Microtherm® SlimVac - vacuum insulation panel for temperature controlled packaging
Courtesy of
ThermoSecure medical equipment GmbH
Optimised thermal protection for the cold chain.
Microtherm® SlimVac - super thin - lightweight - cost effective
Insulated shipping containers have a wide variety of applications where temperature sensitive goods must be delivered around the world.
The “cold chain” is the name given to the system of transporting and storing these products throughout their life.
Microtherm® SlimVac panels are used in the construction of the cold chain shipping containers to improve thermal efficiency and increase the potential duration of shipping periods for the vulnerable goods.
The range of goods requiring cold chain delivery is huge from simple foods to pharmaceutical products and even body parts for transplant.
Courtesy of
Gebhardt Paletten GmbH
The market for insulated shipping containers for the pharmaceutical or biological industry is developing all the time. The most recent revision of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) regulations concerning transport of infectious substances, clinical samples and biological products and samples was in 2009.
Typically, temperature sensitive products such as pharmaceutical substances, blood and vaccines require storage within a narrow temperature range, usually between -2 °C and 8 °C and this for up to 72 hours.
These products are divided into classifications (class 6.2) which determine the packing transportation requirements between manufacture, storage, and eventual use. Traditional designs involve insulation combined with a refrigerant of dry ice or a phase change material (PCM).
As the quantity of dry ice or any other refrigerant that may be used is becoming more restricted, traditional insulation systems are often not performing adequately enough anymore.
Courtesy of
ThermoSecure medical equipment GmbH
Safe transport is critical. If a vaccine is subjected to a temperature above the safe storage range it may render it useless or even potentially harmful. The pharmaceutical companies are very aware of the financial and life threatening risks that this can bring.
The solution to the problem is improved insulation performance which has the additional benefit of a potential increase in capacity of the box as insulation thickness can be reduced.
Microtherm® SlimVac is a “super insulation” with an insulation performance up to eight times lower than conventional insulation such has expanded polystyrene (EPS). This means that the thickness of Microtherm SlimVac® for equivalent thermal protection is only 1/8 of that necessary with EPS.
Because of its very low thermal conductivity, its use in a temperature controlled container will ensure the ultimate level of thermal protection for any precisely controlled refrigerated storage of high value commodities. It will also allow the maximum possible available internal volume within any size of box.
By using Microtherm® SlimVac, the manufacturers of temperature controlled packaging systems can offer tailor made solutions that meet all the requirements of their most demanding customers.
Hinged panels of the insulation are used for fast and thermally efficient assembly of the boxes.
Temperature controlled packaging is also used in the transport of fresh and frozen food. These insulated cold boxes are used to keep the food at its designated temperature.
In some cases the container is used to keep fresh food at its normal temperature of around +7°C when transported in a deep chilled truck at -20°C, in other cases it can be the other way around. The advantage is that it is possible to combine the transport of fresh and frozen food in one truck. This means a reduction in transport costs, but it also reduces the cooling down costs. Also, the transport time can be increased because of the high
R–value of Microtherm® SlimVac panels.
Microtherm® SlimVac – the many advantages;
High thermal performance
- Very low thermal conductivity (4,2 mW/m.K)
- High R value (4,8 m2K/W per 20mm)
- 20mm of SlimVac® equals 100 mm PUR or 170mm EPS
Saving Space, Weight and Costs
- Possible reduction of overall container size and weight
- Reduction of insulation thickness by factor 5 to 8
- Reduction of amount of refrigerant by factor 2-3 (dry ice or PCM)
- Smaller packages/less weight = less shipping costs
- Alternatively, potential increase of internal capacity
- Increase of shipping times
Environmentally friendly
- Environmentally responsible alternative for EPS and PUR (petroleum based materials)
- Environmentally friendly, contains no harmful respirable fibres (no CFC’s or HCFC’s either)
- Microtherm® is fully recyclable
For stringent temperature control requirements in cold chain delivery containers, Microtherm® SlimVac is the ideal insulation for the next generation of high performance designs.