PREVENTION OF EXHAUST AIR RE-ENTRAINMENT IN AUTOMATED STORAGE FACILITY WITH ACTIVELY COOLED TOTES

Abstract

Systems and methods for prevention of exhaust air re-entrainment in automated storage facility with actively cooled totes are provided. In some embodiments, an actively cooled container includes: an active cooling subsystem; and a heat exhaust outlet to remove heat from the active cooling subsystem; wherein the heat exhaust outlet is angled upward to more effectively remove the heat from the ambient environment of the actively cooled container. In some embodiments, a method of managing a storage area of actively cooled totes includes: determining a plurality of actively cooled totes that require active cooling; and determining an arrangement of the plurality of actively cooled totes in the storage area. The arrangement reduces a column of hot exhaust air formed in the storage area. In this way, the storage of actively cooled totes is made more reliable and more efficient.

Description

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The disclosure relates generally to temperature-controlled environments.

BACKGROUND

Cold chain transport for food, drug or any products that need temperature control for delivery currently is done with tri temperature or refer trucks and vans upfitted with compressor based systems that cool or freeze the entire sectioned area of a truck and must be run constantly to maintain temperature inside the truck. Whether the truck has one gallon of milk or a pint of ice cream, the entire space must be cooled or frozen. Compressor based refer trucks and tri temp trucks or vans must be penetrated from the outside to get the cooling platform of a compressor-based system inside the truck or van, which voids the warranty of the van or truck. In addition, to run tri temperature trucks, dividers must exist between the temperature zones to maintain temperature. The separation of space requires separation of orders that have goods in two or more zones. Compressor based systems pull too much power for the system to be placed in or on a fully electric vehicle without degrading the range of the vehicle significantly. Improved systems and methods for thermal management are needed.

SUMMARY

Systems and methods for prevention of exhaust air re-entrainment in automated storage facility with actively cooled totes are provided. In some embodiments, an actively cooled container includes: an active cooling subsystem; and a heat exhaust outlet to remove heat from the active cooling subsystem; wherein the heat exhaust outlet is angled upward to more effectively remove the heat from the ambient environment of the actively cooled container. In some embodiments, wherein the heat exhaust outlet is angled upward at approximately a 45 degree angle.

In some embodiments, a method of managing a storage area of actively cooled totes includes: determining a plurality of actively cooled totes that require active cooling; and determining an arrangement of the plurality of actively cooled totes in the storage area. The arrangement reduces a column of hot exhaust air formed in the storage area.

In some embodiments, determining the arrangement comprises arranging the plurality of actively cooled totes in a staggered pattern through the storage area.

In some embodiments, determining the arrangement comprises determining the arrangement based on a percentage of the area of the storage area occupied by the plurality of actively cooled totes.

In some embodiments, determining the arrangement comprises determining a cooling level needed by each of the plurality of actively cooled totes.

In some embodiments, determining the cooling level needed by each of the plurality of actively cooled totes comprises one of the group consisting of: ambient temperature; refrigerated; and frozen.

In some embodiments, the method also includes selectively operating an active cooling subsystem of the plurality of actively cooled totes based on the arrangement of the actively cooled totes.

In some embodiments, the method also includes selectively operating an active cooling subsystem of the plurality of actively cooled totes based on the arrangement of the actively cooled totes.

In some embodiments, one or more of the plurality of actively cooled totes comprises a heat exhaust outlet that is angled upward to more effectively remove heat from the ambient environment.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate the scope of the present disclosure and realize additional aspects thereof after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments in association with the accompanying drawing figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

The accompanying drawing figures incorporated in and forming a part of this specification illustrate several aspects of the disclosure, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the disclosure.

FIGS. 1A-1D illustrate utilization of a portable, self-contained, refrigeration or freezing system, coupled with integrated automated controls and monitoring;

FIG. 2 and FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate an example embodiment of an active cooler in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 illustrates a system including an active cooler in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a tote as discussed herein;

FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate that different versions of the totes could be used in refrigerator or freezer versions;

FIG. 7 shows an exploded view of the tote that includes a thermoelectric unit as discussed herein;

FIG. 8 shows the standard tri-temperature truck that is used for deliveries;

FIG. 9 illustrates a delivery truck which does not need refrigeration systems or needs less refrigeration in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 10 illustrates airflow pattern between adjacent totes in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 11 illustrates bulk exhaust airflow in stack of totes in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 12 illustrates Placement of Actively Cooled Totes in Facility, according to some embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The embodiments set forth below represent the necessary information to enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments and illustrate the best mode of practicing the embodiments. Upon reading the following description in light of the accompanying drawing figures, those skilled in the art will understand the concepts of the disclosure and will recognize applications of these concepts not particularly addressed herein. It should be understood that these concepts and applications fall within the scope of the disclosure and the accompanying claims.

Last mile delivery of food requires temperature-controlled transport of perishable food items using transit vans or similar vehicles. For temperature control, refrigerated or freezer totes can be used which are installed in the van (e.g., a cargo van) or a box truck.

These totes use an active heat pump to pull heat from an enclosed chamber and reject it to surrounding ambient. The hot air must be removed from the van to ensure optimum operation of the totes.

These totes require power while in transit maintain food safety requirements for perishable consumption. The electrical system needs to reach (and/or maintain) the correct temperature must be met for operation of the totes.

FIGS. 1A-1D illustrate utilization of a portable, self-contained, refrigeration or freezing system, coupled with integrated automated controls and monitoring.

FIG. 2 and FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate an example embodiment of an active cooler in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 illustrates a system including an active cooler in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

For more details, the interested reader is directed to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/953,771, entitled THERMOELECTRIC REFRIGERATED/FROZEN PRODUCT STORAGE AND TRANSPORTATION COOLER; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/135,420, entitled THERMOELECTRIC REFRIGERATED/FROZEN PRODUCT STORAGE AND TRANSPORTATION COOLER, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021/0199353 A1; and International Patent Application No. PCT/US2020/067172, entitled THERMOELECTRIC REFRIGERATED/FROZEN PRODUCT STORAGE AND TRANSPORTATION COOLER, now International Patent Publication No. WO 2021/134068. These applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a tote as discussed herein. FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate that different versions of the totes could be used in refrigerator or freezer versions. FIG. 7 shows an exploded view of the tote that includes a thermoelectric unit as discussed herein.

FIG. 8 shows the standard tri-temperature truck that is used for deliveries. This might include several different cooling systems that must be carried around regardless of whether they are currently needed.

FIG. 9 illustrates a delivery truck which does not need refrigeration systems or needs less. In this embodiment, the totes provide the proper temperatures for the various goods. This can make the trucks more efficient in many ways. This also adds configurability. If an entire truck is needed for a specific temperature, this can be easily accomplished as opposed to the standard truck. These trucks might include charging capabilities or other amenities.

Re-entrainment (aka “re-breathing”) occurs when hot air exhausted from an actively cooled tote is trapped in space between adjacent totes and this exhaust air is then drawn back into the same tote from which it was exhausted.

The result of this re-entrainment is reduced performance of and excess energy consumption by the tote as it will require a continuous high-power operation of the thermoelectric system to cool to and maintain desired setpoint. In some cases of severe re-entrainment such as in higher-than-normal ambient temperature, it will reach its system limitation and be unable to reach the desired setpoint, settling at a higher than desired internal cooled temperature.

In addition to potential re-entrainment of exhaust air due to totes placed adjacently, the bulk exhaust airflow of numerous totes must also be addressed to prevent the performance degradation as described above.

FIG. 10 illustrates an airflow pattern between adjacent totes. In some embodiments, orientation of exhaust outlet on tote eliminates the re-entrainment problem between adjacent totes by directing hot exhaust air at an angle (approximately 45 degrees) over top of the adjacent tote. In some instances, the rebreathing in between some of the totes is reduced or eliminated. In some instances, rebreathing of rising hot plume still occurs.

In some embodiments, bulk exhaust air is addressed by placement of the totes in the facility in a manner intentionally separating them to prevent a column of hot exhaust air (thermal plume) developing in a stack of totes. FIG. 11 illustrates bulk exhaust airflow in stack of totes. In some instances, fan inlet temperature increases with position in the stack of totes.

FIG. 12 illustrates Placement of Actively Cooled Totes in Facility, according to some embodiments. Building HVAC system will then handle and condition the exhaust air as normal. This configuration places actively cooled totes in a staggered pattern through the length of the facility, preventing hot exhaust air stacks while still allowing full utilization of the shuttle robots which retrieve and return the totes from the storage racks. Actively cooled totes comprise some percentage of all totes in the facility, with the other positions in the racks occupied by ambient totes which do not exhaust hot air.

Those skilled in the art will recognize improvements and modifications to the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure. All such improvements and modifications are considered within the scope of the concepts disclosed herein and the claims that follow.

Claims

1. An actively cooled container comprising: an active cooling subsystem; anda heat exhaust outlet to remove heat from the active cooling subsystem;wherein the heat exhaust outlet is angled upward to more effectively remove the heat from the ambient environment of the actively cooled container.

2. The actively cooled container of claim 1 wherein the heat exhaust outlet is angled upward at approximately a 45 degree angle.

3. A method of managing a storage area of actively cooled totes, the method comprising: determining a plurality of actively cooled totes that require active cooling; anddetermining an arrangement of the plurality of actively cooled totes in the storage area;where the arrangement reduces a column of hot exhaust air formed in the storage area.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein determining the arrangement comprises arranging the plurality of actively cooled totes in a staggered pattern through the storage area.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein determining the arrangement comprises determining the arrangement based on a percentage of the area of the storage area occupied by the plurality of actively cooled totes.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein determining the arrangement comprises determining a cooling level needed by each of the plurality of actively cooled totes.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein determining the cooling level needed by each of the plurality of actively cooled totes comprises one of the group consisting of: ambient temperature; refrigerated; and frozen.

8. The method of claim 3 further comprising: selectively operating an active cooling subsystem of the plurality of actively cooled totes based on the arrangement of the actively cooled totes.

9. The method of claim 3 further comprising: selectively operating an active cooling subsystem of the plurality of actively cooled totes based on the arrangement of the actively cooled totes.

10. The method of claim 3 wherein one or more of the plurality of actively cooled totes comprises a heat exhaust outlet that is angled upward to more effectively remove heat from the ambient environment.