DK9500090U4

DK9500090U4 - Refrigeration apparatus for making a beverage, preferably an alcoholic beverage

Info

Publication number: DK9500090U4
Application number: DK9500090U
Authority: DK
Inventors: Michael Kauffeld; Kaj Rosenstedt; Lars Bay Moeller; Frank Elefsen
Original assignee: Dansk Teknologisk Inst
Priority date: 1995-03-08
Filing date: 1995-03-08
Publication date: 1996-06-08

Description

DK 95 00090 U4DK 95 00090 U4

Den foreliggende opfindelse angår et køleapparat til fremstilling af en drik i form af et sjapis-produkt, fortrinsvis en alkoholholdig drik, og omfattende en første kølekreds for drikken og en anden kølekreds for et kølemedie, hvilke to kølekredse er i varmeudvekslingsforbindelse for afkøling af drikken. Opfindelsen angår ligeledes en anvendel-5 se af et sådant køleapparat til fremstilling af en drik i form af et sjapis-produkt.The present invention relates to a refrigeration apparatus for producing a beverage in the form of a beverage product, preferably an alcoholic beverage, and comprising a first cooling circuit for the drink and a second cooling circuit for a refrigerant, two cooling circuits being in heat exchange connection for cooling the drink. The invention also relates to the use of such a cooling apparatus for the manufacture of a beverage in the form of a soap product.

Der kendes et stort antal køleapparater, der bruges til afkøling af drikke. Dette kan for eksempel være apparater til afkøling af fadøl, læskedrikke, drikkevand og lignende.A large number of refrigerators are known which are used for cooling beverages. This may be, for example, apparatus for cooling draft beer, soft drinks, drinking water and the like.

Det er et fælles særpræg for disse apparater, at de afkøler drikken til en temperatur over 10 dens frysepunkt. Det er en almindelig antagelse inden for faget, at en underafkøling er umulig på grund af risiko for ispåfrysning og dermed tilstopning af apparatet.It is a common characteristic of these appliances that they cool the beverage to a temperature above 10 its freezing point. It is a common assumption in the art that undercooling is impossible due to the risk of freezing ice and thus clogging the appliance.

Der kendes også anlæg, for eksempel fra DK 2190/78, hvori der fremstilles en kraftigt afkølet væske. Dette anlæg kan ikke fremstille sjapis-produkter men kun væsker. I an-15 lægget accepteres en vis mængde ispåfrysning på rørene. Såfremt der sker underafkøling er der risiko for, at islaget blokerer rørene og giver risiko for driftstop. Dette anlæg virker således også efter det almindelige princip om at undgå underafkøling, selv om der accepteres en vis dannelse af islag inden i rørene.Installations are also known, for example from DK 2190/78, in which a vigorously cooled liquid is produced. This plant cannot manufacture soap products but only liquids. In the plant, a certain amount of ice freezing on the pipes is accepted. If undercooling occurs, there is a risk that the ice layer will block the pipes and cause a risk of downtime. Thus, this plant also works according to the general principle of avoiding undercooling, although some formation of ice layers is accepted within the pipes.

20 Det er formålet med den foreliggende opfindelse at anvise et apparat, der gør det muligt at bryde med den almindelige antagelse om, at ispåftysninger vil umuliggøre en underafkøling af drikken.It is the object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which makes it possible to break with the general assumption that ice chipping will make it impossible to undercool the drink.

Dette opnås ifølge den foreliggende opfindelse med et apparat, af den indledningsvis 25 nævnte type der er særpræget ved, at den første kølekreds omfatter en ledning med en særlig glat inderside, og en pumpe, der konstant cirkulerer drikken i den første kølekreds, når køleapparatet er i drift og at den anden kølekreds har en kapacitet til underafkøling af drikken i den første kølekreds.This is achieved according to the present invention with an apparatus of the type mentioned in the introduction, characterized in that the first cooling circuit comprises a conduit with a particularly smooth inside, and a pump which constantly circulates the drink in the first cooling circuit when the cooling apparatus is in operation and that the second cooling circuit has a capacity for undercooling the beverage in the first cooling circuit.

30 Idet apparatet er indrettet for at etablere en underafkøling af drikken er det muligt at danne et isholdigt produkt. Det har ved praktiske forsøg overraskende vist sig, at det ikke opstår ispåftysninger i apparatet. Det antages, at dette skyldes en kombination af den særlig glatte inderside i ledningen i den første kølekreds og den stadige cirkulation af drikken i den første kølekreds når apparatet er i drift. Det antages også, at det har en 35 betydning, at drikken indeholder partikler, i form af sukkerkrystaller, og at iskrystallerne kan dannes på disse partikler snarere end på indersiden af ledningen i den første kølekreds.30 As the apparatus is arranged to establish a cooling of the beverage, it is possible to form an ice-containing product. In practical experiments, it has surprisingly been found that no ice chipping occurs in the apparatus. This is believed to be due to a combination of the particularly smooth inside of the conduit in the first cooling circuit and the constant circulation of the beverage in the first cooling circuit when the apparatus is in operation. It is also believed that it is important that the beverage contains particles, in the form of sugar crystals, and that the ice crystals can be formed on these particles rather than on the inside of the conduit in the first cooling circuit.

2 DK 95 00090 U42 DK 95 00090 U4

Praktiske forsøg har vist at særlig gode resultater kan opnås når i det mindste ledningens inderside er af plast. Der kan således anvendes ledninger der er helt af plast eller metalledninger, for eksempel af aluminium, der har en indre plastbelægning, for eksempel teflon.Practical experiments have shown that particularly good results can be obtained when at least the inside of the conduit is made of plastic. Thus, wires made entirely of plastic or metal wires can be used, for example of aluminum having an inner plastic coating, for example Teflon.

Apparatet kan være teknisk enkelt og meget kompakt, såfremt ledningen i den første kølekreds er spiralsnoet og er anbragt i et cylinderformet reservoir for kølismedium i den anden kølekreds. Såfremt reservoiret er en cylinderskalsformet beholder, vil mængden af kølemedie kunne begrænses, og samtidig vil kølemediet tvinges tæt forbi den spiralsnoede ledning således, at en effektiv varmeudveksling opnås mellem de to kølekredse.The apparatus may be technically simple and very compact if the lead in the first cooling circuit is coiled and is located in a cylindrical reservoir for cooling medium in the second cooling circuit. If the reservoir is a cylindrical shell-shaped container, the amount of refrigerant may be limited, and at the same time the refrigerant will be forced close past the coiled wire so that an efficient heat exchange between the two cooling circuits is achieved.

Hvis reservoiret blot er en cylindrisk beholder, vil der anvendes en omrører for at skabe en strømning af kølemedie omkring den spiralsnoede ledning og derved etablere en effektiv varmeudveksling mellem de to kølekredse.If the reservoir is merely a cylindrical container, an agitator will be used to create a flow of refrigerant around the coiled wire, thereby establishing an efficient heat exchange between the two cooling circuits.

Med den foreliggende opfindelse skabes der således mulighed for at fremstille en drik, som ikke er set tidligere. Drikken vil have ganske små iskrystaller, der vil være jævnt fordelt i hele drikken. Det er således ikke kun en isdannelse som vil befinde sig i en væskeoverflade.The present invention thus creates the opportunity to make a beverage that has not been seen before. The drink will have quite small ice crystals that will be evenly distributed throughout the drink. Thus, it is not only an ice formation that will be in a liquid surface.

Denne drik vil fortrinsvis være en alkoholholdig drik, som for eksempel hvidvin, men kan også være en læskedrik, for eksempel limonade, sodavand eller lignende. Læskedrikke vil fortrinsvis afkøles til en temperatur på ca. -1°C - -5°C. Ved alkoholholdige drikke afhænger temperaturen af alkoholprocenten. For vin med et indhold på 8 -12 % alkohol vil der foretages en afkøling til en temperatur på ca. -4°C - -8°C.This beverage will preferably be an alcoholic beverage, such as white wine, but may also be a soft drink, such as lemonade, soda or the like. Soft drinks will preferably be cooled to a temperature of approx. -1 ° C - -5 ° C. For alcoholic beverages, the temperature depends on the alcohol percentage. For wine with a content of 8 -12% alcohol, cooling to a temperature of approx. -4 ° C - -8 ° C.

Opfindelsen vil herefter blive forklaret nærmere under henvisning til den medfølgende tegning, hvorThe invention will then be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which

Figur 1 viser et skematisk billede af en første udførelsesform til et apparat ifølge opfindelsen, ogFigure 1 shows a schematic view of a first embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention, and

Figur 2 viser et skematisk billede af en anden udførelsesform til et apparat ifølge opfindelsen.Figure 2 shows a schematic view of another embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention.

I de to figurer vil samme eller identiske dele blive betegnet med samme henvisningsbetegnelse.In the two figures, the same or identical parts will be denoted by the same reference numeral.

3 DK 95 00090 U4 I figur 1 ses et apparat med en første kølekreds 1 for en drik, der skal dannes og en anden kølekreds 2 for et kølemedium, der benyttes ved fremstilling af drikken. Kølekredsen 1 for drikken 19 omfatter en ledning 3 med en glat inderside samt en pumpe 4, der konstant cirkulerer drikken i retning af pilen A, når apparatet er i brug. Ledningen 3 er 5 af plast, men kan alternativt være af metal med en plastbelægning på indersiden, eller som blot har en poleret inderside.3 GB 95 00090 U4 Figure 1 shows an apparatus with a first cooling circuit 1 for a beverage to be formed and a second cooling circuit 2 for a refrigerant used in the preparation of the beverage. The cooling circuit 1 for the beverage 19 comprises a conduit 3 with a smooth inside as well as a pump 4 which constantly circulates the beverage in the direction of the arrow A when the apparatus is in use. The conduit 3 is 5 of plastic but may alternatively be of metal with a plastic coating on the inside or which simply has a polished inside.

Drikken kan aftappes ved en studs 5, der udmunder i et returkar 6, som indeholder drikken 19. Ledningen 3 er forbundet med bunden af returkarret 6 og har en del 7, der 10 er spiralsnoet. Umiddelbart efter returkarret 6 er ledningen 3 forbundet med en sideled ning 3', der er forbundet med en kølet lagertank 16 til efterfyldning af den første kølekreds 1 ved forbrug af drikken. Lagertanken 16 er kølet ved hjælp af et køleanlæg 17, der valgfrit kan være en fordamper i en separat kølekreds eller en yderligere fordamper i den kølekreds 2. Der afkøles blot til en temperatur over frysepunktet.The beverage can be drained at a stud 5 which opens into a return vessel 6 containing the beverage 19. The conduit 3 is connected to the bottom of the return vessel 6 and has a portion 7 which is spirally twisted. Immediately after the return vessel 6, the conduit 3 is connected to a side conduit 3 'which is connected to a refrigerated storage tank 16 for replenishing the first cooling circuit 1 when consuming the drink. The storage tank 16 is cooled by means of a cooling system 17, which can optionally be an evaporator in a separate cooling circuit or an additional evaporator in the cooling circuit 2. It is only cooled to a temperature above the freezing point.

1515

Den spiralsnoede del 7 er neddykket i en beholder 8, der er fyldt med et kølemedie 9, og som udgør en del af den anden kølekreds 2. Den anden kølekreds 2 omfatter endvidere en ledning 12, der er forbundet med en varmeveksler i form af en fordamper 18, som er anbragt i beholderen 8 med en kompressor 13, en kondensator 14 og et ekspan-20 sionsorgan i form af en ekspansionsventil 15.1 beholderen 8 er der anbragt en omrører 10, som drives af en motor 11, og som sikrer en bevægelse i kølemediet 9 og dermed en effektiv varmeudveksling mellem varmeveksleren 18, kølemediet 9 og drikken i den spiralsnoede del 7.The helically wound portion 7 is immersed in a container 8 filled with a cooling medium 9 which forms part of the second cooling circuit 2. The second cooling circuit 2 further comprises a conduit 12 connected to a heat exchanger in the form of a evaporator 18 which is arranged in the container 8 with a compressor 13, a capacitor 14 and an expansion means in the form of an expansion valve 15.1 in the container 8 there is arranged a stirrer 10, driven by a motor 11, which ensures a movement in the refrigerant 9 and thus an efficient heat exchange between the heat exchanger 18, the refrigerant 9 and the beverage in the spiral-wound portion 7.

25 Køleapparatet er indrettet med en kapacitet, som er tilstrækkelig til at underafkøle drikken i den første kølekreds 1.1 apparatets anden kølekreds 2 kan kølemediet 9 i beholderen være en hvilken som helst type brine, for eksempel salt/vandblanding, glykol/-vandblanding, alkohol/vandblanding eller blandinger, der ikke er vandbaserede.The refrigerator is provided with a capacity sufficient to subcool the beverage in the first cooling circuit 1.1 of the second cooling circuit 2 of the apparatus, the refrigerant 9 in the container can be any type of brine, for example salt / water mixture, glycol / water mixture, alcohol / water mixture or non-water based mixtures.

30 I fig. 2 ses en anden udførelsesform for et apparat ifølge opfindelsen. Det apparat, der er vist i fig. 2 er beholderen 8 erstattet med en kappeformet eller cylinderskalformet beholder 8'. I denne udførelsesform bliver det muligt at forenkle den anden kølekreds.In FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention. The apparatus shown in FIG. 2, the container 8 is replaced with a sheathed or cylindrical shell 8 '. In this embodiment, it becomes possible to simplify the second cooling circuit.

Der er således ikke behov for et kølemedium 9 til varmeudveksling mellem den anden kølekreds og den spiralsnoede del 7 i den første kølekreds. Den cylinderskalformede 35 beholder 8' udgør eller erstatter i princippet den fordamper 18, som er vist i fig. 1. Endvidere overflødiggøres anvendelsen af en omrører 10 og en motor 11.1 den cylinderskalformede beholder 8 opnås en tilstrækkelig varmeudveksling direkte mellem kølemediet i den anden kølekreds og den spiralformede del 7.Thus, there is no need for a cooling medium 9 for heat exchange between the second cooling circuit and the coiled wire 7 of the first cooling circuit. The cylinder shell 35 container 8 'is, in principle, or replaces the evaporator 18 shown in FIG. 1. Furthermore, the use of an agitator 10 and a motor 11.1 makes it unnecessary for the cylinder shell-shaped container 8 to have a sufficient heat exchange directly between the cooling medium in the second cooling circuit and the helical part 7.

4 DK 95 00090 U44 DK 95 00090 U4

Apparatet vil anvendes på en måde, som er forklaret oyenfor i beskrivelsen. Det er muligt at fremstille en ikke tidligere kendt type drik, djer har konsistens som en meget tyndtflydende sjapis, hvori iskrystallerne er jævnt fordelt og stort set udgør· hele drikken.The apparatus will be used in a manner as explained above in the specification. It is possible to make a previously unknown type of beverage, which has consistency as a very thin liquid ice cream, in which the ice crystals are evenly distributed and largely constitute the whole beverage.

Claims

A refrigerator for producing a beverage in the form of a beverage product, preferably an alcoholic beverage, and comprising a first cooling circuit for the drink and a second cooling circuit 5 for a cooling medium, two cooling circuits being in heat exchange connection for cooling the beverage, characterized by that the first cooling circuit comprises a conduit with a particularly smooth inside and a pump which constantly circulates the beverage in the first cooling circuit when the refrigerator is in operation and that the second cooling circuit has a capacity for undercooling the drink in the first cooling circuit. 10

Refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that at least the inside of the first cooling circuit is made of plastic.

Refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the lead of the first cooling circuit 15 is a plastic hose.

Cooling device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first cooling circuit is an aluminum line. 20

Refrigeration apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the conduit in the first cooling circuit comprises a spiral-wound part immersed in a reservoir for the refrigerant in the second cooling circuit.

Cooling device according to claim 5, characterized in that the reservoir is a cylinder-shell-shaped container which encloses the formed coil and that this container forms part of the second circuit.

Refrigeration apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the reservoir is a vessel in which the formed coil is submerged and that in the vessel there is an agitator to create movement in the refrigerant.

Use of a refrigerator according to any of the preceding claims for the manufacture of a beverage in the form of a soap product formed from a liquid containing particles, preferably sugar crystals, on which ice crystals can be formed. 35

Use according to claim 8, characterized in that the beverage is alcoholic, preferably a white wine. DK 95 00090 U4

Use according to claim 8, characterized in that the drink is a soft drink.