Pumps – Expansible chamber type – Plural pumping chambers
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-16
2001-05-15
Walberg, Teresa (Department: 3742)
Pumps
Expansible chamber type
Plural pumping chambers
C261S035000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06231322
ABSTRACT:
This invention concerns a method and device according to the preamble of claim
1
and the preamble of claim
2
respectively.
Automatic beverage making machines for post-mixing or subsequent mixing carbonated and chilled water with a taste-giving concentrate into a certain quantity of a soft drink are previously known. In such devices the incoming fresh-water is fed over a pump to a pressure vessel where carbonating and possibly chilling may be provided under a relatively high pressure, typically amounting to 10 bar.
An essential problem with previously known post-mix devices is that excessive loss of carbon dioxide from the carbonated and chilled water is likely to appear at the discharge of the water when it is subjected to a sudden pressure reduction. The result of this is that there is a risk of providing a beverage having too low carbon acid contents which does not meet the specified demands and which is not accepted by the customer.
It is an aim of this invention to provide a method and a device in beverage making machines wherein the above problems are avoided or at least reduced.
This aim is obtained in a method and a device according to the above by the features of the characterising portions of claim
1
and
2
respectively.
By thus the carbonated and possibly chilled water which is discharged from the pressure vessel being subjected to a controlled pressure reduction by supplying it to a pressure transfer device, so that it is used together with the incoming fresh water in order to obtain a pressure increase of the water which is intended to be fed into the pressure vessel, it is achieved a controlled, non momentary pressure reduction or decompression in the discharged water which results in a greater portion of the carbon dioxide which is dissolved in the water remaining in the solution, instead of, as otherwise, risking to be uncontrolled lost to the atmosphere.
By the invention the said problem in conventional post-mix devices is thus solved, namely that discharge of carbonated water result in sudden decompression, resulting in excessive loss of carbon dioxide which is solved in the water. This problem is strongly accentuated in the prior art when using greater vessel pressures in the range of 25 bar, wherefore the control of the carbon acid contents is of the greatest importance in such applications. The invention solves the problems with excessive carbon dioxide loss at the same time as it provides a possibility to practically use relatively high pressure inside the pressure vessel which is desirable for the following reason.
An important aspect in post-mix machines namely concerns condensation of gaseous carbon dioxide which is present in the pressure vessel. In order to achieve this condensation the gas is fed over a compressor to the condenser whereas the prevailing pressure in condenser should be in the range of 65 bar in order to obtain effective condensation. When using a vessel pressure in the order of 10 bar it is thus necessary for this compressor to effect a increase of pressure of 55 bar which generally result in a need of a complicated multi-step compressor. A great increase of pressure further results in an undesired great heat release, possibly including intermediate cooling, and energy consumption. The invention makes it possible to use a higher pressure in the pressure vessel, typically for example 25 bar, without any need for a powerful, energy consuming feed pump, whereby the compressor feeding the condenser thus only has to provide an essentially lower increase of pressure than otherwise would be needed.
By the invention it is further achieved that no or at least little energy has to be supplied in order to increase the pressure in the feed water in order to the reach the pressure level inside the pressure vessel. The energy transfer means that in the case where the feed water has sufficient energy when it is discharged from a feed water supply, this energy together with the energy of the water in the water discharge circuit is sufficient to replace carbonated water discharged from the pressure vessel with new water having sufficient pressure in order to allow it to be fed into the pressure vessel. In the case where the feed water pressure is insufficient it may be necessary to provide a beverage making machine according to the invention with a simple pump having the ability of increasing the water pressure with for example 2 to 4 bar. Also in this case a significant advantage is achieved in comparison with prior art machines where the water pump must increase the pressure in the incoming water with as an example up to 10 bar.
Finally, the invention result in considerable saving of energy since all or at least essential parts of the energy which is required to pump new water into the pressure vessel is energy which is recovered from water being discharged from the pressure vessel and feed water. Machines applying the invention may also be produced with essentially reduced dimensions.
The feature in claim
3
and in particular in claim
4
provide a mechanically simple and reliable pressure transfer device.
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Fastovsky Leonid
Post-Mix Equipment AB
Senterfitt Akerman
Walberg Teresa
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