Quick-chill beverage cooler
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigeration systems for cooling beverages are inefficient, particularly in locations with inconsistent electricity supply or high energy costs, leading to prolonged cooling times and unnecessary energy consumption, resulting in a poor consumer experience.
Innovation Solution
A quick-chill beverage cooler system utilizing thermoelectric coolers with modular cooling cells and a post-chill storage chamber, allowing for rapid cooling of multiple beverages and efficient energy management through programmable control units and adjustable configurations to match demand.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a conventional vapor-compression refrigerator is used to cool beverages, then the beverages will eventually reach a chilled temperature, but the cooling time requires ten hours or more
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the cooling function into two distinct parts: a rapid-cool chamber that quickly cools beverages to the desired temperature, and a storage chamber that maintains the chilled state. This segmentation allows the rapid-cool chamber to be small and efficient, achieving fast cooling without the need for a large, energy-intensive conventional refrigerator.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the conventional vapor-compression mechanical refrigeration system with a thermoelectric cooling system in the rapid-cool chamber. This substitution enables much faster cooling rates while consuming less energy, directly addressing the excessive cooling time of traditional systems.
2Temperature
If a conventional refrigerator runs continuously to maintain chilled beverages, then beverages remain cool, but energy consumption increases unnecessarily during low sales periods
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts its operation based on real-time conditions. The rapid-cool chamber activates only when beverages need cooling or when sales are expected, while the storage chamber maintains temperature passively using insulation. This dynamic operation eliminates the need for continuous energy consumption while ensuring beverages are chilled when demanded.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary cooling actions strategically - cooling beverages just before they are needed or in anticipation of sales periods. This allows the storage chamber to maintain chilled beverages without continuous active cooling, reducing energy consumption during low-demand periods while ensuring availability when needed.
3Temperature
If electricity is unavailable for extended periods in locations with inconsistent power supply, then conventional refrigerators cannot cool beverages, but the invention enables rapid cooling when power becomes available
Solution Approach 1:
The system is designed to perform preliminary cooling of beverages as quickly as possible when power becomes available, utilizing the rapid-cool chamber's fast cooling capability. This ensures beverages are chilled in advance of when they might be needed, compensating for periods when power was unavailable and building a buffer of chilled inventory.
Solution Approach 2:
The system concentrates cooling power locally in the rapid-cool chamber rather than attempting to cool a large volume continuously. This localized, intensive cooling approach can quickly chill beverages when power is available, making the system more reliable in locations with inconsistent power supply by maximizing cooling efficiency during available power windows.
4Productivity
If a conventional refrigerator cools an entire chamber of beverages, then all beverages are chilled, but this results in needless cooling of beverages during low sales periods
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the beverage inventory into two groups: those being actively cooled in the rapid-cool chamber and those stored in the chilled storage chamber. This allows the system to concentrate cooling capacity on a small number of beverages at a time rather than continuously cooling all beverages, matching cooling productivity to actual demand and eliminating energy waste during low sales periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of the cooling system based on demand - the rapid-cool chamber operates at high cooling capacity when beverages need to be chilled, while the storage chamber maintains temperature with minimal energy input. This parameter adjustment allows high productivity when needed while minimizing energy loss during low-demand periods.
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 enables beverages to reach a desired temperature in under an hour and maintains chilled conditions for several hours, optimizing energy use and consumer satisfaction by matching cooling capacity with demand and using thermoelectric coolers for rapid cooling.
Implementation Method 1
a thermoelectric cooler configured to rapidly cool a beverage container in a cooling cell
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods and apparatuses are provided for cooling of beverages containers, such as cans or bottles, quickly, or on demand. An apparatus may provide for quickly cooling a number of beverage containers when power is available and for storing them, once they have been cooled. The apparatus may include a thermoelectric cooler configured to rapidly cool a beverage container in a cooling cell. The methods may include detecting the presence of a beverage container in a cooling cell and cooling the beverage container to a selected temperature. The availability of external power may be detected and a rapid cooling of a beverage container may begin when power becomes available.