Thermal management systems and methods

Abstract

A thermal management system includes a case; an insulation material provided within the case, the insulation material defining an interior volume of the insulation material; a liner arranged in the interior volume, the liner having an inner surface that extends toward a center of the case; an outer container of phase change material provided in the liner, the outer container comprising a plurality of outer panels containing a first phase change material, the plurality of outer panels comprising a bottom outer panel, a top outer panel, and side outer panels; and an inner container of phase change material provided in the outer container, the inner container comprising a plurality of inner panels containing a second phase change material; wherein an outer surface of each of the side outer panels is parallel with the inner surface of the liner.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A thermal management system, the system comprising:
 a case including a base having a base interior;   an insulation material provided within the base interior, the insulation material forming a structure having an interior volume and a plurality of sides around the interior volume;   a liner arranged in the interior volume of the structure of the insulation material to protect the insulation material, the liner extending along the plurality of sides of the structure of the insulation material and defining an interior volume within the liner, the liner being selectively removable from the case to allow access to the insulation material; and   at least one container of phase change material provided in the interior volume within the liner.   
     
     
         2 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one container of phase change material comprising a plurality of panels, each panel containing a phase change material, the plurality of panels being arranged to form a container having an interior volume. 
     
     
         3 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein liner comprises a unitary structure having: an outer surface facing the plurality of sides of the structure of the insulation material, an inner surface facing the at least one container of phase change material, a bottom surface and an open end. 
     
     
         4 . The thermal management system of  claim 3 , wherein the unitary structure of the liner has four walls that define the outer surface and the inner surface of the unitary structure of the liner. 
     
     
         5 . The thermal management system of  claim 3 , wherein at least a portion of the outer surface of the unitary structure of the liner is in direct contact with the insulation material. 
     
     
         6 . The thermal management system of  claim 5 , wherein at least a portion of the inner surface of the unitary structure of the liner is in direct contact with the at least one container of phase change material. 
     
     
         7 . The thermal management system of  claim 6 , wherein the unitary structure of the liner is made of a thermally conductive material. 
     
     
         8 . The thermal management system of  claim 6 , wherein the unitary structure of the liner is made of a thermally conductive metal. 
     
     
         9 . The thermal management system of  claim 3 , wherein the bottom surface of the unitary structure of the liner is smaller than the open end of the unitary structure of the liner. 
     
     
         10 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein the liner has an open end and a peripheral edge around the open end, the peripheral edge being arranged over an upper edge of the insulation material. 
     
     
         11 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one container of phase change material comprises a first container of first phase change material and a second container of second phase change material, the second container of second phase change material being within the first container of first phase change material. 
     
     
         12 . The thermal management system of  claim 11 , wherein the first container of phase change material comprises a plurality of outer panels, each outer panel containing a first phase change material, the plurality of outer panels being arranged to define an interior volume, and wherein the second container of phase change material comprises a plurality of inner panels located within the interior volume defined by the plurality of outer panels, each inner panel containing a second phase change material, the plurality of inner panels being arranged to define an interior volume for containing an article. 
     
     
         13 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the liner has a base wall and a side wall surrounding the interior volume of the liner, and an open end that is open to the interior volume of the liner; and   the side wall of the liner defines an outer surface facing the plurality of sides of the structure of the insulation material, and an inner surface facing the at least one container of phase change material.   
     
     
         14 . The thermal management system of  claim 13 , wherein at least a portion of the outer surface of the side wall of the liner is in direct contact with the insulation material. 
     
     
         15 . The thermal management system of  claim 13 , wherein at least a portion of the inner surface of the side wall of the liner is in direct contact with the at least one container of phase change material. 
     
     
         16 . The thermal management system of  claim 15 , wherein the side wall of the liner is made of a thermally conductive material. 
     
     
         17 . The thermal management system of  claim 15 , wherein the side wall of the liner is made of a thermally conductive metal. 
     
     
         18 . The thermal management system of  claim 13 , wherein the base wall of the liner is smaller than the open end of the liner. 
     
     
         19 . A method of making a thermal management system, the method comprising:
 providing a case that includes a base having a base interior;   arranging an insulation material within the base interior, the insulation material comprising a structure having an interior volume and a plurality of sides around the interior volume;   arranging a liner in the interior volume of the structure of the insulation material to protect the insulation material, the liner extending along the plurality of sides of the structure of the insulation material and defining an interior volume within the liner, the liner being selectively removable from the case to allow access to the insulation material; and   providing at least one container of phase change material in the interior volume within the liner.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein providing at least one container of phase change material comprising arranging a plurality of panels to form a container having an interior volume, each panel containing a phase change material. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the liner has a base wall and a side wall surrounding the interior volume of the liner, and an open end that is open to the interior volume of the liner; and   arranging the liner comprises positioning the liner within the interior volume of the structure of the insulation material with an outer surface of the side wall of the liner facing the plurality of sides of the structure of the insulation material, and with an inner surface of the side wall of the liner facing the at least one container of phase change material.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein arranging the liner further comprises arranging at least a portion of the outer surface of the side wall of the liner in direct contact with the insulation material. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein arranging the liner further comprises arranging at least a portion of the inner surface of the side wall of the liner is in direct contact with the at least one container of phase change material. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the side wall of the liner is made of a thermally conductive metal material.