Closed Beverage Cooling Loop with Flash Chilling Heat Exchangers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for cooling and remote dispensing of beverages, such as draft beer, face challenges including temperature fluctuations in walk-in coolers leading to warmer beverages at the spigot, inefficiencies in glycol flowlines, and the need for multiple chillers and open bath heat exchangers that require maintenance and non-food grade coolants.
Innovation Solution
A closed system utilizing a sealed loop of circulating coolant for two-stage heat exchange, with vertically mounted thermal heat exchangers that flash chill beverages directly after siphoning, eliminating the need for open baths and minimizing cooling distance, and using a plated evaporator for efficient cooling without electricity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If walk-in cooler is used extensively during peak operating hours with repeated door openings, then the cooler can serve high volumes of customers, but the temperature of the beer in kegs rises to 50°F-60°F or higher causing foam at the spigot
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary cooling by circulating glycol through coils submerged in beer kegs before dispensing occurs. This pre-cools the beer so that even when cooler temperature rises during peak hours, the beer remains at proper dispensing temperature (32°F or lower), preventing foam formation at the spigot
Solution Approach 2:
The glycol circulation system acts as an intermediary cooling mechanism between the walk-in cooler and the beer kegs. The glycol absorbs heat from the beer kegs independently of the cooler's ambient temperature, ensuring consistent beer temperature regardless of cooler fluctuations during high-volume service
2Temperature
If glycol flowlines are used for cooling, then cooling can be provided, but a minimum cooling distance of approximately 75 feet is required to achieve 32°F at the spigot
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces the mechanical glycol flowline cooling system with a thermal mass-based cooling approach using ice blocks directly in contact with beer kegs. This eliminates the need for long-distance glycol circulation and complex pumping systems, achieving effective cooling over very short distances through direct thermal contact
3Use of energy by moving object
If open bath heat exchanger with coils is used, then heat exchange can occur, but the glycol is subject to dilution from humidity absorption requiring routine maintenance and replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses sealed plastic bags containing ice or coolant as thermal mass containers. These sealed membranes prevent contact between the cooling medium and the beer, eliminating dilution issues while maintaining efficient heat transfer through the thin flexible container walls, and require no maintenance
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple main chillers are used to accommodate larger beverage selections, then more beverages can be cooled, but extra real estate is required in the restaurant or bar
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a single multi-functional cooling unit that can accommodate multiple beer kegs of different sizes and types simultaneously. The universal cooling chamber design allows one chiller to serve the entire beverage selection needs, eliminating the requirement for multiple separate chillers and reducing space requirements
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 ensures a consistent beverage temperature at the spigot, reduces waste, and eliminates the need for multiple chillers, while being compact, efficient, and requiring minimal maintenance, with the ability to adapt to temperature fluctuations and eliminate foam production.
Implementation Method 1
a first thermal heat exchanger in communication to receive the beverage and flash chill the temperature of the beverage to a temperature of the coolant on the return line or the supply line
Implementation Method 2
employs thermal heat exchangers in the cooler to rapidly ramp-up (flash chilling) the temperature of the beverage using the temperature of the coolant on the return line or the supply line
Data Source
AI summary
A closed system and method of cooling and remote dispensing beverages (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) to a remote dispensing tower. The closed system employs a closed and sealed loop of continuously circulating coolant. The continuously circulating coolant is daisy chained through a bank of heat exchangers in the closed and sealed loop. Each heat exchanger flash chills a corresponding one beverage to be dispended at the remote dispensing tower via a primary trunk line. The primary trunk line communicates the flash chilled beverage in heat exchange relationship with a supply line of said coolant.