Beverage Plant Sanitization Monitoring via External Line Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current monitoring systems for beverage dispensing plants lack comprehensive sanitization quality monitoring and are often incompatible with multi-manufacturer setups, leading to limited measurement capabilities and potential system damage or safety certification issues.
Innovation Solution
A centralized monitoring system with sensors on electrical, pneumatic, or hydraulic lines, and a monitoring unit that detects and correlates physical parameters to assess the sanitization process, including pressure, energy consumption, and carbon dioxide levels, allowing for real-time detection and analysis of sanitization quality without modifying existing systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If proprietary sensors are inserted into devices and plants for monitoring, then measurement capabilities are improved, but system compatibility and safety certification are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary monitoring device that connects to plants through non-intrusive interfaces (electrical, pneumatic, or hydraulic lines) rather than inserting proprietary sensors into the plant components. This intermediary approach enables measurement of physical parameters (pressure, temperature, flow rate, energy consumption) without compromising the plant's safety certification or requiring structural modifications.
2Adaptability or versatility
If centralized monitoring systems integrate multiple manufacturers' plants, then system versatility is improved, but compatibility and integration complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring device is designed with universal functionality to interface with plants from different manufacturers through standard electrical, pneumatic, or hydraulic connections. It can detect and correlate physical parameters across diverse plant types (beverage dispensing, coffee machines, ice makers) without requiring manufacturer-specific proprietary sensors, thereby achieving multi-manufacturer compatibility while maintaining relatively simple device architecture.
3Adaptability or versatility
If structural modifications are made to integrate non-proprietary plants, then system adaptability is improved, but safety certification and system integrity are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs an intermediary monitoring device that attaches to or connects with plant external lines rather than modifying the plant's internal structure. This allows the system to adapt to non-proprietary plants from different manufacturers while preserving the original plant's structural integrity and maintaining its safety certification, as no prohibited structural modifications are made.
4Measurement precision
If comprehensive parameter monitoring is implemented, then sanitization quality detection is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple physical parameter measurements (pressure, temperature, flow rate, energy consumption) into a single integrated monitoring device. By merging these detection functions and correlating the parameters together, the system achieves comprehensive sanitization quality assessment without requiring separate complex systems for each parameter, thereby improving detection capability while controlling device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a monitoring system for controlling a plant, such as a beverage dispensing plant, said plant being comprising one or more apparatuses connected to one another or to other apparatuses external to said plant by electrical, pneumatic or hydraulic lines. The monitoring system comprises a plurality of detection sensors (Spower, SCO2, Tambiente (bevanda), Tambiente (impianto), Sp_Aria) sensor, positioned on at least one of said electrical, pneumatic or hydraulic lines, and a monitoring unit, provided with transceiver means and connected to said detection sensors, is configured to receive the data detected by said detection sensors, determine the values and trends over time of the respective parameters of said detection sensors by comparing them with average variable values and/or trends to verify the operation of said plant. The invention also relates to a method for detecting and monitoring the sanitization of a beverage dispensing plant.