Beverage Carbonation System with Gas Recirculation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage carbonation systems require consumers to purchase pre-carbonated beverages, which can be costly and inconvenient, as they involve preparation, shipping, and potential spoilage, leading to higher costs and maintenance issues.
Innovation Solution
A home-based beverage carbonation system that includes a carbonator and a container with valves and a flow path, allowing for in-situ carbonation within the container, using a carbonation chamber with a carbonation source and a pump to generate CO2 gas, and recirculating it into the beverage, while maintaining system pressure to evacuate byproducts, reducing maintenance and increasing convenience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pre-carbonated beverages are purchased from factories, then beverage carbonation is achieved, but cost and convenience deteriorate due to preparation, shipping, and potential spoilage
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables consumers to carbonate beverages themselves at home using a carbonation chamber, CO2 source, and control system, eliminating the need to purchase pre-carbonated beverages and thereby improving convenience while maintaining carbonation quality
Solution Approach 2:
The system separates the carbonation function from the beverage storage function, with dedicated components including a carbonation chamber for CO2 generation, a beverage container for storage, and a pump system for fluid circulation, enabling reliable carbonation while simplifying consumer operation
2Reliability
If pre-carbonated beverages are prepared at factory and shipped, then beverage carbonation is achieved, but cost increases due to preparation, shipping, and travel
Solution Approach 1:
The home carbonation system allows consumers to produce their own carbonated beverages using locally available ingredients and a reusable CO2 source, eliminating shipping costs and reducing the cost per beverage while maintaining consistent carbonation quality
Solution Approach 2:
The system recycles CO2 gas back into the carbonation chamber after it exits the beverage container, and the beverage container itself serves as the carbonation vessel, reducing waste and enabling cost-effective repeated use
3Ease of operation
If in-situ carbonation is implemented, then convenience improves, but system complexity increases due to valves, flow paths, and pressure control
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple functions into integrated components: the beverage container serves as both storage and carbonation chamber, the pump system handles both fluid circulation and pressure control, and the valve system manages both CO2 delivery and beverage dispensing, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining convenience
Solution Approach 2:
The beverage container is designed to serve multiple functions: storing non-carbonated beverage, serving as the carbonation chamber during carbonation, and functioning as the dispensing container, thereby simplifying the overall system structure while improving convenience
4Productivity
If CO2 gas is generated and recirculated, then carbonation efficiency improves, but maintenance issues arise from byproduct accumulation
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts reaction byproducts from the carbonation chamber through a dedicated byproduct outlet and evacuation system, separating the byproduct removal function from the carbonation process and enabling efficient carbonation while simplifying maintenance through automatic byproduct evacuation
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the generated CO2 gas pressure itself to evacuate byproducts from the carbonation chamber, eliminating the need for separate pumping or mechanical evacuation systems and reducing maintenance requirements while maintaining high carbonation efficiency
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
Enables consumers to cost-effectively carbonate beverages at home, reducing waste and maintenance, as the system allows for in-situ carbonation, efficient gas recirculation, and easy byproduct evacuation, making the process more convenient and efficient.
Implementation Method 1
a pump to move liquid from the reservoir into the carbonation chamber
Implementation Method 2
generate carbon dioxide gas in the carbonation chamber from an aqueous solution including the pumped liquid and a carbonation source
Implementation Method 3
closing the carbonator outlet valve thereby retaining an above-atmospheric system pressure within the fluid flow path
Implementation Method 4
directing the generated carbon dioxide gas along a fluid flow path into contact with a beverage in a beverage container
Implementation Method 5
recirculating, using the pump, carbon dioxide gas exiting the beverage container back along the fluid flow path and back into the beverage container
Data Source
AI summary
A beverage carbonator is included. The carbonator has a carbonator outlet, a carbonator inlet, and a fluid flow path extending between the carbonator outlet and the carbonator inlet. A carbonation chamber has a carbonation chamber gas outlet fluidly coupled to the fluid flow path and a carbonation chamber fluid inlet. A liquid reservoir is positioned upstream from the carbonation chamber fluid inlet. A flow valve is movable between a reservoir-connected position and a gas-recirculation position. A pump is fluidly coupled to the fluid flow path downstream of the flow valve.