Multitemperature storage system
A multitemperature storage system includes a storage structure including a plurality of upright members, a plurality of horizontal members supported by the upright members and forming a grid pattern defining a plurality of grid cells and allowing containers to be arranged in stacks beneath the grid cells defined by the grid pattern, and a track structure on top of the horizontal members, the track structure being configured to allow a load-handling device to move across the storage structure to retrieve a container from a stack; and including temperature-control to maintain a first-temperature region within the storage structure at a first temperature and a second-temperature region within the storage structure at a second temperature.
1. A multitemperature storage system, comprising:
a storage structure including a plurality of upright members, a plurality of horizontal members supported by the upright members and forming a grid pattern defining a plurality of grid cells and allowing containers to be arranged in stacks beneath the grid cells defined by the grid pattern, and a track structure on top of the horizontal members, the track structure being configured to allow a load-handling device to move across the storage structure to retrieve a container from a stack; and
temperature-control means configured to maintain a first-temperature region within the storage structure at a first temperature and a second-temperature region within the storage structure at a second temperature, the temperature-control means including a temperature-control plant and tubing providing a closed loop along which temperature-control fluid is configured to flow from the temperature-control plant to the first-temperature region within the storage structure and from the first-temperature region within the storage structure to the temperature-control plant; and
an air curtain configured to reduce exchange of thermal energy between the first-temperature region and the second temperature region.
2. The multitemperature storage system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the tubing comprising:
outbound tubing configured to carry temperature-control fluid to the first-temperature region.
3. The multitemperature storage system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the tubing comprises:
return tubing configured to carry temperature-control fluid away from the first-temperature region.
4. The multitemperature storage system as claimed in claim 1 , comprising:
an additional temperature-control plant, the additional temperature-control plant being configured to supply temperature-control fluid to at least one of the first-temperature region and the second-temperature region via a fluid carrier.
5. The multitemperature storage system as claimed in claim 1 , comprising:
a flow aid configured to assist flow of the temperature-control fluid to the first-temperature region of the storage structure.
6. The multitemperature storage system as claimed in claim 5 , comprising:
a solid partition configured to reduce exchange of thermal energy between the first-temperature region and the second-temperature region.
7. The multitemperature storage system as claimed in claim 5 , comprising:
a sensor configured to monitor an atmospheric condition within the first-temperature region.
8. A controller for the multitemperature storage system as claimed in claim 7 , comprising:
processing means which are configured to generate and send instructions to control the temperature-control means to maintain the first-temperature region at the first temperature and the second-temperature region at the second temperature.
9. The controller as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to receive data from the sensor and to generate the instructions in dependence on the received data.
10. The controller for a multitemperature storage system as claimed in claim 9 , comprising:
processing means which are configured to generate and send instructions to control the temperature-control means to maintain the first-temperature region at the first temperature and the second-temperature region at the second temperature.
11. The controller as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to generate and send instructions to the flow aid.
12. The multitemperature storage system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the closed loop provided by the tubing comprises:
multiple branches.
13. The multitemperature storage system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the tubing comprises:
a flow-control valve configured to control flow of temperature-control fluid along the tubing.
14. The controller for a multitemperature storage system as claimed in claim 13 , comprising:
processing means which are configured to generate and send instructions to control the temperature-control means to maintain the first-temperature region at the first temperature and the second-temperature region at the second temperature.
15. The controller as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured to generate and send instructions to the flow-control valve.
16. The multitemperature storage system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the tubing comprises:
a shaped section configured to concentrate temperature-control fluid in the first-temperature region.
17. A method of controlling the temperature of a multitemperature storage system which includes a plurality of upright members, a plurality of horizontal members supported by the upright members and forming a grid pattern defining a plurality of grid cells and allowing containers to be arranged in stacks beneath the grid cells defined by the grid pattern, and a track structure on top of the horizontal members, the track structure being configured to allow a load-handling device to move across the storage structure to retrieve a container from a stack;
temperature-control means configured to maintain a first-temperature region within the storage structure at a first temperature and a second-temperature region within the storage structure at a second temperature, the temperature-control means including a temperature-control plant and tubing providing a closed loop along which temperature-control fluid is configured to flow from the temperature-control plant to the first-temperature region within the storage structure and from the first-temperature region within the storage structure to the temperature-control plant; and
an air curtain configured to reduce exchange of thermal energy between the first-temperature region and the second-temperature region,
the method comprising:
providing temperature-control fluid to the first-temperature region to maintain the first-temperature region at the first temperature; and
retrieving temperature-control fluid from the first-temperature region.
18. The method of controlling the temperature of the multitemperature storage system as claimed in claim 17 , comprising:
determining, based on data received from one or more sensors, how to optimally provide temperature-control fluid to the first-temperature region.
19. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause performance of the method of claim 17 .