/> The first known official recorded cooler box was invented by American Richard Laramy in 1951.Then it was known as the "portable ice chest". Since then , the cooler box is also goes by the name chilly bin , chilly box or esky. In Kenya , you will hear will hear people referring it ice box, cooler box or ice cooler box.
The cooler box became especially popular as a domestic item in the warmer parts of the US during summer where the concept of refrigeration and the constant supply of ice for cooling foods and drinks had first taken hold.
Today cooler box has become more than just a domestic item and into the commercial space.Cooler boxes are widely used for carrying chilled foods and drinks for adventure outdoor activities like picnics, camping ,beach excursions, road trips, out door games ,school sports activities and ice cream vendors.
Commercially , cooler boxes are used during cold transport during fishing , around lakes ,oceans and rivers.You will find alot of fishing companies and individuals around Kenya's fishing towns along Coastal region,mombasa , malindi , kilifi , diani,the fishing lake regions of Lake Victoria and Lake Turkana using heavy duty roto moulded cooler boxes for cold transport of fish, sharks , prawns , octopus ,crabs and other sea foods.Some large cooler boxes can be as big as 500 Litres.
Cooler Boxes are used in health and medical sector in hospitals , clinics , ambulances , mobile clinics for cold chain transport. This includes cold chain transport of vaccines, medicines, blood samples , carrying vials, pens, injections to keep then within WHO recommended temperature of 2 – 8 degrees. Using the cooler boxes enables movement without compromising the medicines and vaccines.
The Science Behind The Working of a Cooler Ice Box
Cooler Boxes stay cold with the magic of insulation and ice. The insulation is cooler box is usually made with combination of styroform and plastic line inside the cooler.
This insulation is what slows down the circulation of warm air. Adding Ice further keeps the cooler box cold and chilly.
Convection and Conduction
An ice cooler works by preventing two kinds of warming: convection and conduction. Convection occurs when warm air currents move heat from a hotter object to a cool object. Conduction occurs when heat moves directly from a warmer object to an adjacent colder one. Cooler boxes are designed to minimize both kinds of heating.
Preventing Conduction
The insulation material, styro form and plastic used in the manufacture of cooler boxes are poor conductors of heat.Therefore heat can not flow efficiently through the material from outside to inside,thus keeping the temperatures inside the cooler box cold.
Preventing Convection
When a ice cooler box is opened,warm air blows in, melting the ice inside and warming up the cooler. This is why it is always advisable to keep cooler box closed most of the time. Additionally, you can prevent hot air circulation by always filling up the cooler box with contents.This reduces the surface area of the air inside the cooler box , thus lowering convenction currents.
Why Should One Use Ice Inside A Cooler Box?
In order to enhance the cooling effect of cooler boxes, we need some kind of ice to stay nice and chilly. The ice inside a cooler can last for up to a week, depending on whether you use block ice, dry ice, or ice cubes or Ice Gel Packs inside.
- Ice Gel Packs - 18 to 24 Hours
- Dry Ice – 18 to 24 hours
- Ice Cubes – 1 to 2 days
- Block Ice – 5 to 7 days
An ice pack or gel pack is a portable plastic bag or plastic casing filled with heat absorbing refrigerant gel.Before use , a gel ice pack is first placed in a freezer for about 7 - 8 hours.The gel ice pack is then kept conviently inside the cooler box or cooler bag to enhance the cooling effect by lowering the temperatures.
Ice Cubes work by lowering the temperature of the cooler box ,thus effectively reducing convection of warm air. One can make ice cubes from freezing water inside some ice cube tray. Some supermarkets also sell ice cubes in bulk, so remember to check them out in your favorite store.
We hope you had fun learning about Cooler Boxes and how they work.We hope you can now make a better informed decision in your next purchase of your cooler box. Feel free to reach out to us via call or whatsapp on 0748105006 for any enquiries.
Our team will be willing to advice you on the best cooler box that suits your need. We Deliver Same Day to all counties in Kenya.
Be on the look out for more information on cooler boxes and cooler accessories on this website!