Isobaric Craft Beer Dispensing with Foam Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional beer dispensing machines are time-consuming, labor-intensive, and result in significant beer waste due to foam generation and inefficient carbon dioxide management, particularly affecting craft beer quality and increasing operational costs for small breweries and enthusiasts.
Innovation Solution
An automatic isobaric dispensing machine with a beer dispensing head, carbon dioxide supply, and pressure control system that allows for precise gas pressure regulation and automatic filling, reducing foam generation and waste, while supporting multiple beer types and container shapes with a compact design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If manual filling is used to guarantee low speed and avoid foam overflow, then foam overflow is reduced, but filling time increases and labor consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-cooling the beer barrel and pipeline, and pre-adjusting the carbon dioxide pressure before dispensing. This preparation ensures that the beer is at the optimal temperature and pressure conditions, allowing for faster dispensing speed without generating excessive foam, thus resolving the contradiction between filling time and foam control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs feedback control through sensors that monitor foam generation, temperature, and pressure in real-time. The controller adjusts the dispensing valve opening degree and carbon dioxide supply based on this feedback, dynamically optimizing the dispensing speed to prevent foam overflow while minimizing filling time.
2Device complexity
If traditional beer dispensing is used without continuous operation, then equipment simplicity is maintained, but beer waste increases due to repeated foam in first cup
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains continuous operation by keeping the beer barrel and pipeline constantly cooled and pressurized between dispensing operations. This continuous state prevents temperature fluctuations and pressure changes that cause foam generation, allowing the first cup after each operation to be of high quality without waste, while adding minimal complexity through automated temperature and pressure control.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple beer dispensing heads are placed to accommodate different beer tastes, then beer variety is improved, but machine volume increases and business area occupied increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system achieves multi-functionality through a single beer dispensing head that can dispense different types of beer by changing the beer barrel and adjusting the carbon dioxide pressure and temperature parameters. The controller stores different dispensing parameters for various beer types, allowing one head to perform the function of multiple heads, thus reducing the occupied area while maintaining beer variety.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses parameter changes in carbon dioxide pressure, temperature, and dispensing flow rate to adapt to different beer types. By adjusting these parameters rather than using dedicated dispensing heads for each beer type, the system achieves versatility with a single head, significantly reducing the machine volume and business area occupied.
4Productivity
If fast dispensing speed is used to reduce time cost, then productivity increases, but foam generation increases and beer quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary cooling of the beer and pipeline, and pre-adjustment of carbon dioxide pressure before dispensing. This ensures the beer is at optimal temperature and pressure conditions, allowing for high dispensing speed without excessive foam generation, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and foam control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses real-time feedback from sensors monitoring foam generation, temperature, and pressure to dynamically adjust the dispensing valve opening and carbon dioxide supply. This feedback control enables the system to maintain high dispensing speed while preventing foam generation by making real-time adjustments to the dispensing parameters.
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 automatic isobaric dispensing machine significantly reduces time and waste, maintains beer quality, and occupies less space, enabling efficient dispensing of various beer types with minimal foam production and faster operation compared to traditional systems.
Implementation Method 1
a barometer for measuring a gas pressure in the container
Implementation Method 2
a flowmeter for measuring a beer flow of the beer barrel
Implementation Method 3
a carbon dioxide supplying device connecting with the gas inlet of the beer dispensing head through a pre-pressure gas valve
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an automatic isobaric dispensing machine for craft beer and a beer dispensing method by using the same. The automatic isobaric dispensing machine for craft beer comprises a housing; a beer dispensing head installed on the housing and hermetically placed at a container mouth of a container; a carbon dioxide supplying device connecting with a gas inlet of the beer dispensing head through a pre-pressure gas valve, a beer barrel connected with a beer inlet of the beer dispensing head through a beer outlet valve, a flowmeter for measuring a beer flow of the beer barrel, and a processor connected with the pre-pressure gas valve, the beer outlet valve, the flowmeter, the gas exhaust valve and the barometer. The isobaric dispensing machine has a simple machine structure and is convenient to use, and is capable of reducing the time cost and the beer waste thus providing better beer quality.