at a discharge opening in the inner wall of the first cargo space and / or the second cargo space in the first cargo space or in the second cargo space. In this case, for example, in each case a fan immediately before the respective discharge opening in the interior of the Be disposed discharge channel. Thus, the air flow can be removed particularly effectively from the first cargo space and from the second cargo space.

Preferably, at least two of the three spaces (load compartment, boiler room, refrigerator) each adjoin one another directly. In this way, the container may be designed to be particularly compact. If the boiler room and the cold room adjoin one another directly, it is advantageous to thermally insulate the boiler room and the cold room from each other. Such thermal insulation can be realized, for example, by metal-coated plastic plates, also called dibond plates. A dividing wall between the heating space and the cooling space may, for example, be completely or at least partly misted or coated with such Dibond plates on a side of the dividing wall facing the heating space and / or on a side of the dividing wall facing the cooling space.

The choice of the relative volumes of the loading space, the heating space and the cooling space can have a decisive influence on the flow behavior of the air circulating in the container, in particular on a flow rate in the loading space, in the heating space and in the cooling space. An embodiment in which a particularly homogeneous and stable air flow can be generated is characterized in that a volume V _{L of} the at least one cargo space, a volume V _{K of} the refrigerator, a volume V _{H of} the boiler room and a total volume V _G = V _L + V _K + V _H satisfy one or more of the following conditions: a) 0.6 ≦ V _L / V _G ≦ 0.9, b) 0.1 ≦ V _K / V _G ≦ 0.2, c) 0 , 02 ≦ V _H / V _G ≦ 0.1. In other words, the volume V _{L of} the cargo space is preferably between 60% and 90% of the total volume V _G. The volume V _{K of} the cooling space is preferably between 5% and 20% of the total volume. The volume V _{H of} the boiler room is preferably between 2% and 10% of the total volume.

Further, a method for operating the aforementioned transport and storage container, this method is characterized in that the ventilation means comprise first ventilation means, the air with a first power in the cargo space and / or suck, and that the ventilation means of the first ventilation means comprise different second ventilation means, the air with a second power from the cargo space Press and / or suck, wherein the second power is greater than the first power, preferably by a factor of 1.1 to 1.5. If the first and the second ventilation means are operated in the manner described, a particularly homogeneous and stable air flow can be generated in the hold. The fact that the second power is greater than the first power, so creates a constant train or suction inside the hold.

Fig. 1

eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Transport- und Lagerbehälters von vorne,

Fig. 2

den Transport- und Lagerbehälter aus Fig. 1, wobei ein erster ein zweiter Teilraum eines Laderaumes des Behälters jeweils mit Körben beladen sind,

Fig. 3

schematisch einen Schnitt durch den Behälter aus Fig. 1 von oben, wobei der Laderaum, ein Heizraum und ein Kühlraum gezeigt sind, die nacheinander von Luft durchströmt werden,

Fig. 4

schematisch einen Schnitt durch den Behälter aus Fig. 1 von der Seite,

Fig. 5

eine Innenwand des Heizraums mit auf der Innenwand angeordneten Heizmatten und mit einer zentralen Öffnung zum Zuleiten von Luft in den Heizraum und

Fig. 6

eine teilweise perforierte Trennwand, die zwischen dem Kühlraum und dem Laderaum des Behälters angeordnet ist.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and will be explained in more detail with reference to the following description. It shows:

Fig. 1

a perspective view of a transport and storage container from the front,

Fig. 2

the transport and storage container Fig. 1 in which a first, a second subspace of a loading space of the container is in each case loaded with baskets,

Fig. 3

schematically a section through the container Fig. 1 from above, wherein the cargo space, a boiler room and a cold room are shown, which are successively traversed by air,

Fig. 4

schematically a section through the container Fig. 1 of the page,

Fig. 5

an inner wall of the boiler room with arranged on the inner wall heating mats and with a central opening for supplying air into the boiler room and

Fig. 6

a partially perforated partition disposed between the refrigerator compartment and the cargo compartment of the container.

FIG. 1 shows a transport and storage container 1 for transporting and storing temperature-sensitive goods. The example shown here is in particular a container for transporting and storing blood products, blood plasma and platelets. Of course, the container 1 is also suitable for other temperature-sensitive goods, for example for biological samples, for vaccines or for food. A housing 2 of the container 1 is made of aluminum. The container includes in its interior a cargo space 3, which comprises a first subspace 3a and a second subspace 3b. The first subspace 3a and the second subspace 3b are separated from each other by a middle wall 4. The subspaces 3a and 3b are accessible respectively via doors 5a and 5b, wherein in Fig. 1 For the sake of clarity, only the door 5a is shown. In the compartments 3a and 3b temperature-sensitive goods can be stored. For describing the container 1, reference is made here and below to a right-handed Cartesian coordinate system having an x-direction 6, a y-direction 7 and a z-direction 8. It has a positive x-direction in Fig. 1 to the right, a positive y-direction points into the plane of the drawing, and a positive z-direction points from the bottom to the top. The z-direction 8 is also called vertical direction below. The z-direction 8 is perpendicular to a bottom 9 of the container 1, which runs parallel to the xy plane.

The container 1 has a cuboid shape. A length 10 of the container 1 measured along the x-direction 6 is 110 cm, a depth 11 of the container 1 measured along the y-direction 7 is 100 cm, and a height 12 of the container 1 measured along the z-direction 8 is 116 cm. For thermal insulation of the container 1 from the environment, the housing 2 and the doors 5a and 5b are each double-walled and have a double-layered vacuum insulation with a thickness of 40 mm, wherein used for the insulation plates are each arranged overlapping. Thus, a temperature in the interior of the container 1 can be maintained largely independently of an ambient temperature with great accuracy. In Fig. 1 the subspaces 3a and 3b are each shown in an empty, unloaded state. In the positive y-direction 7, the cuboid subspaces 3 a and 3 b are bounded in each case by partially perforated partitions 13 a and 13 b, by means of which the subspaces 3 a and 3 b are each separated by an underlying cooling space. Perforation holes in the partition walls 13a and 13b form supply openings, via which the partial spaces 3a and 3b are connected to the cooling space behind. Likewise shows Fig. 1 a compressor 14 arranged on an outside of the housing 2 for operating a cooling device which will be described later.

FIG. 2 again shows the transport and storage container 1, wherein each of the subspaces 3a and 3b is loaded in each case with extendable baskets 15, which are inserted into the subspaces 3a and 3b and which can be removed from the subspaces 3a and 3b. Here and below, recurrent features are each provided with identical reference numerals. In each of the subspaces 3a and 3b, nine of the baskets 15 are stacked in the vertical direction, respectively. The baskets 15 each have a height of 10 cm, a length of 40 cm and a depth of 60 cm. Towards the top, ie along the positive z-direction 8, the trough-shaped baskets 15 are each open. In the example described here, each made of plastic baskets 15 are each designed to hold blood bags. The baskets 15 are shaped such that between the baskets 15 and side walls 16a and 16b of the subspaces 3a and 3b each air gaps 17 form, each along the y-direction 7 over the entire subspace 3a or over the entire subspace 3b extend. A width of the air gaps 17 measured along the x-direction 6 and a height of the air gaps 17 measured along the z-direction 8 are each a few centimeters. Further air gaps 18 and 19 are each formed directly above a cargo floor 20 and immediately below a load compartment ceiling 21. In a slightly modified, not shown embodiment, 15 air gaps can also form between each of the baskets. The air gaps 17-19 are highlighted for clarity only for the first subspace 3a. The air gaps 17-19 make it possible for a flow of air flowing through the cargo space 3 to flow around the baskets 15 on all sides in each case. In this way, heat exchange between the air stream and the temperature-sensitive goods stored in the cargo space 3 is advantageously facilitated, so that a temperature of the goods stored in the cargo space 3 can be maintained with good accuracy within a predetermined target temperature range.

FIG. 3 schematically shows a section through the container 1 parallel to the xy plane viewed from above, the z-direction 8 is perpendicular to the plane of the drawing and out of this. FIG. 4 shows a section through the container 1 parallel to the yz plane from the side. In Fig. 4 the x-direction 6 is perpendicular to the plane of the drawing and points out of it.

In addition to the housing 2, the doors 5a and 5b, the load compartment 3 with the partitions 3a and 3b separated by the middle wall 4, the widths 34a and 34b of 44 cm measured along the x-direction 6 and one along the y-direction 7, respectively measured depth 24 by 64 cm, shows Fig. 3 an approximately cuboid heating chamber 25 and an approximately cuboid cooling chamber 26. The cooling chamber 26 connects in the y-direction 7 directly to the cargo space 3 and is of the sub-rooms 3a and 3b respectively by already in Fig. 1 shown partially perforated partitions 13a and 13b separated. Along the x-direction 6, the cooling space 26 extends over a length 27 of about 92 cm. A depth 28 of the cooling space 26 measured along the y-direction 7 and extending from the partitions 13a and 13b to a chamber wall 29 is 20 cm.

Through the chamber wall 29 of the cooling chamber 26 is separated from the boiler room 25. The heating chamber 25 is located directly between a rear wall 31 of the housing 2 and the cooling space 26. Along the x-direction 6, the heating chamber 25 extends over a length 32 of slightly less than 90 cm. A measured along the y-direction 7 depth 33 of the heating chamber 25 is about 3 cm. Along the z-direction 8, the loading space 3, the heating space 25 and the cooling space 26 each have the same height 22 of 105 cm, as in FIG Fig. 4 can be seen. A volume of the subspaces 3a and 3b is thus each about 300 liters, so that the volume of the entire load compartment comprises 3 600 liters. A volume of the heating space 25 includes about 30 L and a volume of the refrigerating space 26 about 240 liters. The choice of the relative volumes of cargo space 3, cooling chamber 26 and heating chamber 25 has a considerable influence on the flow behavior of the air circulating in the container.

Laterally, ie along the x-direction 6, the heating chamber 25 is bounded by baffles 35; the baffles 35 extend along the z-direction 8 over the entire height 22. Between the baffles 35 and the chamber wall 29 each gap-shaped openings 36 are formed, which also extend along the z-direction 8 over the entire height 22. A width of the gap-shaped openings 36 measured along the x-direction 6 is in each case a few centimeters, for example 2 cm. The gap-shaped openings 36 thus form a connection between the heating chamber 25 and the cooling space 26. About the baffles 35 circulating in the container 1 is Air flow from the boiler room 25 into the refrigerator 26 passed. It can be clearly seen that a cross section of the heating chamber 25 perpendicular to the flow direction of the air in the heating chamber 25 is significantly smaller than a cross section of the cooling chamber 26 perpendicular to the flow direction of the air in the cooling space 25, z. B. at least by a factor of 3 or at least by a factor of 5. When the air enters the cooling space 26, which is a space arranged immediately in front of the loading space 3, the flow velocity of the air therefore decreases noticeably. This promotes the formation of an air jam immediately in front of the cargo space 3. This allows a particularly controlled introduction of air into the cargo space 3.

The chamber wall 29 is formed of aluminum and has a thickness of a few millimeters. It extends along the z-direction 8 over the entire height. For thermal insulation of the heating chamber 25 from the cooling chamber 26, the chamber wall 29 is completely fogged on a side facing the heating chamber 25 with Dibondplatten. These are plastic plates with a thickness of a few millimeters, each on one side with metal, z. B. with aluminum coated. The dibond plates are arranged to receive heat generated by the heater with the metal-coated side and distributed parallel to the chamber wall 29. The plastic side of the Dibondplatten facing the cooling chamber 26. The heating chamber 25 and the cooling space 26 are thus thermally insulated from one another by an insulating layer containing metal and plastic. A heat transfer between the heating chamber 25 and the cooling chamber 26 via the chamber wall 29 is thereby minimized in an advantageous manner.

In order to cool or heat stored in the hold 3 temperature-sensitive goods to a predetermined target temperature, the container 1, a arranged in the heating chamber 25 heater for heating air, arranged in the cooling chamber 26 cooling device for cooling air and ventilation means, by means of which air in Container 1 can be circulated. In the present embodiment, the heating device is given by a plurality of heating mats 37 which are glued on the side of the chamber wall 29 facing the heating chamber 25. The chamber wall 29 with the heating mats 37 arranged thereon is in FIG. 5 shown.

The heating mats 37 each comprise a conductive graphite layer with a thickness of about 2 mm and have an approximately rectangular shape with a length of about 30 cm and a width of about 20 cm. About Goldleiter the heating mats 37 are each z. B. connected to a 12V power source (not shown), so that an electric current can flow through the heating mats and can be converted into heat in the heating mats. A heating capacity of the heating mats 37 can be up to 40 W for each of the mats. In the present example, eight such heating mats 37 are glued to the chamber wall 29. So that air in the heating chamber 25 can be heated as homogeneously as possible by the heating mats 37, the heating mats 37 are evenly distributed on the chamber wall 29. Due to the fact that the boiler room 25, with its depth 33 of only a few centimeters, is particularly narrow, the air in the boiler room 25 can be heated particularly effectively by means of the heating mats 37. In the present example, about 25% of the boiler room 25 enclosing wall surface of the heating chamber 25 are covered with the heating mats 37. With the heating mats 37 a total of a heating power of up to 300 W can be achieved. Thus, the circulating in the container 1 air can be kept constant if necessary over a period of many days at a temperature of up to 40 ° C or up to 50 ° C. In Fig. 5 Furthermore, an opening 53 is shown in the chamber wall 29, can enter through the air in the heating chamber 25. This will be explained later.

The cooling device arranged in the cooling chamber 26 comprises two finned evaporators 38 which are arranged on a side facing the cooling chamber 26 of the chamber wall 29. The finned evaporators are mounted at a distance of 10 mm to 20 mm from the chamber wall 29 on the chamber wall 29 (not explicitly shown here). As a result, the finned evaporator 38 are additionally thermally separated from the heating mats 37. The cooling device and the heating device can therefore be thermally separated by an air layer. For clarity, the finned evaporator 38 are only in Fig. 4 shown. The finned evaporator 38 can be operated via the previously described compressor 14. A cooling capacity of the finned evaporator 38 can be up to 200 W. Thus, the circulating in the container 1 air can be maintained if necessary over a period of several days at a temperature of -30 ° C or up to -40 ° C.

Not shown here are arranged in the hold 3 temperature measuring units, each of which serves to detect the temperature in the hold 3 at different measuring points. For example, at least six such temperature measuring units are arranged at different measuring points in each of the subspaces 3a and 3b. The measuring points are ideally distributed as evenly as possible over the respective subspace and each arranged at a distance of at least 20 cm from each other. The measuring points can be z. B. in an xz plane, in an xy plane or in a yz plane and from the partitions 13a and 13b and / or from the doors 5a and 5b, a distance of less than 20 cm or less than Have 10 cm. By means of the temperature measuring units, temperature values are detected at the measuring points at the same time and forwarded to a control and regulating unit (not shown here). The detection of the temperature values can, for. B. every 5 seconds or every 10 seconds.

The control unit is set up to control both the heating mats 37 and the finned evaporators 38 as a function of the temperature values recorded at the various measuring points and to regulate the temperature in the loading space 3 in this way. The regulation of the temperature can z. B. be made such that deviations of the detected at the various measuring points in the hold 3 temperatures with each other and / or from a predetermined target temperature not more than 2 ° C or at most 1 ° C. This ensures a particularly homogeneous temperature distribution in the hold 3.

Also not explicitly shown is a power supply unit for supplying the container 1 with electrical energy, for. B. in the form of a battery. The power supply unit can be arranged in or on the container 1. It can have a power of several hundred watts and a load capacity of a few hundred ampere hours. The heating mats 37 and the finned evaporator 38 can be controlled independently of each other. Typically, depending on a target temperature to which the temperature inside the container 1 is to be controlled, either only the heating mats 37 or only the finned evaporators 38 are activated. A special Compactness of the container 1 is achieved in that both the here given in the form of heating mats 37 heater in the boiler room 25 and the realized here by the finned evaporator 38 cooling device in the cooling chamber 26 are arranged on opposite sides of the chamber wall 29, the boiler room 25 from the refrigerator 26 separates and thermally insulated against each other.

In the cooling space 26, eight fans 39a-h are furthermore arranged, whose active surfaces comprising the rotor blades each have a diameter of approximately 6 cm. In the Figures 3 and 4 For example, not all ventilators 39a-h are visible since they partially obscure each other. Four of the fans 39a-h, namely, the fans 39a to 39d are fixed to the chamber wall 29 via spacers, respectively. The fans 39e and 39f are mounted on the cooling space 26 facing side of the first partially perforated partition 13a and the fans 39g and 39h are mounted on the cooling space 26 facing side of the second partially perforated partition wall 13b. The fans 39a-h are each arranged to push air from the refrigerated space 26 in the negative y direction 7 through the partially perforated dividing walls 13a and 13b into the compartments 3a and 3b of the cargo space. This is in Fig. 3 indicated by arrows 40, each representing the flow direction of the air flow generated by the fans 39a-h. The fans 39a-h are thus adapted to generate an air flow which is aligned substantially parallel to the bottom 9 of the container 1 or parallel to the load compartment floor 20 of the cargo space 3.

FIG. 6 shows the partially perforated partition wall 13a, which separates the cooling space 26 from the subspace 3a of the hold 3. The partition wall 13b is formed identically to the partition wall 13a and therefore will not be described separately. Fig. 6 also serves to illustrate the spatial arrangement of the fans 39a-h in the cooling space 26. The partition wall 13a extends along the x-direction 6 over a length 42 of about 42 cm. Along the z-direction 8, the partition wall 13a extends over the entire height 22 of the cargo space 3 and the cooling space 26, which is 105 cm. Along the z-direction 8, the partition wall 13a can be subdivided into sections 44a-f, which are alternately partly perforated and not perforated. Thus, the portion 44b disposed in the upper half of the partition wall 13a has a regular square grid of sixteen rows and twenty columns arranged perforation holes 45, which are each round and have a diameter of 6 mm. The section 44b thus has a number of 320 of the perforation holes 45. For the sake of clarity, only some of the perforation holes are explicitly designated. Along the z-direction 8 and along the x-direction 6, the perforation holes 45 are each arranged at a distance of 10 mm from each other. The portion 44d disposed in the lower half of the partition wall 13a also has perforation holes 45 which are also arranged in a regular square grid of here fourteen rows and twenty columns. The perforation holes 45 in the section 44d are again round, have a diameter of 6 mm and are arranged relative to each other at a distance of 10 mm. The portion 44d has a number of 280 of the perforation holes 45.

Between the portion 44b and the portion 44d extends along the z-direction 8 over about 20 cm, the portion 44c, in which the partition wall 13a is not perforated. At a lower end of the partially perforated portion 44d is joined the non-perforated portion 44e which extends along the z-direction 8 over a length of about 5 cm. The portion 44f in the lower tenth of the partition wall 13a is in turn partially perforated. The perforation holes 45 in the lower portion 44f form two separate pitches of three rows and four columns, respectively. A lattice constant of these separate pitches in section 44f is again 10 mm. The perforation holes 45 in section 44f are again round and have a diameter of 6 mm. The separate holes in the section 44f are arranged symmetrically with respect to an axis of symmetry along the z-direction 8 of the partition wall 13a.

The arrangement of the fans 39a, 39b, 39e and 39f disposed between the partition wall 13a and the chamber wall 29 relative to the hole patterns in the sections 44b, 44d and 44f of the partition wall 13a is also shown in Figs Fig. 6 shown. There are the in the representation of the Fig. 6 behind the partition wall 13a arranged fans 39a, 39b, 39e and 39f respectively indicated by dashed circles. Thus, each of the four mentioned fans 39a, 39b, 39e and 39f is arranged in a plane extending parallel to the xz plane symmetrical to one of the four holes in the partition wall 13a. The same applies to the arrangement, not explicitly shown here, of the other fans 39c, 39d, 39g and 39h relative to the second partition wall 13b.

The perforation holes 45 in the partitions 13a and 13b respectively represent supply openings, through which air can flow from the cooling space 26 into the loading space 3. The Figures 3 and 4 also show discharge openings 46a and 46b in the side walls 16a and 16b of the compartments 3a and 3b. The discharge openings 46a and 46b are each embedded in the side wall of the partial spaces 3a and 3b facing the center wall 4. Through the discharge openings 46a and 46b, the air from the compartments 3a and 3b is passed into a discharge channel 47, which is formed from a folded sheet metal and embedded in the middle wall 4 between the sub-spaces 3a and 3b. The Figures 3 and 4 can be removed that the discharge channel 47 connects the subspaces 3a and 3b respectively with the heating chamber 25. In this case, the discharge channel 47 engages through the cooling space 26 arranged between the heating space 25 and the loading space 3. There is therefore no direct connection between the discharge channel 47 and the cooling space 26.

The discharge channel 47 extends along the x-direction 6 over a width 48 of 5 cm (FIG. Fig. 3 ). Along the y-direction 7, the discharge channel 47 has a conical shape (FIG. Fig. 4 ), wherein it tapers from a first end 49, at which the discharge openings 46a and 46b open into the discharge channel 47, to a second end 50 of the discharge channel 47, at which the discharge channel 47 opens into the heating chamber 25. Thus, the discharge channel 47 has at its first end 49 a measured along the z-direction 8 height of 15 cm and at its second end 50 a measured along the z-direction 8 height of 5 cm. Along the y-direction 7, the discharge channel 47 extends from the first end 49 to the second end 50 over a length of about 60 cm.

Along the z-direction 8, the discharge channel 47 is embedded centrally in the middle wall 4 ( Fig. 4 ). Along the vertical direction of the discharge channel 47 is thus arranged about 50 cm above the load compartment floor 20. The discharge openings 46a and 46b each have a round shape with a diameter of 8 cm. The area of the discharge openings 46a and 46b is therefore each significantly larger than the area of the individual perforation holes 45, whose diameter is only 6 mm in each case. Along the z-direction 8, that is in the vertical direction, the discharge openings 46a and 46b are each arranged in a middle third, preferably in a middle fifth, of the side walls 16a and 16b of the compartments 3a and 3b. Along the z-direction 8, the discharge openings 46a and 46b are thus offset and spaced from the supply openings provided by the perforation holes 45 in the sections 44b, 44d and 44f of the partitions 13a and 13b. This is in Fig. 4 each represented by horizontally extending dashed lines representing the boundaries of the perforated portions 44b and 44d of the partition walls 13a and 13b along the z-direction 8. In the vertical direction, therefore, there is no overlap of the discharge openings 46a and 46b with the perforation holes 45. It has been found that such a relative arrangement of the feed openings and the discharge openings of a stability and a homogeneity of the cargo space 3 by flowing air flow is particularly beneficial.

The feed openings and the discharge openings of the loading space 3 are respectively inserted at opposite or opposite ends of the loading space 3 in the partitions 13a and 13b and in the side walls 16a and 16b. This ensures that the airflow generated in the cargo space 3 flows through the cargo space 3 as completely and uniformly as possible. Of the Fig. 3 In addition, it can be seen that the feed openings in the form of the perforation holes 45 enclose an angle with respect to the discharge openings 46a and 46b, which is 90 ° here. In other words, the partition walls 13a and 13b, into which the feed openings are respectively inserted, each include an angle with the side walls 16a and 16b, in which the discharge openings are embedded, which is 90 ° here.

Immediately at the exit of the discharge openings 46a and 46b 47, two further fans 52a and 52b are arranged in the interior of the discharge channel. These are arranged to suck air from the compartments 3a and 3b through the discharge openings 46a and 46b and to guide them into the common discharge channel 47. This is in Fig. 3 represented by the arrows 57. It is particularly advantageous if a suction power generated by the fans 52a and 52b, with which air is sucked out of the loading space 3, is approximately a factor of 1.3 greater than a thrust power generated by the fans 39a-h, with the air from the cooling space 26 through the perforation holes 45 in the partitions 13a and 13b is pressed into the hold 3. In this way, in the cargo space 3 or respectively in the subspaces 3 a and 3 b between the discharge openings 46 a and 46 b and the feed openings in the partitions 13 a and 13 b forms a suction, which ensures particularly stable flow conditions in the cargo compartment 3. In particular, the fans 39a-h in the cooling space 26 and the fans 52a and 52b in the discharge channel 47 can be operated such that the air flow generated by these fans in the cargo space 3 relative to a volume V equal to a volume of the cargo space 3 minus a volume of in the hold 3 stored goods and / or minus a volume of the arranged in the hold 3 baskets 15, has a value of at least 100 volumes V per hour or at least 200 volumes V per hour. The temperature in the hold 3 or the temperature of the goods stored therein can be regulated particularly well and precisely in this way.

Through the discharge channel 47, the air sucked out of the loading space 3 through the discharge openings 46a and 46b is in turn directed into the heating space 25, wherein a flow direction of the air in the discharge channel 47 in the FIGS. 3 and 4 each represented by an arrow 56. A connection between the discharge channel 47 and the heating chamber 25 is realized through the opening 53 in the chamber wall 29. The opening 53 is embedded centrally in the chamber wall 29 both along the z-direction 8 and along the x-direction 6. This ensures a uniform distribution of the incoming from the discharge channel 47 into the heating chamber 25 air. In order to feed the air entering through the opening 53 into the heating chamber 25 in equal parts to the two gap-like openings 36 between the heating chamber 25 and the cooling chamber 26, a conically shaped further deflecting plate 55 is fixed to a rear wall 54 of the heating chamber 25, the top of the is directed in the boiler room 25 incoming airflow.

In particular the Fig. 3 It can clearly be seen that the airflow generated by the fans 39a-h and the fans 52a and 52b in the container 1 flows through the loading space 3, the heating space 25 and the cooling space 26 one after the other. The suction described above, which is due to the working with different suction or thrust fans 39a-h in the cooling chamber 26 on the one hand and the fans 52a and 52b in the discharge channel 47 on the other hand forms in the cargo space 3, due to the closed flow circuit (the air flow generated in the container 1 circulates in a circle through the heating chamber 25, the refrigerator compartment 26 and the cargo compartment 3) simultaneously to the fact that the air in the refrigerator compartment 26, ie in front of the load compartment. 3 is jammed. This effect is further caused by the size, number, shape and arrangement of the perforation 45 in the partitions 13 a and 13 b, which prevent too rapid inflow of air into the cargo space 3. The size, arrangement and area of the individual perforation holes 45 and the total area of all perforation holes 45 are thus chosen in conjunction with the thrust of the fans 39a-h such that the air is jammed on the side facing away from the cargo compartment 3 side of the partitions 13a and 13b before she enters the hold 3. Due to the air accumulation in the cooling space 26 produced in this way, the air can flow into the cargo space 3 in a particularly uniform and controlled manner.

Claims (14)

1. Transport and storage container (1) for temperature sensitive goods, comprising a loading chamber (3) for receiving the goods, a cooling chamber (26) with a cooling device for cooling air, a heating chamber (25) with a heating device for heating air and ventilation means for circulating air in the container,
   characterised
   in that the loading chamber (3), the cooling chamber (26) and the heating chamber (25) are chambers separated from one another, which are each connected to the two other chambers via in each case at least one opening (53, 36, 46a, 46b) and/or via in each case at least one air duct, and in that the ventilation means are adapted to generate in the container (1) an air flow which flows through the loading chamber (3), the heating chamber (25) and the cooling chamber (26) in series.
2. Transport and storage container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the loading chamber (3) is separated from the heating chamber (25) or from the cooling chamber (26) by an at least regionally perforated wall, the ventilation means being adapted to supply air to the loading chamber (3) through perforation holes (45) in the wall.
3. Transport and storage container (1) according to Claim 2, characterised in that an area of all the perforation holes (45) is between 5 and 20 per cent, preferably between 8 and 15 per cent of an area of the wall, and in that the area of the individual perforation holes (45) is in each case between 0.005 and 0.05 per cent, preferably between 0.01 and 0.03 per cent of the area of the wall.
4. Transport and storage container (1) according to Claim 2 or 3, characterised in that at least 80 per cent, preferably at least 90 per cent, of the perforation holes (45) are round.
5. Transport and storage container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that supply openings in a loading chamber inner wall which are adapted to supply air into the loading chamber (3) are spaced apart, along a vertical direction oriented perpendicularly to a container bottom, from discharge openings (46a, 46b) in the loading chamber inner wall which are adapted to discharge air from the loading chamber (3).
6. Transport and storage container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the loading chamber (3) has, for receiving the goods, drawers (15) which are formed and arranged such that, to reduce a flow resistance, air gaps (17, 18, 19) are formed between adjacent drawers (15) and/or between the drawers (15) and an inner wall (16a, 16b) of the loading chamber (3), the air gaps (17, 18, 19) extending along at least one direction over the entire loading chamber (3).
7. Transport and storage container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the ventilation means are adapted to be operated such that the air flow, with respect to a volume V which is equal to a volume of the loading chamber (3) minus a volume of goods stored in the loading chamber (3) and/or drawers (15) arranged in the loading chamber (3), has a value which is at least 100 times or at least 200 times the volume V per hour.
8. Transport and storage container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the cooling device and/or the heating device are adapted or is adapted to set a temperature of the air flow in a temperature range between -30°C and +40°C.
9. Transport and storage container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the heating device has at least one heating mat (37) for converting electric current into heat, a conductive layer of the heating mat (37) having a thickness of less than 0.5 cm or of less than 0.3 cm.
10. Transport and storage container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the cooling device has at least one finned evaporator (38).
11. Transport and storage container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the at least one loading chamber (3) comprises a first sub-chamber (3a) and a second sub-chamber (3b), the first and the second sub-chamber (3b) being connected to the heating chamber (25) or to the cooling chamber (26) via a common discharge duct (47) arranged between the first and the second partial chamber (3b) for discharging the air flow from the first and the second sub-chamber (3b).
12. Transport and storage container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a volume of the loading chamber (3) is greater than 100 litres, preferably greater than 300 litres, particularly preferably greater than 500 litres and/or in that the volume of the loading chamber (3) is less than 5 m³, preferably less than 2 m³, particularly preferably less than 1 m³.
13. Transport and storage container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a volume V_L of the at least one loading chamber (3), a volume V_K of the cooling chamber (26), a volume V_H of the heating chamber (25) and a total volume V_G=V_L+V_K+V_H fulfil one or more of the following conditions: a) 0.6 ≤ V_L/VG ≤ 0.9, b) 0.1 ≤ V_K/V_G ≤ 0.2, c) 0.02 ≤ V_H/V_G ≤ 0.1.
14. Method for operating a transport and storage container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the ventilation means comprise first ventilation means which force and/or suck air with a first power into the loading chamber (3), and in that the ventilation means comprise second ventilation means, different from the first ventilation means, which force and/or suck air with a second power from the loading chamber (3), the second power being greater than the first power, preferably by a factor of 1.1 to 1.5.

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