Insulating vacuum panel, method for manufacturing the insulated vacuum panel and insulated containers employing such panel

A system for storing and transporting temperature-sensitive materials, said system comprising:

• (1) a portable self-sustaining refrigerator system comprising;
• a container which includes top, bottom and side insulating vacuum panels having an R value per inch of 20 or greater at an evacuated pressure of at least 100 Torr, said panels defining the interior of said first container, said insulating panels comprising microporous, open cell silica foam or precipitated silica insulating support members enclosed within a sealed, flexible envelope, said sealed, flexible, polymeric envelope comprising:
• a heat-sealable, a multiple layer laminate which comprises at least one polyethylene terephthalate layer, at least one polyvinylidene chloride layer, at least one polyvinyl alcohol layer, and an aluminum film evaporated onto at least one layer of said at least one polyethylene terephthalate layer, or said heat-sealable, multiple layer laminate comprises at least one nylon layer, at least one polyethylene terephthalate layer, at least one aluminum foil layer and at least one high density polyethylene layer, or said envelope comprises a biaxially oriented monolithic liquid crystal barrier film, said envelope further containing a getter comprising calcium oxide, barium-lithium alloy, or a molecular sieve having a pore diameter of about 4 to 13 Å wherein said first container is capable of holding said temperature-sensitive material at a prescribed temperature for a prolonged period of time;
• a solar powered source of electrical energy;
• one or more 12-volt, deep cycle batteries for storing said electrical energy;
• a vapor compressor refrigeration unit;
• a thermal energy storage phase change material/silica gel composition comprising a mixture of about 35 to 45 weight percent hexadecane, about 20 to 30 weight percent tetradecane, about 15 to 20 weight percent of an n-paraffin having an average chain length of about 15 carbon atoms, about 0.8 to 1.0 weight percent of an antioxidant, and about 15 to 20 weight percent of a pre-dried silica powder to form a reversible phase change material/silica gel, wherein said reversible phase change material/silica gel is enclosed in a heat-sealed flexible polymeric envelope, said envelope comprising a multiple layer laminate which comprises at least one polyethylene terephthalate layer, at least one polyvinylidene chloride layer, at least one polyvinyl alcohol layer, and at least one aluminum film evaporated onto at least one surface of said at least one polyethylene terephthalate layer, or said multiple layer laminate comprises a heat sealable, multiple layer laminate which comprises at least one nylon layer, at least one polyethylene terephthalate layer, at least one aluminum foil layer and at least one high density polyethylene layer, or said envelope comprises a biaxially oriented monolithic liquid crystal barrier layer;
• and
• (2) at least one portable, light weight, insulated container comprising,
• a housing which includes top, bottom and side insulating panels having an R value per inch of 20 or greater at an evacuated pressure of at least 100 Torr, said panels defining the interior of said housing, said insulating panels comprising microporous, open cell silica foam or precipitated silica insulating support members enclosed within a sealed, flexible polymeric envelope, said sealed, flexible polymeric envelope comprising a heat-sealable multiple layer laminate which comprises at least one polyethylene terephthalate layer, at least one polyvinylidene chloride layer, at least one polyvinyl alcohol layer and an aluminum film evaporated onto at least one layer of said at least one polyethylene terephthalate layer, or said multiple layer laminate comprises at least one nylon layer, at least one polyethylene terephthalate layer, at least one aluminum foil layer and at least one high density polyethylene layer, or said envelope comprises a biaxially oriented monolithic liquid crystal barrier film, said envelope further containing a getter comprising a molecular sieve having a pore diameter of about 4 to 13 Å wherein said insulated container is capable of holding said temperature-sensitive material at a prescribed temperature for a prolonged period of time;
• and
• a thermal energy storage phase change material comprising a mixture of about 35 to 45 weight percent hexadecane, about 20 to 30 weight percent tetradecane, about 15 to 20 weight percent of an n-paraffin having an average chain length of about 15 carbon atoms, about 0.5 to 1.0 weight percent of an antioxidant, and about 15 to 20 weight percent of a pre-dried silica powder to form a reversible phase change material/silica gel, wherein said reversible phase change material/silica gel is enclosed in a heat-sealed flexible polymeric envelope comprising a multiple layer laminate which comprises at least one polyethylene terephthalate layer, at least one polyvinylidene chloride, at least one polyvinyl alcohol layer, and at least one aluminum film evaporated onto at least one surface of said at least one polyethylene terephthalate layer, or said multiple layer laminate comprises a heat-sealable, multiple layer laminate which comprises at least one nylon layer, at least one polyethylene terephthalate layer, at least one aluminum foil layer, and at least one high density polyethylene layer wherein said portable, light weight, insulated container is useful to transport said temperature sensitive material to a location remote from said portable, self-sustaining refrigerator system.

A method for manufacturing an insulating vacuum panel comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a microporous, open cell silica foam or precipitated silica support member;
• (b) drying the microporous, open cell silica foam or precipitated silica support member;
• (c) enclosing the microporous, open cell silica foam or precipitated silica support member in a flexible, heat-sealable multiple layer composite film comprised of at least one polyethylene terephthalate layer and at least two barrier layers selected from the group consisting of polyvinylidene chloride, polyvinyl alcohol, polyamide, polyolefin and aluminum foil, or a biaxially oriented monolithic liquid crystal barrier film;
• (d) providing a sealable port through which the enclosed insulating, support containing vacuum panel is evacuated;
• (e) evacuating the enclosed insulating, support-containing vacuum panel;
• and
• (f) heat sealing the enclosed insulating support-containing panel.