Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer have developed vaccines. The Pfizer vaccine has to be kept in ultra-cold temperatures, so for its delivery the company developed a thermal shipper. However, the design has major limitations, which were addressed in this group design project.
Our group’s final design features slideable trays in the box to contain vaccine vials and a door on the front of the box. The top tray contains dry ice to keep vaccines cool, and the temperature sensor is embedded in the door. We designed the mechanical, electrical, and software components to maintain thermal stability for keeping the vaccine viable while allowing for greater access and modularity to smaller quantities of the vaccines than the current thermal shipper.