Dispensing – Processes of dispensing
Patent
1997-04-30
1999-09-14
Kashnikow, Andres
Dispensing
Processes of dispensing
62393, 62434, 2221291, 2221466, B67B 700
Patent
active
059508663
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for cooling and preparing a beverage and for transporting ice for use in cooling a beverage. Particularly, the present invention includes methods and related apparatuses for loading an ice bin with ice from a remote location, and for cooling water with ice to produce an outflow of cooled water and for cooling beverage concentrate with ice to produce an outflow of cooled beverage concentrate, and then mixing the two outflows in proper proportion.
BACKGROUND ART
Beverage dispensers are commonly used in restaurants and convenience stores to mix a beverage concentrate with either carbonated or non-carbonated water, and to cool the mixed beverage. Beverages are typically considered to be more refreshing when served cold. Therefore, the quality of the mixed beverage that is produced is at least partially dependent upon the temperature at which the mixed beverage is dispensed. If carbonated water is used, the quality of the mixed beverage is further enhanced by obtaining and maintaining a high level of carbonation in the water, and by minimizing the amount of flashing or foaming that occurs when the carbonated water and beverage concentrate are mixed. Since solubility of carbon dioxide is inversely related to temperature, a high level of carbonation can be obtained and maintained by reducing the temperature of the water prior to carbonation and by maintaining the reduced temperature of the water after carbonation,respectively. Likewise, foaming is minimized by reducing the temperature of the beverage concentrate to a temperature approximately equal to that of the carbonated water prior to mixing.
One of the most popular cooling devices to date is referred to as a cold plate. A cold plate conventionally includes a large block of aluminum, perhaps 20 inches square and 4 inches high. Mounted within the aluminum block are a series of horizontally coiled stainless steel tubes or other conduits stacked vertically above each other. Each stainless steel tube respectively carries a different liquid, such as water or a beverage concentrate. If carbonation is desired, a separate carbonator is provided.
To cool the liquids, ice is provided in contact with the upper surface of the cold plate while each of the different liquids for the beverage are flowed through a respective tube. The melt runoff from the ice is drained and discarded.
Hence, the water and beverage concentrates are cooled by heat transfer through the walls of the stainless steel tube and the aluminum block. After passing through the cold plate, the water and a selected beverage concentrate are mixed in proper proportion and dispensed from a dispensing valve located downstream of the cold plate. The cold plate is often provided in the bottom of a large container or tank that is mounted in or on a counter top. The cold plate provided an advance over prior arrangements which cooled water and beverage concentrates byflowing those fluids through unencased conduits in an ice water bath.
Although the cold plate may adequately cool the water and beverage concentrate, it is an expensive and heavy component. These high costs are partially due to the quantity of aluminum required to construct the large solid block, as well as the complexity of fabricating a series of tubes within the block while ensuring that no leaks occur. The size and weight of the cold plate also increases costs and difficulty in constructing, handling, and shipping dispensers using this cooling system.
The cold plate also has cooling inefficiencies. The efficiency of the cold plate is inherently dependent upon the heat transfer rate between the ice and the liquid to be cooled. Therefore, when the concentrate tubes are encased in the aluminum block, several walls of aluminum and stainless steel separate the ice and the liquid to be cooled, and the heat transfer rate decreases accordingly. Hence, the tube located closest to the upper surface of the cold plate will be cooled most, while the tube located furthest from the upper
REFERENCES:
patent: 4555045 (1985-11-01), Rodth et al.
patent: 5549219 (1996-08-01), Lancaster
patent: 5660307 (1997-08-01), Schroeder et al.
Douglas Lisa A.
Kashnikow Andres
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