COOLING APPARATUS AND METHOD

摘要

Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide for a cooling apparatus comprising: a fluid reservoir for holding fluid to be cooled, the reservoir having a head region and a body region below the head region each arranged to contain fluid to be cooled; and a heat exchange portion arranged in use to be provided in thermal communication with fluid in the body region thereby to allow thermal transfer between the heat exchange portion and fluid in the body region, the apparatus being configured in use to permit cooling means to cool fluid in the head region, wherein the fluid reservoir is arranged such that a cross-sectional area of the reservoir decreases by tapering as a function of distance from the head region to the body region over at least a portion of the distance from the head region to the body region.

主权项

1. An apparatus comprising:
a fluid reservoir configured to hold a water, while in use, the fluid reservoir including:
a body region; anda head region located substantially above the body region, while in use; wherein the fluid reservoir is arranged such that a cross-sectional area of the fluid reservoir decreases by tapering as a function of distance from the head region to the body region over at least a portion of the distance from the head region to the body region; a cold store compartment including an interior cold store volume configured to store one or more cold packs, the interior cold store volume defined in part by a first wall made of thermally conductive material, the interior cold store volume in thermal communication with the head region of the fluid reservoir via the first wall; and a payload compartment including an interior payload volume configured to store items to be cooled, the interior payload volume defined in part by a second wall made of thermally conductive material, the interior payload volume in thermal communication with the body region of the fluid reservoir via the second wall; wherein, in use, water in the head region of the fluid reservoir is cooled by one or more cold packs in the interior cold store volume, via the first wall, to a temperature of maximum density, the cooled water at the temperature of maximum density in the head region is allowed to sink into the body region of the fluid volume under gravity, and items in the interior payload volume are then cooled by the cooled water in the body region of the fluid reservoir via the second wall.