Espresso Delivery Unit with Degassing Chamber to Reduce Large Bubbles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Beverage-making apparatuses under pressurized infusion, such as those used for espresso, often produce beverages with large bubbles due to direct flow, which is perceived as low quality by consumers.
Innovation Solution
A delivery unit with a degassing chamber at atmospheric pressure is introduced between the infusion chamber and the delivery spout, allowing air and vapor to escape, and a partition wall with passage openings that filters out larger bubbles, ensuring the beverage has a free surface interface to separate liquid from bubbles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a direct flow system is used from infusion chamber to delivery spout, then the device complexity is reduced, but the beverage quality deteriorates due to large bubbles
Solution Approach 1:
A degassing chamber is introduced as an intermediary component between the infusion chamber and delivery spout. This chamber provides a transition zone where beverages can release trapped air and vapour before delivery, effectively reducing large bubbles without significantly increasing overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The delivery system is segmented into distinct functional zones: an introducing region for beverage entry, a degassing chamber for air release, and an outfeed region for beverage exit. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function optimally, improving beverage quality through controlled degassing
2Productivity
If pressurized infusion is used to make espresso, then the productivity is improved, but the beverage quality deteriorates due to large bubbles
Solution Approach 1:
The degassing chamber acts as a mediator that decouples the pressurized infusion process from the delivery process. High-pressure infusion can continue efficiently while the chamber allows pressure equalization and bubble release before the beverage reaches the delivery spout
Solution Approach 2:
The degassing chamber performs preliminary degassing action on the beverage before it reaches the delivery spout. By allowing air and vapour to escape in advance during the brief residence time in the chamber, the beverage is pre-treated to remove large bubbles, ensuring high quality delivery without sacrificing infusion speed
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 effectively reduces the number of large bubbles in the beverage, resulting in a higher-quality drink that meets consumer expectations without altering existing infusion chamber operations.
Implementation Method 1
the beverage moves with a free surface between an introducing region and an outfeed region. In other words, the beverage in the chamber has an ample surface interfacing with the atmosphere in the chamber
Implementation Method 2
The partition wall comprises a plurality of passage openings for allowing the beverage to pass from the peripheral region to the central region
Data Source
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AI summary
This disclosure relates to a delivery unit (1) for an apparatus for making a beverage, in particular for making an espresso coffee. The delivery unit (1) comprises a cup-shaped body (2) delimiting an inner chamber (20), the cup- shaped body (2) comprising a lateral wall (21) and a bottom wall (23). The delivery unit (1) also comprises an infeed spout (3) for introducing beverage into the inner chamber (20) and an outfeed opening (45) through which the beverage can come out of the inner chamber (20), the outfeed opening (45) being positioned in a central portion of the bottom wall (23). In the inner chamber (20) the delivery unit (1) comprises a partition wall (5) which surrounds the outfeed opening (45) and divides the inner chamber (20) into a peripheral region (26) and a central region (28) in which the outfeed opening (45) is located. The partition wall (5) comprises a plurality of passage openings (55) for allowing the beverage to pass from the peripheral region (26) to the central region (28). The infeed spout (3) is designed to introduce the beverage into the peripheral region (26) of the inner chamber (20) with a direction substantially tangential to the lateral wall (21).