초록 ▼

Portable refrigeration devices (1) including methods for preparing sorbents (30) for use in such devices, and the sorbents (30) prepared in this way. The methods relate to the substantially complete degassing for the maximization of receiving refrigerant vapor from the evaporator chamber (10) of suc

Portable refrigeration devices (1) including methods for preparing sorbents (30) for use in such devices, and the sorbents (30) prepared in this way. The methods relate to the substantially complete degassing for the maximization of receiving refrigerant vapor from the evaporator chamber (10) of such refrigeration devices (1), and the maximization of heat transfer to heat sink materials (40) in such refrigeration devices (1).

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method for preparing a sorption chamber for a portable, single-use, non-releasing evaporation-type refrigerator that produces a refrigerant vapor during evaporative heating, the method comprising:A) providing a sealable chamber for sorbent, and a sorbent material for absorbing and adsorbing the

1. A method for preparing a sorption chamber for a portable, single-use, non-releasing evaporation-type refrigerator that produces a refrigerant vapor during evaporative heating, the method comprising:A) providing a sealable chamber for sorbent, and a sorbent material for absorbing and adsorbing the refrigerant vapor; B) heating said sorbent material to a temperature sufficient to volatilize absorbed and adsorbed material contained therein and thereon; C) removing said volatilized material from said heated sorbent material by evacuating said sorbent material; D) adding a backfilling gas to the sorbent, wherein the gas has a ratio of specific heats of at least about 1.5; E) loading the sorbent chamber with backfilling gas-charged sorbent; F) removing said backfilling gas from the sorbent by evacuating said sorbent chamber; and G) sealing the sorbent chamber to prevent introduction of air gases to said sorbent. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the heating of sorbent material is to a temperature of at least about 250° C.3. The method of claim 2 wherein the heating of sorbent material is to a temperature of at least about 350° C.4. The method of claim 2, wherein the material volatilized and removed from the sorbent material is water.5. The method of claim 1, wherein the removal of volatilized material from said sorbent maternal is carried out to a pressure of at most about 15 milliTorr.6. The method of claim 1, wherein the backfilling gas added to the sorbent has a ratio of specific heats of more than about 1.6.7. The method of claim 6, wherein the backfilling gas added to the sorbent is selected from the group consisting of helium, neon, argon, krypton and xenon.8. The method of claim 1, wherein said sorbent material is at a temperature of at least about 100° C. as the backfilling gas is added.9. The method of claim 5, wherein backfilling gas is added to a pressure of from about 350 Torr to about 2000 Torr.10. The method of claim 1, wherein the backfilling gas-charged sorbent is loaded into said evacuated absorber temperature at a temperature of from about 25° C. to about 200° C.11. The method of claim 1, wherein said backfilling gas is removed from said sorbent chamber by re-evacuation of said sorbent chamber to a pressure of less than about 15 milliTorr.12. The method of claim 1, wherein the sorbent chamber is in thermal contact with a phase change-type heat sink material having a phase transition temperature.13. The method of claim 1, wherein the re-evacuation of said sorbent chamber is carried out while the sorbent is at a temperature of at least 25° C.14. The method of claim 1, wherein the sealable chamber for sorbent is provided as flushed and filled with a flushing gas.15. The method of claim 1, wherein the sealable chamber for sorbent is provided as an evacuated chamber, evacuated to a pressure of not more than about 15 milliTorr.16. A sorbtion chamber prepared according to the method according to claim 1.17. A method for preparing a sorption chamber for a portable, single-use, non-releasing evaporation-type refrigerator that produces water vapor during evaporative heating, the method comprising:A) providing an evacuated sealable chamber, and a zeolite sorbent material for absorbing and adsorbing the water vapor, wherein the chamber is evacuated to a pressure of not more than 10 milliTorr; B) heating said zeolite sorbent to at least 300° C. to remove absorbed and adsorbed material from the zeolite; C) removing said volatilized material from said heated sorbent material by evacuating said sorbent material to a pressure of not more than 10 milliTorr; D) adding helium gas to the zeolite sorbent to a pressure of about 1 atmosphere; E) loading the sorbent chamber with helium-charged zeolite sorbent; F) removing said helium from the zeolite sorbent by evacuating said sorbent chamber to a pressure of not more than about 10 milliTorr; and G) sealing the sorbent chamber to prevent introduction of air gases to said zeolite sorbent. 18. A method of cooling a product with a portable, single-use, non-releasing evaporation-type refrigerator that produces refrigerant vapor during evaporative heating, the method comprising:A) providing a portable, single-use, non-releasing evaporation-type refrigerator comprising: 1) an evaporator chamber in thermal contact with a product to be cooled, wherein the evaporator chamber comprises a refrigerant, dispersed in intimate contact with a refrigerant dispersant, and evacuated to a pressure of not more than about 20 Torr: 2) an evacuated sorber in thermal contact with a phase change-type heat sink material, wherein the sorber comprises a sorbent which is substantially evacuated, wherein the pressure above the sorbent is not more than about 15 milliTorr; 3) a means for preventing refrigerant vapor flow between the evaporator chamber and the sorber, until operation of the device; B) operating the means for preventing refrigerant vapor flow, thereby permitting said flow, whereby the pressure in the evaporator chamber is reduced, causing the refrigerant to vaporize and form a refrigerant vapor, the vapor collected by the sorbent material in the sorber, and heat is generated in the sorbent; C) removing the vapor from the evaporator chamber by collecting the vapor until an equilibrium is reached, wherein the sorbent is substantially saturated or substantially all the refrigerant has been collected in the sorbent material; and D) containing the heat generated in the sorbent within the sorber by means of the phase change-type heat sink material. 19. A method for preparing a sorption chamber suitable for use in a portable, single-use, non-releasing evaporation-type refrigerator that produces a refrigerant vapor during evaporative heating, the method comprising:A) providing a sealable chamber for sorbent, and a sorbent material for absorbing and adsorbing the refrigerant vapor; B) heating said sorbent material to a temperature sufficient to volatilize absorbed and adsorbed material contained therein and thereon; C) removing said volatilized material from said heated sorbent material by evacuating said sorbent material; D) loading the sorbent chamber with evacuated sorbent under a vacuum sufficient to prevent the introduction of air gases to said sorbent; and E) sealing the sorbent chamber containing evacuated sorbent to prevent introduction of air gases to said sorbent.