Improvements in or relating to energy saving

Abstract

The controller 100 monitors the flow activity of beverage being fed or pumped in the line from a remote cooling apparatus to a product dispenser (e.g., tap). The controller 100 may do this by using a

Description

This invention relates to improvements in or relating to energy saving and is more particularly but not exclusively concerned with means for saving energy e.g. in remote beer cooling apparatus as currently used in beer cellars and the like. It is known for beer lines (beer supply pipe lines), in business such as public houses, hotels, clubs and the like to have an inline cooling apparatus (simply referred to as a ‘remote’) which may be located either inside a cellar storing kegs of beer or in a separate room close to the cellar but remote from beer dispensing means. In use, beer is fed / pumped from a beer keg (inside the cellar) stored at 12°C along a beer line to beer dispensing means at a public bar or the like, via the remote cooling apparatus. The remote cooling apparatus reduces the beer temperature in the beer line down to between 2°C—6°C (depending on brand requirements). It is believed there are, on average, about 2.5 remote cooling apparatus units per public house, with each remote cooling apparatus being able to cool up to 10 beer lines (each beer line stemming from a keg of beer). The ‘remotes’ are designed to run 24 hours per day every day, even during periods when the business is closed. Each remote may be provided with a pump that induces or activates cooled water to flow from a reservoir in the remote through an insulated pipe (called a python) surrounding a beer line / s to the beer dispensing means (taps) at the public bar or the like. Subsequently, the pump induces / activates the water (now reduced in temperature through cooling the beer) to flow from the beer dispensing means back inside the python to the reservoir for cooling again before being cycled again to the beer dispensing means through the python; this maintains the beer chilled in the beer line / s. This pump will usually, somewhat disadvantageously, be kept or left on running constantly 24 hours per day cycling the cooling water around the beer line / s as afore-described. There tends to be a problem with such an arrangement that the average energy consumption of such a remote is about 11 kwh-13kwh per day. There may be about 75,000 remotes in the United Kingdom using a total of 900,000kw per day (at an estimated cost of £126,000 per day). Accordingly, and not surprisingly, there have been proposals intended to reduce the amount of energy used by the remotes e.g. by using a retro -fit, replacement, multi-speed pump for the flow of the cooled water surrounding the beer line / s or by timing the remote to turn off at night (but, even so, disadvantageously, the remote requires about 4 hours to chill down before the beer can be dispensed at the correct temperature). It is believed these aforementioned proposals for saving energy each tend to have certain disadvantages and the amount of energy saved may, disappointingly, only amount to approximately 10% - 25%. Additionally, disadvantageously, continuously running the pump may cause it to wear out or require replacement / repair more quickly than might otherwise be the case. It is believed that it should be possible to provide a more suitable arrangement for saving energy in operation of such remotes, which arrangement may also allow a much more substantial saving in energy. It is to be understood that such remote cooling apparatus may, of course, be utilised to cool fluid or beverage products other than beer e.g. cider. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to at least alleviate one of the aforementioned, or other, disadvantages associated with energy saving means in remote cooling apparatus, or to provide energy saving means for a remote cooling apparatus which is improved in at least some respect. According to the present invention there is provided energy saving means in the form of an override control device arranged in use to monitor the flow of beer or other beverage / fluid product being fed or pumped in a line from remote cooling apparatus to product dispensing means, the arrangement being such that when the product dispensing means is off or in low usage / demand the override control device can stop the flow of cooling fluid pumped from the remote cooling apparatus to cool the beverage / fluid product in the line, said override device being, in use, operatively connected to a motor of a pump used to feed the cooling fluid along an insulated pipe (python) to the dispensing apparatus, to stop the motor when the dispensing means is off or in low usage / demand, and, in which said override control device, in use, is arranged to monitor deviations in temperature in the cooling fluid to provide an indication of whether the dispensing means is off or in low usage / demand / activity with the fluid product not flowing through the line or only flowing at a low activity rate, said override control device comprising an electronic device with a CPU (central processing unit) programmed to stop and start the pump motor according to measurement or evaluation of said deviations in temperature of the cooling fluid, and in which the temperature of the cooling fluid can be measured by a sensor or probe of the override control device located only outside the insulated pipe (python), in use, in a cooling fluid reservoir inside the remote cooling apparatus, said fluid being cooled whilst in the reservoir, which sensor or probe conveys temperature information from inside the cooling fluid reservoir to the CPU, to control the override control device, in use, without measuring the temperature of cooling fluid in the insulated pipe (python), to switch on the pump motor, if the temperature in the reservoir is rising (beyond normal fluctuations) and the override control device is arranged, in use, to switch off the pump motor, if the temperature in the reservoir decreases (beyond normal fluctuations). Further according to the present invention there is provided remote cooling apparatus having an override control device in accordance with the immediately preceding paragraph. Usually, the override control device will be arranged to monitor the activity of the flow of beverage / fluid product which will vary in accordance with the activity of the dispensing means (on / off or in low usage / demand). Thus, flow of cooling fluid may be stopped or at least reduced once the dispensing means has been inactive or in low activity for a particular period of time. Usually, the line for fluid / beverage product to be dispensed from the dispensing means will pass through an insulated pipe (python) to the dispensing means, alongside a feed line for the cooling fluid to cool the fluid product; additionally, a return line for the cooling fluid from the dispensing means (to a reservoir in the cooling apparatus for the cooling fluid) will pass through said pipe (python) insulated from the beverage fluid product feed line and the cooling fluid feed line. Said pipe (python) may contain a plurality of fluid / beverage product lines. .The override control device may be provided with a display to indicate status information such as temperature or other parameters. The cooling fluid is usually water and if the temperature in the ice bank reservoir is rising (beyond normal fluctuations) this should indicate that the fluid product is flowing in the line, with the dispensing means on or in normal or high usage / demand / activity, so that the pump motor is then switched on by the override control device; when the temperature in the ice bank reservoir decreases (beyond normal fluctuations) this should indicate that the dispensing means is off or in low usage / demand / activity, so that the override control device switches off the pump motor. In addition to the override control device starting and stopping the pump motor due to the temperature information conveyed to the CPU, it may also be programmed to switch on the pump motor at intervals for short periods, in any event, independently of said temperature information, to ensure or very safely maintain chilled cooling fluid being fed to the dispensing means. Further according to the present invention there is provided a method of saving energy in remote cooling apparatus (normally selectively left on or running for a long period) by using an override control device, in use, to monitor the flow of beer or other beverage / fluid product being fed or pumped in a line from the remote cooling apparatus to product dispensing means, the method comprising detecting when the product dispensing means is off or in low usage / demand / activity and subsequently stopping or at least reducing the flow of cooling fluid being pumped from the remote cooling apparatus to cool the beverage / fluid in the line, said override device being, in use, operatively connected to a motor of a pump used to feed the cooling fluid along an insulated pipe (python) to the dispensing apparatus, to stop the motor when the dispensing means is off or in low usage / demand, and, in which said override control device, in use, is arranged to monitor deviations in temperature in the cooling fluid to provide an indication of whether the dispensing means is off or in low usage / demand / activity with the fluid product not flowing through the line or only flowing at a low activity rate, said override control device comprising an electronic device with a CPU (central processing unit) programmed to stop and start the pump motor according to measurement or evaluation of said deviations in temperature of the cooling fluid, and in which the temperature of the cooling fluid can be measured by a sensor or probe of the override control device located only outside the insulated pipe (python), in use, in a cooling fluid reservoir inside the remote cooling apparatus, said fluid being cooled whilst in the reservoir, which sensor or probe conveys temperature information from inside the cooling fluid reservoir to the CPU, to control the override control device, in use, without measuring the temperature of cooling fluid in the insulated pipe (python), to switch on the pump motor, if the temperature in the reservoir is rising (beyond normal fluctuations) and the override control device is arranged, in use, to switch off the pump motor, if the temperature in the reservoir decreases (beyond normal fluctuations). Many advantages of the apparatus and method of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and drawings An embodiment of energy saving means in the form of an override control device for remote apparatus in accordance with the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic or schematic drawings in which: - FIGURE 1 shows a front elevational schematic view of a known remote cooling apparatus connected in situ in a known manner to a beer line or the like ; FIGURE 2 shows a front elevational schematic overview of an upper part of the remote cooling apparatus shown in FIGURE 1 fitted with the override control device of the present invention; FIGURE 3 shows an example graph of temperature of an ice bank reservoir in the remote cooling apparatus vs time, and FIGURE 4 shows a schematic overview of the operational characteristics of the override control device. FIGURE 1 shows a known remote, inline, cooling apparatus A - known as a remote - that can be used to cool beer (or other fluid / beverage product) fed or pumped from a beer keg (not shown) usually located in a cellar, to beer dispensing means (bar tap - not shown). In use, beer is fed / pumped from a beer keg to a coil line 3 located in an ice bank chiller reservoir 4 (shown in dashed lines) inside an outer case 5 of cooling apparatus A. The ice bank reservoir 4 holds chilled water with anti-freeze at a temperature of -2°C to 0°C. After the beer in coil line 3 has been chilled inside the reservoir 4 it is fed out along beer line 2 which continues into and through insulated pipe 9 (known as a python) to the beer dispensing means. The cooling apparatus A has a pump 6 inside and towards the bottom of the reservoir 4 operated by a pump motor 1 located on top of casing 5 as shown in FIGURE 1. As is known, when the pump motor 1 is switched on, pump 6 induces or activates flow of cooled water from the bottom of the reservoir 4 through feed line 8 into and through the python 9 in close proximity to the beer line 2 to the beer dispensing means to maintain the beer chilled in known manner. In practice, a plurality of beer lines (not shown) from different kegs of beer may run through the same python 9. Water (reduced in temperature from cooling the beer in beer line 2 in the python 9) from the beer dispensing means is then fed back inside return line 7 in the python 9 to the reservoir 4 to be cooled again for recycling (once cooled again) through feed line 8 to the beer dispensing means. The inventor has recognised that the aforementioned remote cooling apparatus A operates in a manner that tends to be significantly wasteful of energy as explained previously in this specification. Accordingly, FIGURE 2 shows an embodiment of an override control device 100 in accordance with the present invention fitted or operatively connected to the remote cooling apparatus A shown in FIGURE 1. Override control device 100 is an electronic device in use installed in the power feed line 101 to the pump motor 1. As previously explained, the pump motor 1 is often left running 24 hours a day which wastes energy because when the beer dispensing means is off or is in low usage / activity or there is low demand for the beer, beer in the feed line 2 is not flowing or is significantly reduced, so it will not require additional chilling by cooled water flowing through the python 9. Accordingly, the electronic control device 100 is arranged to monitor the flow activity of beer (or other beverage / fluid product) being fed or pumped in feed line 2 from remote cooling apparatus A to product dispensing means, by utilising a temperature sensor 102 positioned, in use, in the ice bank reservoir 4, as shown in FIGURE 2. In use, the temperature sensor 102 reads the current temperature within the ice bank reservoir 4 and sends the information via power line 103 to a CPU (see FIGURE 4) of the control device 100. Level of demand for beer flow through feed line 2 and through python 9 to the beer dispensing means can be determined by temperature characteristics of the ice bank reservoir 4. The CPU is programmed to recognise deviating temperatures within the ice bank reservoir 4. Accordingly, a temperature rise in reservoir 4 (outside accepted fluctuations) indicates that beer is flowing through line 2 and through python 9 and so the device 101 will switch on the pump motor 1 to induce flow of cooling water through the python 9. Subsequently, when the ice bank temperature starts to decrease (outside accepted fluctuations) this will be due to no or low usage or demand as no beer or a significantly reduced amount of beer is flowing through the feed line 2. Accordingly, once the CPU has determined such a condition, the pump motor 1 is switched off until a temperature rise is again detected in the reservoir when the CPU will again switch on the pump motor 1. Even so, the CPU is programmed to operate the pump 1 for additional short periods of time independently of temperature deviations measured in the ice bank reservoir 4 to ensure or very safely maintain chilled water in the python 9. FIGURE 3 shows how the CPU utilises temperature information from the temperature sensor 102 in ice bank reservoir 4. Initially, fluctuations in temperature of the ice bank reservoir from an ice bank energy control temperature set point level P4 are small (see undulating waveforms to the left and right of FIGURE 3) and pump 1 can be switched off. As the temperature being measured increases more significantly at Pl this provides an indication of beer demand (see FIGURE 3) and the pump 1 can be switched on (i.e. energy saving mode off) by control device 100. When the temperature subsequently decreases significantly atP2 this provides an indication that beer demand has stopped and once the fluctuations about the set point level have returned to normal at P3 the energy saving mode can be effected by switching off pump 1. Consequently, operating the pump motor 1 only when required, as determined, by beer flow activity, should result in a very considerable saving in energy (typically 50 - 75%) whilst still maintaining the correct temperature for beer / product being dispensed. FIGURE 3 does not take into account any additional periods of time that the CPU switches on the pump independently of any measured temperature deviations, as aforementioned. FIGURE 4 shows the operational characteristics of override control device 100 which should be generally self-explanatory. Device 100 has a digital display operatively connected to the CPU indicating various operational parameters of the device. The CPU receives temperature information from the ice bank temperature sensor 102 which can be presented on the digital display and used to switch the python pump 1 on or off as required (for particular time periods determined by the CPU) in order to save energy but maintain the contents of the beer line ready for dispensing at the correct temperature. It is envisaged that, once the control device 100 has been installed it will have an automatic learning mode that will allow it to set an average mid-point set point level The inventor envisages an embodiment of an electronic override control device in accordance with the present invention that can be simply installed in line with the known cooling water pump on top of the outer casing of remote cooling apparatus. The working principle of the electronic device is that the amount of energy used by the remote is led by beer flow demand so, when there is no beer demand, the energy used may be reduced to a minimum; as the beer starts to flow the energy is increased and only when the beer flow is at maximum is the energy used also at maximum. It is to be understood that the scope of the present invention is not to be unduly limited by the particular choice of terminology and that a specific term may be replaced or supplemented by an equivalent or generic term. The term ‘override control device’ is not meant to be unduly limiting and could be replaced by ‘auxiliary control device’ or ‘additional control device’ or the like; alternatively, the word ‘override’ could be omitted entirely from the term; ‘override’ could be replaced by ‘overrule’, ‘govern’, ‘interrupt’ or the like. Further it is to be understood that individual features, method or functions relating to the override control device or remote cooling apparatus including the control device might be individually patentably inventive. The singular may include the plural and vice versa. Additionally, any range mentioned herein for any parameter or variable shall be taken to include a disclosure of any derivable sub-range within that range or of any particular value of the variable or parameter arranged within, or at an end of, the range or sub-range. There has been described herein an override control device for a remote cooling apparatus arranged, in use, to cool a fluid product to be dispensed from a product dispensing means, the control device being arranged to to stop and start flow of cooling fluid already being pumped to the dispensing means, according to demand for the product at the dispensing means or activity of the dispensing means.

Claims

1. Energy saving means in the form of an override control device arranged in use to monitor the flow of beer or other beverage / fluid product being fed or pumped in a line from remote cooling apparatus to product dispensing means, the arrangement being such that when the product dispensing means is off or in low usage / demand the override control device can stop the flow of cooling fluid pumped from the remote cooling apparatus to cool the beverage / fluid product in the line, said override device being, in use, operatively connected to a motor of a pump used to feed the cooling fluid along an insulated pipe (python) to the dispensing apparatus, to stop the motor when the dispensing means is off or in low usage / demand, and, in which said override control device, in use, is arranged to monitor deviations in temperature in the cooling fluid to provide an indication of whether the dispensing means is off or in low usage / demand / activity with the fluid product not flowing through the line or only flowing at a low activity rate, said override control device comprising an electronic device with a CPU (central processing unit) programmed to stop and start the pump motor according to measurement or evaluation of said deviations in temperature of the cooling fluid, and in which the temperature of the cooling fluid can be measured by a sensor or probe of the override control device located only outside the insulated pipe (python), in use, in a cooling fluid reservoir inside the remote cooling apparatus, said fluid being cooled whilst in the reservoir, which sensor or probe conveys temperature information from inside the cooling fluid reservoir to the CPU, to control the override control device, in use, without measuring the temperature of cooling fluid in the insulated pipe (python), to switch on the pump motor, if the temperature in the reservoir is rising (beyond normal fluctuations) and the override control device isarranged, in use, to switch off the pump motor, if the temperature in the reservoir decreases (beyond normal fluctuations).

2. Energy saving means as claimed in claim 1 in which the override control device is arranged in use to monitor the activity of the flow of beverage / fluid product which varies in accordance with the activity of the dispensing means in order that the flow of cooling fluid can be stopped or at least reduced once the dispensing means has been inactive or in low activity for a particular period of time.

3. Energy saving means as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the override device is arranged to start the motor again once the dispensing means is on again or in normal usage / demand.

4. Energy saving means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the override control device is provided with a display to indicate status information such as temperature or other parameters.

5. Energy saving means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which, in addition to the override control device starting and stopping the pump motor due to the temperature information conveyed to the CPU, the override device is also programmed to switch on the pump motor at intervals for short periods, in any event, independently of said temperature information.

6. Remote cooling apparatus having an override control device in accordance with any one of the preceding claims.

7. Remote cooling apparatus as claimed in claim 6 having a line for fluid / beverage product to be dispensed from the dispensing means passing through an insulated pipe (python) to the dispensing means, alongside a feed line for the cooling fluid to cool the fluid product and having a return line for the cooling fluid from the dispensing means (to a reservoir in the cooling apparatus for the cooling fluid) passing through said pipe (python) insulated from the beverage fluid product feed line and the cooling fluid feed line.

8. Remote cooling apparatus as claimed in claim 7 in which said pipe (python) contains a plurality of fluid / beverage product lines.

9. A method of saving energy in remote cooling apparatus by using an override control device, in use, to monitor the flow of beer or other beverage / fluid product being fed or pumped in a line from the remote cooling apparatus to product dispensing means, the method comprising detecting when the product dispensing means is off or in low usage / demand / activity and subsequently stopping or at least reducing the flow of cooling fluid being pumped from the remote cooling apparatus to cool the beverage / fluid in the line, said override device being, in use, operatively connected to a motor of a pump used to feed the cooling fluid along an insulated pipe (python) to the dispensing apparatus, to stop the motor when the dispensing means is off or in low usage / demand, and, in which said override control device, in use, is arranged to monitor deviations in temperature in the cooling fluid to provide an indication of whether the dispensing means is off or in low usage / demand / activity with the fluid product not flowing through the line or only flowing at a low activity rate, said override control device comprising an electronic device with a CPU (central processing unit) programmed to stop and start the pump motor according tomeasurement or evaluation of said deviations in temperature of the cooling fluid, and in which the temperature of the cooling fluid can be measured by a sensor or probe of the override control device located only outside the insulated pipe (python), in use, in a cooling fluid reservoir inside the remote cooling apparatus, said fluid being cooled whilst in the reservoir, which sensor or probe conveys temperature information from inside the cooling fluid reservoir to the CPU, to control the override control device, in use, without measuring the temperature of cooling fluid in the insulated pipe (python), to switch on the pump motor, if the temperature in the reservoir is rising (beyond normal fluctuations) and the override control device is arranged, in use, to switch off the pump motor, if the temperature in the reservoir decreases (beyond normal fluctuations).

10. A method as claimed in claim 9 in which the fluid / beverage product in the line is dispensed from the dispensing means and the fluid / beverage product passes through an insulated pipe (python) to the dispensing means, alongside a feed line feeding the cooling fluid to cool the fluid product.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10 in which the cooling fluid is returned from the dispensing means in a return line (to a reservoir in the cooling apparatus for the cooling fluid) passing through said pipe (python) insulated from the beverage fluid product feed line and the cooling fluid feed line.

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