Insulated shipping container

Short description: Type of packaging used to ship temperature sensitive products

Insulated shipping containers are a type of packaging used to ship temperature sensitive products such as foods, pharmaceuticals, organs, blood, biologic materials, vaccines[1] and chemicals. They are used as part of a cold chain to help maintain product freshness and efficacy. The term can also refer to insulated intermodal containers or insulated swap bodies.

## Contents

* 1 Construction
* 2 Use
* 3 Design and evaluation
* 4 Environmental Impact
* 5 See also
* 6 References
* 7 External links and resources

## Construction

Shipment of vaccine: PUR insulated box, gel packs, temperature monitor

A variety of constructions have been developed.[2][3][4][5] An insulated shipping container might be constructed of:

1. a vacuum flask, similar to a "thermos" bottle
2. fabricated thermal blankets or liners
3. molded expanded polystyrene foam (EPS, styrofoam), similar to a cooler
4. other molded foams such as polyurethane, polyethylene
5. sheets of foamed plastics
6. Vacuum Insulated Panels (VIPs)
7. reflective materials: (metallised film)
8. bubble wrap or other gas filled panels
9. other packaging materials and structures

Some are designed for single use while others are returnable for reuse. Some insulated containers are decommissioned refrigeration units. Some empty containers are sent to the shipper disassembled or “knocked down”, assembled and used, then knocked down again for easier return shipment.

Shipping containers are available for maintaining cryogenic temperatures, with the use of liquid nitrogen. Some carriers have these as a specialized service[6]

## Use

File:Using Insulated Shipping Containers and Validated Packing Protocols technical-3.theora.ogv Insulated shipping containers are part of a comprehensive cold chain which controls and documents the temperature of a product through its entire distribution cycle. The containers may be used with a refrigerant or coolant such as:[7]

* block or cube ice, slurry ice
* dry ice
* Gel or ice packs (often formulated for specific temperature ranges)
* Phase change materials (PCMs)
* Some products (such as frozen meat) have sufficient thermal mass to contribute to the temperature control and no excess coolant is required

A digital Temperature data logger or a time temperature indicator is often enclosed to monitor the temperature inside the container for its entire shipment.

Labels and appropriate documentation (internal and external) are usually required.

Personnel throughout the cold chain need to be aware of the special handling and documentation required for some controlled shipments. With some regulated products, complete documentation is required.

## Design and evaluation

The use of “off the shelf” insulated shipping containers does not necessarily guarantee proper performance. Several factors need to be considered:[8]

* the sensitivity of the product to temperatures (high and low) and to time at temperatures
* the specific distribution system being used: the expected (and worst case) time and temperatures
* regulatory requirements
* the specific combination of packaging components and materials being used

In specifying an insulated shipping container, the two primary characteristics of the material are its thermal conductivity or R-value, and its thickness. These two attributes will help determine the resistance to heat transfer from the ambient environment into the payload space. The coolant material load temperature, quantity, latent heat, and sensible heat will help determine the amount of heat the parcel can absorb while maintaining the desired control temperature. Combining the attributes from the insulator and coolant will allow analysis of expected duration of the insulated shipping container system. Testing of multi-component systems is needed.[9]

It is wise (and sometimes mandatory) to have formal verification of the performance of the insulated shipping container. Laboratory package testing might include ASTM D3103-07, Standard Test Method for Thermal Insulation Performance of Packages, ISTA Guide 5B: Focused Simulation Guide for Thermal Performance Testing of Temperature Controlled Transport Packaging, and others.[10] In addition, validation of field performance (performance qualification) is extremely useful.

Specialists in design and testing of packaging for temperature sensitive products are often needed. These may be consultants, independent laboratories, universities, or reputable vendors. Many laboratories have certifications and accreditations: ISO 9000s, ISO/IEC 17025, etc.

## Environmental Impact

Parcel to pallet sized insulated shipping containers have historically been single-use products due to the low-cost material composition of EPS and water-based gel packs. The insulation material typically finds its way into landfill streams as it is not readily recyclable in the United States.

The development of reusable high-performance shipping containers have been shown to reduce packing waste by 95% while also contributing significant savings to other environmental pollutants.[11]

## See also

* Cold chain
* Packaging engineering
* Shelf life
* Slurry ice
* Temperature measurement
* Thermal bag
* Thermal insulation
* Heat transfer
* Validation (drug manufacture)
* Verification and Validation

## References

1. ↑ Packing Vaccines for Transport during Emergencies, USHHS Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, 2015, https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/admin/storage/downloads/emergency-transport.pdf, retrieved 4 December 2020
2. ↑ Derifield, Rodney M., "Insulated shipping container", US patent 5924302, published 1999-07-20, assigned to Foremost In Packaging Systems Inc.
3. ↑ Johnson, Roberta L., "Insulated shipping container", US patent 5201868, published 1993-04-13, assigned to Rock-Tenn Company
4. ↑ Gordon, Lawrence A., "Insulated shipping container and method of making the same", US patent 6868982, published 2005-03-22, assigned to Cold Chain Technologies Inc.
5. ↑ Mullens, Patrick L. & Gregg Emmel, "Shipping container for storing materials at cryogenic temperatures", US patent 6119465, published 2000-09-19
6. ↑ "UPS Temperature True® Cryo: UPS - United States". https://www.ups.com/us/en/services/healthcare/healthcare-products/temperature-true-cryo.page.
7. ↑ Matsunaga, K; Burgess, Lockhart (March 2007). "Two methods for calculating the amount of refrigerant required for cyclic temperature testing of insulated packages". Packaging Technology and Science 20 (2): 113–123. doi:10.1002/pts.747.
8. ↑ Choi, Seung-Jin; Burgess (November 2007). "Practical mathematical model to predict the performance of insulating packages". Packaging Technology and Science 20 (6): 369–380. doi:10.1002/pts.762.
9. ↑ Wang, K (March 2020), "Investigation of the effect of thermal insulation materials on packaging performance", Packaging Technology and Science 33 (6): 227–237, doi:10.1002/pts.2500
10. ↑ Singh, S P; Burgess, Singh (2008). "Performance Comparison of Thermal Insulated Packaging Boxes, Bags and Refrigerants for Single-parcel Shipments". Packaging Technology and Science 21: 25–35. doi:10.1002/pts.773. https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0,24&qsp=6&q=gel+pack+packaging&httpsredir=1&article=1043&context=it_fac. Retrieved 9 Oct 2018.
11. ↑ Goellner, Kai N.; Sparrow, Eph (2013-11-26). "An environmental impact comparison of single-use and reusable thermally controlled shipping containers" (in en). The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 19 (3): 611–619. doi:10.1007/s11367-013-0668-z. ISSN 0948-3349.

## External links and resources

* "Cold Chain Management", 2003, 2006, [1]
* Brody, A. L., and Marsh, K, S., "Encyclopedia of Packaging Technology", John Wiley & Sons, 1997, ISBN 0-471-06397-5
* Lockhart, H., and Paine, F.A., "Packaging of Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare Products", 2006, Blackie, ISBN 0-7514-0167-6

* v
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Packaging

General topics|

* Active packaging
* Child-resistant packaging
* Contract packager
* Modified atmosphere/modified humidity packaging
* Package pilferage
* Package testing
* Packaging engineering
* Resealable packaging
* Reusable packaging
* Reuse of bottles
* Shelf life
* Shelf-ready packaging
* Shelf-stable
* Sustainable packaging
* Tamper-evident
* Tamper resistance
* Wrap rage

Product packages|

* Alternative wine closure
* Beer bottle
* Box wine
* Case-ready meat
* Coffee bag
* Cosmetic packaging
* Currency packaging
* Disposable food packaging
* Drink can
* Egg carton
* Evidence packaging
* Flour sack
* Foam food container
* Food packaging
* Glass milk bottle
* Growler
* Juicebox
* Luxury packaging
* Milk bag
* Optical disc packaging
* Popcorn bag
* Pharmaceutical packaging
* Plastic milk container
* Self-heating food packaging
* Screw cap (wine)
* Single-serve coffee container
* Water bottle
* Wine bottle

Containers|

* Aerosol spray
* Aluminium bottle
* Aluminum can
* Ampoule
* Antistatic bag
* Bag-in-box
* Bag
* Barrel
* Biodegradable bag
* Blister pack
* Boil-in-bag
* Bottle
* Box
* Bulk box
* Cage
* Case
* Carboy
* Carton
* Chub
* Clamshell
* Corrugated box design
* Crate
* Disposable cup
* Drum
* Endcap
* Envelope
* Flexible intermediate bulk container
* Folding carton
* Glass bottle
* Gunny sack
* Inhaler
* Insulated shipping container
* Intermediate bulk container
* Jar
* Jerrycan
* Jug
* Keg
* Mesh bag
* Multi-pack
* Oyster pail
* Packet (container)
* Padded envelope
* Pail
* Paper bag
* Paper sack
* Plastic bag
* Plastic bottle
* Retort pouch
* Sachet
* Security bag
* Self-heating can
* Shipping container
* Skin pack
* Spray bottle
* Stand-up pouch
* Steel and tin cans
* Tetra Brik
* Thermal bag
* Tub (container)
* Tube
* Unit load
* Vial
* Wooden box

Materials and
components|

* Adhesive
* Aluminium foil
* Bail handle
* Bioplastic
* Biodegradable plastic
* BoPET
* Bubble wrap
* Bung
* Cellophane
* Closure
* Coated paper
* Coating
* Coextrusion
* Corrugated fiberboard
* Corrugated plastic
* Cushioning
* Desiccant
* Double seam
* Foam peanut
* Gel pack
* Glass
* Hot-melt adhesive
* Kraft paper
* Label
* Lid
* Linear low-density polyethylene
* Liquid packaging board
* Low-density polyethylene
* Metallised film
* Modified atmosphere
* Molded pulp
* Nonwoven fabric
* Overwrap
* Oxygen scavenger
* Package handle
* Packaging gas
* Pallet
* Paper
* Paper pallet
* Paperboard
* Plastic film
* Plastic pallet
* Plastic wrap
* Polyester
* Polyethylene
* Polypropylene
* Pressure-sensitive tape
* Pump dispenser
* Screw cap
* Screw cap (wine)
* Security printing
* Security tape
* Shock detector
* Shock and vibration data logger
* Shrink wrap
* Slip sheet
* Staple (fastener)
* Strapping
* Stretch wrap
* Susceptor
* Tamper-evident band
* Tear tape
* Temperature data logger
* Time temperature indicator
* Tinplate
* Velostat

Processes|

* Aseptic processing
* Authentication
* Automatic identification and data capture
* Blow fill seal
* Blow molding
* Calendering
* Canning
* Coating
* Containerization
* Corona treatment
* Curtain coating
* Die cutting
* Die forming (plastics)
* Electronic article surveillance
* Extrusion
* Extrusion coating
* Flame treatment
* Glass production
* Graphic design
* HACCP
* Hermetic seal
* Induction sealing
* Injection moulding
* Lamination
* Laser cutting
* Molding
* Package tracking
* Papermaking
* Plastic welding
* Plastics extrusion
* Printing
* Quality assurance
* Radio-frequency identification
* Roll slitting
* Shearing (manufacturing)
* Thermoforming
* Track and trace
* Vacuum forming
* Ultrasonic welding
* Vacuum packaging
* Verification and validation

Machinery|

* Barcode printer
* Barcode reader
* Bottling line
* Calender
* Can seamer
* Cartoning machine
* Case sealer
* Check weigher
* Conveyor system
* Extended core stretch wrapper
* Filler
* Heat gun
* Heat sealer
* Industrial robot
* Injection molding machine
* Label printer applicator
* Lineshaft roller conveyor
* Logistics automation
* Material-handling equipment
* Mechanical brake stretch wrapper
* Multihead weigher
* Orbital stretch wrapper
* Packaging machinery
* Palletizer
* Rotary wheel blow molding systems
* Shrink tunnel
* Staple gun
* Tape dispenser
* Turntable stretch wrapper
* Vertical form fill sealing machine

Environment,
post-use|

* Biodegradation
* Environmental engineering
* Glass recycling
* Industrial ecology
* Life-cycle assessment
* Litter
* Packaging waste
* Paper recycling
* Plastic recycling
* Recycling
* Reusable packaging
* Reverse logistics
* Source reduction
* Sustainable packaging
* Waste management

Category: Packaging

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