Contact Cooling Surface for Beverage Dispensing System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Beverage dispensing systems face challenges in rapid cooling of beverage containers, leading to extended downtime and energy consumption, especially when collapsible containers are used, as conventional air-based convective cooling is inefficient and requires cold storage rooms.
Innovation Solution
A beverage dispensing system utilizing a contact cooling surface that contacts at least 10% of the container surface, made of high thermal conductivity materials, to enhance cooling efficiency through conductive cooling, reducing cooling time significantly by using a Peltier element or cooling device connected to a compressor and heat sink.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If convective air cooling is used to cool beverage containers, then the system structure is simple, but the cooling time is excessively long (up to 24 hours)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cooling plate as an intermediary thermal conductor between the cooling device and the beverage container. The cooling plate contacts the outer surface of the beverage container, enabling efficient heat transfer from the beverage through the container wall to the cooling plate, which is connected to a compressor-based refrigeration system. This intermediary structure achieves rapid cooling without requiring complex direct immersion systems.
2Temperature
If cold storage rooms are used to pre-cool beverage containers, then the cooling effectiveness is high, but the energy consumption and space requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary cooling action by pre-chilling the cooling plate before beverage container installation. The control unit activates the cooling device in advance to lower the temperature of the cooling plate, so that when the beverage container is installed, immediate efficient heat transfer occurs. This eliminates the need for continuous cold storage room operation while maintaining effective cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The beverage container itself serves as the cooling chamber during the cooling process. The container's walls act as the thermal interface, and the system uses the beverage's own thermal mass and the container structure to facilitate cooling, eliminating the need for separate cold storage infrastructure.
3Loss of time
If ice and water contact cooling is used, then the cooling speed is fast, but the system generates large quantities of liquid water that must be disposed of
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical ice-water cooling system with an evaporative compression refrigeration system. Instead of using phase-change ice and water contact, the system uses a compressor-based refrigeration cycle that circulates refrigerant through evaporator coils integrated into the cooling plate, achieving rapid cooling without liquid water generation or disposal issues.
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 can cool beverages from room temperature to the optimal dispensing temperature of 7°C within three hours, reducing downtime and energy consumption by achieving faster heat transfer compared to convective air cooling.
Implementation Method 1
The cooling element (30) is connected to a cooling device (34) and defines a contact cooling surface (46) which is shaped to adapt to the cylindrical container wall (44) and to receive the cylindrical container wall (44) by a tight fit of a section of the cylindrical container wall (44).
Implementation Method 2
The system can cool beverages from room temperature to the optimal dispensing temperature of 7°C within three hours, reducing downtime and energy consumption by achieving faster heat transfer compared to convective air cooling.
Implementation Method 3
A beverage dispensing system utilizing a contact cooling surface that contacts at least 10% of the container surface, made of high thermal conductivity materials, to enhance cooling efficiency through conductive cooling
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3A~3C
Figure 4A~4F
AI summary
Beverage dispensing system (10) for use with a collapsible beverage container (28) containing beverage. The beverage container defines in a non- collapsed state a top wall having a container outlet (38), an opposite bottom wall (42) and a cylindrical wall (44) connecting the top and bottom walls and comprises a housing defining an inner space (32) adapted to receive the beverage container. The beverage dispensing system further comprises a cooling element located within the inner space and comprising a contact cooling surface. The contact cooling surface has a curvature corresponding to the curvature of the beverage container (46) which juxtaposing and contacting at least 10% of the cylindrical wall, the bottom wall and/or the top wall of the beverage container when the beverage container is received in a non- collapsed state within the inner space.