Method and system for filling thermally insulated containers with liquid carbon dioxide

A method for estimating a remaining residence time of solid CO2 in a container, the method comprising:

• receiving the container with the solid CO2, wherein the container is configured to contain one or more products different from CO2;
• and wherein the one or more products are maintained at a defined temperature, below a defined temperature, or within a defined temperature range, using the solid CO2, the defined temperature or the defined temperature range being below an environmental temperature;
• scanning a machine-readable optical label or connecting to a radiofrequency (RF) transmitter, the machine-readable optical label or the RF transmitter being affixed to or included with the container or accompanying packaging;
• launching application software;
• accessing unique identification information for the container from the machine-readable optical label or the RF transmitter, the unique identification information residing locally on the machine-readable optical label or the RF transmitter;
• or residing locally or remotely in a database or a combination thereof, the unique identification information including a tare weight of the container and a standard sublimation rate associated with the container;
• determining a real-time weight of the solid CO2 in the container by subjecting the container to a weighing operation using a scale resulting in a real-time weight of the container;
• and
• calculating the remaining residence time of the solid CO2, such that the one or more products can be maintained at the defined temperature, below the defined temperature, or within the defined temperature range,
• wherein the remaining residence time of the solid CO2 is based, at least in part, on the real-time weight of the solid CO2 in the container and the standard sublimation rate.