Cooling element with sub-cooling protection

Abstract

A cooling element for cooling goods to be chilled is proposed, comprising a shell with at least one heat transfer wall for exchanging thermal energy with the goods. The cooling element further comprises at least one fluid space proximate to the heat transfer wall and at least one storage space separated from the fluid space by at least one separating element, wherein the storage space is configured to hold a supply of cooling medium in the solid aggregate state. The separating element is configured to substantially separate the supply of cooling medium in the solid aggregate state from the fluid space and to enable the cooling medium in the liquid aggregate state to pass over from the storage space to the fluid space.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cooling element for cooling goods to be cooled, comprising:
 a covering with at least one heat transfer wall for exchanging thermal energy with the goods to be cooled, wherein the cooling element comprises furthermore   at least one fluid space adjacent to the heat transfer wall and   at least one storing space separated from the fluid space by at least one separating element, wherein the storing space is arrange to take up a supply of coolant in a solid state of matter,   wherein the separating element is arranged to   e1) keep the supply of coolant in the solid state of matter substantially away from the fluid space and   e2) to enable the coolant in a liquid state of matter to pass over from the storing space to the fluid space.   
     
     
         2 . The cooling element according to  claim 1 , wherein the storing space has at least one storing element, wherein the storing element is arranged to take up in whole or in part and/or to immobilize at least in part the supply of coolant. 
     
     
         3 . The cooling element according to  claim 2 , wherein the storing element has at least one spongy element, wherein the spongy element comprises a plurality of pores for taking up the supply of coolant. 
     
     
         4 . The cooling element according to  claim 2 , wherein the storing element comprises at least one of the following materials: a plastic foam; a melamine resin foam; a superabsorbent polymer; and a foam substrate. 
     
     
         5 . The cooling element according to  claim 2 , wherein the storing element comprises at least one immobilization medium, wherein the immobilization medium is arranged to thicken the coolant, wherein the immobilization medium comprises at least one of the following media: gelatine; agar-agar; pectin; and condensed polyvinyl alcohols. 
     
     
         6 . The cooling element according to  claim 1 , wherein the storing space and the fluid space are connected by at least one fluid channel, wherein preferably the fluid channel comprises at least one of the following fluid channels: at least one fluid channel penetrating the separating element, in particular at least one bore and/or one pore channel; at least one fluid channel formed by a separating strip between the separating element and the covering. 
     
     
         7 . The cooling element according to  claim 1 , wherein the separating element comprises at least one leaf-shaped, one plate-shaped or one disc-shaped separating element, wherein at least one fluid channel embodied as a fluid gap for exchanging liquid coolant between the storing space and the fluid space is formed between the separating element and the covering. 
     
     
         8 . The cooling element according to  claim 1 , wherein the separating element comprises a plurality of stacked leaf-shaped, plate-shaped or disc-shaped separating elements. 
     
     
         9 . The cooling element according to  claim 1 , wherein the separating element comprises at least one of the following elements: a nonwoven; a plastic nonwoven; an extruded thermally insulating plastic; an extruded polyethylene; an extruded polystyrene; an extruded polypropylene; an extruded polyamide; and an evacuated support plate. 
     
     
         10 . The cooling element according to  claim 1 , wherein the separating element is mechanically flexible. 
     
     
         11 . The cooling element according to  claim 1 , wherein the separating element has thermally insulating properties, preferably at least one of the following properties:
 a thermal conductivity from 0.01 W/(m*K) to 0.5 W/(m*K), or in the range of 0.035 W/(m*K); and   thermal resistance of at least 0.05 m 2 K/W.   
     
     
         12 . The cooling element according to  claim 1 , wherein the separating element is embodied in such way that it is able to take up a maximum coolant proportion of 1% or of 0.2%. 
     
     
         13 . The cooling element according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a coolant with a polar coolant component, wherein the separating element has at least in sections hydrophobic properties, or   a coolant with a non-polar coolant component, wherein the separating element has at least in sections hydrophilic properties.   
     
     
         14 . The cooling element according to any  claim 1 , wherein the fluid space is embodied in at least one of the following ways: the fluid space is arranged in whole or in part between the separating element and the heat transfer wall; the fluid space is contained in whole or in part in the separating element, or in a porous volume of the separating element. 
     
     
         15 . The cooling element according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of the following coolants: water; a briny watery mixture; an alcohol; an oil; a fat; a paraffin; and a liquid with at least one additive. 
     
     
         16 . The cooling element according to  claim 1 , wherein the cooling element has at least one insulating element, wherein the insulating element prevents at least in part a heat input via at least one wall of the covering, or at least one wall different from the heat transfer wall. 
     
     
         17 . The cooling element according to  claim 1 , wherein the covering has at least one mark for marking the heat transfer wall and/or the covering has an asymmetric external form, which makes a reversed insertion of the cooling element in a refrigerated container at least visible and/or prevents it at least in part. 
     
     
         18 . A refrigerated container for cooling goods to be cooled, comprising: at least a thermally insulating external container and at least a cooling element according to  claim 1 , wherein the cooling element is arranged in the external container in such way that the heat transfer wall points to the goods to be cooled, wherein preferably the external container has at least one seat for spatially fixing the cooling element, in such way that, when a cooling element is taken up in the seat, the heat transfer wall of the cooling element points to the goods to be cooled. 
     
     
         19 . A method for cooling goods to be cooled using at least one cooling element according to  claim 1  directed to a cooling element, wherein the cooling element is chosen in such a way that it has at least one coolant with a melting point and/or melting range below a target temperature for cooling the goods to be cooled, wherein the melting point and/or melting range is within a preset tolerance range below the target temperature, wherein the cooling element is sub-cooled to a sub-cooling temperature below the target temperature and in particular below the tolerance range, and wherein the cooling element with its heat transfer wall is subsequently brought directly or indirectly into thermal contact with the goods to be cooled. 
     
     
         20 . A method for manufacturing a cooling element, comprising the following steps:
 manufacturing at least one bottom part or a foil pocket, of a covering of the cooling element;   introducing at least one supply of coolant into the bottom part;   introducing at least one separating element into the bottom part, wherein the separating element is embodied to divide an inner space of the covering into a storing space taking up the supply of coolant and a fluid space, wherein the separating element is arranged to keep the coolant in the solid state of matter substantially away from the fluid space and to enable the coolant in the liquid state of matter to pass over from the storing space to the fluid space; and   at least one lid part is put on the bottom part and joined to the bottom part.