Apparatus and process for preparing hot beverages such as coffee, tea, tisanes and other infusions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current coffee machines pose safety risks due to high-pressure and high-temperature storage of water, leading to potential explosions and food contamination, and are complex and costly to maintain.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus employs a first pre-heating tank that maintains water at a pressure equal to or less than 0.5 bar and a second continuous flow heater to heat the water to a desired temperature, eliminating the need for a pressurized boiler and simplifying the hydraulic circuit, while ensuring safe and efficient beverage preparation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a pressurized boiler is used to store hot water for beverage preparation, then the machine can quickly prepare beverages with high thermal power, but the risk of tank explosion and safety accidents increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating system is divided into multiple independent heating zones (first heating zone, second heating zone, third heating zone) that can operate independently. Each zone has its own heating element and temperature control, allowing the system to provide high thermal power when needed while maintaining safety through distributed, lower-pressure operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the operation of different heating zones based on demand. The controller can activate only the necessary heating zones depending on the beverage type and volume required, providing high thermal power output when multiple beverages are prepared simultaneously while reducing energy consumption and safety risks during low-demand periods.
2Productivity
If a pressurized boiler is used to store hot water, then beverage preparation can be performed quickly, but the complexity of the hydraulic circuit and certification requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The hydraulic circuit is segmented into multiple independent water paths, each serving specific functions (hot water supply, steam generation, cleaning). This modular approach simplifies the overall system design by allowing each segment to be optimized independently and reduces the complexity of pressure management and safety certification requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts and separates the high-pressure storage function from the heating function. Instead of storing hot water under pressure in a single boiler, the system uses separate tanks for hot water storage and generates pressure only when needed for specific beverage preparation tasks, thereby simplifying the hydraulic circuit and reducing certification requirements.
3Temperature
If a pressurized boiler is used, then high temperature and pressure can be maintained for beverage preparation, but heavy metals may be released into the water
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically controls the temperature and pressure conditions in different heating zones based on the specific beverage preparation requirements. By maintaining the minimum necessary temperature and pressure rather than continuously high conditions, the system reduces the release of heavy metals from contact surfaces while still achieving effective beverage preparation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses multiple heating zones that can be independently controlled, allowing it to create different temperature and pressure conditions optimized for different beverage types. This eliminates the need for a single high-temperature, high-pressure boiler that would continuously release heavy metals, as each zone operates at the minimum necessary conditions for its specific function.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enhances safety by reducing explosion risks, simplifies maintenance and certification, and lowers energy consumption while enabling versatile beverage preparation with improved quality and reduced heavy metal extraction.
Implementation Method 1
The first fluid heater (3) comprises a pre-heating tank (7) arranged for contain and accumulate fluid to be treated and arranged for heat the fluid to be treated; The first fluid heater (3) is arranged for heat the fluid to be treated to a first desired temperature
Implementation Method 2
The second fluid heater (5) comprises a continuous flow heater (51) arranged for heat the pre-heated water which comes from the pre-heating tank (7)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The apparatus (1) according to the invention for preparing hot beverages such as coffee, tea, tisanes and other infusions comprises a pump (13), a first (3) and a second fluid heater (5, 20) each arranged for heat a fluid to be treated such as water. The second fluid heater (5, 20) comprises a continuous flow heater (51) arranged for heat the fluid to be treated which is heated in and comes from the first fluid heater (3). The first fluid heater (3) comprises a pre-heating tank (7) arranged for contain and accumulate fluid to be treated. The pump (13) is arranged for increase the pressure of the fluid to be treated coming from the pre-heating tank (7) and directed towards the second fluid heater (5). It allows to greatly expand the range of infusions which a coffee machine can prepare and to use a water tank at ambient pressure.