Supercooled Pressurized Beverage Cooling via Phase Transition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Consumer products, such as beverages, often fail to maintain a cold temperature when consumed on-the-go due to lack of access to ice, leading to temperature dilution and taste compromise.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a pressurized composition in a sealed container, maintained at a supercooled temperature within a consumer accessible cooling device, which remains liquid as long as the container is sealed and partially freezes upon opening or agitation, extending shelf life and maintaining coldness without ice.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If ice is added to maintain cold temperature of beverage, then cold temperature is maintained for longer period, but beverage is diluted and taste is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The invention utilizes phase transition of the composition within the sealed container - the composition transitions from liquid state during storage to solid/semi-solid state during consumption. This internal phase change provides cooling effect without adding external ice, thereby avoiding beverage dilution while maintaining cold temperature.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealed container with pressurized composition acts as an intermediary cooling system. Instead of directly adding ice to the beverage, the invention uses a separate sealed container that, when opened, allows the phase-changing composition to cool the beverage through thermal contact, preventing direct dilution.
2Temperature
If beverage is refrigerated before consumption, then cold temperature is achieved, but temperature cannot be maintained during travel without ice
Solution Approach 1:
The composition in the sealed container is pre-cooled to a sub-zero temperature before the consumer needs it. This preliminary cooling action allows the composition to later serve as a cooling agent during travel, extending the duration of cold temperature maintenance without requiring continuous external refrigeration.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealed container with pre-cooled composition serves as a self-contained cooling system. Once opened, the composition automatically provides cooling effect through its phase change, eliminating the need for external ice or continuous refrigeration during travel.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If pressurized composition is kept at supercooled temperature, then composition remains liquid and shelf life is extended, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system operates periodically rather than continuously. The composition is cooled to sub-zero temperature in advance, then maintains that state during storage. The system only requires energy input during the initial cooling phase and when the consumer opens the container, rather than requiring continuous energy consumption to maintain cold temperature.
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 method extends the shelf life of packaged compositions by keeping them in a liquid state for extended periods while sealed, ensuring partial freezing upon consumer access, thus maintaining coldness and reducing dilution, with potential temperature increases during non-access periods to further extend shelf life and reduce energy consumption.
Implementation Method 1
The pressurized composition comprises a solvent and a solute substantially dissolved in the solvent and is at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure. The pressurized composition remains liquid while the at least one packaged composition is maintained at the first supercooled temperature
Implementation Method 2
cooling the pressurized composition in the sealed container in a consumer accessible cooling device at a point of sale to a composition temperature which is a first supercooled temperature
Implementation Method 3
the pressurized composition at least partially freezes in response to the sealed container being removed from the consumer accessible cooling device and opened or agitated by the consumer
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates a method for extending a shelf life of at least one packaged composition within a consumer accessible cooling device adapted to cool the at least one packaged composition to a composition temperature which is a first supercooled temperature. The method comprises storing the at least one packaged composition within the consumer accessible cooling device at a first supercooled temperature and increasing the composition temperature to a second temperature during a time period in which the at least one packaged composition will not be removed from the consumer accessible cooling device by a consumer. The at least one packaged composition comprises a pressurized composition in a liquid phase within a sealed container. The pressurized composition comprises a solvent and a solute substantially dissolved in the solvent and is at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure. The pressurized composition remains liquid while the at least one packaged composition is maintained at the first supercooled temperature in the consumer accessible cooling device and at least partially freezes in response to the sealed container being removed from the consumer accessible cooling device and opened or agitated by the consumer.