Packaging
Packaging savings derived from bio-based materials
A new thermal solution is designed to keep products hot, warm, cool or cold while saving up to 35 percent in heating/cooling costs.
Foods or beverages can be kept at a precise temperature for longer periods of time with PureTemp, a thermal solution designed to keep products hot, warm, cool or cold while saving up to 35 percent in heating/cooling costs.
Produced by Entropy Solutions, PureTemp is a proprietary technology based on the use of renewable phase change materials (PCMs), compounds that liquefy and solidify at specific temperatures. During the process of liquefying and solidifying within a set temperature range, PCMs absorb, store and release large amounts of thermal energy known as latent heat.
|
|
Phase change materials (PCMs) can absorb, store and release a large capacity of energy. PureTemp technology from Entropy Solutions is the first to use non-petroleum, bio-based fats and oils to produce its PCMs. Source: Entropy Solutions Inc. |
A PureTemp coffee mug is one of the first commercial products offered with the technology, with the PCMs incorporated in a heating/cooling coil integrated into the mug. The dishwasher- (but not microwave) safe, 12-ounce mug has undergone thousands of thermal cycling tests with nearly identical performance. PureTemp technology also is being used by PepsiCo for a school lunch program in Los Angeles to keep lunches cool in huge storage containers at a fraction of the cost of refrigerated trucks.
Food containers such as bowls and trays outfitted with PureTemp PCMs can significantly extend the duration of time food can spend outside a refrigerator, increasing food safety and reducing the amount thrown away due to temperature management issues. The PCMs also can be used in beverage containers, catering carts and coolers.
PureTemp PCM technology provides 50 times greater thermal capacity than other materials, and has a consistent, repeatable ability to absorb or give off energy at a specific, selected temperature ranging from -85°F to 580°F. The temperature control solution can reduce reliance on electrically driven cooling or heating solutions.
Traditional PCMs are derived from petroleum byproducts, such as hexadecane, which contain hazardous materials. PureTemp PCMs are fat- and oil-based, derived from agricultural feedstocks and classified as food grade by the FDA. Made from bio-based products, specifically beef tallow, coconut oil and soybean oil, they are the only green phase change materials on the market and are completely biodegradable and nontoxic. The PCM technology can be applied to any material or surface through micro-encapsulation, macro-encapsulation, flexible films, metals, rigid panels, spheres and more.
The PCMs are suited for use in industrial applications to reduce heating and cooling expenses in building and construction, shipping and transportation, refrigeration and cold storage and HVAC where they can capture waste heat, provide energy savings of 25 percent or more and augment chiller systems by supercharging the capacity of the heat transfer fluid. The PCMs also can be used in textiles to create micro-climates in clothing or bedding.
For more information:
Entropy Solutions Inc., 952-941-0306, www.puretemp.com
Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!
