Beer Dispensing Flow Restrictor Mitigating Foam Formation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beer dispensing systems often result in excessive foam formation when dispensing carbonated or nitrogenated beverages, particularly in outdoor or portable settings where direct keg dispensing is required, lacking effective control over foam generation.
Innovation Solution
A conduit with a flow restrictor, such as a venturi-shaped aperture, is used to moderate pressure changes and reduce foam formation, featuring a gradual increase in diameter downstream of the restrictor and optionally multiple apertures in series to manage pressure drops, integrated into a dispensing tube that can be formed or compressed for installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If pressure is applied to dispense beer quickly, then dispensing speed increases, but foam formation increases excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The flow restrictor is divided into multiple apertures arranged in series, creating sequential pressure drops. Each aperture moderates the pressure change individually, preventing sudden pressure transitions that cause excessive foaming while maintaining overall dispensing speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The venturi-shaped aperture with a controlled back angle (less than 24 degrees, preferably about 20 degrees or less) changes the geometric parameters of the flow path. This gradual expansion geometry modifies the pressure and flow velocity parameters to reduce foam formation while preserving dispensing rate.
2Stress or pressure
If a flow restrictor with abrupt diameter change is used, then pressure drop is achieved, but foam formation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The venturi-shaped aperture employs curved surfaces instead of abrupt transitions. The gradual expansion with a controlled back angle creates smooth flow paths that prevent turbulence and localized low-pressure zones, thereby reducing off-gassing and foam formation while maintaining the necessary pressure drop.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If multiple apertures are used in series, then foam control improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple apertures are merged into a single integrated venturi-shaped flow restrictor component. This consolidation achieves the foam control benefits of multiple pressure drops while avoiding the complexity of separate components, simplifying installation and maintenance.
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
The solution effectively minimizes foam formation during beer dispensing, maintaining a controlled flow rate and pressure drop to prevent excessive foaming, making it suitable for both domestic and portable beer dispensing applications.
Implementation Method 1
The conduit contains at least one aperture which is venturi-shaped. It is desirable, particularly in the case of beer dispensing operations, that such a venturi has a back angle of less than 24 degrees, preferably about 20 degrees or less, and even more preferably, about 15 degrees or less.
Implementation Method 2
each such being adapted to pass the gasified liquid flowing through the conduit and across a pressure drop from a higher-pressure upstream side of the aperture to a lower-pressure downstream side of the aperture
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a conduit for conducting gasified liquid, which has a flow restrictor arranged in in-line relation therewith. The restrictor itself comprises an at least one aperture (although two or more can be used in series), with each such being adapted to pass the gasified liquid flowing through the conduit and across a pressure drop from a higher-pressure upstream side of the aperture to a lower-pressure downstream side of the aperture. The aperture is operable to moderate the rate of change in pressure over a transitional pressure drop to mitigate the formation of localized pressures below a critical pressure at which off-gassing from the carbonated liquid results in substantial foam formation. The conduit may take the form of a dispensing tube for use in dispensing an alcoholic beverage from a keg, the tube having a flexible wall deformable under the influence of a restricting actuator to control the partial collapse of the wall and thereby form the restrictor. The tube or flow diameter downstream of the restrictor only gradually or slowly increases.