Temperature Controlled Human Remains Transfer Case

The Vietnam-era solution of packing 40-60 pounds of ice inside an aluminum transfer case in an attempt to maintain human remains at a proper storage temperature (to avoid cellular decomposition) is still being used. This method offers no temperature control or assurance that the remains are properly preserved during transportation. This is especially problematic because transportation times are typically at least 10 hours. The ideal solution to maintaining human remains at the optimal temperature is Mainstream Engineering's Refrigerated Human Remains Transfer Case (RHRTC). A full-size, operational prototype RHRTC has been designed, built, and tested in the Phase I contract. The Phase I effort experimentally demonstrated that the RHRTC prototype can provide uninterrupted, accurate temperature control from either internal or external power sources, while meeting cost, size, weight and reliability requirements. Internal power is supplied from common, easily replaceable, compact nickel-metal-hydride batteries in the electronics box. The work performed in Phase I provides the opportunity to use the Phase II effort for optimizing the design, extensive testing and fielding production quality prototypes for field testing and evaluation by Army personnel. At the conclusion of this Phase II contract, production quality RHRTCs will be available to the military for sale.