Flexible ultra-low permeability transport system and method

摘要

A method for storage and transport of a commodity is described. The method may include the steps of placing the commodity in a long-term storage container, hermetically sealing said long-term storage container, and placing the long-term storage container in an outer container. The long-term storage container may include an outer layer, an inner layer, and a middle layer. The middle layer may be made of an ultra-low permeability material. The placing may include providing a capability of storing for at least four months.

主权项

1. An insect and mold resistant pesticide-free transport system for long-term storage and transport of a dry agricultural commodity having a weight of 10-2,000 kilograms, the system comprising:
(1) a flexible, hermetic long-term storage container for containment and hermetic sealing of the dry agricultural commodity therein, the flexible, hermetic long-term storage container comprising:
(a) an outer layer;(b) an inner layer;(c) a middle layer, wherein the middle layer comprises an ultra-low permeability packaging material, and ultra-low permeability packing material having a rate of permeability to oxygen of less than 50 cc/m2/day, a rate of permeability to water vapor of less than 15 g/m2/day such that said container is hermetic to water vapor, and a thickness of less than or equal to 0.1 mm,wherein said long-term storage container is sized to hold a commodity having a weight of 10-2,000 kilograms and is configured to provide the commodity with protection from insect infestation and mold growth solely based upon the ultra-low permeability packaging material and without the use of a pesticide; and
(2) an hermetic sealing mechanism for hermetic sealing of said long-term storage container, wherein said hermetic sealing mechanism is configured to limit oxygen ingress to less than the oxygen consumed by respiration, thus killing insects through lack of a continuous supply of oxygen by sufficiently preventing oxygen from entering the container as solely a result of the ultra-low permeability characteristics, and wherein said long-term storage container, when sealed with said hermetic sealing mechanism, is configured
to maintain the original post-drying moisture content of the dry agricultural commodity for commodities having the weight of 10-2,000 kilograms and for long-term storage of at least four months solely based upon the ultra-low permeability packaging material, without the use of pesticide, and without the use of periodic vacuum pumping after hermetically sealing the container, andto provide protection against insect infestation solely through the use of the ultra-low permeability material, wherein the available oxygen is consumed by infesting insects including eggs, larva, pupae, and adult insects to a level low enough to cause the death of the infesting insects, and is further configuredto protect the commodity in the hermetically sealed storage container by inhibiting mold and fungus growth through the low level of oxygen and lack of a high humidity.