Insulated shipping container
Encyclopedia
Insulated shipping containers are a type of packaging used to ship temperature sensitive products such as food
s, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals. They are used as part of a cold chain
to help maintain product freshness and efficacy. The term can also refer to insulated
intermodal container
s or insulated swap bodies
.
might be constructed of:
Some are designed for single use while others are returnable for reuse
. Some empty containers are sent to the shipper disassembled or “knocked down”, assembled and used, then knocked down again for easier return shipment.
A temperature data logger
or time temperature indicator
is often enclosed to monitor the temperature inside the container for its entire shipment.
Label
s and appropriate documentation (internal and external) are usually required.
Personnel throughout the cold chain need to be aware of the special handling and documentation required for some controlled shipments. With some regulated products, complete documentation is required.
In specifying an insulated shipping container, the two primary characteristics of the material will be the insulation properties of the matieral known as the "K Value" and the thickness of the material. These two attributies determine that majority of the functionality of the component. One should attempt to control the latent heat of any insultated shipping container when is use, as this will affect the overall performance of the component when integrated into a system (closed system with refrigerant & product).
It is wise (and sometimes mandatory) to have formal verification
of the performance of the insulated shipping container. Laboratory package testing
might include ASTM D3103-07, Standard Test Method for Thermal Insulation Performance of Packages, ISTA Guide 5B: Focused Simulation Guide for Thermal Performance Testing of Temperature Controlled Transport Packaging, and others. In addition, validation
of field performance is extremely useful.
Specialists in design and testing of packaging for temperature sensitive products are often needed. These may be consultants, independent laboratories, universities, or reputable vendors.
Food
Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. It is usually of plant or animal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals...
s, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals. They are used as part of a cold chain
Cold chain
A cold chain is a temperature-controlled supply chain. An unbroken cold chain is an uninterrupted series of storage and distribution activities which maintain a given temperature range...
to help maintain product freshness and efficacy. The term can also refer to insulated
Thermal insulation
Thermal insulation is the reduction of the effects of the various processes of heat transfer between objects in thermal contact or in range of radiative influence. Heat transfer is the transfer of thermal energy between objects of differing temperature...
intermodal container
Intermodal container
An intermodal container is a standardized reusable steel box used for the safe, efficient and secure storage and movement of materials and products within a global containerized intermodal freight transport system...
s or insulated swap bodies
Swap body
A swap body is a standard freight container for road and rail transport.Basic standardization is set with Euronorms EN 283, EN 284 and EN 452 for construction and design, as well as EN 13044 for marking and identification. The panel responsible for developing standards is CEN/TC 119...
.
Construction
An insulated shipping containerShipping container
A shipping container is a container with strength suitable to withstand shipment, storage, and handling. Shipping containers range from large reusable steel boxes used for intermodal shipments to the ubiquitous corrugated boxes...
might be constructed of:
- a vacuum flaskVacuum flaskA vacuum flask is an insulating storage vessel which keeps its contents hotter or cooler than its surroundings. Invented by Sir James Dewar in 1892, the vacuum flask consists of two flasks, placed one within the other and joined at the neck...
, similar to a "thermos" bottle - fabricated thermal blankets or liners
- molded expanded polystyrenePolystyrenePolystyrene ) also known as Thermocole, abbreviated following ISO Standard PS, is an aromatic polymer made from the monomer styrene, a liquid hydrocarbon that is manufactured from petroleum by the chemical industry...
foam (EPS, styrofoamStyrofoamStyrofoam is a trademark of The Dow Chemical Company for closed-cell currently made for thermal insulation and craft applications. In 1941, researchers in Dow's Chemical Physics Lab found a way to make foamed polystyrene...
, etc), similar to a coolerCoolerA cooler, cool box, portable ice chest, chilly bin , or esky most commonly is an insulated box used to keep food or drink cool. Ice cubes are most commonly placed in it to help the things inside stay cool... - other molded foams such as polyurethanePolyurethaneA polyurethane is any polymer composed of a chain of organic units joined by carbamate links. Polyurethane polymers are formed through step-growth polymerization, by reacting a monomer with another monomer in the presence of a catalyst.Polyurethanes are...
, polyethylenePolyethylenePolyethylene or polythene is the most widely used plastic, with an annual production of approximately 80 million metric tons...
, etc - sheets of foamed plastics
- reflective materials: (metallised filmMetallised filmMetallised films are polymer films coated with a thin layer of metal, usually aluminium. They offer the glossy metallic appearance of an aluminium foil at a reduced weight and cost...
, etc) - bubble wrapBubble WrapBubble wrap is a pliable transparent plastic material commonly used for packing fragile items. Regularly spaced, protruding air-filled hemispheres provide cushioning for fragile items....
or other gas filled panels - other packaging materials and structures
Some are designed for single use while others are returnable for reuse
Reuse
To reuse is to use an item more than once. This includes conventional reuse where the item is used again for the same function, and new-life reuse where it is used for a different function. In contrast, recycling is the breaking down of the used item into raw materials which are used to make new...
. Some empty containers are sent to the shipper disassembled or “knocked down”, assembled and used, then knocked down again for easier return shipment.
Use
Insulated shipping containers are part of a comprehensive cold chain which controls and documents the temperature of a product through its entire distribution cycle. The containers may be used with a refrigerant or coolant such as :- block or cube iceIceIce is water frozen into the solid state. Usually ice is the phase known as ice Ih, which is the most abundant of the varying solid phases on the Earth's surface. It can appear transparent or opaque bluish-white color, depending on the presence of impurities or air inclusions...
, slurry iceSlurry iceSlurry ice is a phase changing refrigerant made up of millions of ice “micro-crystals” formed and suspended within a solution of water and a freezing point depressant. Some compounds used in the field are salt , ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, various alcohols and sugar...
, etc - dry iceDry iceDry ice, sometimes referred to as "Cardice" or as "card ice" , is the solid form of carbon dioxide. It is used primarily as a cooling agent. Its advantages include lower temperature than that of water ice and not leaving any residue...
- Gel or ice packIce packAn ice pack or gel pack is a plastic sac of ice, refrigerant gel or liquid, or, in an emergency, even frozen vegetables. The refrigerant, usually non-toxic, can absorb a considerable amount of heat, since its enthalpy of fusion is high...
s (often formulated for specific temperature ranges) - Some products (such as frozen meat) have sufficient thermal mass to contribute to the temperature control
- etc
A temperature data logger
Data logger
A data logger is an electronic device that records data over time or in relation to location either with a built in instrument or sensor or via external instruments and sensors. Increasingly, but not entirely, they are based on a digital processor...
or time temperature indicator
Time temperature indicator
A time temperature indicator is a device or smart label that shows the accumulated time-temperature history of a product. Time temperature indicators are commonly used on food, pharmaceutical, and medical products to indicate exposure to excessive temperature .-Technology:There are a large number...
is often enclosed to monitor the temperature inside the container for its entire shipment.
Label
Label
A label is a piece of paper, polymer, cloth, metal, or other material affixed to a container or article, on which is printed a legend, information concerning the product, addresses, etc. A label may also be printed directly on the container or article....
s and appropriate documentation (internal and external) are usually required.
Personnel throughout the cold chain need to be aware of the special handling and documentation required for some controlled shipments. With some regulated products, complete documentation is required.
Design and Evaluation
The use of “off the shelf” insulated shipping containers does not necessarily guarantee proper performance. Several factors need to be considered :- the sensitivity of the product to temperatures (high and low) and to time at temperatures
- the specific distribution system being used: the expected (and worst case) time and temperatures
- regulatory requirements
- the specific combination of packaging components and materials being used
- etc
In specifying an insulated shipping container, the two primary characteristics of the material will be the insulation properties of the matieral known as the "K Value" and the thickness of the material. These two attributies determine that majority of the functionality of the component. One should attempt to control the latent heat of any insultated shipping container when is use, as this will affect the overall performance of the component when integrated into a system (closed system with refrigerant & product).
It is wise (and sometimes mandatory) to have formal verification
Verification and Validation
In software project management, software testing, and software engineering, verification and validation is the process of checking that a software system meets specifications and that it fulfills its intended purpose...
of the performance of the insulated shipping container. Laboratory package testing
Package testing
Package testing or packaging testing involves the measurement of a characteristic or property involved with packaging. This includes packaging materials, packaging components, primary packages, shipping containers, and unit loads, as well as the associated processes.Testing measures the effects...
might include ASTM D3103-07, Standard Test Method for Thermal Insulation Performance of Packages, ISTA Guide 5B: Focused Simulation Guide for Thermal Performance Testing of Temperature Controlled Transport Packaging, and others. In addition, validation
Verification and Validation
In software project management, software testing, and software engineering, verification and validation is the process of checking that a software system meets specifications and that it fulfills its intended purpose...
of field performance is extremely useful.
Specialists in design and testing of packaging for temperature sensitive products are often needed. These may be consultants, independent laboratories, universities, or reputable vendors.
See also
- Packaging engineeringPackaging engineeringPackaging engineering, also Package engineering and Packaging Science, is a broad topic ranging from design conceptualization to product placement. All steps along the manufacturing process, and more, must be taken into account in the design of the package for any given product...
- Shelf lifeShelf lifeShelf life is the length of time that food, drink, medicine, chemicals, and many other perishable items are given before they are considered unsuitable for sale, use, or consumption...
- Temperature measurementTemperature measurementAttempts of standardized temperature measurement have been reported as early as 170 AD by Claudius Galenus. The modern scientific field has its origins in the works by Florentine scientists in the 17th century. Early devices to measure temperature were called thermoscopes. The first sealed...
- Thermal bagThermal bagA thermal bag is a type of insulated shipping container. It is usually a bag made of materials that have thermal insulation properties and is used to help maintain the temperature of any contents A thermal bag is a type of insulated shipping container. It is usually a bag made of materials that...
- Thermal insulationThermal insulationThermal insulation is the reduction of the effects of the various processes of heat transfer between objects in thermal contact or in range of radiative influence. Heat transfer is the transfer of thermal energy between objects of differing temperature...
- Validation (drug manufacture)Validation (drug manufacture)Validation in the pharmaceutical, medical device, food, blood establishments, tissue establishments, and clinical trials industries is defined as the documented act of demonstrating that a procedure, process, and activity will consistently lead to the expected results. It often includes the...
- Verification and ValidationVerification and ValidationIn software project management, software testing, and software engineering, verification and validation is the process of checking that a software system meets specifications and that it fulfills its intended purpose...
External links and resources
- "Cold Chain Management", 2003, 2006, http://www.iaph.uni-bonn.de/coldchain
- Brody, A. L., and Marsh, K, S., "Encyclopedia of Packaging Technology", John Wiley & Sons, 1997, ISBN 0-471-06397-5
- Lockhart, H., and Paine, F.A., "Packaging of Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare Products", 2006, Blackie, ISBN 0751401676