Self-cooling container for liquids

Abstract

Disclosed are self-cooling pouches useful as containers for beverages and other liquids. Such pouches comprise a porous matrix as an element of the pouch body to effect the cooling of the pouch and a liquid contained therein by pervaporation of the liquid.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION DATA [0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 10 / 1453,863 which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60 / 1388,609, filed Jun. 3, 2002, and which is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 10 / 1162,119, filed Jun. 3, 2002, which is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 08 / 1933,639 filed Sep. 19, 1997, now US. Pat. No. 6,398,048.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates to a device and method of construction of a container or closure used to cool a liquid by means of pervaporation. BACKGROUND OF THE RELATED ART [0003] Evaporative cooling of both dwellings and water originated in Ancient Egypt and subsequently spread eastward through the Middle-East and Iran, to the north of India, westward across north Africa to southern Spain and other regions suffering from a hot and dry climate. In the initial use of this process non-glazed clay pots were used for centuries for the storage of water with the ad...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The patent describes a system for cooling beverage containers using a pervaporative matrix. The system does not require a mechanical pump to supply liquid to the matrix and does not rely on vacuum to enhance cooling efficiency. The container can be any apparatus or enclosure that holds liquid and has a liquid / membrane interface. The system uses a pervaporative matrix that allows small quantities of liquid vapor to pass through and cool the container. The containers can be fabricated into larger structures like bottles, jars, carboys, and pouches. The system also includes a cooling jacket for containers and a cooling garment for wearers. The cooling garment is in thermal contact with the wearer and can be integrated into clothing like a protective garment or suit. The garment can also have a reservoir for additional coolant liquid. The system uses pervaporative materials that allow for the cooling process and can be made from hydrophobic materials like polypropylene. The coolant liquid can be water, alcohols, or blends thereof."

Problems solved by technology

Unfortunately, evaporation directly from the outer clay surface eventually lead to scale formation and reduced cooling efficiency as the minerals build up on this surface reducing the liquid permeability and lowering the liquid vapor pressure.

In all these cases the design of the system necessitates that the liquid contents, a separate chamber and / or the shell of the bottle be cooled leading to excessive weight in addition to a liquid volume displacement loss in the container.

Mass transfer of vapor occurs selectively to the gas side of the matrix resulting in the loss of liquid or the loss of select volatile liquid components and the loss of evaporative latent heat.

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