Gas-Filled Chamber Infusion for Faster Liquid Saturation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for gas infusion into liquids, such as carbonation of beverages, face constraints related to gas absorption rates and time frames, particularly in commercial settings, leading to inconsistent quality and flavor control.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that involves filling a chamber with a gas at a predetermined pressure, injecting liquid at a higher pressure, and controlling temperature to achieve precise gas-liquid saturation, with optional cooling and diffusion, followed by controlled discharge to maintain consistent quality and flavor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If pressurized saturation method is used to infuse gas into liquid, then gas absorption rate is improved, but system recovery time is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional approach by infusing liquid into gas rather than gas into liquid. The chamber is filled with gas at a target pressure, then liquid is injected at a higher pressure to create saturation. This inversion allows the system to maintain gas pressure and achieve saturation without the time-consuming recovery processes required by conventional pressurized saturation methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the pressure parameters dynamically during the infusion process. The liquid is injected at a pressure higher than the target gas pressure, and the ratio between fill pressure and target pressure is varied to drive the temperature-pressure saturation process. This parameter control enables faster saturation while maintaining system recovery efficiency.
2Productivity
If in-stream gas infusion is used, then saturation is achieved in line, but gas infusion rate is limited by pressure function
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the infusion process into distinct phases: filling the chamber with gas to target pressure, injecting liquid at higher pressure to create saturation, and then exhausting the saturated mixture. This segmentation allows each phase to be optimized independently, achieving fast saturation without complex continuous pressure control.
Solution Approach 2:
The chamber acts as an intermediary device that temporarily holds the gas and liquid mixture during the saturation process. By using the chamber as a intermediate volume, the system can achieve rapid saturation without requiring complex in-line pressure control mechanisms, as the chamber buffers the pressure dynamics.
3Productivity
If membrane transfer method is used, then gas transfers across membrane, but gas infusion rate is limited by membrane permeability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the membrane component from the system entirely. Instead of using membrane transfer, the invention directly injects liquid into the gas-filled chamber to achieve saturation through direct contact and pressure-driven transfer. This extraction of the membrane element eliminates the permeability limitation and simplifies the overall system.
4Productivity
If conventional carbonation methods are used, then carbonation is achieved, but flavor control consistency is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates feedback control by monitoring the liquid temperature and adjusting the target pressure accordingly. The system uses observed liquid temperature to adjust the target pressure, creating a closed-loop control system that ensures consistent saturation and flavor quality while maintaining carbonation efficiency.
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
Enhances volumetric control, reduces saturation time, ensures consistent fizziness and flavor, and allows for re-pressurization of the final product.
Implementation Method 1
The liquid content is introduced into the chamber at a pressure that is higher than a predetermined liquid content saturation pressure requirement of the liquid content
Implementation Method 2
The resulting gas/water mix has a saturation that is set based on the beverage type and water pressure
Implementation Method 3
The temperature of the liquid may be set to facilitate a target absorption rate of the gas therein
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects and embodiments of the invention provide methods and systems of infusing liquid into gas. One method according to an aspect of the invention comprises: filling a chamber having a fixed volume with a first gas content at a first pressure: subjecting the gas content to a high-pressure injection of liquid content into the chamber at a second pressure, wherein, the second pressure is higher than a predetermined pressure saturation requirement of the liquid content. One system according to an aspect of the invention comprises: a cylinder (200) comprising at least one chamber of fixed internal volume and having a first end (200a) and a second end (200b); a floating piston (202) arranged within the internal volume of the chamber; a first gas input port that is selectively connected to the first end of the chamber; a second gas input port that is selectively connected to the second end of the chamber; a first liquid input port that is selectively connected to the first end of the chamber; a second liquid input port that is selectively connected to the second end of the chamber; a first exhaust port that is selectively connected to the first end of the chamber; and a second exhaust port that is selectively connected to the second end of the chamber.