Rapidly cooling food and drinks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for rapidly cooling food and drinks are inefficient, requiring pre-cooling or pre-freezing and often taking too long to achieve desired temperatures, and lack convenient, portable solutions for single servings.
Innovation Solution
The development of a refrigeration system with low startup times and a pod-machine interface that uses sterilized, shelf-stable pods to cool contents from room temperature to freezing in under two minutes, incorporating a mixing paddle for efficient heat transfer and easy use, allowing for the creation of frozen treats and beverages in a counter-top or installed machine.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If conventional cooling systems are used, then cooling function is provided, but cooling time is excessive and pre-cooling is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes phase transition of refrigerant from liquid to gas in the evaporator to absorb heat rapidly from the pod contents, achieving freezing in under two minutes. The refrigerant cycle leverages latent heat absorption during phase change to provide intense cooling power.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary cooling action by pre-charging the evaporator with refrigerant and maintaining it at optimal temperature readiness. The pod is inserted into a pre-prepared cooling chamber that immediately begins heat transfer upon contact.
2Speed
If rapid cooling is achieved, then cooling speed is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into modular components: a compact evaporator chamber, refrigerant circulation system, pod insertion mechanism, and control system. This segmentation allows for simplified design of each component while achieving rapid cooling through their coordinated operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The evaporator acts as an intermediary heat exchange medium between the refrigerant system and the pod contents. This intermediary component enables efficient heat transfer without requiring direct contact between moving parts, simplifying the overall system architecture.
3Ease of operation
If single serving pods are used, then convenience and portability are improved, but heat transfer efficiency may be insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs hydraulic or pneumatic pressure to ensure tight contact between the pod and evaporator surfaces, maximizing heat transfer area and efficiency. Pressure application during the cooling cycle eliminates air gaps that would insulate and reduce cooling effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The pod construction utilizes composite materials with high thermal conductivity properties to facilitate rapid heat extraction. The pod wall materials are selected to optimize heat transfer from the contents to the evaporator while maintaining structural integrity during the freezing process.
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 from room temperature to freezing in under two minutes, providing single servings with efficient heat transfer and easy operation, and allows for the production of frozen treats and beverages like soft-serve ice cream, frozen coffees, and cocktails without the need for pre-cooling or extensive cleanup.
Implementation Method 1
Cooling is used to indicate the transfer of thermal energy to reduce the temperature, for example, of ingredients contained in a pod
Implementation Method 2
incorporating a mixing paddle for efficient heat transfer
Implementation Method 3
These systems and methods are based on a refrigeration cycle with low startup times
Implementation Method 4
The refrigeration system includes a compressor operable to compress the refrigerant fluid
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.