System and methods for providing cooling to an interior of a container

Abstract

Described herein is a method of providing cooling to a storage container. The method including the steps of providing a feed of a liquid and at least one pack; cooling the feed to a slurry temperature to provide a slurry feed; dividing at least one slurry portion from the slurry feed to provide at least one refrigerant portion; housing at least one refrigerant portion in a corresponding pack to provide the at least one refrigeration pack; and, enclosing the at least one refrigeration pack within the storage container to cool an interior space of the storage container.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of providing cooling to a storage container, the method comprising
 providing a feed of a liquid and at least one pack;   cooling the feed to a slurry temperature within a freezing temperature range of the liquid to provide a slurry feed, the slurry feed comprising a liquid component and a frozen component;   dividing at least one slurry portion from the slurry feed, to provide at least one refrigerant portion;   for each refrigerant portion of the at least one refrigerant portion, housing that refrigerant portion in a corresponding pack of the at least one pack to provide the at least one refrigeration pack;   enclosing at least one item to be stored within an interior space of the storage container; and,   enclosing the at least one refrigeration pack within the storage container to cool the interior space of the storage container and the at least one item to be stored.   
     
     
         2 . The method as defined in  claim 1   wherein the storage container i) is openable to receive the at least one refrigeration pack and the at least one item to be stored, ii) is closable to enclose the at least one refrigeration pack and the at least one item to be stored, and iii) is insulated against heat transfer from the interior space to an exterior of the storage container when the storage container is closed.   
     
     
         3 . The method as defined in  claim 1  wherein the at least one item to be stored is different from the at least one refrigeration pack. 
     
     
         4 . The method as defined in  claim 3  wherein the at least one item to be stored is a liquid food item selected from a group comprising pop, juice, and milk. 
     
     
         5 . The method as defined in  claim 3  wherein the at least one item to be stored is a solid food item selected from a group comprising fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, and solid dairy products. 
     
     
         6 . The method as defined in  claim 1  wherein dividing the at least one slurry portion from the slurry feed comprises putting the at least one refrigerant portion, in slurry form, into the at least one pack. 
     
     
         7 . The method as defined in  claim 6  further comprising, after housing the at least one refrigerant portion in the at least one pack, further cooling the at least one refrigerant portion within the at least one pack to convert the at least one refrigerant portion from the slurry form to a solid form. 
     
     
         8 . The method as defined in  claim 7  wherein further cooling the at least one refrigerant portion within the at least one pack comprises moving the at least one refrigerant portion within the at least one pack through a cooling tunnel. 
     
     
         9 . The method as defined in  claim 6  wherein
 the refrigerant portion in the at least one pack is in slurry form when received and enclosed in the storage container. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method as defined in  claim 9  wherein the at least one pack is malleable, such that the at least one refrigeration pack containing the refrigerant portion in the slurry form is malleable, the method further comprising shaping at least part of a surface of the at least one refrigeration pack to conform to at least part of a corresponding surface of an item of the at least one item enclosed in the storage container. 
     
     
         11 . The method as defined in  claim 9  or  10  further comprising vibrating the at least one refrigeration pack within the storage container to impede separation of the at least one refrigerant portion within the at least one pack into a liquid fraction and a solid fraction. 
     
     
         12 . The method as defined in  claim 11  wherein vibrating the at least one refrigeration pack within the storage container comprises vibrating the storage container to vibrate the at least one refrigeration pack contained therein. 
     
     
         13 . The method as defined in  claim 1  further comprising, after dividing the at least one slurry portion from the slurry feed
 converting the at least one slurry portion to solid form to provide the at least one refrigerant portion; and then, 
 putting the at least one refrigerant portion, in the solid form, into the at least one pack. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method as defined in  claim 13  wherein converting the at least one slurry portion to solid form to provide the at least one refrigerant portion comprises, for each slurry portion of the at least one slurry portion, compressing that slurry portion to squeeze water out of that slurry portion to provide the at least one refrigerant portion in solid form. 
     
     
         15 . The method as defined in  claim 14  wherein, for each slurry portion of the at least one slurry portion, compressing that slurry portion to provide the at least one refrigerant portion in solid form, comprises shaping the at least one refrigerant portion to fit within the at least one pack. 
     
     
         16 . The method as defined in  claim 1  wherein the at least one pack comprises at least one liner, each liner of the at least one liner being attachable to an interior surface of the storage container.