Rapidly cooling food and drinks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for rapidly cooling food and drinks are inefficient, requiring pre-cooling or pre-freezing and often taking longer than desired to achieve the desired temperature, especially for single servings.
Innovation Solution
The development of a refrigeration system with low startup times and a pod-machine interface that uses sterilized pods with efficient heat transfer to cool contents from room temperature to freezing in less than two minutes, capable of producing soft-serve ice cream, frozen drinks, and chilled beverages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If conventional cooling methods are used, then cooling can be achieved, but it requires pre-cooling or pre-freezing and takes longer than two minutes
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-chilling the evaporator surface and maintaining it at optimal temperature before the actual cooling cycle begins. This allows the cooling process to start immediately at full efficiency when the pod is inserted, eliminating the need for user pre-cooling while achieving sub-two-minute cooling times
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary thermal management system including a chiller unit and thermal coupling mechanisms that mediate between the refrigeration system and the pod contents. This intermediary system efficiently transfers thermal energy from the evaporator to the pod contents, enabling rapid cooling without requiring user intervention for pre-cooling
2Productivity
If rapid cooling is achieved, then cooling time is reduced to under two minutes, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system achieves multi-functionality by integrating multiple operations into a single unified platform that can rapidly cool various types of pods containing different ingredients (ice cream bases, frozen cocktails, smoothies, etc.). This universal design enables rapid cooling across diverse applications without requiring separate specialized systems for each product type
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a nested architecture where the pod containing ingredients is inserted into the evaporator chamber, which itself is part of the larger refrigeration system. This nested structure allows efficient thermal coupling between the evaporator surface and pod contents while maintaining system compactness and reducing overall complexity
3Ease of operation
If sterilized pods are used for room temperature storage, then ingredient storage is simplified, but heat transfer efficiency during cooling must be maximized
Solution Approach 1:
The system exploits parameter changes by utilizing the large temperature differential between room-temperature sterilized pods and the sub-zero evaporator surface. This significant temperature gradient drives efficient heat transfer during the cooling process, allowing the system to rapidly cool ingredients from room temperature to freezing conditions within under two minutes
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates a chiller unit and fluid-based thermal coupling mechanisms that enhance heat transfer efficiency. The hydraulic system circulates coolant through thermal coupling elements that maximize contact between the evaporator surface and pod contents, ensuring efficient heat extraction even from room-temperature starting conditions
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
Enables rapid cooling of food and drinks to freezing in under two minutes, providing single servings with efficient heat transfer and the ability to store ingredients at room temperature for extended periods without pre-cooling, while being easy to use and requiring minimal cleanup.
Implementation Method 1
a pod-machine interface that is easy to use and provides extremely efficient heat transfer
Implementation Method 2
These systems and methods are based on a refrigeration cycle with low startup times
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods have demonstrated the capability of rapidly cooling the contents of pods containing the ingredients for food and drinks.