Beverage Dispensing System With Dual Bladder Pressure Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Carbonated beverages face inefficiencies in storage, transportation, and dispensing due to cylindrical designs of cans and bottles, leading to wasted beverages, oxidation, and loss of carbonation, as well as increased shipping costs and logistical challenges with kegs.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a container with a first bladder for storing liquid and a second bladder to exert pressure, maintaining carbonation by minimizing atmospheric exposure through a pump and support structure, which can be rectangular in shape for improved packing efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If carbonated beverages are stored in large vessels (kegs), then storage capacity is improved, but beverage waste increases and carbonation is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The beverage storage system is segmented into multiple smaller containers (cans or bottles) within a single shipping case, replacing the single large keg. This allows the beverage to be divided into discrete portions that can be individually sealed and preserved, preventing waste from oxidation and carbonation loss while maintaining high storage capacity through efficient stacking arrangements.
2Reliability
If glass bottles are used for storage, then beverage protection is improved, but transportation cost increases due to weight
Solution Approach 1:
The material parameter of the beverage container is changed from glass to aluminum, which has significantly lower density and weight. This parameter change maintains the protective function of the container while dramatically reducing transportation costs. The aluminum cans are designed with sufficient wall thickness and structural reinforcement to provide adequate protection for the beverage during shipping and handling.
3Ease of manufacture
If cylindrical cans are used for storage, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but packing efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The packaging system transitions from two-dimensional stacking of individual cylindrical cans to a three-dimensional nested arrangement where multiple cans are stacked vertically within a single can, and multiple such stacks are arranged within a shipping case. This dimensional optimization maximizes the use of vertical space and reduces wasted volume, achieving superior packing efficiency while maintaining the manufacturing simplicity of standard cylindrical aluminum cans.
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 system maintains high carbonation levels, extends shelf life, and achieves efficient packing and transportation by reducing headspace formation and oxidation, while offering a more cost-effective and logistically simpler solution compared to traditional containers.
Implementation Method 1
a first bladder for storing a liquid and a second bladder to exert pressure on the first bladder to dispense the liquid contained in the first bladder
Implementation Method 2
A pump may be attached to the second bladder, through the container, to fill the second bladder, for example, with atmosphere, a gas, or other fluid
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure describes a system, apparatus, and method for storing, transporting, delivering, and dispensing carbonated beverages that maintains a high degree of carbonation and extends the shelf life of the beverage. The system includes a container that includes an outlet for dispensing the beverage. Disposed within the container is a first bladder that contains a fluid and an apparatus for exerting a constant pressure on the first bladder. The fluid is dispensed from the first bladder through the outlet, in response to the apparatus exerting pressure on the first bladder.