ZØR has developed e-Kool Smart Cover PCM, a multi-heights cover with impregnated Phase Change Materials (PCM’s) that maintain a temperature range of -12ºC to -21ºC / 0 to 2ºC / 2 to 8ºC and 15 to 25ºC for several periods and has a much higher thermal performance than a conventional cover. In particular, this blanket has an isothermal coating of 4 layers of different materials and an impregnated interior. This cover also has a built-in monitoring system that allows temperature control and geolocation at various points of the shipments.

The combination of PCM with thinsulate insulation and other materials creates a reusable solution for large volume shipments. This combination makes the solution stable and effective in extreme thermal profiles characteristic in cross-dockings (plane scales between controlled environment and cold rooms).

e-Kool Smart Cover PCM has been developed to absorb and release heat, maintaining the conservation point of the products to be transported, so that it can provide double protection when the products are very sensitive. The great advantage is a significant increase of litres to be transported in a solution that does not exceed 35 Kg and can protect volumes of more than 1000L. Additionally, this solution was designed to make reverse logistics possible and to be reused again, unlike normal systems which to transport the same volumes, weigh more than 200kg – which makes reverse logistics by plane unfeasible.

The blanket allows for thermal inertia in the product depending on the variation of thermal profiles. In other words, in a plane at controlled temperature, in a period of up to 15 hours, there is no change in the product’s transport conditions. If we think that in Europe alone, we fly in less than 5 hours to most places, this clearly shows the real benefit that this solution can bring.

One of the advantages is undoubtedly its versatility, as it is designed to maintain the controlled temperature of thermosensitive products during air, sea and land transport. Additionally, the blanket’s structure is designed in two parts that allow the height to be adjusted to the pallet size, making it a multi-height blanket (from 1200 to 1800 mm high).

Compared to traditional passive cold boxes, with this solution we achieved a significant reduction of about 70% in weight, an optimisation of the useful volume by almost 50% and a significantly 5x faster assembly.

With e-Kool Smart Cover PCM, due to its weight and ease of handling and storage, we can collect between 3 and 6 units, not exceeding 200kg. In traditional systems, the collection of these systems could never be achieved for less than 1000kg, which makes such collections economically unfeasible.

The e-Kool Smart Cover PCM was qualified so that it can work in different profiles without the product suffering any changes. For example, in the case of a vaccine (which can not freeze) we can place it in a cold chamber, because we will be using a 4 º C PCM that for a long period of time will not go below 2 º C.

Designed mainly for the pharmaceutical industry, it can be used for all the products that are sensitive to temperature. (Hospital, Food, Chemical, Electronic… sectors)

With this innovation we can send about 1000l through a very light and easy to reuse system. This combination of materials allows for good operational results and with plenty of thermal stability.

The innovative nature of the project underlying the development of the blanket has given rise to a patent registration process, which is currently underway.