A scale-down system, for freezing and thawing aqueous liquid mixtures of thermo sensitive substances, the system comprising: a first container and a second container, a holder for holding the first container, and an insulator; wherein the holder is outwardly surrounded by the insulator such that the insulator insulates at least 50% of the area of the lateral walls of the first container and such that heat transfer between the first container and the second container is equivalent; wherein the first container: has a head-space and a liquid-space, with a substantially constant transversal cross-section area "ATM" in the liquid-space that does not change more than 20% with height; holds a volume of liquid "VM" for a height of liquid "HM"; has a lateral active heat transfer area "ALM", having an insulated lateral area "ALIM"; and has an equivalent radius "RM" defined as 2ATM/(ALM/HM), sized to reproduce the equivalent radius of the second container holding a volume of liquid "VL" at a height of liquid "HL"; wherein the second container: has a head-space and a liquid-space, with a substantially constant transversal cross-section area "ATL" in the liquid-space that does not change more than 20% with height; and has a lateral heat transfer area "ALL" in contact with the liquid-space and an equivalent radius "RL" defined as 2ATL/(ALL/HL); wherein the first container is smaller than the second container; and wherein "ALIM" is equal to or greater than "ALM". a first container and a second container, a holder for holding the first container, and an insulator; wherein the holder is outwardly surrounded by the insulator such that the insulator insulates at least 50% of the area of the lateral walls of the first container and such that heat transfer between the first container and the second container is equivalent; wherein the first container: has a head-space and a liquid-space, with a substantially constant transversal cross-section area "ATM" in the liquid-space that does not change more than 20% with height; holds a volume of liquid "VM" for a height of liquid "HM"; has a lateral active heat transfer area "ALM", having an insulated lateral area "ALIM"; and has an equivalent radius "RM" defined as 2ATM/(ALM/HM), sized to reproduce the equivalent radius of the second container holding a volume of liquid "VL" at a height of liquid "HL"; has a head-space and a liquid-space, with a substantially constant transversal cross-section area "ATM" in the liquid-space that does not change more than 20% with height; holds a volume of liquid "VM" for a height of liquid "HM"; has a lateral active heat transfer area "ALM", having an insulated lateral area "ALIM"; and has an equivalent radius "RM" defined as 2ATM/(ALM/HM), sized to reproduce the equivalent radius of the second container holding a volume of liquid "VL" at a height of liquid "HL"; wherein the second container: has a head-space and a liquid-space, with a substantially constant transversal cross-section area "ATL" in the liquid-space that does not change more than 20% with height; and has a lateral heat transfer area "ALL" in contact with the liquid-space and an equivalent radius "RL" defined as 2ATL/(ALL/HL); has a head-space and a liquid-space, with a substantially constant transversal cross-section area "ATL" in the liquid-space that does not change more than 20% with height; and has a lateral heat transfer area "ALL" in contact with the liquid-space and an equivalent radius "RL" defined as 2ATL/(ALL/HL); wherein the first container is smaller than the second container; and wherein "ALIM" is equal to or greater than "ALM".