| 摘要 |
An apparatus 1 for cooling objects such as food items, beverages or vaccines, comprises first and second fluid reservoirs 20a, 20b, cooling means 28 for cooling fluid contained in the first fluid reservoir, and a thermal transfer region 26 arranged between respective upper regions of the first and second fluid reservoirs. The thermal transfer region permits thermal transfer between the fluid contained in the reservoirs such that cooling of the fluid in the first reservoir causes cooling of the fluid in the second reservoir. In further aspects of the invention, a refrigeration apparatus comprises a casing 10 with a payload compartment 12 located within the casing, and a fluid volume situated within the casing and comprising either weirs (22a, 22b, fig.6) dividing the fluid volume into a central fluid reservoir and outer fluid reservoirs, or a cylindrical weir (22, fig.8) dividing the fluid volume into inner and outer fluid reservoirs. In another aspect of the invention, a method comprises fluid within a first fluid reservoir, at a temperature below a critical temperature, rising and mixing in a thermal transfer region with fluid at a temperature above the critical temperature, from a second fluid reservoir, with critical temperature fluid then sinking. |
