The challenge of extreme Cold weather: How to ensure the delivery of temperature-sensitive medicines in cold chain packaging

Risk of supercooling
Winter, especially in extremely cold weather, means that temperature-sensitive medicines and vaccines are extremely challenging. Some liquid drugs or vaccines (such as most vaccines) are frozen if they are frozen because they may cause physical structural damage or chemical changes due to ice crystal formation, which can affect their effectiveness. Even products designed to be refrigerated, rather than frozen, can freeze unexpectedly in extremely cold conditions. The thermal shock caused by extremely cold weather and rapid temperature changes will also cause thermal expansion and contraction of the material, seriously affecting the integrity of the packaging and the stability of the vaccine. On top of that, in extremely cold environments, it becomes more difficult to maintain a stable temperature.

Cold chain packaging coping strategy for extremely cold weather
Advanced insulation, high-quality refrigerants and temperature monitoring are essential.

Advanced insulation materials
ELGIR MEDICAL uses advanced insulation materials, whether VIP, EPP, PU, EPS are excellent insulation materials, these materials help maintain a stable temperature of the internal environment by reducing heat exchange. EPS is a lightweight, rigid foam with good thermal insulation properties. It is inexpensive and easy to shape in a variety of sizes and shapes.
EPS is widely used in disposable cold chain packaging and is suitable for products that maintain low temperatures in the short or medium term. PU foam has a higher thermal insulation efficiency than EPS, which can provide better thermal insulation effect. It's denser and stronger. Often used in high-end or reusable cold chain packaging solutions. The VIP consists of a microporous core material and a high barrier film, which is close to a vacuum inside and greatly reduces heat conduction. This material provides excellent thermal insulation and is thin but highly effective. It is particularly suitable for situations where space is limited but efficient insulation is still needed, such as cold chain packaging in air transport.

High quality refrigerant
Refrigerants typically include ice packs, dry ice, phase change material PCM, which ELGIR MEDICAL uses as a passive cold source capable of maintaining a specific temperature range by absorbing or releasing latent heat, which makes them ideal for cold chain logistics of temperature-sensitive products such as pharmaceuticals, vaccines, etc. When the ambient temperature is higher than the phase transition temperature of PCM, PCM will change from solid to liquid and absorb heat in the process. On the contrary, when the ambient temperature is lower than the phase transition temperature of PCM, it will change from liquid to solid, releasing heat. This feature enables the PCM to maintain a constant temperature over a set temperature range.

Temperature monitoring
Countries and international organizations (such as WHO, FDA, etc.) have formulated strict cold chain management standards. An effective temperature monitoring system can help companies comply with these regulations and avoid legal risks. Using advanced sensor technology and the Internet of Things (IoT), ELGIR MEDICAL now enables real-time monitoring of the location of goods and their environmental conditions. This not only improves visibility throughout the supply chain, but also enhances the ability to respond to emergencies. When an abnormal temperature change is detected, the system is able to issue an immediate alert, allowing those involved to act quickly to reduce the damage. The data collected can be used to analyze and improve cold chain operating processes, identify potential risk points, and optimize transport routes and service networks.