Beverage Dispenser Liner Bag Isolates Gas Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for dispensing beverages like beer and spring water often lead to deterioration due to air exposure, contamination, and pressure-related issues, which affect taste and quality, especially in traditional draught systems and kegs.
Innovation Solution
A deformable/collapsible liner bag membrane is used within a housing to contain and isolate the beverage from pressurization media, allowing controlled aeration, de-aeration, and temperature conditioning, while providing a flexible solution for dispensing from conventional containers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional draught systems are used for dispensing beer, then the beverage can be dispensed without artificial pressurisation, but the beverage deteriorates rapidly due to air exposure and contamination once the cask is opened
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the storage container into two separate compartments: an inner liner bag containing the beverage and an outer container holding the pressurisation gas. This segmentation prevents direct contact between the beverage and gas, allowing pressurisation without contamination. The liner bag acts as a separate barrier that maintains beverage quality while enabling controlled dispensing through pressure application.
Solution Approach 2:
The liner bag serves as an intermediary barrier between the beverage and the pressurisation gas. It transmits the pressure from the gas to the beverage without allowing direct contact, thus preventing contamination while enabling the pressurisation needed for reliable dispensing. This mediator resolves the contradiction by allowing pressure application without compromising beverage quality.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If pressurised kegs with external gas supply are used, then the beverage can be dispensed to higher levels and storage life is extended, but the beverage is contaminated by direct contact with pressurisation gas and requires pasteurisation and filtering
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the pressurisation gas and beverage into separate compartments, with the liner bag forming a barrier between them. This allows the use of pressurisation gas to extend storage life and enable dispensing to higher levels while preventing the gas from contaminating the beverage, eliminating the need for pasteurisation and filtering.
Solution Approach 2:
The liner bag acts as an intermediary that allows pressure transmission from the gas to the beverage without direct contact. This resolves the contradiction by enabling the beneficial effects of pressurisation (extended storage life, elevated dispensing capability) while blocking the harmful effect (gas contamination).
3Ease of operation
If hand pumps are used for dispensing real ale, then the beverage can be dispensed without artificial carbonation, but the system requires priming and careful handling to avoid unintended frothing and aeration
Solution Approach 1:
The pressurisation system is self-regulating through the liner bag mechanism. The gas pressure automatically controls the beverage flow without requiring user priming or careful handling adjustments. The system self-adjusts to prevent frothing and aeration, resolving the contradiction by making the system both simple to operate and reliable in its dispensing consistency.
4Strength
If conventional rigid containers are used for pressurised storage, then the container can withstand high pressure, but the container cannot be easily adapted to existing conventional container stock and lacks flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The liner bag is constructed from flexible material that can withstand pressurisation while conforming to the shape of the outer container. This flexible film approach allows the system to be adapted to existing conventional container stock while maintaining the necessary pressure resistance for safe dispensing, resolving the contradiction between strength and adaptability.
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 maintains beverage quality by preventing air exposure and contamination, allowing for customizable aeration and temperature control, thus extending the freshness and taste of dispensed beverages.
Implementation Method 1
pressure transfer between pressurisation medium and bag contents
Implementation Method 2
A deformable/collapsible liner bag or membrane for containing material to be dispensed
Data Source
AI summary
A beverage dispenser is configured as an outer pressure vessel (12) with one or more internal liner bags (11) for respective content, the dispenser having one or more content pathways, a selector valve connected to the content pathways for selection and proportion mix, a pressurization port in the container for charging the container externally of the liner bags and to promote discharge through the pathways, a bleed valve from a pressurized gas supply for selective gas injection at or close to a point of dispensing with a facility to pre-mix and feedback the pre-mix to a dedicated liner bag.