Heater Tank Expansion Chamber to Prevent Brew Chamber Drips
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Solution Overview
Problem
Beverage forming systems that deliver heated water by introducing cold water into a heater tank are susceptible to unwanted liquid discharge due to thermal expansion, leading to messes and inefficiencies, as the expansion causes water to drip from the brew chamber even when no beverage is being formed.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an expansion chamber with a tortuous flow path at the top of the heater tank, where air is introduced to evacuate the liquid and provide a controlled gas volume, preventing unwanted discharge by allowing air to flow through the path and displacing any liquid, thus accommodating thermal expansion without liquid expulsion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If cold water is introduced into the heater tank to deliver heated water, then precise volume delivery is achieved, but unwanted liquid discharge occurs due to thermal expansion
Solution Approach 1:
The heater tank is segmented into a main heating chamber and a separate expansion chamber. The expansion chamber is connected to the main chamber via a communication passage, allowing it to receive and contain liquid that expands during heating. This segmentation isolates the expansion effect from the delivery system, preventing unwanted discharge while maintaining precise volume control through the cold water introduction method.
2Productivity
If the heater tank is filled to capacity for efficient delivery, then delivery effectiveness is improved, but thermal expansion causes liquid to be expelled from the outlet
Solution Approach 1:
The expansion chamber acts as an intermediary between the main heater tank and the delivery outlet. When liquid in the heater tank expands due to heating, the expansion chamber absorbs the excess volume through its communication passage with the main chamber. This intermediary structure prevents the expanded liquid from being forced out through the delivery outlet, thereby eliminating liquid expulsion while maintaining full tank capacity for efficient delivery.
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
This solution effectively reduces or eliminates unwanted liquid discharge from the tank during heating cycles, maintaining system cleanliness and operational efficiency by ensuring that liquid expansion is managed within the expansion chamber before reaching the outlet.
Implementation Method 1
heating of the water will cause the water to expand, and if the heater tank has a fixed volume, this expansion may cause water to be delivered from the tank outlet
Implementation Method 2
introducing air into a tortuous flow path of an expansion chamber at the top of the heater tank after delivery of liquid to the heater tank is stopped to expel liquid from at least a portion of the expansion chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A beverage forming method and system employing the introduction of air into the heater tank and/or an expansion chamber after liquid delivery is complete. An expansion chamber may be provided at the top of the heater tank and provide a tortuous flow path from an air inlet to the tank outlet.