Liquid quality control device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid supply systems, such as beer dispensers, struggle to maintain optimal cooling performance during high-demand periods, leading to suboptimal beer quality due to mismatched consumption rates and cooling capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A liquid quality management device that includes an actual flow rate preparation unit, dispensing liquid temperature sensor, and determination unit to assess the cooling performance of the dispensing device by integrating flow rates and temperatures, allowing for selection of devices with suitable coolability to match usage situations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the refrigeration machine operates continuously to maintain cooling capacity, then the coolability of the dispensing device is improved, but the power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary freezing of cooling water in the cooling tank before peak demand periods. The control unit monitors the integrated flow rate and predicts future cooling needs, activating the refrigeration machine in advance to accumulate ice. This preliminary action ensures cooling capacity is available during high-demand periods without requiring continuous operation of the refrigeration machine, thereby reducing overall power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system utilizes the thermal mass of the cooling water and accumulated ice to self-regulate temperature during dispensing operations. The ice in the cooling tank acts as a passive cooling reservoir that automatically absorbs heat from the beer during high-flow periods without requiring active refrigeration, enabling the system to serve itself during peak demand.
2Temperature
If the refrigeration machine operates in time to freeze cooling water, then the coolability of the dispensing device is improved, but the response time during concentrated beer orders becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit calculates the integrated flow rate of dispensed beer and predicts future cooling demands based on this data. When the integrated flow rate indicates approaching cooling capacity limits, the system activates the refrigeration machine in advance to freeze more cooling water, ensuring cooling performance is ready before concentrated orders arrive, thus eliminating response time delays.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the integrated flow rate of dispensed beer and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust refrigeration machine operation. The control unit compares actual flow rate data against predetermined thresholds and automatically triggers preliminary freezing actions, creating a closed-loop control system that anticipates and responds to cooling demands in real-time.
3Temperature
If a larger cooling tank is used to increase cooling capacity, then the coolability of the dispensing device is improved, but the device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a statically large cooling tank, the system dynamically adjusts cooling capacity by controlling the refrigeration machine's operation based on real-time flow rate monitoring. The control unit modulates the refrigeration cycle and ice accumulation rate to match actual dispensing demands, providing variable cooling capacity that adapts to changing conditions without requiring excessive physical infrastructure.
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
Ensures optimal beer quality by selecting dispensing devices with appropriate cooling capacity, optimizing power consumption, and contributing to energy and cost savings in restaurants.
Implementation Method 1
the refrigeration machine is operated, for example based on the detected amount of ice, to decrease the temperature of the cooling water
Implementation Method 2
the beer is cooled and dispensed with heat exchange between the beer passing through the beer cooling pipe immersed in the cooling water of which a part is frozen and the cooling water
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
There is provided a liquid quality management device (101) capable of being added to a liquid supply system (70), the liquid supply system supplying a liquid within a storage container (10) to a dispensing device (50) in order to cool the liquid, and dispensing the liquid to a drinking container (40), the liquid quality management device including: an actual flow rate preparation unit (110) including a flow rate sensor (111) and determining an actual measured flow rate of the liquid; a dispensing liquid temperature sensor (120) measuring a temperature of the liquid dispensed into the drinking container; and a determination unit (130) electrically connected to the actual flow rate preparation unit and the dispensing liquid temperature sensor, determining an integrated flow rate of the liquid in a period in which the liquid temperature is equal to or higher than a set temperature, and determining whether or not coolability of the dispensing device is suitable by comparing the integrated flow rate with a determination value.