WO2020231692A1 - Procédé et système permettant de remplir des contenants isolés thermiquement avec du dioxyde de carbone liquide - Google Patents

Procédé et système permettant de remplir des contenants isolés thermiquement avec du dioxyde de carbone liquide Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2020231692A1
WO2020231692A1 PCT/US2020/031602 US2020031602W WO2020231692A1 WO 2020231692 A1 WO2020231692 A1 WO 2020231692A1 US 2020031602 W US2020031602 W US 2020031602W WO 2020231692 A1 WO2020231692 A1 WO 2020231692A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
container
weight
solid
products
defined temperature
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2020/031602
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Jérôme KERMAIDIC
Nathalie Brixy
Ranko BURSAC
Robert R. SEVER
Ying Zhou
Original Assignee
Praxair Technology, Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US16/410,027 external-priority patent/US11384904B2/en
Application filed by Praxair Technology, Inc. filed Critical Praxair Technology, Inc.
Priority to EP20730793.5A priority Critical patent/EP4048985A1/fr
Priority to SG11202111577SA priority patent/SG11202111577SA/en
Priority to BR112021020755A priority patent/BR112021020755A2/pt
Priority to CN202080029016.9A priority patent/CN113710949B/zh
Publication of WO2020231692A1 publication Critical patent/WO2020231692A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C5/00—Methods or apparatus for filling containers with liquefied, solidified, or compressed gases under pressures
    • F17C5/02—Methods or apparatus for filling containers with liquefied, solidified, or compressed gases under pressures for filling with liquefied gases
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01G—WEIGHING
    • G01G17/00—Apparatus for or methods of weighing material of special form or property
    • G01G17/04—Apparatus for or methods of weighing material of special form or property for weighing fluids, e.g. gases, pastes
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B3/00—Packaging plastic material, semiliquids, liquids or mixed solids and liquids, in individual containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, or jars
    • B65B3/04—Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B3/00—Packaging plastic material, semiliquids, liquids or mixed solids and liquids, in individual containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, or jars
    • B65B3/26—Methods or devices for controlling the quantity of the material fed or filled
    • B65B3/28—Methods or devices for controlling the quantity of the material fed or filled by weighing
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B65/00—Details peculiar to packaging machines and not otherwise provided for; Arrangements of such details
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D81/00—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents
    • B65D81/38—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents with thermal insulation
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C13/00—Details of vessels or of the filling or discharging of vessels
    • F17C13/02—Special adaptations of indicating, measuring, or monitoring equipment
    • F17C13/023—Special adaptations of indicating, measuring, or monitoring equipment having the mass as the parameter
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C13/00—Details of vessels or of the filling or discharging of vessels
    • F17C13/02—Special adaptations of indicating, measuring, or monitoring equipment
    • F17C13/026—Special adaptations of indicating, measuring, or monitoring equipment having the temperature as the parameter
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C9/00—Methods or apparatus for discharging liquefied or solidified gases from vessels not under pressure
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D3/00—Devices using other cold materials; Devices using cold-storage bodies
    • F25D3/12—Devices using other cold materials; Devices using cold-storage bodies using solidified gases, e.g. carbon-dioxide snow
    • F25D3/125—Movable containers
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01G—WEIGHING
    • G01G13/00—Weighing apparatus with automatic feed or discharge for weighing-out batches of material
    • G01G13/24—Weighing mechanism control arrangements for automatic feed or discharge
    • G01G13/28—Weighing mechanism control arrangements for automatic feed or discharge involving variation of an electrical variable which is used to control loading or discharge of the receptacle
    • G01G13/285—Weighing mechanism control arrangements for automatic feed or discharge involving variation of an electrical variable which is used to control loading or discharge of the receptacle involving comparison with a reference value
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
    • G06K7/00—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns
    • G06K7/10—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation
    • G06K7/10544—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation by scanning of the records by radiation in the optical part of the electromagnetic spectrum
    • G06K7/10821—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation by scanning of the records by radiation in the optical part of the electromagnetic spectrum further details of bar or optical code scanning devices
    • G06K7/10861—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation by scanning of the records by radiation in the optical part of the electromagnetic spectrum further details of bar or optical code scanning devices sensing of data fields affixed to objects or articles, e.g. coded labels
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2221/00—Handled fluid, in particular type of fluid
    • F17C2221/01—Pure fluids
    • F17C2221/013—Carbone dioxide
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2223/00—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel
    • F17C2223/01—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel characterised by the phase
    • F17C2223/0146—Two-phase
    • F17C2223/0153—Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2223/00—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel
    • F17C2223/01—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel characterised by the phase
    • F17C2223/0146—Two-phase
    • F17C2223/0184—Liquids and solids
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2223/00—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel
    • F17C2223/03—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel characterised by the pressure level
    • F17C2223/033—Small pressure, e.g. for liquefied gas
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2225/00—Handled fluid after transfer, i.e. state of fluid after transfer from the vessel
    • F17C2225/01—Handled fluid after transfer, i.e. state of fluid after transfer from the vessel characterised by the phase
    • F17C2225/0107—Single phase
    • F17C2225/0138—Single phase solid
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2250/00—Accessories; Control means; Indicating, measuring or monitoring of parameters
    • F17C2250/03—Control means
    • F17C2250/032—Control means using computers
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2250/00—Accessories; Control means; Indicating, measuring or monitoring of parameters
    • F17C2250/03—Control means
    • F17C2250/034—Control means using wireless transmissions
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2250/00—Accessories; Control means; Indicating, measuring or monitoring of parameters
    • F17C2250/04—Indicating or measuring of parameters as input values
    • F17C2250/0404—Parameters indicated or measured
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2250/00—Accessories; Control means; Indicating, measuring or monitoring of parameters
    • F17C2250/04—Indicating or measuring of parameters as input values
    • F17C2250/0404—Parameters indicated or measured
    • F17C2250/0421—Mass or weight of the content of the vessel
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2250/00—Accessories; Control means; Indicating, measuring or monitoring of parameters
    • F17C2250/04—Indicating or measuring of parameters as input values
    • F17C2250/0404—Parameters indicated or measured
    • F17C2250/0439—Temperature

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method, as well as a system, for filling a container with an amount of liquid carbon dioxide (CO2) which is partially converted into an amount of solid CO2 into said container, for the purpose of maintaining one or more products, loaded into said container, at a defined temperature, below a defined temperature, or within a defined temperature range, which temperature or temperature range is below environmental temperature.
  • the invention further relates to a method and a system for providing identification and traceability data determining the container and its loaded one or more products, and for enabling the identification of said container during transport to a particular destination.
  • EP1326046 B1 discloses a multi-coupling system for filling containers, in particular thermally insulated containers, to be supplied with a cryogenic medium such as solid CO2 (commonly known as dry ice), with liquid CO2, injected from a liquid source, and which is converted into solid CO2 upon injection.
  • a cryogenic medium such as solid CO2 (commonly known as dry ice)
  • liquid CO2 commonly known as dry ice
  • a specifically dedicated inner part of such thermally insulated containers comprises a compartment or cell that is dedicated to containing the cryogenic medium, e.g. solid CO2, by separating it from the product transported inside the thermally insulated container.
  • the amount of solid CO2 to be supplied to a container is typically calculated based on the required residence time of the loaded one or more products to maintain at a defined temperature, below a defined temperature, or within a defined temperature range, which temperature or temperature range is below environmental temperature. Consequently, the residence time is the time the one or more loaded products are to be maintained in the container at a defined temperature, below a defined temperature, or within a defined temperature range, which temperature or temperature range is below environmental temperature, e.g. during transport of the container. Typical residence times are 12 hours up to 3 days (i.e. over a weekend, from a Friday morning till a Monday morning), or even longer.
  • the amount of solid CO2 to be generated is based on the duration of the injection of the liquid CO2. This is a fairly inaccurate method.
  • the liquid CO2 which is stored in a refrigerated form, expands into the cold cell located in the container, this cold cell being specially developed for this purpose, approximately 50 - 60 % of the injected quantity becomes dry ice and approximately 40 - 50 % becomes gaseous CO2, depending on the pressure within this cold cell.
  • the gaseous CO2 produced on injection, i.e. 40 - 50 % of the total injected quantity is extracted via suitable devices in order to prevent an impermissible concentration of the CO2 in the atmosphere of the working premises.
  • the CO2 filling process is automatically stopped by a timer in control thereof.
  • the present invention relates to a method for filling a compartment in an inner part of a container with an amount of liquid CO2 which is partially converted into an amount of solid CO2 upon injection of the liquid CO2 into said
  • said container being designed to contain one or more products loaded into it, wherein said products are to be maintained at a defined temperature, below a defined temperature, or within a defined temperature range, which temperature or temperature range is below environmental temperature, using said solid CO2, wherein said container is subjected to a weighing operation using weighing means resulting into a weight of said container, wherein said weight of said container, is determined by said weighing means at least before and after said container has been supplied with said amount of converted solid CO2.
  • a method for filling a container with an amount of liquid CO2 which is partially converted into an amount of solid CO2 in said container for the purpose of maintaining one or more products, loaded into said container, at a defined temperature, below a defined temperature, or within a defined temperature range, which temperature or temperature range is below environmental temperature, wherein said container, optionally loaded with one or more products, is subjected to a weighing operation using weighing means resulting into a weight of said container, wherein said weight of said container, optionally loaded with one or more products, is determined by said weighing means at least before and after said container has been supplied with said amount of converted solid CO2.
  • the inventive method according to the invention will contribute to increased accuracy of the determination of the amount of solid CO2 supplied to the container, compared to prior art methods and systems. This leads to less CO2 consumption, and hence to a lower carbon dioxide footprint.
  • the method comprises the following steps:
  • step (c) calculating the weight of the amount of converted solid CO2 to be supplied to said compartment in the inner part of said container, based on said barcode data, generated in step (b);
  • step (d) filling said container with an amount of liquid CO2, thereby monitoring the weight of the container, until the weight of the container is equal to the weight of the container, as determined in step (a), increased by the weight of the amount of converted solid CO2, as calculated in step (c);
  • step (e) storing in a database, the barcode data, obtained in step (b);
  • the invention relates to a method for filling a container with an amount of liquid CO2 which is partially converted into an amount of solid CO2 in said container, for the purpose of maintaining one or more products, loaded into said container, at a defined temperature, below a defined temperature, or within a defined temperature range, which
  • said barcode data describing, for example, the type of said container, the type of said loaded one or more products, the required residence time of the one or more products in said container and the destination of said container;
  • step (b) based on said barcode data, generated in step (b), in particular based on the required temperature of said container, the nature of said loaded one or more products and the required residence time of said loaded one or more products;
  • step (d) filling said container with an amount of liquid CO2, thereby monitoring the weight of the container, until the weight of the container is equal to the weight of the container, as determined in step (a), increased by the weight of the amount of solid CO2, as calculated in step (c);
  • step (e) storing in said database, said barcode data, obtained in step (b);
  • step (f) storing in said database, data on the weight of the amount of solid CO2 supplied to said container, as obtained in step (d).
  • This method will also provide identification and traceability data determining the container and its loaded one or more products that will enable the identification of said container during transport to a particular destination and that will enable reviewing its history and building statistical data for later review.
  • the container is a thermally insulated container.
  • the container may be empty or may already be loaded with one or more products, when subjecting the container to the method according to the invention.
  • data on the weight of the amount of solid CO2, supplied to said container comprise the weight of the amount of liquid CO2, injected into said container, the weight of the amount of solid CO2, and the date and time of the filling operation.
  • step (c) follows after step (b)
  • step (d) follows after step (a) and step (c)
  • step (e) follows after step (b)
  • step (f) follows after step (d).
  • follows after it is meant that a step A is executed after a step B, either immediately after, or with one or more intervening step.
  • the invention is also related to a system for performing the inventive method as described above.
  • the invention concerns a system for filling a compartment in an inner part of a container with an amount of liquid CO2, which is partially converted into an amount of solid CO2 upon injection of the liquid CO2 into said compartment, said container being designed to contain one or more products loaded into it, wherein said products are to be maintained at a defined temperature, below a defined temperature, or within a defined temperature range, which temperature or temperature range is below environmental temperature, using said solid CO2, wherein said system comprises weighing means for subjecting said container to a weighing operation resulting into a weight of said container at least before and after said inner part of said container has been supplied with said amount of converted solid CO2.
  • the system comprises:
  • - weighing means capable of determining the weight of said container
  • a barcode scanner capable of scanning a barcode, provided with said container for generating barcode data
  • - calculating means capable of calculating the weight of the amount of converted solid CO2 to be supplied to said compartment in the inner part of the container, based on said barcode data
  • - filling means capable of filling said compartment in the inner part of said container with an amount of liquid CO2 which is at least partially converted into solid CO2 upon injection of the liquid CO2 into said compartment, thereby monitoring the weight of the container, until the weight of the container is equal to the weight of the container as previously determined, increased by the weight of the calculated amount of converted solid CO2; and - a database, capable of storing said barcode data, and data on the weight of the amount of converted solid CO2, supplied to said compartment in the inner part of said container.
  • Figure 1 shows an example of a setup used for performing the method according to the invention
  • Figure 2 shows an overview of the different components comprised in the system according to the invention for enabling registration of traceable data
  • Figure 3 shows an example of a control panel used for controlling the filling process according to the invention.
  • a particular purpose of the present invention is maintaining goods cold or frozen for a specific period of time.
  • Goods to be kept cold or frozen can be different types of products like for instance food, pharmaceutical products and biological products. Such products will typically have an expiration date and must be kept at a specific low temperature prior to said expiration date.
  • the products are stored in a compartment of a thermally insulated container 100, supplied with a specific amount of solid CO2.
  • the injected amount of liquid CO2 is weighted in order to increase the accuracy of the determination of the amount of solid CO2 and to avoid the disadvantages in the filling process, known from prior art systems.
  • container 100 can mean any storage, filling, delivery or transportable vessel capable of receiving solid CO2 or CO2 fluid and capable of receiving one or more products, including but not limited to cylinders, dewars, bottles, tanks, barrels, bulk tanks and microbulk tanks.
  • Another purpose of the invention is enabling identification and traceability of a container 100 during transport to a destination, together with the amount of CO2 filled.
  • Figure 1 shows an embodiment of a setup, used for performing the inventive method for filling a compartment 101 of a thermally insulated container 100 with a specific amount of CO2 for the purpose of maintaining its content frozen or cold.
  • the system comprises a thermally insulated container 100 with an inner compartment 101 (in Figure 1 , several containers 100 are shown), a weighing scale 200 generating weighing data, weight display means 250 displaying said weighing data, a barcode scanner 300 for scanning a barcode 150 related to one or more containers 100 and generating barcode data, control means 450 comprising a database 451 for storing said barcode data and weighing data, as well as calculation means 452 for calculating the weight of the amount of solid CO2 to be supplied, and a filling gun 400, connected to a supply of liquid CO2 350 for filling liquid CO2 into each container 100.
  • a barcode is intended to include any type of barcode, including linear barcodes and two-dimensional barcodes, such as a QR code.
  • the weighing scale 200 is connected to the weight display means 250 which in turn is connected to the database 451.
  • the connection can be wired or wireless by known means and protocols, e.g. Ethernet, WiFi,
  • a filling gun 400 When filling a container with liquid CO2, a filling gun 400, connected to a supply of liquid CO2, is attached to the container 100.
  • the filling gun 400 is connected to the control means 450 for controlling the amount of liquid CC>2 to be filled, based on calculated and measured weight of solid CO2.
  • the control means 450 is a computer controlling opening and closing of a valve in the filling gun 400.
  • the amount of liquid CO2 to be filled in each container 100 is thus based on the calculated weight of solid CO2 to be supplied to the respective container 100 and measured weight of the container 100 that is being filled with liquid CC>2 that at least partially converts into solid CO2 when in this container 100.
  • the inventive method comprises several steps to be performed.
  • the method is typically performed when an order is received regarding products to be transported from a storage or production facility to a specific destination, e.g. a store or a shop.
  • the first step in the method is embodied by placing a container 100 on a weighing scale 200.
  • the number of containers 100 placed on the weighing scale 200 can range from 1 to 4, and will typically be 3 to 4 containers 100. Prior to placing a container 100 on the weighing scale 200, they may be loaded with goods or products.
  • the type of weighing means 200 used is a weighbridge, as shown in Figure 1 .
  • the weighing means 200 is a wheel weight (not shown in the figures).
  • the weighing means is a suspended spring weight (not shown in the figures). The type of weighing means 200 used will depend on the specific requirement or setup at the loading facility.
  • Each container 100 to be shipped is provided with a barcode 150 describing at least the type of container 100, the type of loaded one or more products, the required residence time of the one or more products in said container, and the destination of the container 100.
  • the next step in the method is scanning each barcode 150 of the at least one thermally insulated container 100 by means of a barcode scanner 300 and thereby generating barcode data.
  • the generated barcode data is transferred and stored in a database 451 .
  • the barcode data is transferred to the database 451 via known means, i.e. via cable or wireless.
  • the database 451 is accessible through a dedicated secured interface, e.g. a secured Internet website.
  • the scanning of a barcode of a container 100 can be performed in the loading process of loading a container 100 onto the weighing scale 200 or after a container 100 has been loaded on the weighing scale 200 and the weight of the container 100 has been determined.
  • steps of (a) determining the weight of a container 100, optionally loaded with one or more products, using weighing means 200; and (b) generating barcode data by scanning a barcode 150, provided with the container 100 are
  • the next step in the inventive method is calculating the amount of CO2 to be filled in the container 100 based on the barcode data, for example, on the temperature to be maintained in each container 100 during the time of transportation to its destination, i.e. the loading time of the products.
  • the total amount of the liquid CO2 to be filled is based on the total weight of solid CO2 to be supplied to a container 100 for maintaining its content at a defined temperature, below a defined temperature, or within a defined temperature range, which temperature or temperature range is below environmental temperature during the whole transportation period.
  • another input parameter in the calculation of the amount of CO2 is the environmental temperature of the surroundings where the container will be located during transport.
  • the amount of energy Q is calculated in order to determine the amount of CO2, necessary to compensate for this amount of energy Q, lost through the walls of a given thermally insulated container 100 during a given time, and for a given temperature difference.
  • the amount of CO2 allows a container 100 to maintain its internal
  • Heat exchange overall coefficient k is a technical data given by the manufacturer of the container 100. It depends on the insulation product used (e.g. polystyrene, polyurethane, etc.). Heat exchange overall coefficient k is linked to insulation thickness and component thermal conductivity.
  • Surface S is the total internal surface of the thermally insulated container (m 2 ), exposed to the environmental temperature.
  • DT is the difference between the environmental temperature 0ext and the internal temperature 0mt.
  • the internal temperature 0mt is determined by the products to be transported. Most of these product storage
  • the environmental temperature 0 ext is determined by an operator each day or can be determined by a weather station, located at the site of the operator, e.g. NETATMO weather station. Hence, according to one embodiment, the environmental temperature can be based on a temperature measurement or can be any temperature value, determined by an operator. It is worth noting that solid CO2 (dry ice) has a temperature of -109.3 °F (-78.5 °C) at 1 atmosphere. Hence, the internal temperature can never be set lower than said temperature.
  • the environmental temperature can be modified by an operator with an“adjustment factor” representing a percentage between early morning and afternoon seasonal average variation.
  • an“adjustment factor” representing a percentage between early morning and afternoon seasonal average variation.
  • containers 100 for holding goods are prepared early in the morning and are transported within the following day, depending on the distance between the preparation area and the delivery point.
  • the environmental temperature will typically be higher in the middle of the afternoon.
  • Said“adjustment factor” will thus add a standard percentage to the early morning environmental temperature. For instance, if the environmental temperature early in the morning is 22 °C, an adjustment factor of +30 % means that the maximal environmental tempe rature of the day will be around 28.6 °C.
  • an operator can also use + or - signs (see Figure 3) to increase or decrease the adjustment factor with his weather knowledge.
  • the environmental temperature is based on a temperature measurement, adjusted with an adjustment factor.
  • the environmental temperature used for calculation is manually set, for example, by an operator.
  • a scenario where this is relevant is when the difference between the selected items
  • Time t is determined by a guarantee of a total transport time (for instance 48 hours) or a guarantee until an arrival time (for example, the products are prepared on day A and, for instance, delivery is planned to be made on day B at 13:00).
  • a safety coefficient a is further added to adjust the thermodynamic formula to take into account, for instance, the aging of the thermally insulated containers.
  • This safety coefficient is adapted on a container- by-container basis, for instance based on the operators' knowledge and/or the results of a quality campaign.
  • the calculation of the amount of CO2 based on the weight of the container 100, optionally loaded with one or more products will be done.
  • the calculation itself is based on a well-known thermodynamic calculation and further details will not be described here.
  • the next step in the method is filling said container 100 with an amount of liquid CO2, thereby monitoring the weight of the container, optionally loaded with one or more products, until the weight of the container 100 is equal to the weight of the container 100, as determined by weighing using said weighing means 200, increased by the weight of the calculated amount of solid CO2. Filling will start once the filling gun 400 has been connected to a container 100 and will stop once the calculated weight of the CO2 for that container 100 has been reached.
  • the system will remember the last weight value and an operator can restart the filling process to reach the calculated amount of solid CO2, starting from said last weight value. This is a big advantage compared to filling methods known from the prior art in which filling will be halted.
  • the weight Prior to filling each container 100, the weight can be reset. Hence, the weight of the container 100, optionally loaded with one or more products, is monitored until the weight of the container 100 is equal to the weight of the container, as determined by weighing (but reset to zero), increased by the weight of the calculated amount of solid CO2.
  • the weight of the amount of solid CO2 supplied to a container 100, as well as the date and time of filling/weighing is registered into said database 451 together with its barcode data.
  • the weight of each container 100 will then be traceable together with the other barcode data for each container 100.
  • Figure 2 shows an overview of the different components that may be comprised in the system for providing identification and traceability data, determining the container 100 and its loaded one or more products, and for enabling the identification of said container 100 during transport to a particular destination.
  • Figure 2 illustrates the principle enabling full traceability for both the supplier and the customer of the loaded products.
  • the main component in this set-up is the dosing system 305 where all relevant data regarding registered/scanned containers 100 are stored in a database 451.
  • the main inputs to the system comprising the database 451 are barcode data, generated by the barcode reader 300, and weight data, measured by the weighing scale 200.
  • the generated barcode data is transmitted from a barcode scanner 300 with a built-in wireless transmitter 301.
  • scanned data is sent from the barcode scanner 300 with wired means and interface 302, e.g. RS232.
  • All data 303 identifying a container 100 are traceable from an external server 304. Customers may log on to the database 451 for tracing relevant parameters for their containers 100 with ordered products.
  • Figure 3 shows an example of a control panel 500 used for controlling the system and the filling process.
  • the panel is located at the loading facility of the thermally insulated containers 100.
  • the system can be operated automatically, based on direct environmental temperature data (shown on display 506), or an operator can manually override the environmental temperature, used in the calculation of the amount of solid CO2 to be supplied to each cabinet.
  • the type of container 100 used, the type of product transported, the desired temperature 505 inside the container 100, and the time period for maintaining a product frozen or cold, can be selected from different default programs 507. By inputting a code on a number pad 501 , an operator can select such a specific program.
  • the control panel can also be used for making tailor-made programs for specific needs.
  • An operator of the system receives an order for a product and loads one or more containers 100 with the ordered product.
  • This may, for instance, be frozen fish to be transported to a food shop at a distance with a travel time of 6 hours (the residence time is at least equal to the travel time).
  • the specific food shop may or may not already be registered in the system, for example, after having placed a previous order. If it is already registered, returned containers 100 used in a previous shipment, are already provided with barcodes 150 identifying the products and the customer. If it is not registered, new barcodes 150 will be generated with relevant information.
  • the barcode data comprises at least data such as the type of container 100, the type of loaded one or more products, the required residence time of the one or more products in said container 100, and the destination of the container 100. Furthermore, it may contain data identifying the customer.
  • the type of container 100 used, the time to maintaining a product frozen (residence time of the one or more products), and the environmental temperature will directly influence the amount of solid CO2 to be supplied to the container 100 and hence, the amount of liquid CO2 to be injected into the container 100.
  • Each container 100 with the frozen fish is subsequently loaded onto a weighbridge 200. This operation is typically performed by means of an order picker forklift placing 3 to 4 containers 100 on the weighbridge 200.
  • the frozen fish may also be loaded into the containers 100 after the containers 100 have been loaded onto the weighbridge 200.
  • the barcodes 150 on the containers 100 are scanned and the barcode data is registered in the database 451 providing online access for the customer. Based on the barcode data and the selected environmental temperature (either determined by measurement or manually set), the amount of solid CO2 to be supplied to each container 100 is calculated.
  • the weighbridge 200 may be reset before filling each container 100 such that only the weight of the solid CO2 is shown.
  • An operator or a robot will then connect the filling gun 400 to the container 100 to be filled, and filling is performed while the amount of solid CO2 is measured.
  • the control means 450 controlling the filling gun 400 will stop the filling and the actual weight of solid CO2 will be registered in the database 451 together with the date and the time of filling and the relevant barcode data for the filled container 100.
  • the same injection operation will be performed on the next container 100 until all containers 100 on the weighbridge 200 are filled.
  • the invention further relates to the system for performing the method as disclosed above. Furthermore, the invention relates to a system for filling a container 100 with an amount of CO2, which is partially converted into an amount of solid CO2 in said container, for the purpose of maintaining one or more products, loaded into said container 100, at a defined temperature, below a defined temperature, or within a defined temperature range, which temperature or temperature range is below environmental temperature, said system comprising weighing means for subjecting said container 100 to a weighing operation resulting into a weight of said container.
  • the invention relates to a system for filling a container 100 with an amount of CO2, which is partially converted into an amount of solid CO2 in said container 100, for the purpose of maintaining one or more products, loaded into said container 100, at a defined temperature, below a defined temperature, or within a defined temperature range, which temperature or temperature range is below environmental temperature, said system comprising:
  • a barcode scanner capable of scanning a barcode 150, provided with said container 100 for generating barcode data
  • - calculating means capable of calculating the weight of the amount of solid CO2 to be supplied to the container 100, based on said barcode data
  • - filling means 400 capable of filling said container 100 with an amount of liquid CO2 that at least partially converts into solid CO2 into said container 100, thereby monitoring the weight of the container 100, until the weight of the container 100 is equal to the weight of the container previously determined, increased by the weight of the calculated amount of solid CO2;
  • a database 100 capable of storing said barcode data, and data on the weight of the amount of solid CO2, supplied to said container 100.
  • the invention further relates to a method of estimating a residence time remaining of solid CO2 in a container 100.
  • a user or recipient e.g. , final recipient such as a customer or intermediate recipient such as a distributor
  • the container 100 is designed to be capable of receiving and storing one or more products.
  • the products are to be maintained using the solid CO2 at a defined temperature, below a defined temperature, or within a defined temperature range.
  • “defined temperature” or“defined temperature range” is a suitable temperature or temperature range of a container 100 that has a temperature or temperature range below an environmental temperature, in which the defined temperature or defined temperature range is sufficient to maintain preservation for a certain duration of one or more products loaded or to be loaded into the container 100.
  • a machine-readable optical label such as a barcode 150 or QR code that is included with the container 100 or associated packaging is scanned by a scanner.
  • the machine-readable optical label can be read by a
  • the machine-readable optical label is included with the container 100 such that the machine-readable optical label can be located anywhere on the outside or inside of the container 100 or associated packaging.
  • the container 100 may include a radiofrequency (as used herein,“RF”) transmitter, such as a RF tag (e.g., RFID tag), Bluetooth tag or near-field communication (NFC) tag.
  • RF radiofrequency
  • the RF transmitter is a NFC tag, which requires close proximity to the NFC reader.
  • the RF transmitter is a RF tag, which can operate over longer ranges than NFC tags.
  • the exact type of RF tag to use can depend on the specific operational ranges required.
  • the RF transmitter can be read by a RF reader, such as a smartphone, other cloud connected device or a purpose-built, cloud connected RF device to identify the unique identification information of the container 100.
  • Cloud connected device such as a“cloud connected RF device” means any digital device that can be used to read data related to the container and then transmit the data to a cloud database, where the data can be stored. Examples include cameras, RF gateways, scales and smartphones.
  • Cloud database as used herein is intended to mean a digital repository of information for individual containers that contains specific attributes of the individual containers, in which the digital repository of information can be appended or modified as information related to the individual containers is collected over time.
  • the RF transmitter can relay a RF transmission that is received by the RF reader.
  • the machine-readable optical label or RF transmitter can be attached to the container 100 or accompanying packaging. Either the scanning of the machine-readable optical label or connecting to the RF transmitter allows the container 100 to be recognized and specifically identified, such that certain application software can be launched upon the scanner or RF reader, respectively, linking to the application software.
  • the application software accesses unique identification information for container 100, preferably through a dedicated secured internet website.
  • the unique identification information of container 100 includes, but is not limited to, a tare weight of the container 100 and a standard sublimation rate associated with the container 100.
  • the standard sublimation rate defines the expected rate at which the solid CO2 in the container 100 is converting or sublimating into vapor.
  • the standard sublimation rate in one example is determined by a supplier of the container 100 prior to transport of the container 100 filled with solid CO2 to the user or recipient.
  • the unique identification information can be stored on the machine-optical label or the RF transmitter and/or locally or remotely in a database.
  • the database can be, by way of example, maintained and stored in a cloud database.
  • a serial identification number or model number for container 100 may be locally accessed by application software while other unique identification information of container 100 is remotely accessed by application software from a database.
  • the container 100 is placed on the scale after the scale has been tared.
  • a real-time weight of the solid CO2 in the container 100 is determined by subjecting the container 100 to a weighing operation using a scale (e.g., weighing scale 200) resulting in the real-time weight of the container 100.
  • a scale e.g., weighing scale 200
  • the application software determines the remaining residence time for the solid CO2 in the container 100 as follows:
  • D (days) is the remaining residence time of the solid CO2 in the container 100
  • W(t) (lbs) is the real-time weight of the solid CO2 in the container 100 that is being measured at time t by subjecting the container 100 to the weighing operation using the scale
  • Wtare (lbs) is the weight of the container 100 itself
  • Rs (Ibs/day) is the standard sublimation rate of the solid CO2 in the container 100.
  • Wtare and R s both of which form, at least a portion of a particular container’s 100 unique identification information, have been previously inputted (i) locally into the machine-optical label, or the RF transmitter or (ii) locally or remotely into a database.
  • Wtare and Rs are inputted by a supplier of the container 100, where the supplier initially introduces solid CO2 into the container 100 until a fill weight, Wfm, is created therein. It should be noted that Wfill has been previously added into a database.
  • the application software can access such unique identification information at (i) or (ii).
  • the method of the present invention can be utilized by any recipient or user having a need to periodically monitor the remaining residence time of the solid CO2 in the container 100.
  • the monitoring can occur prior to or during transport or upon arrival of the container 100 to a specific destination.
  • the supplier of the container 100 may receive notification when a user or recipient of container 100 has performed a real-time weight measurement.
  • the real-time weight determination may also occur with one or more products inside of container 100.
  • the step of determining the real-time weight of the solid CO2 in the container 100 may include subjecting the container 100 to the weighing operation in a presence of accompanying packaging or accessories using the scale and resulting in the real-time weight of the container 100, products therein, and the accompanying packaging or the accessories.
  • accessories can include various components of container 100, such as, by way of example, a cap, a temperature monitor or temperature device probe affixed to the container 100 or a sample holder within container 100. Additionally, accessories can include return labelling or other instructions of use provided with container 100.
  • Accompanying packaging can include, but is not limited to, the shipping box (e.g., cardboard box) into which the container 100 is placed during transport.
  • the shipping box e.g., cardboard box
  • the tare weight Wtare includes those same products or accompanying packaging such that the difference Wt - Wtare yields the weight of the solid CO2 dry ice in the container at time t.
  • the supplier of the container 100 receives notification when a user or recipient of container 100 has performed a real-time weight measurement with one or more products loaded into container 100.
  • Any suitable device may be utilized for hosting the application software such as by way of example, a smart phone, smart scale, dedicated scanner, RF reader (examples of which have been provided hereinbefore) or computer terminal.
  • the device is in a wired or wireless communication with a network and a server.
  • the application software can be located on the scale that is used to perform the real-time weight measurement of the solid CO2 in the container 100 that is being measured at time t.
  • the inventive method in another aspect includes an automatic notification system that is configured to send one or more notification alerts to one or more users or recipients when certain conditions are triggered.
  • an alert can be transmitted when the measured real-time weight of the solid CO2 is greater than the fill weight of the solid CO2.
  • Such a notification alert that the real-time weight is greater than the fill weight can indicate a potential operational or system error has occurred (e.g., the weight measurement has been performed incorrectly).
  • the notification alert can be transmitted to one or more recipients of container 100 to repeat the weight measurement to eliminate the potential of an operational error where, by way of example, the weight measurement has been performed incorrectly.
  • the term‘fill weight’ of the solid CO2 as used herein is defined as the weight of the solid CO2 after the most recent filling of the container 100 with an initial amount of the solid CO2.
  • the fill weight is a value that is previously determined by a provider of the container 100 (e.g., by a supplier of the container 100 that has preferably also filled the container 100 with the solid CO2) and stored in a local or remote database accessible by the application software.
  • Another type of notification alert can be generated when the calculated remaining residence time of the solid CO2 is less than a specified critical limit.
  • a notification alert can be transmitted to a user or recipient of the container 100 when the remaining residence time of the solid CO2 in the container 100 is less than one (1 ) day.
  • the notification alert is a message that instructs the user or recipient of container 100 to return the container 100 to the supplier as a result of the remaining residence time determined to be insufficient for further use (e.g., insufficient for the preservation of one or more products loaded or to be loaded into container 100 at or below a certain defined temperature or within a defined temperature range).
  • the conditions under which return of the container 100 should occur can be provided as instructions of use, which may be included with the container 100 and associated packaging.
  • a notification alert can also be generated when the actual sublimation rate, Ra, is outside a specified tolerance of the standard sublimation rate, Rs, where Ra can be determined as follows:
  • Wfw and Tfw are preferably values stored in a database that is accessible locally or remotely by the application software. It should be understood, that the same weight of product and/or accompanying packaging or accessories should be included in Wfiii and W(t) such that the difference Wfin - W(t) yields an accurate
  • a value of Ra greater than a value of Rs can indicate a container 100 that has structurally degraded and the expected solid CO2 residence time might not be achieved.
  • a method of preparing a container 100 with solid CO2 introduced inside the container 100 is provided.
  • the container 100 is configured to contain one or more products; and the products are to be maintained using the solid CO2 at a defined temperature, below a defined temperature, or within a defined temperature range, the defined temperature or the defined temperature range being below an environmental temperature, in which the defined temperature or the defined temperature range is sufficient to maintain preservation for a certain duration of one or more products loaded or to be loaded into container 100.
  • the method is capable of providing an estimate of residence time of the solid CO2 remaining in the container 100 on a real-time basis.
  • solid CO2 is filled into an inner part of the container 100 until a fill weight of the solid CO2 is generated inside the container 100.
  • solid CO2 may be filled into the container 100 in any manner, including by transferring solid CO2 in the form of pellets, nuggets, flakes or slab of dry ice, as well as charging liquid CO2 from a liquid CO2 source into the container 100 such that at least a portion of the liquid CO2 is converted into solid CO2.
  • a machine-readable optical label or RF transmitter can be affixed to or included with the container 100 or associated packaging.
  • a machine-readable optical label or RF transmitter can be included with the container 100 such that the machine-readable optical label or RF transmitter can be located anywhere on the outside or inside of the container 100 or associated packaging.
  • Unique identifier information of the container 100 is inputted into a database or into the machine-readable optical label or into a RF transmitter.
  • the unique identifier information of the container 100 comprises, but is not limited to, a standard sublimation rate of the solid CO2 in the container 100, a tare weight of the container 100 and a fill weight of the container 100, all of which can be accessed by application software upon scanning the machine-readable optical label or connecting to the RF transmitter.
  • the application software is configured to calculate the residence time of the solid CO2 in the container 100 based on the tare weight, the fill weight and the standard sublimation rate.
  • the application software is also configured to calculate the remaining residence time based on the tare weight, the standard sublimation rate and the weight of the solid CO2 remaining in the container 100 that is measured subsequent to the fill weight. It should be understood that the step of measuring the weight of the solid CO2 filled into the container 100 or solid CO2 remaining in the container 100 can be performed in the presence of accompanying packaging or accessories as previously described herein.
  • the container 100 with solid CO2 introduced (e.g., loaded or charged) inside the container 100 certain arrangements can made for delivering the container 100 to an intermediate and/or final destination site.
  • the container 100 with solid CO2 filled therein is transported by a commercial carrier such as United Parcel Service (UPS) or Federal Express (FedEx) to the intermediate or final destination site for access or use by a corresponding intermediate recipient or final recipient.
  • UPS United Parcel Service
  • FedEx Federal Express
  • instructions for use and instructions for handling of the container 100 can also accompany the container 100 during transport.
  • the step of preparing the container 100 can include assigning an alphanumeric identification (ID) number for the container 100.
  • ID number can be stored and maintained on a machine-readable optical label or RF transmitter and/or locally or remotely in a database that is accessible by the application software.
  • the ID is one of the pieces of information that is considered part of the unique identifier information of a container 100. In one example, the ID is a serial number.
  • the database contains historical information of the container 100, including weight measurements of the container 100 and the time, location and dates when such weight measurements were performed, along with identification of the type of weight measurement.
  • the type of weight measurement can be a (i) tare weight of container 100, (ii) a fill weight of container 100, or (iii) a real-time weight of the container 100 that is being measured subsequent to the fill weight at time t by subjecting the container 100 to a weighing operation using a scale.
  • the historical information of the container 100 can include measurements performed by suppliers, users and recipients of the container 100. The historical information is preferably accessible by the supplier of the container 100, but also may be accessible by the recipients and users of the container 100.
  • an actual sublimation rate of the container 100 can be determined as previously described herein.
  • the actual sublimation rate can be compared with a standard
  • ⁇ identification can be employed to carry out the present invention.
  • a dedicated cloud connected device such as a smartphone camera, can be utilized to identify the unique identification information.
  • the identification is based on algorithms typically used in applications such as facial recognition, whereby the algorithms recognize and read certain text, numbers and various types of graphics.
  • the camera-based technique which can be used in the present invention reads a unique alphanumeric or pictographic label on the container 100 or accompanying packaging as the means for identifying the unique identification information.
  • the present invention contemplates various ways for identifying a container.
  • the identification process can be performed manually.
  • An example of a manual identification process of a container involves a user using a smartphone to read a barcode.
  • a cellular connection links unique identification information of the container to a cloud database.
  • the identification process can also be done by an automatic process without user intervention.
  • An example of an automated process involves a cloud connected RF scanning device identifying a container that is in close proximity through a RF transmitter on the container. Upon identifying the container, a cloud database is linked to by the RF scanning device or information relating to the container is uploaded into the cloud database by the RF scanning device.
  • a recipient e.g., intermediate or final
  • the container is configured to contain one or more products; and the products are to be maintained using the refrigerant at a defined temperature, below a defined temperature, or within a defined temperature range, the defined temperature or the defined temperature range being below an environmental temperature, in which the defined temperature or defined temperature range is sufficient to maintain preservation for a certain duration of the one or more products loaded or to be loaded into container.
  • a machine-readable optical label is scanned or a RF transmission from a RF transmitter included with the container is received to enable launching of application software as a result of the application software linking to the unique identifier information of the container 100.
  • the machine-readable optical label and RF transmitter as included with the container can be located anywhere on the outside or inside of the container and associated packaging.
  • the application software accesses unique identification information for the container from the machine-readable optical label or the RF transmitter.
  • the unique identification information resides locally on the machine-readable optical label or the RF transmitter or remotely on a database.
  • the unique identifier information includes a tare weight of the container and a standard refrigerant evaporation rate associated with the container.
  • a real-time weight of the container is determined by subjecting the container to a weighing operation using a scale, resulting in the real-time weight of the container. The residence time remaining is determined such that the one or more products can be maintained at the defined
  • a method of preparing the container with refrigerant introduced inside the container is provided.
  • the container is adapted to provide an estimate of a residence time of the refrigerant remaining in the container on a real-time basis.
  • a standard refrigerant evaporation rate associated with the container is determined.
  • a tare weight of the container is also determined.
  • a machine- readable optical label or RF transmitter is affixed to or included within the container, such that the machine-readable optical label or RF transmitter can be located anywhere along the outside or inside of the container and associated packaging.
  • Unique identifier information of the container is inputted into a database, the machine-readable optical label or the RF transmitter or a combination thereof.
  • the unique identifier information of the container includes, but is not limited to, the standard evaporation rate, the tare weight of the container and the fill weight of the container, all of which can be accessed by application software upon scanning the machine-readable optical label or connecting to the RF transmitter.
  • the application software is configured to calculate the residence time of the refrigerant in the container based on the tare weight, the fill weight, and the standard refrigerant evaporation rate.
  • the application software is also configured to calculate the remaining residence time based on the tare weight, the standard refrigerant evaporation rate and the weight of the refrigerant remaining in the container that is measured subsequent to the fill weight. It should be understood that the step of measuring the weight of the refrigerant filled into container or refrigerant remaining in the container can be performed in the presence of accompanying packaging or accessories as previously described herein.
  • the refrigerant is liquid nitrogen absorbed onto an absorbent. In another example, the refrigerant is helium.
  • the methods of the present invention allow for real-time assessment of the functional performance of the container.
  • the present invention allows for detection of containers that may have structurally degraded and as a result should be removed from operational service; such real-time detection and notification is a benefit not previously provided by containers filled with solid CO2 or other refrigerants.
  • the ability of the present invention to assess on a real time basis the estimated remaining residence time of the solid CO2 or other refrigerant in the container allows for a more efficient use and management of a fleet of the containers filled with solid CO2 or other refrigerant, whereby decisions on where to transport the containers can be made by anyone in the supply chain from supplier to final user or recipient, as a result of timely notification alerts provided based on real-time weight measurements of the container being performed.
  • containers with less than one (1 ) day of residence time remaining of the solid CO2 in the container are recommended by the application software to be returned to the supplier, whereas containers with greater than one (1 ) day of residence time remaining of the solid CO2 in the container are deemed functionable (i.e. , configured to contain one or more products, wherein the products are to be maintained using the solid CO2 at a defined temperature, below a defined temperature, or within a defined temperature range, the defined
  • temperature or the defined temperature range being below an environmental temperature, in which the defined temperature or defined temperature range is sufficient to maintain preservation for a certain duration of the one or more products loaded or to be loaded into a container).

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Electromagnetism (AREA)
  • Artificial Intelligence (AREA)
  • Toxicology (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Computer Vision & Pattern Recognition (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Basic Packing Technique (AREA)
  • Filling Of Jars Or Cans And Processes For Cleaning And Sealing Jars (AREA)
  • Filling Or Discharging Of Gas Storage Vessels (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un procédé et un système permettant de remplir un contenant avec une quantité de dioxyde de carbone liquide (CO2) qui est partiellement convertie en une quantité de CO2 solide dans ledit contenant, dans le but de maintenir un ou plusieurs produits, chargés dans ledit contenant (100), à une température définie, sous une température définie, ou à l'intérieur d'une plage de température définie, ladite température ou plage de température étant inférieure à une température ambiante. La présente invention concerne également un procédé et un système permettant de fournir des données d'identification et de traçabilité déterminant le contenant ainsi que le ou les produits chargés dans ledit contenant, et permettant d'identifier ledit contenant (100) pendant le transport jusqu'à une destination particulière.
PCT/US2020/031602 2019-05-13 2020-05-06 Procédé et système permettant de remplir des contenants isolés thermiquement avec du dioxyde de carbone liquide WO2020231692A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP20730793.5A EP4048985A1 (fr) 2019-05-13 2020-05-06 Procédé et système permettant de remplir des contenants isolés thermiquement avec du dioxyde de carbone liquide
SG11202111577SA SG11202111577SA (en) 2019-05-13 2020-05-06 Method and system for filling thermally insulated containers with liquid carbon dioxide
BR112021020755A BR112021020755A2 (pt) 2019-05-13 2020-05-06 Método para estimar um tempo de permanência restante de co2 sólido em um recipiente, método para estimar um tempo de permanência restante de um refrigerante em um recipiente, método de preparação de um recipiente com co2, método de preparação de um recipiente com refrigerante no interior do recipiente, e, sistema
CN202080029016.9A CN113710949B (zh) 2019-05-13 2020-05-06 用液体二氧化碳填充绝热容器的方法和系统

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US16/410,027 2019-05-13
US16/410,027 US11384904B2 (en) 2013-12-05 2019-05-13 Method and system for filling thermally insulated containers with liquid carbon dioxide

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2020231692A1 true WO2020231692A1 (fr) 2020-11-19

Family

ID=70978560

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US2020/031602 WO2020231692A1 (fr) 2019-05-13 2020-05-06 Procédé et système permettant de remplir des contenants isolés thermiquement avec du dioxyde de carbone liquide

Country Status (5)

Country Link
EP (1) EP4048985A1 (fr)
CN (1) CN113710949B (fr)
BR (1) BR112021020755A2 (fr)
SG (1) SG11202111577SA (fr)
WO (1) WO2020231692A1 (fr)

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1326046B1 (fr) 2002-01-07 2007-07-25 YARA International ASA Coupleur manuel multiple pour fluide cryogenique
EP2881646A1 (fr) * 2013-12-05 2015-06-10 YARA International ASA Procédé et système permettant de remplir des contenants thermiquement isolés avec du dioxyde de carbone liquide

Family Cites Families (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4127008A (en) * 1976-11-01 1978-11-28 Lewis Tyree Jr Method and apparatus for cooling material using liquid CO2
US20050075900A1 (en) * 2003-10-02 2005-04-07 Arguimbau Vincent C. Method and apparatus for bulk food marking and tracking with supplier rating system
EP1987283B1 (fr) * 2006-02-10 2019-04-10 Kosan Crisplant A/S Systeme de remplissage de recipients avec une substance
US8371140B2 (en) * 2008-01-22 2013-02-12 Cws Group Llc Refrigerated container for super frozen temperatures
US20110140850A1 (en) * 2009-12-16 2011-06-16 Matheson Tri-Gas, Inc. Real time tracking and monitoring of gas cylinders
EP2466186A1 (fr) * 2010-12-16 2012-06-20 Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. Procédé de remplissage d'un conteneur de stockage de gaz
EP2674712B1 (fr) * 2011-02-08 2020-08-19 Kyowa Vacuum Engineering, Ltd. Procédé et dispositif de calcul de la température d'une interface de sublimation, de la température d'une partie inférieure et de la vitesse de sublimation d'une matière à dessécher dans un dispositif de lyophilisation
FI127311B (en) * 2015-10-21 2018-03-15 Vakava Tech Ltd Oy Stepwise cooling of a storage container
CN109312896A (zh) * 2016-04-15 2019-02-05 斯科特科技公司 针对特定呼吸气瓶的各种气体和污染物的实时分析记录

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1326046B1 (fr) 2002-01-07 2007-07-25 YARA International ASA Coupleur manuel multiple pour fluide cryogenique
EP2881646A1 (fr) * 2013-12-05 2015-06-10 YARA International ASA Procédé et système permettant de remplir des contenants thermiquement isolés avec du dioxyde de carbone liquide

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP4048985A1 (fr) 2022-08-31
SG11202111577SA (en) 2021-11-29
CN113710949B (zh) 2023-07-28
CN113710949A (zh) 2021-11-26
BR112021020755A2 (pt) 2021-12-14

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US10330260B2 (en) Method and system for filling thermally insulated containers with liquid carbon dioxide
US7455225B1 (en) Method and system for monitoring and controlling goods while in transit
JP6880056B2 (ja) コールドチェーン流通システム全体を通じた生鮮品パラメータの自動化された予測監視
US9829898B2 (en) Controlling cargo parameters in a microenvironment of a reefer during transit
US11384904B2 (en) Method and system for filling thermally insulated containers with liquid carbon dioxide
US20090228155A1 (en) Display and management of events in transport refrigeration units
WO2017192428A1 (fr) Systèmes et procédés pour surveiller la température ou le mouvement de marchandises
EP2604956A1 (fr) Procédé de conservation de produits dans une enceinte isolée à basse température
EP3653976B1 (fr) Système de consigne pour la livraison des produits sensibles à la chaleur
US20200311663A1 (en) Tracking and suggesting cold chain manager
CN109478272A (zh) 用于易腐物品运输的风险管理系统
CN111655586A (zh) 用于确定产品新鲜度的方法和系统
KR101885459B1 (ko) 스마트 드론을 이용한 콜드체인 관리시스템
US9062908B2 (en) System for the operation and management of a fleet of refrigerated autonomous containers
WO2020231692A1 (fr) Procédé et système permettant de remplir des contenants isolés thermiquement avec du dioxyde de carbone liquide
CN108681855B (zh) 一种铁路冷链集装器智能管理系统
WO2020161763A1 (fr) Système de logistique à basse température
KR20230078070A (ko) 콜드체인 기반의 배송화물 관리시스템 및 방법
CN103369039A (zh) 一种冷藏集装箱用监测系统及方法
CN114399242A (zh) 用于冷链运输的货物交付方法和系统
JP2019085216A (ja) 物流管理システム
WO2024105248A1 (fr) Procédé et système de gestion automatique en temps réel d'un profil de budget de temps de stabilité total attribué à un produit
CN114399244A (zh) 用于食品冷链运输的监控方法和系统
KR100758769B1 (ko) 두부의 심온 냉각 자동창고 시스템 및 그의 제어방법
CN112585634A (zh) 库存管理系统

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application

Ref document number: 20730793

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1

REG Reference to national code

Ref country code: BR

Ref legal event code: B01A

Ref document number: 112021020755

Country of ref document: BR

NENP Non-entry into the national phase

Ref country code: DE

ENP Entry into the national phase

Ref document number: 112021020755

Country of ref document: BR

Kind code of ref document: A2

Effective date: 20211015

ENP Entry into the national phase

Ref document number: 2020730793

Country of ref document: EP

Effective date: 20211213