Thermoplastic Beer Container with Gas Generating System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Plastic containers for pressurized nitrogenated beverages, such as beer, experience permanent expansion due to creep under internal pressure, leading to significant loss of nitrogen, which affects the beer's taste, texture, and dispensing behavior, as nitrogen has poor solubility in water and escapes when the container volume increases.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an expandable device with a gas generating system, such as a pouch containing sodium bicarbonate and citric acid, which generates gas to compensate for the volume increase from creep, maintaining pressure within the container and reducing nitrogen loss, or using a gas generating system between the inner and outer casings to maintain pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a thermoplastic container is used to hold pressurized nitrogenated beverage, then the container provides good protection and durability, but the container permanently expands due to creep under internal pressure causing nitrogen loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an expandable device that changes its volume parameter in response to pressure changes. The device expands when internal pressure increases, compensating for the container's creep expansion and maintaining constant internal volume, thereby preventing nitrogen loss while preserving the durability benefits of thermoplastic material.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the static container structure into a dynamic system by adding an expandable device that actively adjusts its volume. This dynamic component responds to pressure variations and counteracts the permanent deformation of the thermoplastic container, resolving the contradiction between durability and nitrogen retention.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the container volume increases permanently due to creep, then the container can accommodate thermal expansion, but nitrogen escapes from the beverage
Solution Approach 1:
The expandable device utilizes parameter changes in its volume in response to pressure and temperature variations. It provides adaptive compensation for thermal expansion while preventing nitrogen escape by maintaining pressure equilibrium, thus resolving the contradiction between adaptability and substance retention.
3Loss of substance
If an expandable device is added to compensate for container expansion, then nitrogen loss is prevented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible pouch or bag as the expandable device, utilizing thin film materials that can easily expand and contract. This approach simplifies the overall structure compared to rigid mechanical expanders, maintaining nitrogen retention while minimizing the increase in device complexity through the use of flexible, self-expanding materials.
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 solution effectively prevents or reduces nitrogen loss by ensuring the pressure in the container remains higher than the equilibrium pressure of the gas mixture, maintaining the beer's quality and dispensing behavior despite container expansion from creep.
Implementation Method 1
a gas generating system, such as a pouch containing sodium bicarbonate and citric acid, which generates gas to compensate for the volume increase from creep
Implementation Method 2
an expandable device holding a compressed gas or a gas generating system for expanding the device during or after filling the container to compensate for an increase in the volume of the container resulting from creep in the thermoplastic material
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3A~4B
Figure 5
AI summary
The invention relates to a container (1) for a pressurized beverage, in particular beer, comprising a casing (2) of a thermoplastic material, a valve part (3) for dispensing the beverage from the container (1), and an expandable device (20) holding a compressed gas or a gas generating system (21, 22) for expanding the device (20) during or after filling the container (1) to compensate for an increase in the volume of the container (1) resulting from creep in the thermoplastic material.