Self-Pressurization Gas-Liquid Mixing Device for Low-Energy Beverage Carbonation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas-liquid mixing devices for beverages require high pressure and high-pressure resistance, leading to increased energy consumption and equipment costs due to the need for continuous high-pressure conditions during the mixing process.
Innovation Solution
A self-pressurization gas-liquid mixing device with a premixing chamber and a mixing layer of miniature pipes, where a partition plate divides the container into a premixing and mixing chamber, allowing gas and liquid to mix under relatively low external pressure, with whisker holes enabling one-directional flow and pressure-driven mixing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high pressure is applied continuously during gas-liquid mixing, then gas dissolution efficiency is improved, but energy consumption and equipment requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mixing device is divided into two distinct chambers: a premixing chamber for initial gas-liquid mixing at low pressure, and a mixing chamber for final dissolution at higher pressure. This segmentation allows the system to achieve efficient gas dissolution without requiring continuous high-pressure operation throughout the entire process, thereby reducing energy consumption while maintaining productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The premixing chamber performs preliminary mixing of gas and liquid at relatively low pressure before the mixture enters the mixing chamber. This preliminary action reduces the workload on the high-pressure system, allowing the main dissolution process to occur more efficiently with lower energy input requirements.
2Productivity
If high pressure is applied continuously during gas-liquid mixing, then gas dissolution efficiency is improved, but equipment requirements and pressure resistance demands increase
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the device into a premixing chamber and a mixing chamber, the system reduces the pressure requirements for the overall equipment. The premixing chamber operates at low pressure, while only the mixing chamber requires higher pressure, thereby reducing the pressure resistance requirements for the entire device and simplifying equipment specifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The partition plate with premixing through holes acts as an intermediary structure that allows the low-pressure premixed liquid to enter the high-pressure mixing chamber. This intermediary mechanism enables the system to transition between different pressure zones without requiring the entire device to withstand high pressure continuously, thus reducing overall equipment requirements.
3Stress or pressure
If a partition plate with small apertures is used to separate chambers, then pressure control is improved, but flow resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The partition plate is designed with different characteristics for different regions: it contains multiple premixing through holes with specific aperture sizes (0.025-0.05 mm) that are optimized for both pressure control and adequate flow. The local quality of these apertures allows the system to maintain pressure differential between chambers while ensuring sufficient liquid flow from the premixing chamber to the mixing chamber.
Solution Approach 2:
The aperture size of the premixing through holes is specifically controlled within the range of 0.025-0.05 mm, and the partition plate thickness is kept at 5 mm or less. These parameter optimizations balance the competing requirements: small enough apertures to maintain pressure control, but large enough and numerous enough to ensure adequate fluid flow between chambers.
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 device achieves efficient gas dissolution into the liquid and continuous operation under low external pressure, reducing energy consumption and equipment requirements by maintaining a dynamic pressure balance between the premixing and mixing chambers.
Implementation Method 1
due to the resisting function of the partition plate, though a pressure difference exists between pressure on two sides of the partition plate, gas in the mixing chamber cannot be pressed into the premixing chamber reversely
Implementation Method 2
a partition plate is arranged in the container to divide the container into a premixing chamber and a mixing chamber
Implementation Method 3
the gas and the liquid are pressed into the miniature pipes through the whisker holes from the exterior of the miniature pipes
Implementation Method 4
whisker holes which are opened and closed in one direction are formed in pipe walls of each miniature pipe
Implementation Method 5
the gas is driven by the pressure in the mixing chamber to be sufficiently dissolved into the liquid in the miniature pipes of the mixing layer
Implementation Method 6
the pressure of the gas entering the premixing chamber is controlled to be 2.8 to 3.8 bar, and the pressure of the liquid entering the premixing chamber is controlled to be 3 to 4.5 bar
Implementation Method 7
the pressure in the premixing chamber and the pressure in the mixing chamber are in a dynamic balance state
Implementation Method 8
after the discharged gas and liquid give rise to a pressure drop of the mixing chamber, the liquid mixed with the gas in the premixing chamber is pressed into the mixing chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A self-pressurization gas-liquid mixing device used for making a beverage is provided. The self-pressurization gas-liquid mixing device includes a container, a liquid inlet pipe configured to allow liquid to enter the container, a gas inlet pipe configured to allow gas to enter the container, and a liquid discharging pipe configured to discharge the liquid; a partition plate is arranged in the container to divide the container into a premixing chamber and a mixing chamber, the premixing chamber is arranged at the side of the liquid inlet pipe and the gas inlet pipe, the partition plate is provided with a plurality of premixing through holes, a mixing layer is further arranged between the mixing chamber and the liquid discharging pipe and includes a plurality of miniature pipes, and whisker holes which are opened and closed in one direction are formed in pipe walls of the miniature pipes.