< Back to Biological Storage

COLD STORAGE
FOR REMOTE LOCATIONS

five-bar-brand

Biological storage considerations for remote locations

Equitable COVID-19 biological material access is critical for overcoming a pandemic.  Stirling Ultracold freezer solutions adapt to meet the needs of the most rural or impoverished communities and should be considered in patient administration plans.

five-bar-brand

Remote power
supply

Stirling Ultracold freezers require less power to operate than any other ultra-low temperature (ULT) freezer available.  They are brownout tolerant and smooth incoming currents to protect against surges or poor power supply.  They are compatible with universal voltages and automatically switch between 110-240V or 50-60 Hz based on the incoming supply. 

five-bar-brand

Portable freezer power options

The portable ULT25NEU freezer is perfectly designed for rural community use.  It can run on a 12V battery or plugged in to automobile power sources.  The table below lists power supply options when wall-power may not be available. 

CP1500PFCLCD

CP1500PFCLCD

Run-time at steady-state power (117W)

45 minutes

Weight (lbs)

24.9

Dims (W x H x D in)

3.9 x 11 x 14

PR1500LCD

PR1500LCD

Run-time at steady-state power (117W)

108 minutes

Weight (lbs)

54

Dims (W x H x D in)

6.7 x 8.7 x 17

five-bar-brand

Alternative energy power supply

Because the portable ULT25NEU can run on a 12V power supply, a number of alternative-energy power sources are available.  These power sources often rely on collecting solar or wind energy to provide power when available. 

five-bar-brand

Self-powering mobile vaccination centers

Innovators and engineers around the world have come together to create solutions for the equitable administration of COVID-19 vaccines. Ready-made vaccination administration centers are available to drop in any location and power themselves.

five-bar-brand

vaccination pod

Self-powering mobile pods integrate Stirling freezers

Vaccine Pods provides pharmaceutical companies, government organizations and NGO’s the ability to streamline cold chain logistics by directly shipping a POD with the vaccine safely stored in a ULT freezer that is powered by the POD’s integrated power source.

five-bar-brand

ULT freezers are the most reliable option for biologics storage

Stirling Ultracold freezers come with a wide programmable temperature range of -20°C to -86°C to protect ANY mRNA biologic. Wireless remote temperature monitoring to track sample viability on any internet connected browser, sets up in minutes. Investing in ULT freezers now prepares for the equitable administration of healthcare in the future.

five-bar-brand

ULT freezers are the reliable alternative to dry ice for biologics storage

ULT FREEZER

Required PPE

Gloves for handling frozen vials

Required experience

None

Personnel risks

None

Ventilation requirements

None

Power requirements

Low power device – can be plugged in anywhere

Sustainability

Long-term, maintainable solution

Temperature monitoring and reliability

On-board computer – dial in set point temperature – ±1 degree tolerance

Biologics access

Convenient racking system, designed for quick and simple transfer and removal

Temperature range

-20ºC to -86ºC, Programmable

Contamination risk

Limited – gloved hands reach in to remove vials, not regularly introducing new material

DRY ICE

Required PPE

Goggles or face shield, lab coat, loose-fitting thermally-insulated gloves

Required experience

Hazmat training

Personnel risks

Personnel burns, kills skin tissue cells and has caused asphyxiation

Ventilation requirements

Dry ice must be stored in a well-ventilated area and personnel should wear CO2 monitors

Power requirements

None

Sustainability

Requires refill service. Average block has 24 hour working life; limiting ambient exposure

Temperature monitoring and reliability

Dry ice temperature = -78ºC, requires secondary monitoring device and maintained volume to sustain vial temperatures

Biologics access

Dig through dry ice to retrieve vials

Temperature range

Passive storage – vial must be completely surrounded by dry-ice to maintain -78ºC

Contamination risk

Regular replenishment may contaminate vials and packaging without regular cleaning

five-bar-brand

Handling ultracold vials at remote administration sites

Partnerships and experience invent best practice recommendations for how to use ULT freezers and custom racking solutions for COVID-19 vial storage.

Watch this video to see how easy it is for the administrator to load and unload entire drawers of vials in our portable model.

portable freezer

PFIZER
VIAL STORAGE

Custom rack suggested

7,000 doses
1,400 vials
7 pizza boxes

MODERNA
VIAL STORAGE

No racking needed

5,400 doses
540 vials
54 boxes

The ULT25NEU freezer can be used to store and preserve ALL available mRNA biologics.  This table summarizes the storage capacity based on manufacturer and racking solution. If you would like help ordering racks for your ULT freezers, contact your Stirling Sales Representative or email [email protected].