Spherical Beverage Container with Dual Heating Circuits
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing containers for liquid products like wine and spirits face challenges in maintaining uniform temperature, leading to temperature gradients and increased operational costs due to inefficient temperature control systems.
Innovation Solution
A spherical or ovoid container design with integrated tubes for cooling and heating fluid circulation, where inlet ends of each tube are connected to a single fluid supply point, ensuring uniform fluid distribution and minimizing temperature variations, combined with a continuous circuit between two body halves to enhance heat exchange and convection movements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If immersion heaters are used to heat the liquid directly in the tank, then the temperature of the liquid can be maintained, but temperature gradients are generated and homogeneous temperature distribution is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The tank is divided into two separate heating circuits, each serving one half of the tank. This segmentation allows independent temperature control in each zone, preventing temperature gradients and ensuring homogeneous temperature distribution throughout the entire liquid volume.
Solution Approach 2:
Each half of the tank is equipped with its own heating circuit with inlet and outlet positioned optimally for that specific zone. This local quality approach ensures that each region receives appropriate heating, eliminating the temperature non-uniformity caused by centralized heating.
2Volume of stationary object
If the tank volume is large, then more liquid can be stored, but regulating the temperature of the entire volume takes time and temperature gradients are generated
Solution Approach 1:
The large tank volume is divided into two separate heating zones with independent circuits. This allows parallel temperature regulation in both halves, significantly reducing the total time required to heat or cool the entire volume compared to a single centralized system.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating approach transitions from a single-point centralized heating to a distributed two-dimensional system with circuits in both upper and lower halves. This dimensional expansion of the heating network enables simultaneous temperature control across the entire large volume, overcoming the time delay inherent in single-point heating of large volumes.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the inlet ends of tubes are connected to the same fluid draw-off point, then uniform fluid temperature and identical fluid distribution time are achieved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fluid supply system is segmented into two separate circuits, each with its own inlet end connected to the same draw-off point. This segmentation maintains simplicity at the source while enabling independent circuit optimization, achieving uniform temperature distribution without excessive system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Both inlet ends are connected to the same fluid draw-off point, creating an equipotential condition for fluid supply. This ensures that both heating circuits receive fluid at identical temperature and pressure conditions, guaranteeing uniform temperature distribution while maintaining system simplicity through a common source.
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
This design achieves uniform temperature distribution within the container, reducing operational costs and maintaining the quality of the liquid products by minimizing temperature gradients and promoting efficient heat exchange.
Implementation Method 1
one or more tubes for the circulation of a cooling fluid and/or a heating fluid
Implementation Method 2
enhance heat exchange
Implementation Method 3
the spherical shape of a tank offers several advantages. It promotes convection movements in the tank, which ensures permanent homogenization of its contents as well as an even distribution of temperatures
Data Source
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Figure 5
AI summary
The present invention concerns a container for food liquid, in particular for preparing and maturing wine and spirits, said container comprising one or more tubes (17, 18) for circulating a cooling fluid and/or a heating fluid. According to the invention, - said container comprises a spherical or ovoid container body, said body comprising a first lower body half (12) and a second, upper body half (11), - each body half (11, 12) comprises a tube for circulating a cooling fluid and/or a heating fluid, each tube comprising an inlet end and an outlet end, which protrude from said corresponding body half (11, 12), and - the inlet ends of said tubes (17, 18) are connected to a same fluid draw-off point.