Fermentation Tank Cooling and Rear Venting for Quiet Beverage Makers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage makers lack efficient temperature control and noise reduction mechanisms, particularly in the fermentation process of home-brewed beverages like beer, which can affect the quality and convenience of production.
Innovation Solution
A beverage maker with a fermentation module featuring a temperature controller using a refrigeration cycle device and a blower fan for heat dissipation, along with a gas discharging channel module to reduce noise, ensuring optimal temperature control and noise reduction by discharging air and gas through a through-hole in the rear cover.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a refrigeration cycle device is used to control the temperature of the fermentation tank, then temperature control precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The beverage maker is divided into multiple independent modules: a fermentation module containing the fermentation tank, a refrigeration module with the refrigeration cycle device, and a control module. This segmentation allows the temperature control system to be independently optimized while keeping the overall device complexity manageable through modular design.
2Loss of energy
If a blower fan is added to dissipate heat from the refrigeration cycle device, then heat dissipation efficiency is improved, but noise generation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blower fan and heat dissipation system are positioned at the rear of the device, separated from the fermentation tank and user interaction area. This extraction of the noise-generating component to a different location reduces the perceived noise while maintaining effective heat dissipation of the refrigeration cycle device.
Solution Approach 2:
A rear cover with a through-hole is introduced as an intermediary structure. The through-hole allows air to pass through for heat dissipation purposes while acting as a noise barrier that blocks and reduces the transmission of noise from the blower fan to the front surface of the device.
3Productivity
If the blower fan and gas discharging channel are positioned to discharge through the rear cover, then heat dissipation and gas discharge efficiency are improved, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The heat dissipation function and gas discharge function are merged into a single structural feature: the through-hole in the rear cover. This consolidation allows both air flows (cooling air from the blower fan and gas from the fermentation tank) to be discharged through the same opening, simplifying the overall device structure while maintaining the efficiency of both functions.
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 precise temperature control and noise reduction, enhancing the quality and convenience of home-brewed beverages by maintaining optimal fermentation conditions and minimizing noise during operation.
Implementation Method 1
a refrigeration cycle device having a compressor, a condenser, an expansion mechanism, and an evaporator formed in the refrigeration cycle device such that a refrigerant circulates in the compressor, the condenser, the expansion mechanism, and the evaporator, the evaporator being configured to adjust a temperature inside the fermentation tank module
Implementation Method 2
a blower fan configured to dissipate heat of the condenser
Implementation Method 3
the through-hole is formed in the rear cover configured for discharging air blown by the blower fan and the gas discharged from the gas discharging channel module through the through-hole
Data Source
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AI summary
A beverage maker according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a fermentation module including a fermentation tank module having an opening therein and a fermentation lid configured to open/close the opening, a refrigeration cycle device having a compressor, a condenser, an expansion mechanism, and an evaporator formed therein such that a refrigerant circulates in the compressor, the condenser, the expansion mechanism, and the evaporator, the evaporator being configured to adjust a temperature inside the fermentation tank module, a blower fan configured to dissipate heat of the condenser, a gas discharging channel module connected to the fermentation module to discharge gas inside the fermentation module, and a rear cover arranged behind the fermentation module and having a through-hole formed therein such that air blown by the blower fan and the gas discharged from the gas discharging channel module are discharged through the through-hole.