Apparatus and method for supplying liquid

Abstract

Water may be pumped 115 from a refillable container 5 to an active cooling module 140 and returned to the container 5. Cooled water may be pumped 115 from the container 5 to a manifold 120 for supplyi

Description

Field of Invention The present application relates to apparatus and methods for dispensing beverages, and more particularly to apparatus and methods for supplying liquid such as water to an at least partially isolated beverage dispensing system. More particularly, the present application relates to dispensing systems including one or more carbonators. Still more particularly, the application relates to manifolds for supplying water to such dispensing systems. Background Beverage dispensing systems require a supply of liquid, typically water. In particular, many dispensers, such as “post-mix” dispensers, produce a carbonated beverage by carbonating water on demand (and optionally mixing with a flavoured syrup) to produce the desired beverage. Dispensers such as these are particularly popular at bars, pubs, clubs and other events where there is high demand for a range of different chilled beverages. Many existing dispensing systems are fed via permanent connections to a mains water supply, which provides a reliable supply of water for preparing and dispensing beverages. However, this approach is not feasible in locations or scenarios where a permanent connection to a reliable supply of water is either unavailable or undesirable. For example, many temporary events (such as festivals, markets, outdoor concerts, amusement parks, or sports events) are held in locations where a mains water supply is either absent or unreliable. Furthermore, events such as these often see extreme spikes in demand, such as after the end of a performance or during a concert interval, which puts further strain on the dispensing system and water supply. Many existing systems are therefore ineffective at providing a reliable supply of chilled water in these situations or rely on inefficient on-demand chilling and regulation of water. In addition, many existing beverage dispensing systems require separate equipment for water cooling and pressure regulation at each dispensing station. However, for remote, mobile or temporary applications where a large number of dispensing stations are required, this can be complex and time-consuming to install and maintain. Summary The invention is defined in the independent claims and preferred features are set out in the dependent claims. There is described herein apparatus for supplying water to an at least partially isolated beverage dispensing system, the apparatus comprising: a refillable container configured to hold a volume of water; a pump configured to pump water out of the container; a manifold comprising: an inlet configured to receive water from the pump, and one or more supply outlets each configured to couple to a respective carbonator of a beverage dispensing system; and an active cooling module configured to receive water from the container, cool the received water and return the cooled water to the container. The refillable container can act as a water supply buffer against an intermittent local mains water supply, ensuring that a given volume of water can be supplied to the beverage dispensing system reliably. The manifold can also provide a further buffer against water demand and pressure variations, allowing a reliable and regulated supply of water to be provided to the carbonators of the beverage dispensing system. Furthermore, the manifold can allow for water to be supplied, regulated and distributed across multiple carbonators (or dispensing stations), which can reduce the amount of equipment required to supply water to the dispensing system. This is particularly advantageous in remote or temporary scenarios by allowing fast and easy installation and disassembly. In addition, the cooling module being configured to cool the water in the container can allow for more efficient cooling of water and thus the overall energy consumption of the dispensing system. A “partially isolated beverage dispensing system” as used herein preferably refers to a beverage dispensing system having under normal operation a limited, intermittent, inadequate or non-permanent supply of resources (such as water and / or electricity) for dispensing beverages. For example, a “partially isolated” dispensing system may be located in a location where there is access to a water supply with irregular or low pressure or which is relatively warm, or where there is access to a limited or intermittent energy supply (e.g. which could be tripped or its capacity exceed during normal operation of the dispensing system). It follows that an “isolated” or “fully isolated” or “completely isolated” dispensing system may have no access to a water / electricity supply under normal operation, although it is recognised that such systems may be operable to connect to a mains water supply and / or electricity source. Often, fully or partially isolated beverage dispensing systems (or “at least partially” isolated beverage dispensing systems) will be mobile in their design, in that they may be deployed, disassembled and relocated without extensive installation work. Examples of fully or partially isolated beverage dispensing systems include but are not limited to those for dispensing beverages at temporary events or events held in remote locations, such as festivals, markets, outdoor concerts, amusement parks, or sports events. A “refillable container” as used herein refers to a container that can be refilled with a liquid, such as water. Examples include but are not limited to containers that can be refilled with liquid in situ while coupled to the rest of the apparatus and / or which can be repeatedly refilled. The term “refill” as used herein may refer to replenishing, topping up, loading or otherwise introducing water into the container, and is not limited to completely refilling the container. For example, refilling the container may include partially filling the container or otherwise increasing a volume of water held in the container. The term “fluidically coupled” as used herein refers to a coupling that allows fluid to flow between two components or from one component to another. For example, a fluidic coupling can urge, direct or otherwise permit fluid to flow from one component to another. In addition, fluidic couplings may be direct or indirect, for example via one or more other components or conduits. The term “manifold” as used herein refers to a structure having an internal conduit for directing fluid from an inlet to one or more outlets. For example, a manifold may have a branched structure to direct fluid received at an inlet towards a plurality of outlets along one or more fluid flow paths. The term “cooling module” as used herein refers to one or more components configured to provide exchange heat from a working fluid. A cooling module can include cooling hardware (such as but not limited to an ice bath, cooling coils, and / or other thermodynamic / heat exchange components), and optionally electronics or software for controlling the hardware. A cooling module may also include one or more conduits and / or pumping means for circulating coolant around one or more cooling loop. An “active” cooling module as used herein refers to a cooling module that is configured to actively cool the working fluid, for example to cool the working fluid to a temperature that is below an ambient air temperature. The active cooling module may be configured to cool the volume of water held in the container during a first time period during which the beverage dispensing system is inactive. This can allow for the volume of water to be pre-cooled before it is required by the beverage dispensing system, thus enabling more efficient cooling. The active cooling module may be further configured to cool the one or more carbonators. The active cooling module may be configured to cool the one or more carbonators and the volume of water held in the container during a second time period during which the beverage dispensing system is active. The active cooling module may be configured to cool the one or more carbonators only during the second time period. The pump may be configured to pump water from the container into the manifold during the first and second time periods. The active cooling module may comprise a coolant conduit configured to attach to one or more insulative coverings to thermally couple to the one or more carbonators, and a secondary pump configured to pump a coolant around the coolant conduit. The manifold may further comprise a return outlet configured to fluidically couple to the container to return water from the manifold to the container. The manifold may further comprise at least one of: a cooling outlet configured to couple to the cooling module, wherein the cooling module is configured to receive water from the container via the cooling outlet; and / or an additional supply outlet configured to couple to a dispenser of the beverage dispensing system. The manifold may comprise one or more modular manifold sections each configured to reversibly attach to and detach from at least one other modular manifold section, wherein each modular manifold section comprises one of the supply outlets. The modular manifold sections may be connected to one another via common connectors. The manifold may be reversibly transitioned between a deployed configuration and a stowed configuration, wherein in the stowed configuration, the modular manifold sections are disconnected. The manifold may comprise a primary conduit having a first diameter, wherein each supply outlet is fluidically coupled to the primary conduit via a branch conduit having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter. A ratio of the first diameter to the second diameter may be at least 1.5, preferably at least 2, more preferably at least 3. The first diameter may be greater than: a diameter of a pump output conduit configured to connect to the manifold inlet to provide water from the pump to the manifold and / or a diameter of a return conduit configured to connect to the return outlet of the manifold to return water from the manifold to the container. The primary conduit of the manifold may comprise a flow path widening for water flowing from the pump and into the manifold. The primary conduit of the manifold may comprise a flow path narrowing for water flowing from the manifold to the container and / or to each supply outlet. The apparatus may further comprise a pressure regulating valve configured to fluidically couple to the manifold and configured to control a pressure of water flow in the manifold. The pressure regulating valve may be disposed in a primary conduit of the manifold. Alternatively, the pressure regulating valve may be configured to be disposed separately form the manifold, such as between the manifold return outlet and the container. The apparatus may further comprise a control valve fluidically coupled to each supply outlet of the manifold and configured to control a flow of water through the respective supply outlet. Each control valve may comprise a pressure regulating valve or a balancing valve. The apparatus may be configured to be reversibly transitioned between a deployed configuration and a stowed configuration; wherein in the deployed configuration, the container is fluidically coupled to the active cooling module and to the manifold inlet via the pump; and wherein in the stowed configuration, the container is fluidically decoupled from the manifold, the active cooling module and the pump. This can allow the apparatus to be repeatedly assembled and taken apart (or at least decoupled from the beverage dispensing system), making it well adapted for mobile / temporary dispensing applications. In the stowed configuration, the manifold may be fluidically decoupled from the beverage dispensing system and the pump and / or the cooling module may be fluidically decoupled from the pump and the container. The container may be replaceable. The term “replaceable” as used herein means that the container may be: supplied at least partially full with water; decoupled from other components of the apparatus (such as the manifold, the pump and / or the cooling module) in a nondestructive manner or in a manner that enables reinsertion should that be desired; and / or the same (e.g. after having been refilled) or another (for example at least partially full with water) container can be supplied and reversibly coupled to the other components of the apparatus in a non-destructive manner. A “non-destructive manner” as used herein refers to a manner which does not alert the integrity of the container, except for possible intentional breakage or destruction of disposable elements. The container may be configured to hold a volume of water of at least 500 litres, at least 700 litres, or at least 1000 litres. The beverage dispensing system may comprise one or more post-mix dispensers configured to receive carbonated water from the one or more carbonators. The one or more post-mix dispensers may be configured to mix the carbonated water with one or more syrups. A “postmix dispenser” as used herein refers to a dispenser configured to dispense a beverage that has not yet been mixed or otherwise fully prepared. A post-mix dispenser system therefore contrasts to pre-mix dispensers, which simply dispense pre-mixed beverages. For example, post-mix dispensers typically mix beverages on-demand when dispensing. In many examples, post-mix dispensers also carbonate a water supply on demand prior to mixing with other ingredients (such as syrups) at the point of pouring (e.g. a nozzle). There is also described herein a method for supplying water to an at least partially isolated beverage dispensing system using apparatus comprising a refillable container configured to hold a volume of water, a pump configured to pump water out of the container, a manifold comprising an inlet and one or more supply outlets each configured to couple to a respective carbonator of the beverage dispensing system, and an active cooling module configured to cool water held in the container, the method comprising: performing a pre-cooling process during a first time period during which the beverage dispensing system is inactive, the pre-cooling process comprising: pumping, by the pump, water from the container to the active cooling module; cooling, by the active cooling module, the water received from the container; and returning the cooled water from the active cooling module to the container; and performing a supply process during a second time period during which the beverage dispensing system is active, the supply process comprising: pumping, by the pump, the water in the container cooled during the pre-cooling process to the one or more supply outlets of the manifold; pumping, by the pump, water from the container to the active cooling module; cooling, by the active cooling module, the water received from the container; and; returning the cooled water from the active cooling module to the container. Performing the pre-cooling process can allow for more efficient cooling of water prior to supplying carbonators of a dispensing system, which can provide improved carbonation efficiency and therefore improved beverage quality. The term “cooling” as used herein refers to conditioning a temperature of a liquid (e.g. water) based on a target temperature. For example, this can include reducing or maintaining a water temperature at a target temperature (or within a target temperature range) that is suitable for chilled liquid beverages. The first time period may comprise a time period of reduced ambient temperature. The first time period may be during nighttime. The pre-cooling process may comprise cooling the water received from the container to a target water temperature of between 3 °C and 5 °C. Pumping water to the one or more carbonators may comprise circulating, by the pump, water around a loop from the container to the manifold and back to the container via a return outlet of the manifold. The method may further comprise supplying, replenishing, loading, introducing, (re)filling or topping up the container with water from a water source before performing the pre-cooling process and / or after performing the supply process. The container may be supplied with water continually, periodically or at predetermined times during the day. The container may be supplied with water using a ball valve configured to trigger water to be supplied into the container based on a level of the water in the container reaching a predetermined threshold level. The method may further comprise repeating the pre-cooling process and the supply process alternately. The method may comprise performing the pre-cooling process during nighttime and performing the supply process during daytime over a plurality of days. There is also described herein a computer program, computer program product or computer-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer and / or one or more controllers, cause the computer and / or controller(s) to perform any of the methods described herein. There is also described herein a system or apparatus comprising means for performing the steps of any of the methods described herein. There is also described herein a modular manifold for providing water to an at least partially isolated beverage dispensing system, the manifold comprising: an inlet configured to receive a flow of water from a refillable container; a return outlet configured to return the flow of water towards the container; a primary conduit fluidically coupled to the inlet and the return outlet and configured to direct the flow of water from the inlet to the return outlet, wherein the primary conduit is formed of a plurality of modular sections each comprising a primary conduit section and configured to reversibly attach to and detach from at least one other modular section; and a pressure regulating valve fluidically coupled to the primary conduit; wherein at least one of the modular sections comprises a supply outlet configured to couple to a respective carbonator of a beverage dispensing system. In addition to or instead of the pressure regulating valve, the manifold may comprise a cooling outlet disposed between the inlet and the return outlet, wherein the cooling outlet is configured to fluidically couple to an active cooling module. The cooling outlet “disposed between” the inlet and return outlet as used herein may refer to the cooling outlet being disposed between the inlet and return outlet along a fluid flow path from the inlet to the return outlet. Each modular section that comprises a supply outlet may comprise a branch conduit fluidically coupled, at a first end, to the primary conduit section and comprising, at a second end, the respective supply outlet. The primary conduit may comprise a first diameter that is greater than a second diameter of the branch conduit. A ratio of the first diameter to the second diameter may be at least 1.5, preferably at least 2, more preferably at least 3. The manifold may further comprise a control valve fluidically coupled to each supply outlet of the manifold, wherein each control valve is configured to control a flow of water through the respective supply outlet. Each control valve may comprise a pressure regulating valve or a balancing valve. The primary conduit may comprise a first diameter that is greater than a diameter of the inlet and / or the return outlet. A ratio of the first diameter to the diameter of the inlet and / or the return outlet is at least 1.25, preferably greater than 1.5 or greater than 2, more preferably greater than 3. Any system feature as described herein may also be provided as a method feature, and vice versa. As used herein, means plus function features may be expressed alternatively in terms of their corresponding structure. Any feature in one aspect of the invention may be applied to other aspects of the invention, in any appropriate combination. In particular, method aspects may be applied to system aspects, and vice versa. Furthermore, any, some and / or all features in one aspect can be applied to any, some and / or all features in any other aspect, in any appropriate combination. It should also be appreciated that particular combinations of the various features described and defined in any aspects of the invention can be implemented, supplied, and / or used independently. Brief Description of Drawings Apparatus and methods for supplying water will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1A and 1B show schematic views of example apparatus for supplying water to an at least partially isolated beverage dispensing system, according to the present disclosure; Figures 2A and 2B show schematic views of example manifolds according to the present disclosure; and Figures 3A to 3C show diagrams of methods for supplying water according to the present disclosure. In the drawings, like reference numerals are used to indicate like elements. Detailed Description Figure 1A shows apparatus 100 for supplying water to a beverage dispensing system 10. The dispensing system 10 is at least partially isolated, meaning it has no or limited access to a reliable water supply. In some examples, the dispensing system 10 is completely isolated (e.g. in a remote location, such as a field) and has no access to a mains water supply. In other examples, a mains water supply is available at the location of the dispensing system 10, but it may be intermittently available, have irregular or insufficient pressure, or be relatively warm. As will be described below, the apparatus 100 is configured to provide a reliable supply of water for the dispensing system. The apparatus 100 includes a container 110, a pump 115, a manifold 120 and a cooling module 140. The container 110 is configured to hold a volume of water 5 and is refillable via a port 112. The container 110 includes one or more other ports or openings which allow water to flow out of and / or into the container from other parts of the apparatus. The container 110 has a water-holding capacity of at least around 20 litres, at least around 50 litres, at least around 100 litres, at least around 250 litres, at least around 500 litres, at least around 700 litres, or at least around 1000 litres. Advantageously, the container 110 can act as a water supply buffer, which can reduce system stress, allowing the dispensing system 10 to handle peaks in demand even when a local mains water supply is unavailable, intermittent or unreliable. In particular, the larger the container capacity, the greater its ability to handle spikes in demand and / or to supply water over an extended period of time. For example, the container 110 can have a volumetric capacity sufficient to supply water for dispensing at least around 1000 beverages, at least around 1500 beverages, at least around 1750 beverages, or at least around 2000 beverages, for example around 3000 beverages. It will be appreciated that a single container may be refilled (e.g. automatically or continually), in which case it may be capable of supplying water for much greater numbers of beverages over the course of a day or other period of time. The container 110 is mobile or configured to be moved - for example, the container may be portable by human force and / or machinery (e.g. depending on the size of the container). In some examples, the container 110 may be an intermediate bulk container (IBC), caged IBC, pallet tank or other mobile container suitable for holding a volume of water. The container may be formed of one or more materials, such as a plastic and / or metal. For example, the container may include a blow-moulded thermoplastic surrounded by a metal cage. Although not shown in the figures, the container 110 may additionally be clad or insulated, for example using an insulative material which may optionally be removable. An insulated cover can reduce an amount of solar gain experienced by the container, and thus help to keep the contents cool. The container 110 is also replaceable, meaning it may be removed and / or replaced by another new container (of the same or a different size) and / or the same container after having been refilled which may be re-connected to the other apparatus. Alternatively, in some examples the container 110 is configured to be refilled on-site (e.g. via the port 112) while still connected to the rest of the apparatus 100, which can allow for simultaneous refilling and supplying of water to the dispensing system. For example, the container 110 can be automatically topped up or refilled during the course of a day using a ball valve calibrated to refill the container when the volume of water 5 in the container 110 reaches a threshold level (e.g. 25% of maximum capacity). The pump 115 is fluidically coupled (at a pump inlet) to the container 110 to receive water held in the container. The pump 115 is a water pump, such as but not limited to a positivedisplacement pump, a peristaltic pump, a centrifugal pump, a diaphragm pump or a submersible pump. The pump 115 is also fluidically coupled (at a pump outlet) to an inlet 122 of the manifold 120, such that water received from the container 110 is pumped into the manifold 120 by the pump 115. In addition to the inlet 122, the manifold 120 includes one or more supply outlets 126a-c, each of which is configured to couple to the beverage dispensing system. Specifically, in this example each manifold supply outlet 126a-c is configured to fluidically couple to a corresponding carbonator 20a-c of the dispensing system 10. Each carbonator 20a-c of the dispensing system 10 is configured to carbonate the water received from the manifold 120 and is coupled to one or more post-mix processing units 25a-c, each configured to provide further pumping, cooling and / or mixing (e.g. with a syrup) of the carbonated water to prepare the desired beverage. In other examples, the dispensing system may be configured to dispense a non-carbonated beverage, in which case one or more of the manifold supply outlets 126a-c couples directly to a beverage processing unit 25 instead of a carbonator. After the post-mix processing units 25a-c, the prepared beverage is then dispensed from a corresponding dispensing gun 30a-c. Accordingly, in some examples the manifold 120 includes a supply outlet 126 for each of a plurality of beverage dispensing stations (e.g. distributed along a bar or service counter) of the dispensing system 10. As described in greater detail below with reference to Figures 2A-2B, the manifold 120 preferably has a modular construction, such that any number of supply outlets 126 may be provided depending on the specification of the dispensing system 10. As shown in Figure 1A, the manifold 120 includes return outlet 128 that is fluidically coupled to the container 110 and thus configured to return water from the manifold 120 back into the container. Accordingly, water that is pumped from the container into the manifold, but which is not drawn from the manifold by the dispensing system 10 (via the supply outlets 126), can be circulated back to the container to be reused. The manifold 120 also includes a pressure regulating valve (PRV) 130 coupled to the manifold in order to regulate a flow of water through the manifold. In particular, the PRV 130 is configured to control a water pressure in the manifold. This can smoothen water pressure fluctuations in the manifold produced by the pump 115 and / or by the demand on the supply outlets 126. The PRV 130 operates by narrowing or widening a flow path of the manifold’s water flow in order to maintain the water flow pressure at a target pressure value or within a target pressure range. In some examples, the PRV 130 is configured to maintain a target water pressure of at least around 1 bar, for example at least around 2 bar, around 3 bar, no more than around 5 bar, or no more than around 4 bar. The PRV 130 can be controlled to adjust the target water pressure - for example, the target water pressure may be reduced from around 3 bar to around 1.8 bar to 2 bar, e.g. if beverages are fobbing (foaming). In some examples, when in use at least a portion of the manifold 120 is disposed adjacent the container 110, for example on top of the container. This can allow the apparatus to be deployed in locations with limited space. For example, the entire manifold 120 may be disposed on (e.g. reversibly attached to) a top surface of the container 110, such that a line or other conduit runs from each supply outlet 126 on top of the container 110 towards a corresponding carbonator / processing unit / dispensing station of the dispensing system 10. In some examples, the shape of the manifold 120 matches that of an upper surface of the container 110 to facilitate securing of the manifold to the container. The manifold 120 is fluidically coupled to (an inlet of) the cooling module 140 via a cooling outlet 124 of the manifold, and (an outlet of) the cooling module 140 is fluidically coupled to the container 110. Accordingly, the cooling module 140 receives water from the container 110 via the pump and the manifold, cools the received water, and returns cooled water to the container 110. Although shown separately, the water from the cooling module 140 and the water returned from the manifold return outlet 128 may be returned to the container 110 via a single common conduit or port. The cooling module 140 is configured to actively cool the water received from the container 110 via the manifold 120. In some examples, the cooling module 140 comprises a temperature-controlled ice bath and a coiled conduit disposed in the ice bath through which the water from the container can flow. The temperature of the ice bath can be controlled to cool the water from the container to a target temperature and / or to maintain the water at the target temperature. The water received from the container may be cooled using additional or alternative means. Therefore, by operating the pump 115 and the cooling module 140, the volume of water 5 held in the container 110 can be cooled (or controlled) to a target temperature. Generally, the target temperature is no greater than around 10°C, for example no greater than around 5°C, or at least around 0°C. For example, the cooling module 140 may be configured to cool the volume of water 5 held in the container 110 to a target temperature that is at least 3°C and no greater than 5°C. Since operation of the pump 115 also provides water from the container 110 into the manifold 110 and to the manifold supply outlet(s) 126, the apparatus 100 can therefore provide the cooled water from the container 110 to the carbonators 20 (or other beverage processing units) of the dispensing system 10. In other words, the water provided to the carbonators is pre-chilled. This can reduce the energy demand on the system by reducing the amount of energy-intensive on-demand chilling required when dispensing drinks. In particular, at times of high demand, supplying the beverage dispensing system 10 with water that has been prechilled by the cooling module 140 can reduce stress on the dispensing system by reducing peak power requirements, which is particularly advantageous for isolated or partially isolated systems that may have limited power sources. In addition, since the arrangement shown in Figure 1A can allow water to be circulated around a cooling loop (from the container, via the pump, manifold cooling outlet and cooling module, and back to the container) and through the manifold 120 towards the manifold supply outlets 126 simultaneously, the apparatus 100 can simultaneously cool / maintain the temperature of water in the container 110 and supply water from the container to the dispensing system 10. Equally, even when no beverages are being dispensed (and no water is drawn from the manifold supply outlets 126), the cooling module 140 can continue to operate to cool the water in the container or to maintain it at a cooled temperature (e.g. cooler than an ambient temperature). Furthermore, by supplying carbonators of the dispensing system 10 with pre-cooled water, the inventors have found that the carbonation efficiency at the carbonators 20a-c can be improved. For example, by pre-cooling the water in the container 110 to a temperature between around 3°C and 5°C, the water supplied to the carbonators of the dispensing system 10 can have an optimal temperature for CO2 absorption, which can improve the consistency and quality of the dispensed beverages. As described in greater detail below, the cooling module 140 is operable to cool the volume of water 5 held in the container 110 during a time period when the dispensing system 10 is inactive or switched off (e.g. off-peak hours). In particular, the cooling module 140 is operable to cool the volume of water 5 held in the container overnight or at other times of day having a reduced ambient temperature. By pre-cooling the water in the container 110 at times of day having lower temperatures, the cooling is more efficient and thus less energy is required to cool the volume of water 5 to the target water temperature. After the pre-cooling period, during a second time period when the dispensing system 10 is active, operative or on standby (e.g. during the daytime or sunlight hours) the cooling module 140 is operable to cool and / or maintain the water in the container 110 at the target temperature while simultaneously supplying water to the dispensing system 10 via the manifold supply outlet(s) 126. Another example apparatus 100’ is shown in Figure 1B. The apparatus 100’ corresponds to the apparatus 100 described above, except that the apparatus 100’ additionally includes auxiliary cooling means for cooling the carbonators of the dispensing system 10. In particular, in this example the cooling module 140 which cools the water held in the container 110 is also configured to provide cooling to the carbonators 20a-c. The cooling module 140 includes a coolant conduit 145. The coolant conduit 145 includes a portion for cooling a coolant (e.g. a coil or loop disposed in the same ice bath that is used to cool the water from the container 110), and one or more portions that are configured to thermally couple to the one or more carbonators. For example, an insulative jacket or other covering for each carbonator may couple to a portion of the coolant conduit 145, thus thermally coupling said portion of the coolant conduit 145 to the respective carbonator. A pump may also be used to circulate the coolant around the coolant conduit 145. Accordingly, heat is transferred to the coolant at the carbonator(s), and the coolant is cooled at the cooling module 140 before being returned to the carbonator(s). Therefore, when the dispensing system 10 is active, the cooling module 140 in this example is configured to cool both the water in the container 110 and the coolant in the coolant conduit 145 coupled to the carbonators 20a-20c. This can further improve the efficiency of carbonation (CO2 absorption) by preventing the carbonators from overheating. Although Figure 1B shows a single cooling mechanism for cooling the water from the container 110 and the coolant in the coolant conduit 145 (e.g. as two sets of coils or loops in a single temperature-controlled ice bath), in other examples a separate cooling mechanism (e.g. ice bath or other active cooler) may be provided for the carbonator coolant conduit. Equally, the water pump 115 and the cooling module 140 are shown in Figures 1A and 1B as being separate from (e.g. disposed outside of) the container 110. However, in other examples, the pump 115 and / or the cooling module 140 may be disposed within or integrated with the container 110. Additionally or alternatively, the cooling module 140 may be arranged in line with the pump 115 forming a single water flow loop (e.g. from the container, via the pump and cooling module, via the manifold and back to the container). It will be appreciated that the apparatus 100, 100’ described above is configured to reversibly transitioned between a deployed configuration and a stowed or disassembled configuration. In other words, the components of the apparatus can be repeatedly assembled and taken apart (or at least the container 110 may be detached from the other components to which it connects). In particular, in the deployed configuration, the container 110 is fluidically coupled at least to the cooling module 140, the pump 115, and the manifold inlet 122, and preferably also to the manifold return outlet 128. The manifold is also connected to the beverage dispensing system 10 in the deployed configuration. In the stowed or disassembled configuration, at least the container 110 is detached from the manifold, and the manifold is detached from the dispensing system 10. Where the pump 115 and / or cooling module 140 are provided separately from the container 110, these may also be disconnected from the container in the stowed configuration. This can allow the apparatus to be transported, installed, disassembled efficiently, and can also allow components (such as the container) to be easily replaced on-site, which is particularly advantageous when supplying water in remote or isolated locations. It also allows the apparatus to be mobile and rapidly deployable, which is particularly suitable for temporary applications (e.g. festivals or pop-up events). Figures 2A and 2B show example manifolds 200, 200’ for providing water to a beverage dispensing system. In some examples, the manifolds 200, 200’ correspond to the manifold 120 described above and / or may be used in an apparatus (such as apparatus 100, 100’ described above) for supplying water to a dispensing system, such as the at least partially isolated beverage dispensing system 10 described above. The manifold 200 shown in Figure 2A includes an inlet 222 configured to receive a flow of water (or other liquid), e.g. from a pump (such as pump 115 described above). The manifold also includes a return outlet 228 for discharging the flow of water from the manifold, for example to return the flow of water back to a container or other reservoir (such as container 110 described above). The manifold 200 also has a primary conduit 210 that is fluidically coupled to the inlet 222 and the return outlet 228, and which directs the flow of water from the inlet 222 towards the return outlet 228. As shown in Figure 2A, the primary conduit 210 is formed of a plurality of modular sections 214 connected to one another, for example directly or via other components, such as corner joints, seals, collars, or other connectors (dashed lines indicate connections between the modular sections 214 or other connectors). The design, shape and size of the manifold is highly configurable and scalable, since the modular sections 214 are configured to reversibly attach to and detach from any of the other modular sections. Each modular section 214 includes a primary conduit section, such that when assembled, the primary conduit sections of the modular sections 214 fluidically cooperate to form the primary conduit 210 of the manifold 200. Each modular section 214 also includes a supply outlet 226 for providing water from the primary conduit 210 to a beverage dispensing system. In the example shown, each modular section 214 includes a branch conduit (or outlet conduit) forming a flow path branching off from the primary conduit section at a first end to the corresponding supply outlet 226 at a second end, which can then be coupled to a carbonator (or other beverage processing unit). In other examples, one or more of the supply outlets 226 may be an opening, hole, socket or other fixture directly in a side wall of the primary conduit section. Since the manifold 200 is formed of the modular sections 214, any number of supply outlets may be provided depending on the requirements or number of dispensing stations of the dispensing system. As shown, the primary conduit 210 of the manifold 200 has a flow capacity or physical size (e.g. length, diameter, cross-sectional area and / or volume) that is greater than that of the supply outlets 226 (and branch conduits). In this example, the inlet 222 and / or the return outlet 228 of the manifold 200 also have a smaller size (e.g. volume, diameter and / or length) than the primary conduit 210. In some examples, a diameter of the primary conduit 210 is at least two times or at least three times larger than the diameter of each branch conduit. For instance, the primary conduit 210 of the manifold may have a diameter of at least around 2 cm, at least around 3.5 cm, at least around 5 cm, or at least around 10 cm, and the branch conduit and / or supply outlet 226 may have a diameter of at least around 1 cm, at least around 1.5 cm, at least around 2 cm, or at least around 5 cm. Additionally or alternatively, a length of each modular section 214 may be at least two or three times larger than a length of the corresponding branch section. For example, the modular sections 214 may be sized to provide a minimum spacing (or length of primary conduit) between the supply outlets, e.g. such that the modular sections 214 can have a length such that the supply outlets are spaced at least 20 cm apart, for example at least around 30 cm apart or at least around 40 cm apart. By virtue of the size (e.g. length, diameter and / or volume) of the modular sections 214 being greater than that of the supply outlets, the primary conduit 210 of the manifold 200 thus provides a fluidic buffer for the beverage dispensing system. In particular, the relatively large volume of water in the primary conduit (compared to the flow volume in the branch conduits) can buffer or dampen fluctuations in water pressure, for example in the supply (e.g. from a pump) or resulting from varying demands on the supply outlets from carbonators of the beverage dispensing system. This can therefore regulate the pressure of water supplied to the dispensing system, which is particularly advantageous in scenarios where a regulated supply of water is unavailable. In general, the primary conduit 210 is sized (e.g. by selecting its volume, length and / or width) in proportion to the number of modular sections 214 / supply outlets 226 required. For example, if the number of supply outlets is doubled, the length, diameter and / or volume of the primary conduit 210 also doubles. In one example, the primary conduit 210 has a length of 3.6 m and the manifold has four supply outlets 226, which can ensure a balance of flow rate to the supply outlets, available volume and pressure regulation. This can also allow for design flexibility -for example, if a manifold 200 is required for supplying water to a dispensing system in a location with limited space, the primary conduit diameter may be increased (instead of its length) to accommodate more supply outlets and provide a sufficient pressure buffer. To further assist with pressure regulation, the manifold 200 includes a pressure regulating valve (PRV) 230, for example corresponding to the PRV 130 described above in relation to Figures 1A and 1B. The PRV 230 is fluidically coupled to the primary conduit 210 and is configured to regulate the pressure of water flowing through the primary conduit 210. As shown in Figure 2A, the PRV 230 may be connected in line near the return outlet 228, but in other examples a PRV may be positioned anywhere along the flow path between the inlet 222 and return outlet 228. The PRV 230 may be manually operated (e.g. a stop valve) or may automatically regulate pressure (e.g. a control valve). The manifold 200 is preferably covered in an insulative lagging. This can reduce heat transfer between liquid (e.g. water) inside the manifold and its surroundings, for example to reduce the amount of heat gain for cooled water as it flows through the manifold. This can allow water to be supplied to the dispensing system at optimal temperatures (e.g. optimal temperatures for CO2 absorption). The manifold 200 may be formed of any material, such as a plastic (e.g. polyvinyl chloride, PVC) or a metal (e.g. copper or stainless steel). Figure 2B shows another example manifold 200’. Similarly to the manifold 200 of Figure 2A, the manifold 200’ includes a plurality of modular sections 214 which connect to one another to define a primary conduit 210 therethrough, and which each have a branch conduit terminating in a supply outlet 226 for supplying water to a carbonator, dispenser or other beverage processing unit. In this example, the manifold 200’ also includes a cooling outlet 224. The cooling outlet 224 is configured to provide water flowing through the manifold to a cooling module (such as the cooling module 140 described above). For example, this can allow a water supply from a container to be cooled (by a separate cooler) simultaneously while supplying a dispensing system with water yet using relatively few components (e.g. a single pump, as shown in Figures 1A-1B). As shown, the cooling outlet 224 is fluidically coupled to the primary conduit 210 via a branch conduit from one of the modular sections 214. However, in other examples the cooling outlet may be an opening, hole, socket or other fixture directly in a side wall of the primary conduit. Equally, the cooling outlet may be located anywhere else along the flow path between the inlet 222 and the return outlet 228. In the example of Figure 2B, by positioning the cooling outlet 224 at a location on the flow path from the inlet 222 to the return outlet 228 that is before a first supply outlet 226, the length of a flow path towards the cooling module can be reduced. The manifold 200’ of Figure 2B also includes a control valve 235 coupled to one or more of the supply outlets 226. Each control valve 235 is configured to control the flow of water through the respective supply outlet 226. For example, the control valve 235 is configured to control a flow rate and / or flow pressure at the supply outlet 226. Each control valve 235 may be a pressure regulating valve or a balancing valve. The control valve(s) 235 can allow the supply outlet(s) 226 to be closed or shut off, for example during a period of time when the dispensers / carbonators are inactive (e.g. during the night). In particular, by providing a control valve 235 on each supply outlet 226, the water flow to each carbonator can be controlled independently. For example, the control valves 235 may be controlled to restrict the flow of water less the further the corresponding outlet 226 is along the flow path from the inlet 222. This can allow the control valves 235 to be operated as balancing valves to regulate the flow rates and avoid a pressure drop towards the end of the manifold, for example to enable consistent water supply even when the dispensing system is drawing water from all of the supply outlets simultaneously. Additionally or alternatively, the control valves 235 may be used to restrict flow through the supply outlets 226, for example when significant cooling is required for the water flowing through the manifold 200’ (e.g. if a water container has just been topped up or refilled), which can allow a greater proportion (e.g. all) of the water in the manifold (and connected apparatus) to flow to a cooling module via the cooling outlet 224 before being provided to the dispensing system. Methods for supplying water to an at least partially isolated beverage dispensing system are shown in Figures 3A to 3C. The methods are is performed using an apparatus (such as the apparatus 100, 100’ described above) that includes a refillable water container, a pump for pumping water out of the container, and a manifold (e.g. any of the manifolds 120, 200, 200’ described above) that receives water from the pump at an inlet and has one or more supply outlets for providing the water to carbonators of the beverage dispensing system. The apparatus also includes an active cooling module for cooling the water held in the refillable container. Figure 3A shows a method 300 for supplying water to the dispensing system which is formed of two main processes: (1) a pre-cooling process, and (2) a supply process. The pre-cooling process is performed during a first time period during which the beverage dispensing system is inactive, switched off, or otherwise providing no demand for water from the apparatus. In many examples, the first time period is also during (or includes) a period of reduced ambient temperature, such as during the night or periods of reduced sunlight or cold weather. The supply process is performed during a second time period during which the beverage dispensing system is active, dispensing and / or preparing beverages, or otherwise providing demand for water from the apparatus. In many examples, the second time period is during (or includes) a period of elevated ambient temperature, such as during daytime, daylight hours, or warm weather, and / or a period of beverage demand, for example during a performance or opening hours of an event. Generally, the pre-cooling process involves cooling water held in the container by the cooling module. The first time period is before the second time period, meaning that the pre-cooling process pre-cools the water in the container before it is required for preparing and / or dispensing beverages. The supply process then involves supplying water to the dispensing system by pumping the pre-cooled water from the container to components of the dispensing system, such as carbonators. Typically, the cooling module is also active in the supply process during the second time period, such that the water held in the container continues to be cooled or maintained at a target temperature. By pre-cooling the water held in the container, particularly during a period of reduced ambient temperature, the volume of water held in the container can be cooled more efficiently. For example, if water is supplied to the container from an intermittent and warm mains water supply, performing the pre-cooling process during the night when the dispensing system is inactive allows a large volume water to be cooled to the target temperature more efficiently (and can improve the beverage quality) compared to cooling the same volume of water during the daytime or on demand when the dispensing system is active. As shown in Figure 3A, the pre-cooling process may be repeated after the supply process. In particular, the pre-cooling and supply processes may be repeated alternately, for example over the course of a number of days. During the pre-cooling process or the supply process, or before or after either process, the container may be re-filled, replenished, topped up or replaced with a full container. For example, a local mains water supply may be used to top up the water held in the container at the start of the first time period and / or during the course of the second time period to ensure a minimum water level in the container is maintained to handle demand from the dispensing system. An example of the pre-cooling process of the method 300 is shown in Figure 3B. This begins at step 310 by the pump pumping water from the container (via the manifold) to the active cooling module. The pumped water is then received at the cooling module and cooled at step 315. Specifically, the water is cooled to a target temperature or a range of target temperatures (or maintained at that target temperature / range). For example, step 315 may involve actively cooling the water received from the container to a temperature of at least around 3°C and no greater than around 5°C. The cooled water is then returned to the container at step 320. Although these steps are shown in sequence in Figure 3B, they may be performed simultaneously and continuously during the pre-cooling process. In particular, operating the pump may simultaneously cause water to flow from the container to the cooling module (step 310) and from the cooling module back to the container (step 320). Accordingly, the pre-cooling process may be performed by operating the pump and the cooling module (for example by one or more controllers configured to execute instructions for performing steps 310-320). In one example, a single controller may be configured to control both the pump and the cooling module in order to circulate water between the container and the cooling module and to cool the volume of water held in the container to a predetermined target temperature. The circulation of water from the container to the cooling module (via the pump) and back to the container during steps 310-320 of the pre-cooling process typically involves circulating water through at least a portion of the manifold (via a cooling outlet of the manifold). Accordingly, during the pre-cooling process, a valve or other flow control device may be used to prevent water circulating through the manifold and back to the container via a return outlet of the manifold. However, in other examples, the supply outlets of the manifold are closed (e.g. using control valves) and water is allowed to circulate around a loop from the container, through the manifold and back to the container via the manifold’s return outlet. This can allow the manifold to be cooled during the pre-cooling process, which can ensure all of the water in the apparatus is cooled during the first time period. This can avoid warmer water from gathering in parts of the manifold when the dispensing system is inactive. An example of the supply process of the method 300 is shown in Figure 3C. This begins with step 330 by the pump pumping the pre-cooled water from the container towards the one or more supply outlets of the manifold (for supplying the carbonators of the dispensing system). More specifically, this step can involve the pumping water around a loop from the container, through the manifold and back to the container via the manifold’s return outlet. Water can then be drawn from the manifold by the dispensing system via the one or more supply outlets. The supply process also includes the pump pumping water from the container to the cooling module at step 335, cooling the water received at the cooling module at step 340, and returning the cooled water back to the container at step 345. Accordingly, steps 335-345 allow the water in the container (and in the rest of the apparatus) to be continually cooled even when water is being supplied to the dispensing system, and these steps may correspond to the steps 310-320 performed during the pre-cooling process. Although the steps 330-345 are shown in sequence in Figure 3C, they may be performed simultaneously and continuously during the supply process. In particular, operating the pump may simultaneously cause water to flow from the container to the manifold supply outlets and to the cooling module (steps 330 and 335) and from the cooling module back to the container (step 345). Similarly to the pre-cooling process, the supply process may be performed by operating the pump and the cooling module (for example by one or more controllers configured to execute instructions for performing steps 330-345). For example, a single controller may be configured to control both the pump and the cooling module in order to circulate water between the container and the cooling module and to cool the water held in the container to a predetermined target temperature and to supply the cooled water to the one or more supply outlets. Where the apparatus also includes a coolant conduit for cooling carbonators of the dispensing system (such as the coolant conduit 145 described above in relation to Figure 1B), coolant may be circulated around the coolant conduit (e.g. by operating an associated pump) to cool the carbonators only during the supply process in the second time period. A specific example implementation of the method 300 for operating any of the apparatus disclosed herein for supplying water to a dispensing system will now be described. At a point in time during the night, the container of the apparatus is topped up or refilled with water (if not already full). A temperature of the supplied water may be similar to an ambient temperature - during the summer months, this may be at least around 15°C. This volume of water is then cooled to between 3°C and 5°C over the course of several hours (e.g. between the hours of 02:00 am and 05:00 am) by using the pump to circulate the water in the container through the cooling module. Water is also allowed to circulate through the manifold and back into the container during this time. Once the volume of water in the container has reached the desired temperature of 3-5°C, the pump and cooling module continue to operate to maintain this water temperature throughout the day. At around 10:00 am, the dispensing system is switched on and control valves on the manifold supply outlets are opened, thus allowing the dispensing system to draw pre-cooled water from the manifold. During the course of the day, the volume of water held in the container will reduce. Therefore, in order to continue meeting demand, the container is topped-up from a local (unreliable) water supply during the day. The water level is topped up continually or whenever it drops below a threshold level such as 25% of maximum capacity. However, the temperature of this additional water from the local water supply may be warm. For example, if the water level needs topping up during the mid-afternoon (e.g. after a spike in demand following the end of a performance at a music event), the water temperature of the local water supply may exceed 20°C. In order to account for this, control valves on the manifold supply outlets are closed or partially closed in order to allow time for the volume of water circulating around the apparatus to reach the desired target temperature (3-5°C), at which point the control valves are reopened. The water level may also be topped up at other points in the day to anticipate or react to spikes in demand. At the end of the day (e.g. midnight), the dispensing system is switched off and the supply outlet control valves closed, and the container is replenished ready to perform the pre-cooling process again during the night. As demonstrated above, the apparatus and methods described herein can allow chilled and pressure-regulated water to be supplied to beverage dispensing systems in an efficient manner, and they are particularly suited for use in remote or isolated locations. It will be appreciated from the discussion above that the examples shown in the Figures are merely exemplary and include features which may be generalised, removed or replaced as described herein and as set out in the claims. With reference to the drawings in general, it will be appreciated that schematic functional block diagrams are used to indicate functionality of systems and apparatus described herein. It will be appreciated however that the functionality need not be divided in this way and should not be taken to imply any particular structure of hardware other than that described and claimed below. The function of one or more of the elements shown in the drawings may be further subdivided, and / or distributed throughout apparatus of the disclosure. In some embodiments the function of one or more elements shown in the drawings may be integrated into a single functional unit. Although the apparatus and methods described above relate to supplying water, the same apparatus and methods may be used to supply other types of liquids, such as water solutions, pumpable dairy products, alcohols, oils, or other liquid to be processed that require precise temperature and pressure control. Additionally or alternatively, although the described apparatus and methods are described in the context of supplying a beverage dispensing system with water, they may be used to supply a liquid to any other type of liquid dispensing or processing system. The above embodiments and examples are to be understood as illustrative examples. Further embodiments, aspects or examples are envisaged. It is to be understood that any feature 5 described in relation to any one embodiment, aspect or example may be used alone, or in combination with other features described, and may also be used in combination with one or more features of any other of the embodiments, aspects or examples, or any combination of any other of the embodiments, aspects or examples. Furthermore, equivalents and modifications not described above may also be employed without departing from the scope of 10 the invention, which is defined in the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. Apparatus for supplying water to an at least partially isolated beverage dispensing system, the apparatus comprising:a refillable container configured to hold a volume of water;a pump configured to pump water out of the container;a manifold comprising:an inlet configured to receive water from the pump, andone or more supply outlets each configured to couple to a respective carbonator of a beverage dispensing system; andan active cooling module configured to receive water from the container, cool the received water and return the cooled water to the container.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the active cooling module is configured to cool the volume of water held in the container during a first time period during which the beverage dispensing system is inactive.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2, wherein the active cooling module is further configured to cool the one or more carbonators;optionally wherein the active cooling module is configured to cool the one or more carbonators and the volume of water held in the container during a second time period during which the beverage dispensing system is active.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the active cooling module comprises a coolant conduit configured to attach to one or more insulative coverings to thermally couple to the one or more carbonators, and a secondary pump configured to pump a coolant around the coolant conduit.

5. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the manifold further comprises a return outlet configured to fluidically couple to the container to return water from the manifold to the container.

6. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the manifold further comprises at least one of:a cooling outlet configured to couple to the cooling module, wherein the cooling module is configured to receive water from the container via the cooling outlet; and / oran additional supply outlet configured to couple to a dispenser of the beverage dispensing system.

7. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the manifold comprises one or more modular manifold sections each configured to reversibly attach to and detach from at least one other modular manifold section, wherein each modular manifold section comprises one of the supply outlets.

8. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the manifold comprises a primary conduit having a first diameter, wherein each supply outlet is fluidically coupled to the primary conduit via a branch conduit having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter;optionally wherein a ratio of the first diameter to the second diameter is at least 2, preferably at least 3.

9. The apparatus of any preceding claim, further comprising a pressure regulating valve configured to fluidically couple to the manifold and configured to control a pressure of water flow in the manifold, optionally wherein the pressure regulating valve is disposed in a primary conduit of the manifold.

10. The apparatus of any preceding claim, further comprising a control valve fluidically coupled to each supply outlet of the manifold and configured to control a flow of water through the respective supply outlet, optionally wherein each control valve comprises a pressure regulating valve or a balancing valve.

11. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the apparatus is configured to be reversibly transitioned between a deployed configuration and a stowed configuration;wherein in the deployed configuration, the container is fluidically coupled to the active cooling module and to the manifold inlet via the pump; andwherein in the stowed configuration, the container is fluidically decoupled from the manifold, the active cooling module and the pump;optionally wherein the container is replaceable.

12. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the container is configured to hold a volume of water of at least 500 litres, at least 700 litres, or at least 1000 litres.

13. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the beverage dispensing system comprises one or more post-mix dispensers configured to receive carbonated water fromthe one or more carbonators and optionally mix the carbonated water with one or more syrups.

14. A method for supplying water to an at least partially isolated beverage dispensing system using apparatus comprising a refillable container configured to hold a volume of water, a pump configured to pump water out of the container, a manifold comprising an inlet and one or more supply outlets each configured to couple to a respective carbonator of the beverage dispensing system, and an active cooling module configured to cool water held in the container, the method comprising:performing a pre-cooling process during a first time period during which the beverage dispensing system is inactive, the pre-cooling process comprising:pumping, by the pump, water from the container to the active cooling module;cooling, by the active cooling module, the water received from the container; andreturning the cooled water from the active cooling module to the container; and performing a supply process during a second time period during which the beverage dispensing system is active, the supply process comprising:pumping, by the pump, the water in the container cooled during the pre-cooling process to the one or more supply outlets of the manifold;pumping, by the pump, water from the container to the active cooling module;cooling, by the active cooling module, the water received from the container; and;returning the cooled water from the active cooling module to the container.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first time period comprises a time period of reduced ambient temperature, optionally during nighttime.

16. The method of claim 14 or 15, wherein the pre-cooling process comprises cooling the water received from the container to a target water temperature of between 3 °C and 5 °C.

17. The method of any of claims 14 to 16, wherein pumping water to the one or more carbonators comprises circulating, by the pump, water around a loop from the container to the manifold and back to the container via a return outlet of the manifold.

18. The method of any of claims 14 to 17, further comprising supplying the container with water from a water source before performing the pre-cooling process and / or after performing the supply process.

19. The method of any of claims 14 to 18, further comprising repeating the pre-cooling process and the supply process alternately, optionally by performing the pre-cooling process during nighttime and performing the supply process during daytime over a plurality of days.

20. A computer program, computer program product or computer-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of any of claims 14 to 19.

21. A modular manifold for providing water to an at least partially isolated beverage dispensing system, the manifold comprising:an inlet configured to receive a flow of water from a refillable container;a return outlet configured to return the flow of water towards the container;a primary conduit fluidically coupled to the inlet and the return outlet and configured to direct the flow of water from the inlet to the return outlet, wherein the primary conduit is formed of a plurality of modular sections each comprising a primary conduit section and configured to reversibly attach to and detach from at least one other modular section; anda pressure regulating valve fluidically coupled to the primary conduit;wherein at least one of the modular sections comprises a supply outlet configured to couple to a respective carbonator of a beverage dispensing system.

22. The manifold of claim 21, further comprising a cooling outlet disposed between the inlet and the return outlet, wherein the cooling outlet is configured to fluidically couple to an active cooling module.

23. The manifold of claim 21 or 22, wherein each modular section that comprises a supply outlet comprises a branch conduit fluidically coupled, at a first end, to the primary conduit section and comprising, at a second end, the respective supply outlet, wherein the primary conduit comprises a first diameter that is greater than a second diameter of the branch conduit;optionally wherein a ratio of the first diameter to the second diameter is at least 2, preferably at least 3.

24. The manifold of any of claims 21 to 23, further comprising a control valve fluidically coupled to each supply outlet of the manifold, wherein each control valve is configured to control a flow of water through the respective supply outlet, optionally wherein each control valve comprises a pressure regulating valve or a balancing valve.

25. The manifold of any of claims 21 to 24, wherein the primary conduit comprises a first diameter that is greater than a diameter of the inlet and / or the return outlet, optionally wherein a ratio of the first diameter to the diameter of the inlet and / or the return outlet is at least 1.25, preferably greater than 1.5 or greater than 2, more preferably greater than 3.AMENDMENTS TO THE CLAIMS HAVE BEEN FILED AS FOLLOWS:06 08 2530Claims1. A modular manifold for providing water to an at least partially isolated beverage dispensing system, the manifold comprising:an inlet configured to receive a flow of water from a refillable container;a return outlet configured to return the flow of water towards the container;a primary conduit fluidically coupled to the inlet and the return outlet and configured to direct the flow of water from the inlet to the return outlet, wherein the primary conduit is formed of a plurality of modular sections each comprising a primary conduit section and configured to reversibly attach to and detach from at least one other modular section; anda pressure regulating valve fluidically coupled to the primary conduit;wherein at least one of the modular sections comprises a supply outlet configured to couple to a respective carbonator of a beverage dispensing system.

2. The manifold of claim 1, further comprising a cooling outlet disposed between the inlet and the return outlet, wherein the cooling outlet is configured to fluidically couple to an active cooling module.

3. The manifold of claim 1 or 2, wherein each modular section that comprises a supply outlet comprises a branch conduit fluidically coupled, at a first end, to the primary conduit section and comprising, at a second end, the respective supply outlet, wherein the primary conduit comprises a first diameter that is greater than a second diameter of the branch conduit.

4. The manifold of claim 3, wherein a ratio of the first diameter to the second diameter is at least 2, preferably at least 3.

5. The manifold of any preceding claim, further comprising a control valve fluidically coupled to each supply outlet of the manifold, wherein each control valve is configured to control a flow of water through the respective supply outlet.

6. The manifold of claim 5, wherein each control valve comprises a pressure regulating valve or a balancing valve.

7. The manifold of any preceding claim, wherein the primary conduit comprises a first diameter that is greater than a diameter of the inlet and / or the return outlet.

8. The manifold of claim 7, wherein a ratio of the first diameter to the diameter of the inlet and / or the return outlet is at least 1.25, preferably greater than 1.5 or greater than 2, moreLO CXICOpreferably greater than 3.

9. The manifold of any preceding claim, further comprising an additional supply outlet configured to couple to a dispenser of the beverage dispensing system.

10. Apparatus for supplying water to an at least partially isolated beverage dispensing system, the apparatus comprising:the modular manifold of any preceding claim;a refillable container configured to hold a volume of water;a pump configured to pump water out of the container, wherein the inlet of the manifold is configured to receive water from the pump; andan active cooling module configured to receive water from the container, cool the received water and return the cooled water to the container.Application No: GB2503862.1Examiner: Dr S. ten CateClaims searched: 1-20Date of search: 31 March 2025Patents Act 1977: Search Report under Section 17Documents considered to be relevant:Category Relevant to claims Identity of document and passage or figure of particular relevance X X X 1-3, 5, 6, 9-20 1-3, 5, 6, 9-20 1-3, 5, 6, 9-11, 13-20 DE 202011000505 UI (BRITA GMBH) EPO abstract and figures US 2010 / 0319878 Al (KIM) Fig. 5 and its description JP H08230993 A (YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO LTD et al.) EPO abstract and Fig. 1Categories: X Document indicating lack of novelty or inventive step A Document indicating technological background and / or state of the art. Y Document indicating lack of inventive step if combined with one or more other documents of same category. P Document published on or after the declared priority date but before the filing date of this invention. & Member of the same patent family E Patent document published on or after, but with priority date earlier than, the filing date of this application.Field of Search:Search of GB, EP, WO &US patent documents classified in the following areas of the UKCX :Worldwide search of patent documents classified in the following areas of the IPC_____________A47J; B67D; F25D________________________________________________The following online and other databases have been used in the preparation of this search reportSEARCH-PATENTInternational Classification:Subclass Subgroup Valid From B67D 0001 / 08 01 / 01 / 2006 B67D 0001 / 00 01 / 01 / 2006 B67D 0007 / 78 01 / 01 / 2010 B67D 0007 / 80 01 / 01 / 2010 B67D 0001 / 00 01 / 01 / 2006Application No: GB2503862.1 Examiner: Dr S. ten CateClaims searched: 21-25 Date of search: 4 July 2025Patents Act 1977Further Search Report under Section 17Documents considered to be relevant:Category Relevant to claims Identity of document and passage or figure of particular relevance A A - US 2005 / 0230421 Al (MORROW et al.) WO 2017 / 083359 Al (MANITOWOC FOODSERVICE COMPANIES LLC)Categories: X Document indicating lack of novelty or inventive step A Document indicating technological background and / or state of the art. Y Document indicating lack of inventive step if combined with one or more other documents of same category. P Document published on or after the declared priority date but before the filing date of this invention. & Member of the same patent family E Patent document published on or after, but with priority date earlier than, the filing date of this application.Field of Search:Search of GB, EP, WO &US patent documents classified in the following areas of the UKCX :Worldwide search of patent documents classified in the following areas of the IPC_____________ B67D___________________________________________________ The following online and other databases have been used in the preparation of this search report SEARCH-PATENTInternational Classification:Subclass Subgroup Valid From B67D 0001 / 08 01 / 01 / 2006 B67D 0001 / 00 01 / 01 / 2006 B67D 0007 / 78 01 / 01 / 2010 B67D 0007 / 80 01 / 01 / 2010 B67D 0001 / 00 01 / 01 / 2006

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