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Adaptive multi-temperature control for transport and storage containers enabled by phase-change materials

Author

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  • Xinchen Zhou

    (Fudan University
    Fudan University
    Fudan University)

  • Xiang Xu

    (Harbin Institute of Technology
    Harbin Institute of Technology)

  • Jiping Huang

    (Fudan University
    Fudan University
    Fudan University)

Abstract

The transportation of essential items, such as food and vaccines, often requires adaptive multi-temperature control to maintain high safety and efficiency. While existing methods utilizing phase change materials have shown promise, challenges related to heat transfer and materials’ physicochemical properties remain. In this study, we present an adaptive multi-temperature control system using liquid-solid phase transitions to achieve highly effective thermal management using a pair of heat and cold sources. By leveraging the properties of stearic acid and distilled water, we fabricated a multi-temperature maintenance container and demonstrated temperature variations of only 0.14-2.05% over a two-hour period, underscoring the efficacy of our approach. Our findings offer a practical solution to address critical challenges in reliable transportation of goods, with potential implications for various fields in physical, engineering, and life sciences.

Suggested Citation

  • Xinchen Zhou & Xiang Xu & Jiping Huang, 2023. "Adaptive multi-temperature control for transport and storage containers enabled by phase-change materials," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-14, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-40988-2
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40988-2
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