NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS REPORT

2810

SHIPPING CONTAINERS FOR WHOLE BLOOD

C. W. Phillips and P. R. Aehenbaxsh

Report to

Military Operations Subcommittee

Committee on Government Operations

U. S. House of Representatives

<NB^

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Sinclair Weeks, Secretary

NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS

A. V. Astin, Director THE NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS

The scope of activities of the National Bureau of Standards is suggested in the following listing of

the divisions and sections engaged in technical work. In general, each section is engaged in specialized research, development, and engineering in the field indicated by its title. A brief description

of the activities, and of the resultant reports and publications, appears on the inside of the back

cover of this report.

Electricity. Resistance Measurements. Inductance and Capacitance. Electrical Instruments. Magnetic Measiu-ements. Applied Electricity. Electrochemistry.

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Technology. Length. Gage.

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Lubrication. Engine Fuels. Cryogenic Engineering.

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Mineral Products. Porcelain and Pottery. Glass. Refractories. Enameled Metals. Concreting Materials. Constitution and Microstructure. Chemistry of Mineral Products.

Building Technology. Structural Engineering. Fire Protection. Heating and Air Conditioning. Floor, Roof, and Wall Coverings. Codes and Specifications.

Applied Mathematics. Numerical Analysis. Computation. Statistical Engineering. Machine

Development,

Electronics. Engineering Electronics. Electron Tubes. Electronic Computers. Electronic

Instrumentation.

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Frequency Standards. Microwave Standards.

Ordnance Development. These three divisions are engaged in a broad program of research

Electromechanicid Ordnance, and development in advan<^ ordnance. Activities include

Ordnance EHectronics. basic and applied research, engineering, pilot production, field testing, wd evaluation of a wide variety of orwance materiel. Special skUls and facilities of other

NBS mvisions also contribute to this program. The activity is sponsored by the Department of

Defense.

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instnimentation, evaluation. Combustion in jet engines. These activities are sponsored by the

Department of Defense. • Office of Basic Instrumentation • Office of Weights and Measures.
NATiOi^AL eiJIlEAy OF STANDARDS REPORT

NBS PROJECT MBS REPORT

1000-00-9010 September 21, 1953 2810

SHIPPING CONTAINERS FOR WHOLE BLOOD

by

C. W. Phillips

and

PaulR. Achenbach

Heating and Air Conditioning Section

Building Te&hnology Di^isiCin

to

Military Otyeratiximrs Subcommittee

Committee oi^ Government Operations

U. S. House o|,,,.R^p^:;;€,§entatives

II. S. DEPAiIiE!«T OF COISiERCE

HMioniiL mmm or standards

The publlcatior . , , i Approved tor public release by the

unlesepermissi 25.D.C, Such Director of the National Institute of

caiiy prepared Standards and Technology (NIST)

on October 9, 20 1 5.

e or In part, Is prohibited

of Standards, Washington

a report has been speclflar report for Its own use,
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SHIPPING CONTAINERS FOR WHOLE BLOOD

C. W. Phillips and Paul R. Achenbach

ABSTRACT

Tests were made of shipping containers for whole

blood manufactured by the Bailey Engineering Coo , the Texas Trunk Co., and Hollinger Corporation to

determine whether or not they would maintain whole

blood at a temperature between 39°F and 50°F for

24 hours in an ambient temperature of 90°F, Two

specimens from each manufacturer were compared

to provide information for the Military Operations

Subcommittee of the House of Representatives. The

tests showed that none of the containers met the requirements when chopped ice only was used in the

ice cans. When cold water was added to the chopped

ice in filling the ice cans to float the ice to the top

of the containers and to improve the heat transfer to

the ice, all specimens met the requirements. Ap'-

parent differences in test results reported by the

National Bureau of Standards and the ArmedServices

Medical Procurement Agency were resolved by a comparison of the methods for charging the ice can.

I. INTRODUCTION

At the request of Congressman Riehlman, Chairman, Military

Operations Subcommittee, as indicated in a letter to Dr. Astin, dated

July 22, 1953 , tests were made to determine the ability of certain

blood shipping containers to maintain satisfactory temperatures of

liquid samples representing whole blood.

This report also covers additional tests and inspections of blood

shipping containers made at the National Bureau of Standards and a comparison of test results obtained at the National Bureau of Standards

and at laboratories of the Armed Services Medical Procurement Agency

at Fort Totten, New York.
- 2 -

Mr. Paul J. Cotter, of the Military Operations Subcommittee

staff, requested the additional tests and inspections not enumerated

in the original letter of request.

The comparison of test results obtained at the National Bureau

of Standards and at the Armed Services Medical Procurement Agency

laboratory was requested by CoL H. F. Currie, Commanding Officer,

ASMPA, in order to determine reasons for different results obtained

at the two laboratories for apparently similar tests.

II. TEST SPECIMEN

The containers investigated were identified as ”C ontainer , Shipping, Insulated, Type I, M-1," Stock Number 4-186-120, by the;

Armed Services Medical Procurement Agency. They were designed

to be suitable for 24 units of whole blood requiring maintenance of

Ce^mperature between 39°F and 50°F for at least 24 hours in 90° ambient. The containers were refrigerated by water ice packed in a tinplated can approximately 7 1/2 inches square and 15 inches high. Depending on size and shape of the individual pieces of ice, t’he cans

held between 17 1/2 and 21 lbs. of ice. Water could then be added to

increase the weight (of ice and water) to more than 28 lbs. The ice

can was situated in the center of the container and, including the

handles, was practically as tall as the internal depth of the container.

The containers tested were manufactured by three firms, Bailey

Engineering Co., Hollinger Corporation, and Texas Trunk Co.

The Bailey and Texas Trunk containers had 3 -inch insulation

thickness, the Hollinger containers had 2-inch insulation thickness.

The internal dimensions of all containers tested were approximately the same, 16 1/2” x 16 1/2” x 16 1/2’. ” The external dimensions of the Bailey and Texas Trunk containers were approximately

24” X 24” X 24”, the Hollinger containers measured approximately

22” X 22” X 22\ ”

All containers were equipped with two removable wire racks,

each capable of holding 12 600cc bottles. The ice cans in the Bailey

and Texas Trunk containers were constructed similarly with rigidlyfixed strap -type handles for lifting the cans, the ice can in the Hollinger

container was equipped with hinged handles of wire rod which permitted
the can to be made taller for the same internal container dimension.

As a result, the Hollinger ice can held 4. 6 lbs more water than the

other two.

Fig, 1 is a photograph of one specimen of each type of container showing the normal position of the ice can, the racks, and the

blood bottles inside. This photograph shows the two kinds of handles

used in the ice cans by different manufacmrer s. As identified by

the white cards on the front wall of each box the specimens were

manufactured by the three companies as follows;

Specimen 5 Texas Trunk Co.

Specimen 6 Hollinger Corporation

Specimen 7 Bailey Engineering Co.

III. TEST PROCEDURE

Initially, two specimens were submitted; one manufactured by

the Hollinger Corporation and the other by the Bailey Engineering Co.

These boxes were identified as specimens 1 and Z. Two 24-hour tests

were made to compare the ability of these two specimens to maintain

the desired temperatures in the blood bottles in an ambient temperature of 90°F. The results of these tests were not considered representative, however, and are not reported because Flakice was used for

test i instead of chopped ice as required by the specification, and the

temperature controller failed to maintain an ambient temperature of

90°F for six hours out of the 24-hour test period during test 2.

Another specimen manufactured by Bailey Engineering Co, (identified as specimen 3) was submitted prior to the next test. In test 3,

therefore, two Bailey boxes and one Hollinger box were compared using

chopped ice and with all three boxes precooled for several hours in an

ambient temperature of 40°F prior to the start of the test.

Subsequently, ' 3 additional specimens manufactured by BaileyEngineering Co. , one additional specimen manufactured by Hollinger

Corporation, and ^ 3 specimens maniifactur ed by the Texas Trunk Co. , were submitted. Two additional tests were made using two specimens

from each of the three companies. The specimens were identified as folR . 3
I Jii

i.i
Fig.

-4-

Specimen 1 Hollinger Corporation

Specimen 2 Bailey Engineering Co.

Specimen 4 Texas Trunk Co.

Specimen 5: Texas Trunk Co.

Specimen 6 Hollinger Corporation

Specimen 7 Bailey Engineering Co.

Specimens 1 and 2 were the same units previously used for Tests 1-3

and the remaining four specimens were among those not previously

tested here.

For t;'ests 4 and 5 the boxes were arranged in two rows in the

test room as shown in Fig. 2. They were supported on 2 x 4-inch

timbers to permit air circulation underneath the specimens. Three

thermocouples were used in each specimen in corner bottles, two in

the upper layer, and one in the lower layer. Corner bottles were used

because they would undoubtedly warm up faster and the maintaining of a satisfactory blood temperature was required in each individual bottle.

Room temperature was controlled from and recorded at a station centrally located in the room as shown in Fig. 2. The forced circulation

of air in the test room was baffled to limit the velocity around the

specimens.

For test 4 the boxes were precooled to a temperature of 75° in

the same room whereas in test 5 they were precooled to 40®F. For

test 4 the ice cans were filled with chopped ice, drained of free water,

and then weighed. In test 5 the same procedure was used except that

the cans were filled with water at a temperature of 4QOF after weighing

the ice charge and then weighed again to determine how much water was

added. About 15 minutes were required to warm the test room air from

75°F to 90°F in Test 4 whereas about 50 minutes were required to

raise the room temperature from 4QOF to 90oF in Test 5.

At the end of each test the water was drained from the ice cans

and the remaining ice weighed to determine the meltage of ice during

the test.

Cold water at a temperature of approximately 40°F was used in

place of whole blood to fill all bottles during this series of tests since

the specific heat of blood would be nearly the same as for water.
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Specimens 2 and 7 manufactured by the Bailey Engineering Co.

were cut in half after the tests were completed to observe and record

diHefences in the materials and construction methods used, if any.

Photographs of cut sections of specimens 2 and 7 are attached as Figs.

3 and 4, respectively.

IV. TEST RESULTS

Performance^ Tests

The results obtained during tests 3, 4 and 5 are summarized in

Tables 1-3. Only three specimens from two manufacturers were available when test 3 was made whereas six specimens from three manufacturers were available for tests 4 and 5.

Tables 1 and 2 show that none of the blood boxes maintained the

bottle temperature at 50°F or below during a 24-hour period in an ambient temperature of 90°F when only chopped ice was placed in the ice can. Precooling the boxes to 40°F did not significantly lengthen the

time required for the bottles in the upper layer to reach a temperature

of 50°F. The results for specimens 1 and 2 in Table 2 are not consistent

with the results for the same two specimens in Table 1. In test 4, summarized in Table 2, specimen 2, manufhjctured by the Bailey Engineering

Co. maintained the temperatures below SO^F much less time than did the

other five specimens including specimen 7, manufactured by the same

company. In test 3, summarized in Table 1, specimen 2 maintained a temperature of 50°F a little longer than the other two specimens. Some

inconsistencies in the results for duplicate tests are to be expected

when water is not added to the chopped ice because of possible differences in time and direction of the settling of the ice mass in the ca.n. When the ice cans were filled with water at a temperature of 40®F

after filling them with chopped ice, all six specimens maintained bottle

temperatures below 50°F for 24 hours. These results are shown in

Table 3 for test 5. The improved performance of the boxes in test 5

is attributed to the fact that the water caused the ice to float at the surface throughout the test and the water provided a better heat transfer

medium than the chopped ice at the interior surface of the can. The

chopped ice melted away from the inner surface of the can leaving an

air gap through which the transfer of heat had to take place when the

water was not added.
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TABLE 1 PERFORMANCE OF BAILEY AND HOLLINGER SHIPPING

CONTAINERS FOR WHOLE BLOOD ^

TEST NO. 3

Specimen No. 1 2 3

Manufac tur e r Hollinger

Corp.

Bailey

Mfg.Ca

Bailey

Mfg. Co

Chopped Ice Charge lb. 19. 6 17. 5 17. 2

Water Added to Ice Can lb. 0 0 0

Total Charge lb. 19. 6 17. 5 17. 2

Ice Melted during Test^ lb. 12. 2 8, 6 9. 2

Ice Remaining at End of Test lb. 7.4 . 8. 9 8. 0

Time for Warmest Bottle to Reach 50°F^ hr. 10 12 1/4 11 1/2

Temp, of Warmest Bottle after 24 hr. at

90°F.

OF 54. 3 54. 2 54. 2

Avg. Temp, of 4 Bottles on Top Layer OF 53. 0 53. 4 53. 3

after 24 hrs. at 90®F.

3- Boxes were precooled to 40°F prior to starting the test. ^ Includes ice melted during 40 min. warmup period for room,

^ After room temp, reached 90°F.
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Specimen 2 was also significantly poorer in rna.inta.ining temperatures below 50°F than the other specimens in test 5. After 24- hours in an ambient temperature of the -warmest bottle in specimen 2 had reached a temperature of 49. C°F v/hereas the warmest

bottle in the other boxes ranged from 47. 2°F to 49. C*^F.

Figs. 5-10 show the temperatures observed in two corner bottles

in the top layer and one corner bottle of the bottom layer in the six

specimens during the 24-hour period of test 4 when the boxes were

precooled to 75°F. Similar data are shown for test 5 in Figs. 11-16

when the boxes were precooled to 40°F and cold water was used to fill

the ice cans after charging them with chopped ice. In most cases the

two top bottles did not differ in temperature by more than 1°F at any

time during the test. In test 5 the bottle in the bottom layer was about

3°F cooler than those in the top layer, whereas in test 4 the disparity

of temperature in the two layers was greater than 3°F during the last

12 hours of the test. It will be observed that the bottle temperatures

decreased about 1°F during the first two hours of test 5 when the boxes

were precooled to 40°F whereas a decrease in temperature was not

observed at the beginning of test 4 with the boxes cooled to 75°F.

Tables 1-3 show from 2 to 3 lbs. more ice meltage for the

Hollinger boxes than for those manufactured by the other two companies. This is undoubtedly the result of the thinner insulation used in

the boxes manufactured by Hollinger Corporation. In general, the

Hollinger boxes maintained as low a bottle temperature with 2 inches

of insulation as did the other boxes with 3 inches of insulation. The ice

cans in the Hollinger Corporation boxes were a little taller than those in

the other boxes were though the interior height of all three makes of

boxes was the same. This greater can height was possible because of

the different handle design. The greater height gave the Flollinger can

greater ice capacity and also placed the top of the ice charge at a nigner

level with respect to the top layer of bottles than did the shorter cans. This probably contributed to better cooling of the top layer of bottles

and to a somewhat greater air convection in the boxes.

On the average 2 lbs. more ice was melted per box during test 5

than during test 4. This result also indicates that more effective heat

transfer to the ice was obtained when the ice cans were filled with

water and shows why lower bottle temperatures could be maintained.
-.7-

V. INSPECTION OF BAILEY BOXES

Specimens 2 and 7 manufactured by the Bailey Engineering

Co. were cut in half to make comparisons of the materials and methods

of assembly. Fig. 3 is a photograph of specimen 2 and Fig. 4 is a photograph of specjimen 7 shewing the cross sections of these two

specimens.

Analyses of materials were not made for chemical composition but the following differences were apparent.

A good grade of dense plywood 3/8 in. thick was used for the

body section in specimen 2 whereas a poorer grade of plywood about

19/64 in. thick was used in specimen 7. A 3-ply gum or fur plywood,

3/8 in. thick, was required by the specification.

The insulation in specimen 7 consisted of smaller pieces of semirigid polystyrene fitted together whereas a siaigle piece was used for

each surface in specimen 2.

The heati- sealed envelope of a moisture -vaporpr oof material

required by the specification was present in specimen 2, but was replaced by an asphaltic vapor barrier in specimen 7.

The top edge of the body section in specimen 2 was faced with

monocellular sponge rubber as required by the specification whereas

specimen 7 was faced with sponge rubber.

The nails used to join the panels of the plywood containers were

not cement-coated in either specimen as required and the spacing was

greater than 5 in. on both specimens.

The fiber coverings on the outside of both containers were stapled

at 3 in. intervals where the coverings overlapped the tops of the containers instead of 2 in. as required by the specification.

All horizontal reinforcing angles on both specimens were stapled

at 3 in. intervals instead of tacked at 1 1/2 in. intervals with brass tacks.

Some of the aluminum sheets on the interior of the body section

and the fiber liner of the lid had become loosened from the insulation

in specimen 7 whereas those panels were securely cemented to the in-
sulation in specimen 2. The loosening of these linings can be seen

in Fig. 4.

VI. MILITARY OPERATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING

On July 30, 1953 the results obtained in these whole blood shipping

containers in tests 2 and 3 and a part of the results from test 4, which

was only partially completed at that time, were presented to the Military

Operations Subcommittee of the House of Representatives in an open hearing. All of the results reported showed that none of the shipping containers met the requirements of the specification when the ice cans were

filled with chopped ice only.

The Armed Services Medical Procurement Agency presented test;; data from similar tests showing that the containers manufactured by

Bailey Engineering Co. met the requirements of the specification.

The opinion was expressed that the presence of some water in the

ice can during the tests made by the Armed Services Medical Procurement Agency would assist in maintaining temperatures below 50°F for a longer time.

VII. VISIT TO THE LABORATORY OF THE ARMED

SERVICES MEDICAL PROCUREMENT AGENCY

AT FORT TOTTEN, N. Y.

At the request of Col. H. F. Currie, Commanding Officer, Armed

Services Medical Procurement Agency, a visit was made at their laboratory to explore the reasons for the different results obtained on similar

specimens of shipping containers manufactured by the same company as reported at the hearing of the Military Operations Subcommittee on July 30.

The results of this comparison are summarized in Memoranda I and

II and Table 4 prepared jointly during this visit. It is believed that these

memoranda and Table 4 satisfactorily explain the differences between the

test results with the possible exception of a comparison of columns 5 and 6

with column 1 1 in Table 4.

For the test summarized in columns 5 and 6 the ice cans were completely filled with cold water after charging them with chopped ice. For

the test summarized in column 11 some water was carried into the ice

can while filling it with ice, but the ice can was not filled with water. Yet
= 9--

in all three cases temperatures in the blood bottles were maintained

below 5QOF for 24 hours. Thus, the question arises. Is a partial

filling with water as effective as a complete filling with water?

The ice cans of the Bailey containers hold between 17 and 20

lbs. of ice depending on the size of the pieces. An additional 10 lb.

of water will fill the can. Thus, for the test summarized in column 11

of Table 4 somewhere between 3. 5 and 6. 5 lb. of water must have been

scooped into the ice can while filling it. Therefore, the water line in

the can was at about mid-height at the start of the test. As the ice

melted the ice level was lowered and the water level rose above midheight. If all of the ice had melted the 23. 6 lbs of water would have

been 80 % of the water capacity of the can. Thus, it is apparent that a partial filling with water after charging with icd would be helpful in

maintaining satisfactory temperatures in the bottles. After considerable ice had melted in such a case, the remainder would float at the

water surface providing cooling at a fairly high level in the shipping

container.
6 August 1953

MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD (I)

SUBJECT; Comparison of tests by National Bureau of Standards and

Armed Services Medical Procurement Agency on Container,

Shipping, Insulated Type 1, M-1, Stock No. 4-186-120

1. The attached tabulation summarizing the results of various

tests made by ASMPA and NBS on samples of Blood Shipping Containers shows comparable results under comparable test ccr '

'

. For

example, NBS test, column 4, favorably compares wit!i /-iSMT A test

column 8 and NBS tests, columns 6 and 7, favorably compa.re v/itb.

ASMPA test, column 9.

2. The data presented on 30 July 1953 before the House Committee

from apparently identical tests which indicated significantly different results were, in fact, the results of different test procedures, the important difference being the manner of loading the ice container.

3. Tests conducted in which the ice container was filled with

water after being loaded to capacity with ice, columns 6, 7 and 9, clearly

indicate compliance with performance requirements for all boxes tested

by both laboratories,

4. Tests conducted wherein water was drained from the ice container after it was filled with ice showed, columns 4 and 8, that the boxes

uniformly failed to comply.

5. Tests conducted at ASMPA laboratory, columns 11 and 12,

data from which have been examined by the undersigned, indicates compliance with the specification. In these tests the water earried into the

ice can during filling was not drained off prior to the test. Data furnished to the undersigned indicate that this manner of loading is typical of

field use.

6. It is recommended that the test procedure in the specification

for stock No. 4-186-120 be clarified.

FOR NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS:

/s/ C . W , Phillips

C. W. PHILLIPS

Mechanical Engineer, Heating and Air Conditioning Section, Nat'l Bureau of Standards

FOR ARMED SERVICES MEDICAL PROCUREMENT AGENCY

/s/ B. D. Pile

B. D. PILE

Chief, Engineering Branch, Eng. Dev. Div. ASMPA
7 August 1953

MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD (II)

SUBJECT: Telephone Conversation between Lt. James H. Parker,

MSC, USN, Blood Processing Laboratory, Travis AFB,

" ' CdhLCu\..Vo,Tirnb^rlake,; MSC, USN, ASMPA, and Mr.

C. W. Phillips, National Bureau of Standards

1. A telephone call to Lt. Parker of the Blood Processing Laboratory, Travis Air Force Base, revealed that the technique used for

filling the ice cans of the Blood Shipping Containers, Type 1, M-1, is

as follows:

The cans are filled with crushed ice by a "sugar scoop". It is

estimated that 20 to 23 pounds of ice, depending upon the size

of the can, is used. When the can is filled with ice, it is placed

in the blood shipping container, without dumping any water out

that might have resulted from ice melting during filling. The only

time water is dumped from the ice can is when a delay of an hour

or so occurs before the blood shipping container is actually on the

way by air shipment.

Lt. Parker further stated that he had 1100 to 1400 blood shipping

containers in the circuit from Travis Air Force Base to Japan and

that many of Type 1, M-1, blood shipping containers have made

as many as 8 to 10 round trips to Japan and the most have made at

least 3 or 4 round trips. Lt. Parker further stated that, to date,

they had not a single report of whole blood arriving in Japan which

had spoiled due to lack of proper refrigeration.

Lt. Parker further stated that he had accompanied a shipment

(or shipments) of whole blood to Japan using subject containers

and that temperatures taken en route by recording devices never

exceeded 50° Fahrenheit. It was further stated that ice cans were

usually refilled at only one stop (Honolulu). Cans were not refilled

at other stops unless the plane was forced to make a prolonged stop.

/s/ C. V. Timberlake

cc: Mr. C. W. Phillips

National Bureau of Standards

C. V. TIMBERLAKE

Cdr., MSC, USN

Chief, Mat. Stds. Div. , ASMPA

I

V

r
Table 4 NBB-A5MPA CPHPAR180N TESTS OF COWTAIWEB. SMlBPiNa. iNSULATEb

(;NCL0SURE with MEMORANDUH rOB THE RECyRP. DATED 6 AUSU8T 1953

i

ASMPA

COLUMN I Z 3 4 5 6 7 89|0

Container identification

Bailey

Box «I2 TEST *13

Bailey

BOX 03

Test »I3

Bailey

Box 0Z

Test «I4

Bailey

BOX 117 test *14

-BAiLEY

Box *12 test *15

Bailey

Box *17 test *15

Texas

trunk

BOX *15 test *15

Bailey

T. 1

.

16344

Bailey

T. 1. 16344

Bailey

T.l.

1 6344

Bailey

T. l. 153 52

TEXAS

TRUNK

( TESTED

4 AUG 53)

Box PRECOOLEO ( OR CONDITIONED)

TO

40® F.

TO

40® F. 75® F. 75®_F.

TO

40® F.

TO

40® F.

TO

40® F. 80® F.

TO

40® F.

TO

40® F.

TO

40® F.

TO

40® F.

Precoolinq of bottles to 40* F- Yes YES YES Yes yes yes YES Yes Yes yes yes Yes

ICE charge - LBS 17.

S

17^.2 18.0 19.3 17.9 17.8 19.3 17.0 20.7 20.6 - -

icei^:R'tis: Wn^CHARGE - lbs - - - - 28.0 27.7 { 28.| - 26.8 - 23.6 23.6

ICE MELTED - LBS

8.6

(2S-4 hrs)

9.2

(2S.S hrs)

9.7®®

(23.8 hrs)

9 . 7®®

(23.5 HRS

)

Ii.4®®®

(#5.3 hrs)

rDs®*® , (25.0 hrs)

1 r: 8®*®

(25.0 hrs]

8.0

( 24.0 hrs]

12.7

(30.0 HRS) —

ICE REMAINING AT ENb OF TEST- LBS 8.S 8.0 8.3 9.6 5.5 6.2 7.5 9.0 - 7.9 12.2 9.5

TYPE OF ICE Chopped CHOPPED CHOPPED CHOPPED CHOPPED Chopped CHOPPED CHOPPED CHOPPED CHOPPED CHOPPED CHOPPED

ICE CONTAINER ORAlHCD AFTER

FILLING WITH ICE

YES YES YES YES - - YES - NO No No

Water added to container after

FILLING WITH ICE No NO NO No Yes Yes yes NO YES NO NO®*®® No®*®®

Time for warmest sbTTLE to reach

so* F. (hrs) 12 1/4® II 1/2® 7®® 14®® - - - 12

) - - - -

Temperature of warHest bottle at

END OF 24 HRS ( * F-

)

S4.2* 54.2® 56.1®® 51 .9®® 49.5®®® 47.5®®® 4<.»®®® 51.

5

47 49 49.2 48.5

(asterisks refer to notes on the followins page-)
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NBS-ASMPA Comparison Tests of Container, Shipping, Insulated

Inclo with Memo, for the Record, dtd 6 Aug 53

* Does not include 1 hour during which test room temperature was

raised from 40° F. to 90° F.

** Test period includes 50 minutes when ambient was at 75° and

warming up from 75° to 90° F.

*** Test period includes approximately 11/4 hours at 40° ambient

and warming from 40° ambient to 90° F. ambient.

Water carried in with ice in filling with scoop not poured out,

but with no additional water added.

NOTES:

1. Test ambient was 90° F. in all cases.

2. NBS Box No. 2 supplied by Committee - Civilian Defense (Bailey)

3. NBS Box No. 3 supplied by Committee (Bailey)

4. NBS Box No. 7 received by NBS from Mechanic sburg (Bailey)

5. NBS Bqx No. 5 received by NBS from Mechanic sburg (Texas Trunk)

6. ASMPA T.I. 16344 - sample from Mechanicsburg (Bailey)

7. ASMPA T.I. 15352 - sample from plant (Bailey)

ASMPA - marked 4 Aug 53 - sample from depot stock (Texas Trunk)
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DAY
THE NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS

Functions and Activities

The functions of the National Bureau of Standards are set forth in the Act of Congress, March

3, 1901, as amended by Congress in Public Law 619, 1950. These include the development and

maintenance of the national standards of measurement and the provision of means and methods

for making measurements consistent with these standards; the determination of physical constants and properties of materials; the development of methods and instruments for testing materials,

devices, and structures; advisory services to Govermnent Agencies on scientific and technical

problems; invention and development of devices to serve special needs of the Government; and the

development of standard practices, codes, and specifications. The work includes basic and applied

research, development, engineering, instrumentation, testing, evaluation, calibration services, and

various consultation and information services. A major portion of the Bureau’s work is performed

for other Government Agencies, particularly the Department of Defense and the Atomic Energy

Commission. The scope of activities is suggested by the listing of divisions and sections on the

inside of the front cover.

Reports and Publications

The results of the Bureau’s work take the form of either actual equipment and devices or published papers and reports. Reports are issued to the sponsoring agency of a particular project or program. Published papers appear either in the Bureau’s own series of publications or in the

journals of professional and scientific societies. The Bureau itself publishes three monthly periodicals, available from the Government Printing Office: The Journal of Research, which presents

complete papers reporting technical investigations; the Technical News BuUetin, which presents

summary and preliminary reports on work in progress; and Basic Radio Propagation Predictions,

which provides data for determining the best frequencies to use for radio communications throughout

the world. There are also five series of nonperiodical publications: The Applied Mathematics

Series, Circulars, Handbooks, Building Materials and Structures Reports, and Miscellaneous

Publications.

Information on the Bureau’s publications can be found in NBS Circular 460, Publications of

the National Bureau of Standards ($1.00). Information on calibration services and fees can be

found in NBS Circular 483, Testing by the National Bureau of Standards (25 cents). Both are

available from the Government Printing Office. Inquiries regarding the Bureau’s reports and

publications should be addressed to the Office of Scientific Publications, National Bureau of Standards, Washington 25, D. C.
NBS