Beverage cooling device for preparing cooled beverage when paired with a beverage preparation machine
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage preparation machines that provide both hot and cold beverages are often complex, bulky, energy-consuming, and costly, lacking modularity for adding or removing cold beverage modes as needed.
Innovation Solution
A standalone beverage cooling device with a phase-change coolant and a communication module that pairs with a beverage preparation machine to enable autonomous cooling and flexible operation, using a thermoelectric module for energy management and wireless communication to optimize cooling and preparation parameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a refrigeration unit with compressor and evaporator is integrated into the beverage preparation machine, then the beverage can be cooled rapidly, but the machine becomes heavy, bulky, and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling function is separated from the beverage preparation machine into a standalone cooling container. The container includes a cooling chamber with phase-change material that can be independently frozen and then used to cool beverages, eliminating the need for an integrated refrigeration unit in the machine.
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigeration function is extracted from the main machine body and placed into a separate, portable cooling container. This allows the machine to remain simple while still providing cooling capability through the removable container that can be placed in the beverage reservoir.
2Productivity
If a refrigeration unit with sufficient cooling capacity is integrated into the beverage preparation machine, then the beverage can be cooled rapidly, but the machine consumes more energy
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling container is pre-frozen by placing it in a freezer before use. The phase-change material inside the container is frozen in advance, storing thermal energy that will be used to cool the beverage when the container is placed in the machine, eliminating the need for energy-consuming refrigeration during beverage preparation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a simple, inexpensive cooling container with phase-change material instead of a complex, energy-intensive refrigeration system. The container can be repeatedly frozen and used, providing a cost-effective and energy-efficient cooling solution.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a refrigeration unit is integrated into the beverage preparation machine, then hot and cold beverages can be prepared conveniently, but the machine is costly to produce
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling function is segmented into a separate, independently manufacturable container that can be produced using simple molding techniques for the housing and standard phase-change material encapsulation, avoiding the high costs associated with manufacturing integrated refrigeration systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling container can be used with different beverage preparation machines and is compatible with various beverage types. The same container design can serve multiple purposes including cooling different beverages and potentially heating beverages when placed in hot water, providing versatility without requiring multiple specialized components.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a refrigeration unit is integrated into the beverage preparation machine, then cold beverages can be prepared, but the machine lacks modularity for adding or removing cold beverage mode
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling container is designed to be dynamically removable and reinsertible into the beverage preparation machine. Users can add the cooling container when cold beverages are needed and remove it when only hot beverages are required, providing flexible, on-demand cooling capability without permanently altering the machine's configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling function is segmented into a separate, independently manufacturable container that can be produced using simple molding techniques for the housing and standard phase-change material encapsulation, avoiding the high costs associated with manufacturing integrated refrigeration systems.
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 simplifies beverage preparation, reduces energy consumption, and enhances modularity by allowing for efficient cooling of beverages, enabling the preparation of cold beverages with reduced complexity and cost while maintaining flexibility in beverage options.
Implementation Method 1
a closed chamber containing a phase-change coolant capable of accumulating and restoring thermal energy
Implementation Method 2
the closed chamber and cavity being separated by at least one heat conductive inner wall
Data Source
AI summary
Beverage cooling device (2) for rapidly cooling a beverage and serving the beverage when cooled, after having been dispensed from a beverage preparation machine (100) in the device, comprising a heat exchange container (3) comprising a closed chamber (4) containing a phase-change coolant capable of accumulating and restoring cooling energy and a beverage cavity (5) with an open upper end (6) for receiving the beverage; the closed chamber (4) and cavity (5) being separated by at least one heat conductive inner wall (8). The device is arranged to be handled separately from the beverage preparation machine and comprises a control unit (13) comprising a communication module (14) arranged for communicating to the beverage preparation machine information representative of the presence of the device at proximity of the beverage preparation machine and/or of a cooling state of the coolant in the chamber. The invention also relates to a system comprising a beverage preparation device and the cooling device.