Modular retrofit quench unit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional ice chests are inefficient in cooling beverages rapidly and maintaining optimal temperature, requiring users to manually manage ice and lack visual notification of when beverages are cooled to the desired temperature, leading to over-cooling and inefficiencies in temperature maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerated chest with an ice maker, quench trays, and a control system that includes temperature sensors and a conduit for chilled water circulation, allowing for precise temperature control and visual notification of when beverages are cooled, using a combination of ice and water to maintain optimal temperature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional ice chests are used to cool beverages, then the cooling process can be simple and require no additional components, but the cooling time becomes excessively long (30-60 minutes) and temperature control is imprecise
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple functional components: a refrigerated storage chamber for ice, a separate quenching chamber with spray nozzles, and a control system with temperature sensors. This segmentation allows rapid quenching in the dedicated chamber while maintaining simple storage in the refrigerated chamber, resolving the contradiction between cooling speed and system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
A controlled flow of chilled air or water acts as an intermediary between the refrigerated storage chamber and the beverages in the quenching chamber. This intermediary enables rapid heat transfer for quick cooling without requiring direct contact with large amounts of ice, thus achieving fast cooling with moderate system complexity.
2Ease of operation
If users manually manage ice in traditional ice chests, then the system structure remains simple, but the user burden increases and temperature maintenance becomes inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
Temperature sensors continuously monitor the beverage temperature and provide feedback to the control system. The control system automatically adjusts the quenching process and refrigeration output to maintain the desired temperature, eliminating manual ice management while using moderate control system complexity to achieve superior ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically monitoring temperature and adjusting cooling output without user intervention. The control system manages ice distribution and quenching timing autonomously, reducing user burden while maintaining reasonable system complexity through automated decision-making algorithms.
3Measurement precision
If ice is used to cool beverages in traditional ice chests, then no additional cooling components are needed, but the ice melts excessively causing beverages to become over-cooled or warm depending on timing
Solution Approach 1:
Temperature sensors provide continuous feedback on beverage temperature, enabling the control system to precisely regulate the quenching process. This feedback mechanism achieves high temperature control precision by adjusting cooling intensity in real-time, while the monitoring complexity remains moderate through the use of simple thermistors or temperature sensors integrated into the quenching chamber.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes cooling parameters such as chilled air flow rate, water spray temperature, and quenching duration based on real-time temperature measurements. This parameter adjustment enables precise temperature control without excessive monitoring complexity, as the control system processes simple temperature readings to modulate cooling intensity.
4Productivity
If quench trays with water circulation are added to achieve rapid cooling, then cooling efficiency improves, but the device complexity and water management requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a hydraulic water circulation system with pumps, hoses, and spray nozzles to deliver chilled water to the quenching chamber. This hydraulic approach achieves high quenching efficiency through direct water contact, while the system complexity remains moderate by using standard pump-and-spray components rather than complex mechanical systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The quench trays are constructed from composite materials that facilitate rapid heat transfer while being lightweight and easy to clean. These composite trays integrate water distribution channels and drainage features, achieving high quenching efficiency while minimizing water management complexity through material-level integration of functions.
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 system rapidly cools beverages to a pre-selected temperature and provides visual notification, maintaining optimal temperature for prolonged periods while reducing the need for manual ice management and minimizing waste.
Implementation Method 1
The tray can be filled with cold water by way of a conduit in fluid communication with the tank
Implementation Method 2
an ice maker adapted for making ice and having an output for ejecting ice
Implementation Method 3
at least one drain orifice configured to guide water out of the at least one quench tray
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure features various embodiments and aspects of a chest for quenching beverages. The chest can include a tank for holding a chilled mixture of ice and water, an ice maker adapted for making ice having an output for ejecting ice into a conduit in fluid communication with the tank, and a plurality of quench trays disposed above the tank for holding containers of beverages located in first and second positions. The trays can be filled with cold water by way of a conduit in fluid communication with the tank. The quench trays can include a compartment defined by a bottom and a plurality of walls, and defining therein a plurality of rows for aligning and containing a plurality of beverage containers. The drawers can further include at least one drain orifice configured to guide water out of the quench tray.