System and method of controlling temperature of a medium by refrigerant vaporization

Abstract

A system and method of controlling temperature of a medium by refrigerant vaporization, the system including a container, at least one a refrigerant reservoir having at least one reservoir section that includes a wall with an exterior surface structured to be thermally coupled with a volume of the medium in the container and to provide a volume of medium thermal coverage in the container, a vapor pressure apparatus to provide regulation of refrigerant vapor pressure in the at least one refrigerant reservoir, whereby the refrigerant reservoir forms a vapor space in each of the at least one reservoir section in response to receiving refrigerant and to the vapor pressure apparatus regulation of vapor pressure above the refrigerant to enable refrigerant vaporization at or near a selected temperature of the volume of medium in the container that is thermally coupled to the respective reservoir section.

1 . A method of controlling a temperature of a medium by refrigerant vaporization, the method comprising:
 providing an apparatus for controlling the temperature of the medium by refrigerant vaporization of a refrigerant, the providing including providing:
 a container having an exterior and an interior; 
 at least one a refrigerant reservoir associated with the container, the at least one refrigerant reservoir having at least one reservoir section configured to hold refrigerant, each at least one reservoir section having a wall with an exterior surface structured to be thermally coupled with a volume of the medium in the container and to provide thermal change to the volume of the medium in the container and thereby provide a volume of medium thermal coverage in the container, the volume of medium thermal coverage having an outside boundary; 
 a vapor pressure apparatus to provide regulation of refrigerant vapor pressure in the at least one refrigerant reservoir; and 
 wherein the at least one refrigerant reservoir is configured to form a vapor space in each of the at least one reservoir sections in response to receiving refrigerant and in response to the vapor pressure apparatus regulation of vapor pressure above the refrigerant to enable refrigerant vaporization at or near a selected temperature of the volume of medium thermal coverage for the volume of the medium in the container that is thermally coupled to the respective at least one reservoir section; 
   introducing refrigerant into the at least one refrigerant reservoir to partially occupy the at least one refrigerant section and form a vapor space in the at least one refrigerant section; and   regulating vapor pressure above the refrigerant in the at least one refrigerant reservoir to enable refrigerant vaporization at or near a selected temperature of the volume of medium thermal coverage for the volume of the medium in the container that is thermally coupled to the respective at least one reservoir section.   
     
     
         2 . A method of controlling temperature in a medium stored in a container, the method comprising:
 partitioning the medium into localized thermal volumes; and   thermally coupling a refrigerant to respective localized thermal volumes to control a temperature of the localized thermal volume to maintain the medium at a selected temperature.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein partitioning the medium into localized thermal volumes comprises positioning a refrigerant reservoir in physical proximity to the container, with at least one refrigerant reservoir section associated with a respective localized thermal volume. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the thermally coupling comprises regulating vapor pressure in a vapor space above the refrigerant in each at least one refrigerant reservoir section to maintain a temperature of the respective localized thermal volume at the selected temperature of the medium.