SYSTEM AND METHOD OF TEMPERATURE CONTROL IN AN AUTOMATED GRID BASED STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEM

An automated grid based storage and retrieval system includes a framework structure including upright members and a grid of horizontal rails provided at upper ends of the upright members. The framework structure defines a plurality of storage volumes arranged adjacent one another below the horizontal rails. The storage volumes are open against the horizontal rails such that storage container vehicles may lower and raise storage containers into and out of the storage volumes. The system includes a plurality of vertical walls surrounding each of the plurality of storage volumes, and a cooler system adapted to draw air from an input of the cooler system, cool the air drawn from the input, and blow cooled air through an output of the cooler system. For each of the plurality of storage volumes, the system further includes a first air damper connected between the output of the cooler system and an air release area above the storage volume, and a second air damper connected between a void beneath the storage volumes and the input of the cooler system. The system includes a controller. The controller is adapted, independently for each of the plurality of storage volumes, to adjust airflow through the first air damper associated with that storage volume to control an overpressure and air temperature in the air release area, and to adjust airflow through the second air damper associated with that storage volume to control an underpressure in the void, such that a storage volume temperature is controlled separately for each of the plurality of storage volumes. The storage volume temperature is regulated by the air temperature in the air release area and by controlling a pressure differential between the overpressure in the air release area and the underpressure in the void in each of the storage volumes.