Thermal regulation system

A temperature controlled container for maintaining the temperature of a temperature sensitive material, comprising:

• a sorption heat pump, comprising:
• an evaporator containing a working fluid, and operable to evaporate the working fluid to produce a working fluid gas in the evaporator;
• a sorber containing a sorption material to sorb the working fluid gas during a sorption phase;
• a vapor pathway connecting the evaporator and the sorber;
• and
• a valve positioned to control the rate of vapor flow between the evaporator and the sorber through the vapor pathway, and being selectively operable to permit the flow of working fluid gas through the vapor pathway, to next stop the flow of working fluid gas through the vapor pathway, and after stopping the flow to then permit resumption of the flow of working fluid gas through the vapor pathway;
• and
• a compartment structured to store the temperature sensitive material, the sorber being positioned inside the compartment and the evaporator being positioned outside the compartment.

A temperature controlled apparatus, comprising:

• a sorption heat pump, comprising:
• an evaporator containing a working fluid, and operable to evaporate the working fluid to produce a working fluid gas in the evaporator;
• a sorber containing a sorption material to sorb the working fluid gas during a sorption phase;
• a valve positioned to control the rate of vapor flow between the evaporator and the sorber through the vapor pathway, and being selectively operable to permit the flow of working fluid gas through the vapor pathway, to next stop the flow of working fluid gas through the vapor pathway, and after stopping the flow to then permit resumption of the flow of working fluid gas through the vapor pathway;
• a cool compartment, the evaporator being positioned inside the cool compartment;
• a warm compartment, the sorber being positioned inside the warm compartment;
• and
• a cool compartment insulation layer positioned about the cool compartment and the evaporator, the warm compartment and the sorber being positioned outward of the cool compartment insulation layer;
• and
• a warm compartment insulation layer positioned about the warm compartment and the sorber, the cool compartment and the evaporator being positioned outward of the warm compartment insulation layer.

A temperature controlled apparatus, comprising:

• a sorption heat pump, comprising:
• an evaporator structured to contain a working fluid, and operable to evaporate the working fluid to produce a working fluid gas in the evaporator;
• a sorber structured to contain a sorption material to sorb the working fluid gas during a sorption phase;
• a vapor pathway connecting the evaporator and the sorber;
• and
• a valve positioned to control the rate of vapor flow between the evaporator and the sorber through the vapor pathway, and being selectively operable to permit the flow of working fluid gas through the vapor pathway, to next stop the flow of working fluid gas through the vapor pathway, and after stopping the flow to then permit resumption of the flow of working fluid gas through the vapor pathway;
• a cool compartment, the evaporator being positioned inside the cool compartment;
• a warm compartment, the sorber being positioned inside the warm compartment;
• and
• a cool compartment insulation layer positioned about the cool compartment and the evaporator, the warm compartment and the sorber being positioned outward of the cool compartment insulation layer.

A temperature controlled container for maintaining the temperature of a temperature sensitive material, comprising:

• a sorption heat pump, comprising:
• an evaporator structured to contain a working fluid, and operable to evaporate the working fluid to produce a working fluid gas in the evaporator:
• a sorber structured to contain a sorption material to sorb the working fluid gas during a sorption phase;
• a vapor pathway connecting the evaporator and the sorber;
• and
• a valve positioned to control the rate of vapor flow between the evaporator and the sorber through the vapor pathway, and being selectively operable to permit the flow of working fluid gas through the vapor pathway, to next stop the flow of working fluid gas through the vapor pathway, and after stopping the flow to then permit resumption of the flow of working fluid gas through the vapor pathway;
• a compartment structured to store the temperature sensitive material, the evaporator being positioned inside the compartment and the sorber being positioned outside the compartment;
• and
• a phase change material buffer positioned inside the compartment in thermal contact with the evaporator to create a heat pipe effect to distribute heat within the evaporator.

A temperature controlled container for maintaining the temperature of a temperature sensitive material, comprising:

• a sorption heat pump, comprising:
• an evaporator structured to contain a working fluid, and operable to evaporate the working fluid to produce a working fluid gas in the evaporator;
• a sorber structured to contain a sorption material to sorb the working fluid gas during a sorption phase;
• a vapor pathway connecting the evaporator and the sorber;
• and
• a valve positioned to control the rate of vapor flow between the evaporator and the sorber through the vapor pathway, and being selectively operable to permit the flow of working fluid gas through the vapor pathway, to next stop the flow of working fluid gas through the vapor pathway, and after stopping the flow to then permit resumption of the flow of working fluid gas through the vapor pathway;
• and
• a compartment structured to store the temperature sensitive material, the sorber being positioned inside the compartment and the evaporator being positioned outside the compartment.

A temperature controlled apparatus, comprising:

• a sorption heat pump, comprising:
• an evaporator structured to contain a working fluid, and operable to evaporate the working fluid to produce a working fluid gas in the evaporator;
• a sorber structured to contain a sorption material to sorb the working fluid gas during a sorption phase;
• a vapor pathway connecting the evaporator and the sorber;
• and
• a valve positioned to control the rate of vapor flow between the evaporator and the sorber through the vapor pathway, and being selectively operable to permit the flow of working fluid gas through the vapor pathway, to next stop the flow of working fluid gas through the vapor pathway, and after stopping the flow to then permit resumption of the flow of working fluid gas through the vapor pathway;
• a cool compartment, the evaporator being positioned inside the cool compartment;
• a warm compartment, the sorber being positioned inside the warm compartment;
• a cool compartment insulation layer positioned about the cool compartment and the evaporator, the warm compartment and the sorber being positioned outward of the cool compartment insulation layer;
• and
• a warm compartment insulation layer positioned about the warm compartment and the sorber, the cool compartment and the evaporator being positioned outward of the warm compartment insulation layer.