KR101544694B1 - Soda maker and Apparatus for water supply purposes - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mixing unit used during a process of discharging drinking water in which a gas is dissolved and a water supply device including the same. According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for generating carbonated water by injecting water and carbon dioxide gas into a space where pressure is maintained, the apparatus comprising: a pressure vessel storing the water and the carbon dioxide gas in an internal space; And a mixing unit provided on the flow path inside the vessel and including a diffusion space for gradually increasing the flow area of the carbonated water and a converging space for discharging carbonated water passing through the diffusion space, do.

Description

Technical Field [0001] The present invention relates to a carbonic acid mixer canister and a water supply device including the same,

The present invention relates to a water supply device including a carbonic acid mixer and generating carbonated water.

As the environmental pollution became serious with industrial development, pollution of water resources directly connected to diet has been increased. In recent years, consumer interest in healthy drinking water is increasing. In accordance with the trend of the water market, there is an increasing number of companies manufacturing bottled water with clean groundwater. Since the supply of natural water is limited and it is expensive compared to tap water, the water purifier industry that cleans tap water is also being developed.

One of the development aspects of the water supply system is the water treatment according to the consumer's preference. Consumers want to drink cold or warm water, especially as the season changes. Thereby providing a cold water heater for adjusting the temperature of the water. Currently, the cold and hot water dispenser is provided as an additional function to the dispenser device provided by the bottled water supplier, and it is a general tendency to be provided as an additional function in a water purifier that provides purified water for tap water.

One of the development directions of the water supply device for consumers' taste is the function of generating and supplying carbonated water. The production of carbonated water is produced by dissolving carbon dioxide in water, which is almost the same as the method of producing carbonated beverages such as cola cider and draft beer. The quality of the carbonated water depends on the amount of carbon dioxide dissolved in the water, that is, the degree of detonation depending on the carbon dioxide gas pressure.

The conditions for increasing the gas pressure of carbonic acid are known to be low temperature and high pressure. However, it is difficult to equip low-temperature and high-pressure equipment only next to large-scale beverage manufacturing plants. In addition, the low cost of production and the small size of the apparatus make it difficult to raise the gas pressure of the carbonated water coming out because the domestic carbonated water supply apparatus should handle carbon dioxide within a safe pressure range.

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2005-0017917 (Feb. 23, 2005) Korean Patent Registration No. 10-0735911 (June 28, 2007) Korean Patent Registration No. 10-0735913 (June 28, 2007) Korean Patent Registration No. 10-0735914 (June 28, 2007) Korean Patent Registration No. 10-0871616 (November 26, 2008) Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2010-0055991 (2010.05.27) Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2012-0016682 (Feb. 27, 2012) Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2012-0015952 (Feb. 22, 2012) Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2012-0015951 (Feb. 22, 2012) Korean Patent Registration No. 101-177499 (Aug. 21, 2012) Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2013-0044988 (2013.05.03) Korean Utility Model Registration No. 20-0314754 (May 15, 2003)

The present invention has been made with the intention of providing a water supply device and accessories therefrom after processing the supplied water in accordance with various tastes of consumers. Ultimately increasing the efficiency of the water treatment process required to be provided to the consumer and making the water supply device operate more smoothly.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for generating carbonated water by injecting water and carbon dioxide gas into a space where pressure is maintained, comprising: a pressure vessel storing the water and the carbon dioxide gas in an internal space; And a mixing unit provided on the flow path inside the pressure vessel through which the carbonated water is discharged and having a diffusion space for gradually increasing the flow area of the carbonated water and a converging space for discharging carbonated water passing through the diffusion space And a carbonic acid mixer.

Here, the space may include a cavity connected to the converging space and generating a flow of moving carbonated water as a turbulent flow.

Specifically, the diffusion space has a shape along an outer circumferential surface of the truncated cone, and the spreading angle of the diffusion space may be 28 to 34 degrees. Further, the length of the diffusion space may be 21 to 33 millimeters.

Wherein the pressure vessel is provided with a mounting hole having an inner peripheral surface formed on the inner peripheral surface thereof and a screw threaded to the mounting hole is formed at the rear end of the mixing unit and a flange contacting the outer peripheral surface of the pressure vessel is formed at the end of the screw And a sealing member may be mounted between the flange and the pressure vessel.

Wherein the carbon dioxide gas and the water are mixed before being injected into the pressure vessel. The pressure vessel may be formed in an elliptical cross section.

A carbon dioxide storage tank for supplying carbon dioxide gas; a carbonic acid mixer tank according to any one of claims 1 to 7; and a dispenser for discharging carbonated water discharged from the carbonic acid mixer tank.

At this time, a cold water tank for cooling the stored water to generate cold water is included, and the carbonic acid mixer can receive carbonated water by receiving cold water from the cold water tank.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, the water supply device improves the quality of the carbonated water to be provided to the consumer and improves the taste of the carbonated water according to the carbonated gas pressure to improve the satisfaction of the consumer. Further, smooth operation of the water supply device for generating and supplying carbonated water is possible, and operational reliability is improved.

The effects of the present invention will be clearly understood and understood by those skilled in the art, either through the specific details described below, or during the course of practicing the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a view showing a main configuration and a system of a water supply apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.
2 is a schematic view of a carbonic acid mixer cylinder employed in the embodiment of FIG.
3 is a schematic perspective view of a carbonic acid mixer trough according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is an exploded perspective view of the embodiment shown in Fig.
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment shown in Figure 3;
FIG. 6 is an exploded view of a mixing unit employed in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3;
7 is a cross-sectional view of the mixing unit employed in the embodiment shown in Fig.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view schematically showing a main part of the mixing unit shown in FIG. 7; FIG.
9 is a view schematically showing the use state of the mixing unit shown in Fig.
10 is a schematic perspective view of a carbonic acid mixer trough according to another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the configuration, functions, and functions of a mixing unit and a water supply device including the mixing unit according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted, however, that the same reference numerals will be used for the same or similar components throughout the embodiments.

In the present description, 'liquid', 'cold water', 'hot water', 'raw water' and 'carbonated water' all mean water. Therefore, 'cold water', 'hot water', 'enemy water' and 'carbonated water' can be called 'water' or 'liquid'. 'Cold water' and 'hot water' are used to distinguish according to temperature, 'raw water' means water before various treatments such as treatment for increasing or decreasing temperature or increasing the solubility of carbon dioxide, Means water, or water before any treatment step.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are not to be construed as limiting the technical spirit of the invention. It is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited by any of the details of the description to those skilled in the art from the standpoint of a person skilled in the art that any or all of the drawings shown in the drawings are not necessarily the shape,

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows a water supply apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The water supply device (100) includes a carbonic acid mixer tank (40) for generating and storing carbonated water. And a carbonic acid supplying member for supplying carbonic acid gas to the carbonic acid mixer tank (40). The carbonic acid supply member includes a carbon dioxide storage tank 30 for providing high-pressure carbon dioxide and auxiliary equipment such as a gas pressure regulator. Further, in a further configuration, the water supply apparatus 100 includes a cooling means 20 for cooling the water contained in the cold water tank 10 and the water tank 10 to an appropriate temperature. A water dispenser 50 for selectively discharging cold water, hot water or carbonated water to the outside according to the consumer's choice, and a cooling means 20 A dispenser 50, and the like. These configurations are configurations that increase the range of services provided by the water supply system.

And a control module (not shown) for appropriately operating these components. In addition, the water supply device may further include self-sterilizing means, various monitoring means for enhancing safety, and the like.

The illustrated water supply device 100 includes all of the above-mentioned configurations for providing cold water, hot water and carbonated water. However, the water supply device of another embodiment may not have some configuration such as a hot water tank, a low water tank, and a cold water tank. Accordingly, the type of water to be provided to the consumer is limited and the service range is reduced. However, in return, the water supply device can be easily manufactured in a small size and the design of the control module is facilitated.

In the description of the present invention, the water supply device 100 includes a carbonic acid supply member such as a carbon dioxide storage tank 30, a dispenser 50, and a carbonic acid mixer tank 40. Further, the water supply apparatus 100 may further include a cooling means 20 and a cold water tank 10, and further include a hot water tank 60. Further, the water supply device may have all of the above-described configurations.

1, the water reservoir 70 is a member for temporarily storing the water to be supplied to the cold water tank 10 or the hot water tank 60. In the water supply apparatus 100 shown in FIG. Particularly, the water reservoir 70 is useful when raw water is supplied from a separately provided water tank (not shown). The reservoir 70 is mainly supplied with raw water from a water tank installed upside down and can hold a certain amount of water.

When the filtered tap water is directly supplied without using a separate water bottle, the water reservoir 70 may be omitted or still be used.

The hot water tank 60, the cold water tank 10 and the carbonic acid mixer tank 40 applied to the embodiment of the present invention are basically provided as a closed container. The structure for discharging the treated cold water, hot water or carbonated water is such that the discharge pipe extends from the bottom of each barrel to the bottom of the barrel, and when the raw water is injected into the barrel, the stored water is discharged to the discharge pipe by pressure.

For example, the water contained in the water storage tank 70 is pressurized by the pump 710 and is conveyed through the pipe, and the branched pipe is connected to the hot water tank 60 and the cold water tank 10, And flows into the cylinder (60) or the cold water cylinder (10). When the user operates the dispenser 50 to discharge the cold water, the valve (which may be mounted in the dispenser) connected to the discharge pipe of the cold water tank 10 is opened, and the cold water exits only in the cold water tank 10, The valve connected to the discharge pipe of the hot water tank 60 is still kept in the locked state, so the hot water in the hot water tank remains.

In addition, the pump 710 is interlocked with the operation of the dispenser 50 so that the water in the reservoir 70 is pumped and transferred. At this time, the raw water pumped into the cold water tank 10 through which the valve is opened is introduced by the pressure gradient of the pipe connected to the outlet of the pump 710.

On the other hand, the pump 710 connected to the low-water tub 70 has a structure in which the installation position of the low-water tub 70 is higher than that of the cold water tub 10 or the hot water tub 60 so that raw water of low water cis It can be omitted when it is configured to flow naturally.

On the other hand, the carbonic acid mixer tank 40 is connected to the carbon dioxide storage tank 30. The carbon dioxide storage tank 30 stores high-pressure carbon dioxide and can be replaced with a new carbon dioxide storage tank after consuming the stored carbon dioxide. A regulator for appropriately controlling the pressure of the carbon dioxide discharged from the carbon dioxide storage tank and a check valve for preventing the back flow of carbon dioxide are further provided.

A certain amount of water and carbon dioxide coexist in a high pressure state in the carbonic acid mixer cylinder 40. [ As time elapses, carbon dioxide is dissolved in water, so that the water in the carbonic acid mixer can be carbonated water having a high carbonic acid pressure. The carbonated water is discharged by allowing the carbonated water to be discharged naturally due to the pressure difference between the atmospheric pressure and the inside of the carbonic acid mixer tank 40 according to the opening of the dispenser 50 or additionally supplying new water to the carbonic acid mixer tank 40, The carbonated water can be pushed out and discharged as in the case 10 or the hot water tank 60.

1, the line indicated by the dashed line indicates the movement path of the refrigerant supplied to the cold water tank 10 and the carbonic acid mixer tank 40. [ The cooling means 20 uses a refrigeration cycle as is known. Accordingly, devices for evaporating, compressing, condensing, and expanding the refrigerant are provided inside the water supply device.

In another embodiment, the cooling means 20 may be a thermoelectric module utilizing the Peltier effect. In this case, the heat absorbing side may be directly brought into contact with the cold water tube or the case described later without the refrigerant, or a bracket or the like in contact with the heat absorbing side may be in contact with the cold water tube or the like.

The cooling means 20 is connected to the cold water tank 10 and the carbonic acid mixer tank 40 so that water (cold water, carbonated water) contained in the cold water tank 10 and the carbonic acid mixer tank 40 is suitably cooled, Keep the temperature. The cold water tank 10 can exhibit the original function of providing cold water to the consumer by the cooling means 20. In the carbonic acid mixer tank 40, the solubility of carbon dioxide is increased to increase the carbonic acid pressure, The pressure can be maintained.

2 shows the structure of the carbonic acid mixer container in more detail.

In the illustrated embodiment, the carbonic acid mixer cylinder 40 provides a place for generating carbonated water by matching the conditions under which the carbonic acid gas is dissolved in the cold water. Raw water supplied with carbonated water is water supplied from a low water cistern or cold water supplied from a cold water cistern.

In order to generate carbonated water more quickly, it is preferable to supply cold water of a low-temperature cold water tank to the carbonic acid mixer tank 40 to suppress the temperature rise in the carbonic acid mixer tank 40 as much as possible.

The interior of the carbonic acid mixer tank 40 is brought into a high-pressure state by the stored water and the supplied carbonic acid gas. And the internal temperature of the carbonic acid mixer tank 40 is lowered to an appropriate level by the cooling means 20 surrounding the periphery of the carbonic acid mixer tank 40. That is, since water and carbon dioxide coexist while maintaining the state of low temperature and high pressure, carbon dioxide gas is dissolved in water to generate carbonated water.

When the user opens the valve of the discharge pipe (see 410 in FIG. 1) connected to the carbonic acid mixer through the operation of the dispenser, the carbonated water stored by the internal pressure of the carbonic acid mixer 40 is discharged through the dispenser.

At the same time, the control module senses that the water level in the carbonic acid mixer cylinder 40 has dropped through the water level sensor (see 15 in FIG. 5) in the carbonic acid mixer cylinder, and operates the pump connected to the cold water cylinder or the water reservoir to receive fresh water . Also, the carbonic acid gas supplied from the carbon dioxide storage tank keeps the carbonic acid mixer tank at a constant high pressure in accordance with the decrease of the carbonic acid gas pressure in the carbonic acid mixer case.

The discharge pipe 410 through which the carbonated water flows out extends to the bottom of the carbonic acid mixer tank 40 so that carbonated water is discharged even if the carbonated water level in the carbonic acid mixer tank 40 is low. A mixing unit (2) disposed on a carbonic acid water channel is mounted on a discharge pipe (410) extending into the inside of the carbonic acid mixer container.

The mixing unit 2 improves the quality of the carbonated water discharged from the carbonic acid mixer tank 40. Specifically, the mixing unit increases the carbonic acid gas pressure of the carbonated water supplied through the discharge pipe, thereby improving the shooting taste of the carbonated water according to the high carbon dioxide gas pressure.

The mixing unit also enables smooth operation of the water supply device. The mixing unit allows the carbonic acid mixer can be operated under a high pressure condition, thereby widening the selection range of the operating pressure of the carbonic acid mixer can. That is, the operating pressure of the carbonic acid mixer can be set and operated at a high pressure according to the user's intention.

The configuration and operation of such a mixing unit will be described in detail later.

The mixing unit 2 is mounted inside the carbonic acid mixer cylinder 40. The mixing unit and the carbonated water passing through the mixing unit are subjected to the cooling effect of the carbonic acid mixer container by being mounted inside the carbonic acid mixer container. That is, the mixing unit itself is kept cool.

Since the mixing unit 2 is connected to the discharge pipe 410 in the carbonic acid mixer tank 40, the flow of the carbonated water passing through the mixing unit 2 becomes a direction going up the gravity.

The inlet and outlet of the mixing unit are also in a straight line. The linear arrangement of the inlet and outlet is to reduce the flow resistance caused by the flow direction of the carbonated water.

In another embodiment, the mixing unit may be installed in the middle of a discharge pipe connecting the dispenser to the discharge pipe of the carbonic acid mixer trough, not the inside of the carbonic acid mixer trough.

For example, at the end of the discharge pipe connected to the dispenser or in the middle thereof. Alternatively, the mixing unit may be mounted as an accessory within the dispenser. Thus, the mixing unit is installed in a channel through which carbonated water passes, and its position is not limited to the inside of the carbonic acid mixer can.

Even in this case, since the direction of the carbonated water injected into the mixing unit and the flow direction of the carbonated water discharged after passing through the mixing unit are not changed, it is easy to install the pipe in the water supply device.

The carbonic acid mixer tank (40) has a pressure vessel (1) for storing water and carbon dioxide gas in an internal space.

The shape of the pressure vessel 1 may vary, but is cylindrical in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 and tubular in the embodiment shown in FIG. 10 having an elliptical cross section.

The pressure vessel (1) includes a body (11) forming an internal space, and a cap (12) sealing the internal space and equipped with various pipes and sensors. At this time, a seal 13 for hermetic sealing is interposed between the body 11 and the cap 12.

The cylindrical pressure vessel 1 having a cylindrical or elliptical cross section is in a form suitable to withstand the operating pressure of the carbonic acid mixer cylinder 40.

Particularly, the pressure vessel 1 made of a cylinder having an elliptical cross section is suitable when the water supply device is made compact and the space for installing the carbonic acid mixer cylinder 40 is insufficient.

Specifically, the perimeter is formed into a curved surface to withstand a large internal pressure, and when viewed from the plane, the length along the minor axis direction of the elliptical cross section is reduced so that the carbonic acid mixer can be arranged side by side with other tubular members. In addition, since the contact area between the water and the carbonic acid gas contained in the pressure vessel is greatly increased as compared with the cylindrical shape having the same diameter as the length of the short axis, the carbonated water having a certain level of carbon dioxide gas pressure can be generated within a short time.

Referring again to FIG. 2, at least two kinds of pipes are installed in the carbonic acid mixer cylinder 40. One is a discharge pipe 410 for discharging carbonated water in the carbonic acid mixer trough, and the other is an inlet pipe for injecting water and carbon dioxide gas.

In the illustrated embodiment, the inlet pipe uses a single cross pipe 17. One of the branch branches of the crucible (17) is in communication with the interior of the pressure vessel. Each of the remaining branch branches is connected to carbon dioxide gas injection piping, raw water injection piping and a safety valve (SAFETY VALVE, S.V.). Thus, the water and the carbon dioxide gas injected into the pressure vessel 1 can be mixed first in the crucible pipe 17 before entering the inside of the carbonic acid mixer vessel 40.

It is possible to improve the production rate of carbonated water by mixing the carbonic acid gas with the raw water and injecting it into the pressure vessel 1. When a large amount of carbonic acid water in the carbonic acid mixer tank is discharged and emptied in a short time, raw water and carbon dioxide gas are further supplied to generate new carbonated water.

How quickly carbonated water with a certain level of carbon dioxide pressure can be generated is mainly related to the contact area between raw water and carbon dioxide gas. Conventional techniques for producing carbonated water by bringing water and carbon dioxide gas into contact with each other in a high-pressure gas-tight container are such that water and carbon dioxide gas are injected into different vessels through different pipes, so that the production rate of carbonated water is limited only to the surface area of water Is determined accordingly.

In the present invention, since the carbonic acid gas and the raw water are mixed in advance and then injected into the carbonic acid mixer cylinder 40, the contact area between the carbonic acid gas and the raw water can be increased at the initial stage of injection. The carbonic acid gas is quickly dissolved in the raw water so that carbonated water having an appropriate carbonic acid gas pressure can be produced within a short time.

The branched branch of the crucible pipe 17 mounted on the pressure vessel 1 may be provided with a crushing member 171 for finely dividing the carbonic gas injected into the pressure vessel mixed with the raw water in the crucible pipe 17 .

In an embodiment, the crushing member 170 can be a mesh that breaks the gas bubbles into small droplets. The mesh can be made of corrosion resistant metal such as stainless steel. In another embodiment, the crushing member may be a plurality of collision protrusions protruding from a channel through which raw water mixed with carbon dioxide gas passes.

The crushing member 171 is provided on the flow passage through which the raw carbonic acid gas mixed raw water passes, so that large carbonic acid gas droplets are finely divided. Accordingly, the contact area between the raw water and the carbonic acid gas injected into the pressure vessel () is greatly increased, and the carbonic acid gas dissolves more quickly in the raw water.

In addition, since the raw water falls while being finely divided while passing through the crushing member 171, the newly injected raw water is mixed with the carbonated water staying in the pressure vessel little.

If there is no crushing member, the falling water from the branch pipe falls into a lump state and quickly mixes with the carbonated water stored in the pressure vessel. As a result, the carbonic acid gas pressure of the carbonated water caused by the raw water becomes low.

The carbonated water already generated in the present invention is discharged close to the bottom of the pressure vessel 1 by the long discharge pipe 410. The crushing member reduces the drop energy of the newly injected raw water so that when the large amount of carbonated water is discharged at a time, the newly injected raw water is mixed with the existing carbonated water as much as possible. This allows the carbonated water beneath the pressure vessel (1) to be discharged before the freshly injected raw water is completely mixed with the carbonated water.

That is, when a large amount of carbonated water is to be discharged, the user can be provided with carbonated water with high carbon dioxide pressure, which is less influenced by the newly added raw water.

3 to 5 show a carbonic acid mixer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The pressure vessel 1 of the illustrated carbonic acid mixer tank 40 has a cylindrical body 11 whose lower end is convex and whose upper portion is opened and a flat cap 12 which is coupled to an open upper portion of the body to air- .

A flange having a hole for fastening the bolt is formed on the upper end of the body 11 to secure the coupling between the body 11 and the cap 12. [ A seal 13 is interposed around the bottom surface of the cap in contact with the flange.

A drain nipple 14 is coupled to the concave bottom of the body 11. The drain nipple 14 is for completely discharging carbonated water and raw water stored in the pressure vessel 1, and the drain nipple 14 is communicated with a drain valve (not shown). In the normal operation state of the water supply device, the drain valve is locked, so that carbonated water or the like is prevented from flowing out of the pressure vessel.

The cap 12 is equipped with various pipes and sensors. At this time, since the cap is made flat, it is easy to install pipes and sensors.

As described above, the type of piping to be mounted on the cap 12 is a mixing unit 2 connected to a carbonated water discharge pipe and a cross piping 17 into which water mixed with carbon dioxide gas is injected. On the other hand, the type of sensor mounted on the cap 12 is a water level sensor 15 for sensing the carbonated water level in the pressure vessel and a thermometer 16 or pressure gauge for measuring the temperature or pressure inside the carbonic acid mixer.

Here, the water level sensor 15 detects the water level through the magnetic force intensity sensed according to the ascending height of the magnet connected to the buoyant body, and this water level sensor can be replaced with another known structure already known. Thermometers and pressure gauges are also the same as well-known configurations.

In order to mount the mixing unit 2 to the cap 12, the cap 12 is provided with a mounting hole 121 formed with a thread on the inner circumferential surface thereof. The mixing unit 2 is provided at its rear end with a screw 214 to be fastened to the mounting hole 121. Most of the mixing unit mounted in the mounting hole is located inside the pressure vessel.

The screw 214 is formed at the rear end of the mixing unit 2 and is provided at the end of the screw 214 with a flange 215 which abuts the upper surface of the cap upon screwing of the mixing unit 2 and the cap 12 Is formed. Further, a sealing member is mounted between the flange 215 and the pressure vessel 1 so that carbon dioxide gas in the pressure vessel does not leak out through the mounting hole.

The mixing unit 2 has a diffusion space S1 and a converging space S2 communicating with a flow path through which the carbonated water generated in the pressure vessel 1 is discharged, that is, the discharge pipe 410.

Here, the diffusion space S1 is a section for gradually increasing the flow area of the carbonated water, and the converging space S2 is a space for collecting and discharging the carbonated water passing through the diffusion space S1.

The mixing unit 2 lowers the flow rate of the carbonic acid water through the diffusion space S1 that gradually increases the flow area of the carbonic acid water and obtains a large pressure of the carbonic acid water passing through the corresponding region as a compensation thereof. As known, as the pressure of carbonated water increases, the solubility of carbonic acid gas increases, so that the carbonic acid gas pressure can be increased.

That is, the carbonic acid gas pressure of the carbonated water increases as compared with the case where the mixing unit does not pass through the mixing unit 2, thereby providing the user with carbonated water having a high carbon dioxide gas pressure.

The mixing unit 2 also functions as a pressure damper between the outlet of the dispenser which is atmospheric pressure of the carbonic acid mixer operated at a high pressure. If the internal pressure of the carbonic acid mixer tank is increased without the mixing unit, the high pressure of the carbonic acid mixer tank is directly transferred to the dispenser, and the carbonic acid water is discharged to the high pressure from the dispenser. The high-pressure sparkling water spouts out from the cup which is brought to the outlet of the dispenser, which causes a great inconvenience to the user.

The conventional carbonic acid water supply devices have not been able to increase the internal pressure of the carbonic acid mixer because of such a problem, and thus the carbonic acid gas pressure can not be increased.

On the other hand, the mixing unit according to the present invention exerts the effect of lowering the carbonated water discharged at a high pressure to a predetermined pressure similar to that of the regulator, so that the pressure of the carbonic acid mixer can be further increased. Therefore, it is possible to set various pressure conditions to be operated when designing a carbonic acid mixer can be set or changed.

The diffusion space S1 and the converging space S2 are formed so as to be continuous with a discharge pipe extending close to the bottom of the pressure vessel. That is, the diffusion space S 1 and the converging space S 2 are sequentially connected to each other in accordance with the direction in which carbonated water flows from the carbonic acid mixer trough 40 to the dispenser 50 along the discharge pipe (hereinafter referred to as mainstream echoes).

In the diffusion space S1, the cross-sectional area gradually increases along the main flow direction. The carbonated water flowing at a high pressure along the discharge pipe flows in the diffusion space S1 as the pressure rises and the carbonic acid gas To dissolve at a higher carbon dioxide gas pressure. The converging space S2 allows the carbonated water that has passed through the diffusion space S1 having a wide cross-sectional area to gather together and to escape to the discharge pipe connected to the dispenser again.

The diffusion space S1 is shown in Fig. Here, the shape of the diffusion space S1 is shown by exaggerating the thickness and the length in order to facilitate understanding, and arrows indicate the flow direction of the carbonated water.

The cross-sectional area of the diffusion space S1 is a donut shape. The cross-sectional area of the toroidal shape from the inlet S11 to the outlet S12 is gradually increased.

The flow rate of carbonated water is slowed while passing through the diffusion space S1, and the pressure is increased instead. To raise the carbonic acid gas pressure of the discharged carbonated water to a significant level, sufficient pressure must be increased during the passage through the diffusion space, and a certain amount of time is required to maintain the elevated pressure. This is related to the area ratio and length of the inlet and outlet of the diffusion space.

The water supply device can be made as a small household appliance, for use as a household or a desk. It is advantageous in that the mixing unit provided in such a water supply device is also made as small as possible in order to secure a design margin. With the mixing unit functioning properly, the minimum size of the diffusion space can be defined to be as compact as possible. This will be described in detail later.

The mixing unit 2 according to the illustrated embodiment includes a case 21 and a mounting portion 22.

In addition, the mounting portion 22 is divided into two parts and is composed of a front body 22a and a rear body 22b. In another embodiment, the mounting portion 22 may be made of one integral part. The mounting portion 22, which is divided into the front body 22a and the rear body 22b, is advantageous in that it can be easily manufactured using synthetic resin.

The case 21 is formed with a space portion 211 for receiving a part of the mounting portion 22. [ The space portion 211 communicates with the inlet 213 formed in the case 21. The case 21 is a member that forms the outer shape of the mixing unit, and the outside of the case 21 is provided with a structure for engaging with other components of the water supply device.

On the outer circumferential surface of the illustrated case 21, a screw 214 is screwed into the mounting hole 121 of the cap 12. Further, a flange 215 is formed continuously to the end of the screw.

An inlet 213 through which the carbonated water enters into the mixing unit is formed at the front end of the case 21. [ The space portion 211 formed at the rear end of the case 21 is opened toward the rear. A screw thread 212 is formed around the inner circumferential surface of the space 211 to engage with the mounting portion 22. The space portion 211 has a conical shape in which the cross-sectional area gradually increases from the front leading from the inlet 213 to the rear end where the screw thread 212 is formed.

The mounting portion 22 is engaged with the case 21 so that one end of the mounting portion 22 is inserted into the space portion of the case 21. A part of the mounting portion 22 inserted into the case 21 forms a diffusion space S1 between the inner surfaces of the case 21 in the space portion 211. [

In the mounting portion 22 of the illustrated embodiment, the truncated cone-shaped diffusion space S1 is formed by the front body 22a and the case 21. Specifically, the size of the front body 22a is smaller than the space 211 formed in the case 21, so that a gap is formed between the inner surface of the case 21 and the outer surface of the front body 22a, do.

The front body 22a is made to have a constant thickness and the inside is empty. The open rear end of the front body 22a is engaged with the front end of the rear body 22b.

The rear body 22b is coupled to the case 21 while fixing the front body 22a to fix the position of the front body 22a inside the case 21. [ Further, the rear body 22b is provided with a converging space S2 in which carbonated water passing through the diffusion space S1 is collected and discharged.

In the interior of the rear body 22b, there is formed a hole 222 penetrating in the forward and backward directions. The hole 222 forms an outlet 223 at the rear of the rear body.

On the other hand, the outer peripheral surface of the rear body 22b is formed with a flow groove 224 that is recessed along the periphery and communicates with the rear end of the diffusion space S1. The recessed depth of the flow grooves 224 is formed deeper than the width between the front body 22a and the case 21 or the thickness of the diffusion space S1 so that the volume of the space formed by the flow grooves 224 is Is formed larger than the rear end of the diffusion space S1.

On the concave surface of the flow groove 224, an outlet 223 and a connecting passage 225 are formed. The connecting passages are formed through the flow grooves 224, and a plurality of connecting passages 225 are formed radially at the center of the rear body 22b. In the illustrated embodiment, the pair of connection passages 225 are formed to face each other.

7 shows the inner space of the mounting portion 22. As shown in Fig. The flow path in the rear body 22b which is connected to the flow groove 224, the connection passage 225 and the outlet 223 in the section shown is a converging space S2 through which the carbonated water passed through the diffusion space S1 flows.

Further, a cavity 221 extending in a direction opposite to the flow path is formed in the mounting portion 22 while communicating with a flow path for flowing carbonated water.

In the illustrated embodiment, the cavity 221 is an empty space formed inside the front body 22a. In FIG. 7, the hole 222 forming the outlet 223 penetrates the rear body 22b in the vertical direction of the drawing. The front body 22a and the rear body 22b are connected to each other so that the hole 222 of the rear body 22b communicates with the cavity 221 inside the front body 22a. Thereby, the cavity 221, which is an empty space formed in the mounting portion 22 in a direction opposite to the flow direction in which carbonated water is expected to flow, is present.

Figure 9 schematically shows the carbonated water flow through the mixing unit 2. The illustrated mixing unit 2 is shown in the same direction as the mixing unit provided in the carbonic acid mixer tank shown in Fig. 5, and the lower part of the figure is seen as facing the ground.

The carbonated water that has passed through the diffusion space S1 and enters the interior of the converging space S2 forms a main flow exiting through the outlet 223. As the cavity 221 is formed in the mounting portion, a turbulent flow of the carbonated water flows in the cavity 221. This turbulent flow mixes the carbonated water evenly, so that the carbonic acid gas pressure of the discharged carbonated water is made even.

In addition, even when the initial flow rate of the carbonic acid water supplied to the mixing unit by the gas or the liquid staying in the discharge pipe at the initial stage of the discharge of the carbonic acid water is rather uneven, the cavity 221 functions as a bumper so that the carbonic acid water is continuously and uniformly discharged from the dispenser 50 .

These cavities 221 are formed in the direction opposite to the main flow of the carbonated water and generate a large turbulence. 7, the carbonated water collected at the center of the rear body 22b passes through the outlet 223 located at the upper portion so that the main flow in the mounting portion 22 is connected to the both connecting passages 225 in the drawing, And an upper portion of the hole 222 extending from the middle portion to the outlet 223.

The cavity 221 is formed at a position lower than both connecting passages, and is lower in height than the portion where the main flow appears.

The cavity 221, which is located out of the main flow direction of the carbonated water, easily generates turbulence against the main flow of the fast flowing carbonated water.

In addition, the installation direction of the mixing unit 2 with respect to gravity affects the function of the cavity. 7 and 9, when the cavity 221 is opened upward and is formed in a direction opposite to the gravity direction, when the discharge of the carbonated water stops, the carbonated water, which has not escaped from the mixing unit 2, Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 > 221 < / RTI > The carbonated water remaining in the cavity is mixed with the flow of new carbonated water in the mixing unit to help generate turbulence.

Referring again to FIGS. 6 and 7, the mounting portion 22 is configured to be movable relative to the case 21. This makes it possible to vary the cross-sectional area of the diffusion space S1.

The movement of the mounting portion 22 with respect to the case 21 is performed by screwing the threaded portion 226 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the rear body 22b and the threaded portion 212 formed on the inner peripheral surface of the space portion 211 of the case 21 . That is, the thickness of the diffusion space S1 can be adjusted by moving the front body 22a to the inside of the case or vice versa as the rear body 22b rotates.

Movement of the mounting portion relative to the case to vary the cross-sectional area of the diffusion space can be accomplished through various configurations. For example, the case and the mounting portion are fitted together and the cross-sectional area of the diffusion space can be adjusted by adjusting the degree of insertion of the mounting portion with respect to the case. Alternatively, the case may have a plurality of stepped portions so that the insertion depth of the mounting portion with respect to the case can be adjusted in a multistage manner, and protrusions protruding from the step portions protrude from the mounting portion. Various fastening structures for adjusting the degree of insertion of the mounting portion to the case may be adopted as described above.

The flow rate flowing through the diffusion space can be adjusted by changing the cross-sectional area of the diffusion space. In particular, it is possible to adjust the area of the inlet of the diffusion space to the flow rate. This makes it possible to control the flow rate of the carbonated water discharged from the dispenser.

In operating the carbonic acid mixer cylinder, the pressure of the carbonic acid mixer cylinder is determined by the pressure of the carbonic acid gas supplied to the carbonic acid mixer cylinder. When the operating pressure of the carbonic acid mixer tank is set high, the high-pressure carbonated water quickly passes through the mixing unit as the valve is opened in the dispenser. In order to eliminate the stagnation of the carbonated water entering the diffusion space at the inlet of the mixing unit, it is necessary to equalize the cross-sectional area of the inlet to the cross-sectional area of the inlet of the diffusion space. At this time, by adjusting the degree of insertion of the mounting portion with respect to the case, the cross-sectional area of the inlet of the diffusion space can be appropriately adjusted to allow the carbonated water to flow smoothly into the diffusion space.

In the mixing unit according to the embodiment shown in Figs. 6 to 7, an experiment was conducted on a size for increasing the carbonic acid gas pressure of the finally discharged carbonated water.

For the experiment, various experimental examples were made in which the size of the space portion 211 of the case 21 and the size of the front body 22a were different. The shapes of the experimental examples are as shown in Figs. 6 to 7, and the flaring angles A of the diffusion spaces S1 are made different for each experimental example. The firing angle (A) of the experimental examples was set so as to increase by 2 degrees starting from 24 degrees. At this time, in all the experimental examples, the length L of the diffusion space S1 was made equal to 25 millimeters.

Each experimental example allowed the carbonated water supplied from the same carbonic acid mixer to pass through. In each experimental example, the carbonated water discharged was put into the carbonic acid gas pressure gauge within a few seconds to measure the gas pressure. Here, the carbonic acid mixer was installed in the water supply device described above, the temperature was set at 4 degrees Celsius, and the pressure of the carbonic acid gas was set to 4 kgf / cm < ² > The temperature of the discharged carbonated water is 5 ° C to 7 ° C.

According to the experimental results, it was confirmed that the carbon dioxide pressure of the final discharged carbonated water stays at 1 kg / cm ² in the experimental examples in which the spreading angle of the diffusion space is less than 28 °. The a flaring angle of the diffuser area measured before and after 28 ° carbonic acid gas pressure Nago significantly difference (flaring acid gas pressure is observed when the angle is 26 ° is measured in 1.9 kg / cm ^2, carbonic acid gas pressure when the flaring angle is 28 ° is 3.1 kg / cm < ² >). In the experimental examples in which the firing angle exceeded 28 degrees, it was observed that the carbon dioxide gas pressure gradually increased and then decreased as the flare angle increased.

Considering that the carbonic acid gas pressure of the carbonated water finally discharged when the mixing unit is not provided is 1.5 kg / cm ² , it can be seen that the effect of increasing the carbon dioxide gas pressure is exhibited when the spreading angle of the diffusion space is at least 28 °. Therefore, the spreading angle A of the diffusion space S1 is preferably 28 degrees or more.

On the other hand, when the spreading angle A of the diffusion space S1 exceeds 45 degrees, the carbonated water flows over the diffusion space while being excessively widespread, so that there is a problem that the flow of the carbonated water is weakly formed in the converging space where the carbonated water is collected.

According to the above experimental results, the carbonic acid gas pressure of the finally discharged carbonated water becomes maximum in the experiment example in which the angle of opening is 34 °, and then starts to decrease gradually. Considering the increase of the carbonic acid gas pressure and the flowability of the carbonated water, the flaring angle A of the diffusion space S1 is set to 28 to 45 degrees.

Alternatively, in order to increase the carbonic acid gas pressure of the discharged carbonic acid water, the spreading angle A of the diffusion space S1 can be set to 28 to 36 degrees.

Furthermore, the mixing unit can be made as small as possible according to the size of the water supply device which is made compact. The mixing unit, which is manufactured in a small size, can be mounted inside a carbonic acid mixer container, or can be mounted on a dispenser of a small size, so that the mixing unit can be used for general purposes. In the case where the mixing unit 2 is manufactured as small as possible, the spreading angle A of the diffusion space S1 can be set to 28 to 34 degrees. This makes it possible to increase the carbon dioxide pressure while reducing the circumference of the mixing unit 2.

In other experiments, it was found that the length L of the diffusion space S1 should be at least 21 millimeters or more to exert an effect of increasing the carbon dioxide gas pressure. In the performance test for a plurality of experimental examples in which the length L of the diffusion space S1 is different while the spreading angle of the diffusion space is 28 degrees, when the length L of the diffusion space S1 is 20 millimeters or less, The carbonic acid gas pressure of the carbonated water stayed at 1 kg / cm < ² >

On the other hand, the diffusion space (S1) the length (L) is 21 mm or more experimental example carbonic acid gas pressure of 3 kg / cm ² hubandae as starting to 3 kg / cm ² single acid gas pressure is measured, and the increase in the length of the diffusion space Was measured.

As a result, it can be understood that the length L of the diffusion space S1 for achieving the effect of increasing the carbon dioxide pressure according to the intended length is 21 millimeters or more. If the length of the diffusion space is less than 21 millimeters, it is presumed that the carbonated water quickly passes through the diffusion space and does not have the effect of increasing the solubility of carbon dioxide gas due to the increased pressure.

On the other hand, when the mixing unit 2 is manufactured in a small size, the length L of the diffusion space S1 may be 21 to 33 millimeters. By designing the length of the diffusion space to 33 or less, it is easy to mount the mixing unit inside the carbonic acid mixer can.

The mixing unit is not necessarily made compact. The size of the water supply device for supplying the carbonated water can be made large, and in this case, the size of the mixing unit increases as the flow rate increases.

100: Water supply device
10: cold water tank 20: cooling means 30: storage tank 40: carbonic acid mixer tank
410: discharge pipe 50: dispenser 60: hot water tank 70: low water bottle 710: pump
1: Pressure vessel
11: Body 12: Cap 121: Mounting hole 13: Sealing
14: drain nipple 15: water level sensor 16: thermometer 17: cross pipe
171: Crushing member
2: Mixing unit
S1: diffusion space S11: entrance S12: exit S2: convergence space
21: case 211: space part 212: thread 213: inlet
214: screw 215: flange 22:
22a: front body 22b: rear body
221: cavity 222: hole 223: outlet 224: flow groove 225:
226: Thread portion A: Opening angle L: Length

Claims (10)

Water and carbon dioxide gas are injected into the space where the pressure is maintained to generate carbonated water,
And a pressure vessel for storing the water and the carbon dioxide gas in an inner space,
And a mixing unit installed on the flow path inside the pressure vessel through which the carbonated water is discharged,

The mixing unit
A diffusion space for gradually increasing the flow area of the carbonated water,
A converging space in which carbonated water passing through the diffusion space is converged and discharged is formed,

The pressure vessel is provided with a mounting hole having an inner peripheral surface formed with a thread,
A screw is formed at the rear end of the mixing unit to be fastened to the mounting hole, and a flange is provided at an end of the screw to contact with an outer circumferential surface of the pressure vessel,
And a sealing member is mounted between the flange and the pressure vessel. The method of claim 1,
The carbonic acid gas and the water are mixed before being injected into the pressure vessel,
Wherein the carbonic acid gas is injected into the pressure vessel after passing through a crushing member dividing the droplets of the carbonic acid gas mixed with the water into small pieces. The method of claim 1,
Wherein the pressure vessel is formed in an elliptical cross-section. delete delete The method of claim 1,
And a cavity connected to the converging space and generating a flow of moving carbonated water as a turbulent flow. The method of claim 1,
Wherein the diffusion space is in the shape along the outer circumferential surface of the truncated cone and the spreading angle of the diffusion space is 28 to 34 degrees. 8. The method of claim 7,
Wherein the diffusion space has a length of 21 to 33 millimeters. A carbon dioxide storage tank for supplying carbon dioxide gas,
The carbonic acid mixer container according to any one of claims 1 to 3 and 6 to 8,
And a dispenser for discharging carbonated water discharged from the carbonic acid mixer tank. The method of claim 9,
And a cold water tank for cooling the stored water to generate cold water,
Wherein the carbonic acid mixer tank receives cold water from the cold water tank to generate carbonated water.

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