Cooler Definition and 65 Threads

A cooler, portable ice chest, ice box, cool box, chilly bin (in New Zealand), or esky (Australia) is an insulated box used to keep food or drink cool.
Ice cubes are most commonly placed in it to help the contents inside stay cool. Ice packs are sometimes used, as they either contain the melting water inside, or have a gel sealed inside that stays cold longer than plain ice (absorbing heat as it changes phase).
Coolers are often taken on picnics, and on vacation or holiday. Where summers are hot, they may also be used just for getting cold groceries home from the store, such as keeping ice cream from melting in a hot automobile. Even without adding ice, this can be helpful, particularly if the trip home will be lengthy. Some coolers have built-in cupholders in the lid.

They are usually made with interior and exterior shells of plastic, with a hard foam in between. They come in sizes from small personal ones to large family ones with wheels. Disposable ones are made solely from polystyrene foam (such as is a disposable coffee cup) about 2 cm or one inch thick. Most reusable ones have molded-in handles; a few have shoulder straps. The cooler has developed from just a means of keeping beverages cold into a mode of transportation with the ride-on cooler. A thermal bag or cooler bag is very similar in concept, but typically smaller and not rigid.

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  1. MiniITXTeam

    Best airflow for mini ITX PC case

    Hi friends. Nice to be a new member of that forum. Content and member knowledge are impressive. I was reading a lot about fan types and airflow physics when pulling and pushing air. My main idea is to do some test with different configurations of my setup. I'm going to measure temperature in...
  2. N

    How to design hydraulic system and size cooler

    Hi all, I've started working recently in a new job as an engineer in a lab with a bunch of physicists. A job they've given me is to size a water/glycol chiller (and basically design the hydraulic system i.e. fittings, tubing etc) to cool a bunch of equipment they've got in a few insulated...
  3. Optymista93

    Cleaning of the finned tubes on gas cooler without disassembling

    Hi, I've been thinking about the solution for cleaning a water-cooled gas cooler and would love to hear some advice from the smarter people with more experience. Description - I will try to roughly explain the concept. Gas Cooler is used to decrease exhaust gas temperature. The exhaust gas...
  4. rude man

    I How to Operate a Swamp Cooler in Phoenix in June

    Guys, this is a real-life problem, especially now in Phoenix in June! Wolfram Alpha gave me this: Must be easier than that??
  5. D

    I Is it cooler hanging ice packs from a fishnet bag or in a thermal lunch-bag?

    Summary: I think I found the solution at the end of the post, posting in case someone has a better idea. I plan on going shopping somewhere a bit distant because my local supermarkets dropped the majority of store brands. I suspect the whole trip will take 90-120 mins. I have a deep freezer...
  6. S

    When do fission products get cooler than fuel?

    Main nuclear fuel is U-235. Actinium series to stable Pb-207 includes 7 alpha and 4 beta decays. Total energy yield 46,4 MeV. In the main branch, the 4 beta decays carry around 3 MeV energy. Meaning the alpha decays are about 43 MeV... and they have high biologic effectiveness, around 20...
  7. E

    Engineering Thermodynamics homework help, water cooled air cooler

    I'm not looking for someone to tell me the answer, just help steer me in the right direction. I feel like I need to find the air density or air velocity at entry to proceed, but I'm unsure any help and guidance is greatly apricated!
  8. Mason_Jays

    How to design a CPU Cooler attached on an Aluminum Panel?

    Im now drawing sheet metal blueprints, which has a feature like attachable of Commonly use of CPU Cooler. The product that i want to attach is Cooler master Hyper T4. is there any information about standard dimension for regular cpu cooler installation ?
  9. Y

    Does Wearing a Wet Shirt Help to Keep You Cooler?

    Hey, Its the middle of a heatwave I was wondering if I wet my shirt and put it on would it help me keep cool or would it make me warmer because I'm dying of heat rn.
  10. orris

    Determining the required properties of a submersion cooler system

    Summary: I require assistance in selecting a suitable radiator for a submersion cooing system Hello, I am designing a series of chassis's and cooling rigs that will house ant miner s-9 units along side their apw3 power supplies flooded with mineral oil within the housing. Each unit...
  11. James Beedy

    Comparing image sizes of the hotter stars with the cooler stars

    Homework Statement When comparing image sizes of the hotter stars with the cooler stars, do hotter stars consistently appear larger in one image and cooler stars consistently appear smaller in the other image? Why or why not? Homework Equations Stellar Spectra Classification[/B]The Attempt...
  12. J

    Cooler objects able to increase the temperature of warmer objects?

    Not sure this should go here (you guys need a thermodynamics section). But there is quite the debate going on about cooler objects being able to increase the temperature of warmer objects here: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2017/11/24/can-a-cold-object-warm-a-hot-object/comment-page-1 They are...
  13. P

    Thermal radiation inside a cooler

    I am trying to calculate how much a foil liner helps keep the inside of a package cool. I have calculated the rate of conduction but am now concerned with radiation. Above is the equation I am using. The emissivity for the material is 0.05, the area is 1 m^2, the outside air temp is 295...
  14. M

    MHB Is the Fraction of Water Left in the Cooler Correct?

    A water cooler can hold 40 litres of water when full. What fraction of water is left in the cooler if 16 litres is used? Solution: 16 out of 40 litres have been used. 16/40 litres. Reduce this fraction to lowest terms. 16 ÷ 8 = 2 40 ÷ 8 = 5 Answer: 2/5 litres remain in the water...
  15. olgkd123

    How does compression cool water in a household water cooler?

    How does compression cool water in a household water cooler? I was reading and it says, " The water inside the water cooler is fed into a reservoir, where it is cooled using a refrigerant. A refrigerant is a cooling medium that is circulated in pipes that are located close to the reservoir in...
  16. S

    How effective would an evaporative cooler be when utlized in this way?

    For a 300 sq ft workshop that you'd not want to add humidity into directly with a swamp cooler, what if you made instead a 4" false ceiling of 2x4's on end, covered with thin plastic sheeting of minimal r-value, to blow cooler evaporative air through a serpentine baffle configuration to achieve...
  17. T

    AC vs evaporative cooler: ratio of (BTUs/hr)/electric watts

    Hi Air conditioner vs evaporative cooler: ratio of (BTUs/hr) / electrical watts I know evaporative coolers do not state BTUs/hr. I do not know why. Did anyone try them and record time taken to cool. I found this example, but I do not know if it is practically relevant...
  18. S

    Is greenhouse interior much cooler if reflective inside?

    Let's assume typical 10' X 20' greenhouse for growing veggies is empty and is all exposed concrete black floor with solid black (opaque) insulated knee high walls all around. The rest of it is glass sides and roof. Also, assume reflective radiant barrier was hung on those knee walls inside...
  19. B

    B What Color is the Stop Sign When Traveling at the Speed of Light?

    Hi guys. I've been a long time lurker (always enjoy reading the posts here and learning lots!), but a recent question that came up 'around the watercooler' prompted me to sign up and ask the experts. Humor me, as none of those who got into this debate (myself included) are experts on this...
  20. Absentee

    Stirling-type cooler (Air liquefaction)

    Hello. I'm currently studying air liquefaction processes and I've come to Stirling-type cooler. With Linde, Claude, Heylandt and Kapitza cycles I find it very intuitive to get air cooled with throttling / expansion processes since they lower the temperature of incoming gas, but I am failing to...
  21. J

    Will a metal vacuum mug beat a cooler bar with 300mL Ice?

    I guess the question is also when. If you have some food or liquid to store. If you use a low quality cooler bag with 200mL to 300mL Ice pack at what point will a Vacuum seal with no Ice beat the cooler bag? I guess at the 10 hour mark or 24 hour mark or at some very long period of time.
  22. P

    Strength of container for vacuum freeze drying

    I have read that freeze drying is the best way to salvage wet books (http://www.ccaha.org/uploads/media_items/technical-bulletin-salvaging-books.original.pdf). However, freeze dryers run in the thousands of dollars, and I don't know anyone who has one I can borrow. Solution: make my own! I...
  23. R

    Formula for Evaporative Cooloer (Swamp cooler)

    I am trying to figure out if I could grow cool weather vegetable (say lettuce) in hot but dry climate by using swamp cooler to lower the temp of shade house. I have downloaded daily temp and humidity from www.weatherunderground.com and a chart on the potential temp drop: The thing is that I...
  24. S

    Exploring Cascade Cryogenics: From Methylene Chloride to Liquefied Air at 70K

    http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/physics/reaching-ultra-low-temperatures.html is this thing accurate? It uses methylene chloride as first refrigerant, then ethene, and then oxygen, and gets to liquefy air...down to 70kelvins after researching the very small info on the net about cascade...
  25. K

    Electrical Designing Your Own CPU Cooler Fan: Fundamental Tips

    Hi folks.I'm 3rd grade mechanical engineering student.I want to make cpu cooler.I will make pid controlled fan with an arduino. PID path is easy but I could not find anything about fan dynamics. I want to design my own fan.I need something like "fundamentals of fans" that should answer my...
  26. M

    Peltier cooler- thermodynamics

    Im working on a project for fun using a peltier cooler. A tec1-12706. If i am operating the peltier at 9v, 6.4 amps of current and dt =45ºC (from datasheet) and bring its cold side in contact with a body at 33ºC for 10 seconds. Keeping hot side at 27ºC(cold side =-18) using sink, what will be...
  27. mrspeedybob

    Why do my newer laptops run cooler then previous laptops?

    The last 2 laptops that I've bought (both HP) run noticeably cooler then previous laptops that I've owned (Toshiba and Dell). In fact I feel no heat on my legs at all from either of them. Did some new technology come along in the last few years that allows the batteries to produce less heat or...
  28. P

    How to reduce RH of air from evaporative cooler?

    Hi guys! I'm new here and this is my first post! I'm a fresh engineering graduate and I'm facing a dilemma. I'm currently in charge of a project. We intend to use an evaporative air cooler for a carbonated soft drink filling line. The flow of air intake is as follows: evaporative cooler -->...
  29. E

    Please recommend a high-performance CPU cooler with red LED

    Could someone please recommend a high-performance aluminum aftermarket CPU air cooler that has a red LED light?
  30. kartikwat

    How Does a Water Pump in a Water Cooler Operate and What Are Its Components?

    How does a water pump in a water cooler work?what are its parts .the picture of the water cooler is given in attachments.how to repair it?
  31. Spinnor

    Last scatter by e-, light looks hotter, cooler, time, wavelength.

    Over what approximate time frame does 90% (most) of last scattering occur, minutes, seconds, fraction of a second? How does this time frame relate to the period of the gravitational radiation? If the period of gravitational radiation were short it would washout b-modes? Thanks for any...
  32. J

    Peltier cooler advice 200c to 60c is it possible?

    Hi all, Does anyone on here have experience with Peltier coolers? I have a surface 3.5 by 1 inch that is heated to 200c when current is ran through it as part of a cycle. When the current is off i need to be able to cool the surface faster than leaving it to cool in ambient temperatures...
  33. A

    Absorption of radiation from a 'cooler' source

    This post specifically queries the absorption, by matter, of (thermal) radiation which has been emitted from a source of a cooler temperature than the receiving matter. As I understand it, when matter 'receives' radiation, that radiation is either a) absorbed, b) reflected (or absorbed and...
  34. Quarlep

    Creating a Portable Peltier Cooler: Battery Circuit Guide and Diagram

    Homework Statement I have a project homework about peltier cooler.I want to make it portable.So I have to use bateries.But I don't how to make a battery circuit.There wil be two computer fan which they works with power supply and one peltier.Can you help me to make a batttery circuit you can...
  35. A

    Help Designing a Gas Cooler for Senior ME Student

    Hello, I'm a senior ME student and for part of my project I'm designing a gas cooler, and I need help understanding the heat transfer process going on (I have yet to taken heat transfer). So basically my design is a a metal pipe (AISI 302 Steel k=15.1 W/m-k) carrying the gas (which for...
  36. D

    Which is more effective: Evaporative Cooler or A/C?

    So I moved to L.A. recently, and my apartment is not very well air-conditioned. The temperature in my room is about 78 degrees, which for me is not very comfortable. I can't install a window-mounted AC because of the way in which my window opens, so the next-best option for me is to get a small...
  37. S

    Water in evaporative cooler reservoir looses heat?

    A typical evaporative cooler works by pumping water from a reservoir in the bottom on the cooler onto fiber pads. A squirrel cage blower sucks outside air over the pads and delivers it into the house. The unevaporated water drips back into the reservoir so whatever heat exchange process goes...
  38. Z

    How can I power a Peltier Thermoelectric Cooler

    Hi I recently purchased a small (15mmx15mm) Peltier Thermoelectric Cooler/Heater. I am using this for a prototype of mine but I can't find a way to power it. The specs are 1Amp 0.8Volts. I was just wondering if anyone knew where to find a power supply (DC) to power it. I could also use...
  39. J

    Why exactly Is Iron cooler than it's environment at 20°c?

    I've been doing classical physics and specific heat so I started wondering why some materials cool and/or heat faster, I figured it probably had something to do with how close together the atoms were in the material or such... than i started thinking why are matters like Iron always so cold when...
  40. A

    More hockey questions putting the puck in a cooler before the game?

    So I was just at a hockey game and noticed that the game pucks were being kept on ice in a cooler before they were to be used. When I asked about this I was told it was to keep the pucks from being more 'bouncy.' Why does this work? I would think that the colder they are, the bouncier they...
  41. D

    Comparing Coldness: ICE vs WATER at 0°C

    ICE at 0 degree C and WATER at 0 degree C. Which will appear more cooler to our mouth? What factors determine the coldness of a body at same temperature.
  42. N

    Can a thermoelectric cooler be used as a thermoelectric generator?

    The title should be self explanatory, the only reason I ask this is because thermoelectric coolers are ridiculously cheap compared to a thermoelectric generator. Is there anything I need to check when using a cooler as a generator, I am expecting temperatures on the cold to be around 20C and...
  43. Link

    Peltier Cooler connected to Power Supply, is this configuration safe?

    I am building a Peltier Cooler with the circuit diagram below. The power supply will be a battery, but for testing purposes I am connecting it to a stationary power supply. http://dl.dropbox.com/u/10419947/circuit.png I suspect that the peltier coolers which are rated at 30A will draw as...
  44. G

    I'm curious Why do we feel cooler when wind hits us?

    I don't know much on these kinds of things but I was just sitting here thinking with my fan on... So particles or atoms or whichever heat up when they move faster/shake faster right? Why is it when the wind hits me I cool off? I assume the wind would speed them up even more right? I feel...
  45. G

    How to Design a CO2 Gas Cooler for Automobile Air Conditioning?

    Homework Statement Investigation on CO2 gas cooler for Automobile air conditioning system Homework Equations I am trying to design a gas cooler for an automobile air conditioning system using CO2. The Attempt at a Solution I have conducted a literature review and understand the super and...
  46. P

    Thermodynamics with styrofoam cooler

    Homework Statement A cubical styrofoam cooler 80cm on a side and 2.0 cm thick contains 2.0kg of ice at 0C. If it takes four hours for the ice to melt what is the outside temperature? K(st)=.02 w/m*KHomework Equations H=-KA (ΔT/ΔX) (conductive heat flow) The Attempt at a Solution Area...
  47. C

    Calculating outlet temperature and heat transfer in an adiabatic spray cooler

    Question: In an adibatic Spray cooler, a fine mist of liquid water is used to cool hot air by evaporating all of the water. The liquid flows in at a rate of 90 g/s and 30°C. The input hot air is at 450°C and 900 torr. The dewpoint of the input air is 47°C and the flow rate is 1362 L/s...
  48. T

    Open top display cooler - energy loss

    Homework Statement I am working on a energy analysis in a supermarket. There is some open top display coolers, which is using a lot of energy - I don't have the opportunity to check excatly how much energy they use, so I have to calculate it. I don't have problems in calculating it when it is...
  49. G

    Efficient Cooling Solutions for Small Spaces - Closet Size: 1.47m x 75cm x 58cm

    hello to all, im new here, I am just searching someone can mayb help me with my big sitution, i have a closet size: height: 1.47m, width: 75cm, depth: 58cm. there is a very hot MH light bulb 400W, with bellows and vents. and my temperture is around 32-36C! i looking for way too cool down...
  50. S

    Question on Calculation for Hydraulic Cooler Unit selection

    I am now working on designing an simple hydraulic circuit and is finding a suitable radiator for the circuit. I found a manufacturer (American Industrial Heat Transfer Inc.) providing the equation as follow: Cooling Power (kw/’C) = [Heat Generated(kw) x Cv ]/[Fluid Exit Temp. – incoming...
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