Cooling Tapping Head for Beverage Quality and Bacterial Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing tapping devices for beverages, especially those containing natural ingredients like yeast and hops, face challenges in effectively cooling the beverage and limiting bacterial growth, as they are often large, costly, and energetically disadvantageous.

Innovation Solution

A tapping head with a connecting head and cooling chamber that integrates a beverage channel and gas channel, allowing coolant to be guided through the tapping head for cooling the beverage and the device, thereby maintaining beverage quality and preventing bacterial growth.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If a cask is set up in a refrigerator or a beverage line is cooled, then beverage cooling is achieved, but the device becomes relatively sizeable and costly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeverage temperatureVSAvoiddevice size and cost

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the cooling function with the tapping head by integrating a cooling chamber and cooling line connection directly into the beverage dispensing device. This merging of cooling and dispensing functions eliminates the need for separate refrigeration equipment, thereby reducing device size and cost while maintaining effective beverage cooling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The cooling system is segmented into a compact cooling chamber integrated within the tapping head structure, with a cooling line connection that can be separately attached. This segmentation allows the cooling function to be added to existing tapping heads without requiring complete system replacement, reducing overall device complexity and cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If beverage is cooled in traditional tapping devices, then beverage quality is preserved, but bacterial growth limitation is not always achieved

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeverage quality preservationVSAvoidbacterial growth

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling chamber is positioned to provide localized cooling at the tapping head where beverage is dispensed. This local cooling ensures that the beverage remains at low temperatures throughout the dispensing process, effectively limiting bacterial growth in the critical dispensing zone while maintaining beverage quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The cooling chamber pre-cools the beverage before it enters the beverage line and dispensing mechanism. This preliminary cooling action ensures that the beverage starts at a low temperature, which helps prevent bacterial growth throughout the entire dispensing process rather than attempting to cool it later.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Temperature

If separate cooling systems are used for beverage and gas lines, then cooling is achieved, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeverage and gas line temperatureVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling chamber serves multiple functions: it cools the beverage, cools the gas line that passes through it, and cools the tapping head housing. This multi-functionality allows a single cooling system to perform what would traditionally require separate cooling mechanisms, thereby reducing energy consumption while maintaining effective cooling of all components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the cooling of beverage, gas line, and housing into a single integrated cooling chamber. By combining these cooling functions into one system rather than using separate cooling mechanisms, the overall energy consumption is reduced while achieving effective temperature control for all components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 solution provides efficient cooling of beverages and reduces bacterial growth, improving the quality and safety of the beverage while being cost-effective and energy-efficient, allowing existing tapping heads to be adapted with cooling capabilities.

Implementation Method 1

at least one cooling chamber having an entrance and an exit, separate from the beverage channel and/or the gas channel, which cooling chamber is in thermal contact with the housing

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal contact: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

for cooling beverage in a tapping device coolant is guided through a portion of a tapping head, which coolant is further used for cooling the beverage in at least a part of a beverage line connecting to the tapping head

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentEP2331451B1Tapping head, tapping device and method for use of a tapping device

Publication Date: 2017.03.15 HEINEKEN SUPPLY CHAIN BV

AI summary

A tapping head, provided with a connecting head near an end of a housing, wherein the tapping head is provided with at least one of a beverage channel which extends from a beverage line connection into the connecting head and a gas channel which extends from a gas line connection, wherein the tapping head is provided with at least one cooling chamber with an entrance and an exit, separate from the beverage channel and/or the gas channel, which cooling chamber is in thermal contact with the housing.