EP0141834A1

EP0141834A1 - Method for supplying draught-beer, particularly "weissbier", into drinking glasses

Info

Publication number: EP0141834A1
Application number: EP19840901750
Authority: EP
Inventors: Bartholomäus Gmeineder
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-03-31
Filing date: 1984-03-30
Publication date: 1985-05-22
Also published as: WO1984003877A1; DE3311844C2; DE3311844A1; EP0126897A1

Abstract

La bière est tirée d'un réservoir (1) sous pression de gaz avant d'être dirigée vers un conteneur intermédiaire précontraint (11). La pression de gaz du conteneur intermédiaire est ensuite abaissée lentement; après quoi, la bière est tirée du conteneur intermédiaire dans un récipient de boisson (23).The beer is drawn from a tank (1) under gas pressure before being sent to a pre-stressed intermediate container (11). The gas pressure of the intermediate container is then slowly lowered; after which the beer is drawn from the intermediate container into a beverage container (23).

Description

METHOD FOR TAPING BEER, ESPECIALLY WHITE BEER IN DRINKING VESSELS

x o

The Trfindung relates to a method and apparatus for dispensing beer, ^'nsbesondere white beer, in drinking vessels, in which the beer under pressure from a gas tank, in particular ei¬ nem beer keg, flows, said tank to a first

20 the intermediate container preloaded at least to the gas pressure in the tank is connected, the volume of which corresponds at least to that of a drinking vessel, whereupon the intermediate container relaxes and the beer from the tank is filled into the intermediate container for the purpose of filling it.

25 leads and finally to the filling of the drinking vessel. Outlet on the intermediate container is opened.

In a method known from DE-AS 26 58 667 for filling beer into bottles, each empty bottle is initially pretensioned with compressed gas, this pretensioning being carried out in two stages. In the first stage, the bottle receives a filling from a separate pressurized gas source, which causes the pressure in the bottle to rise to such an extent that it is slightly below the pressure in the tank from which the beer is withdrawn. In the second stage, the pressure in the bottle then becomes the pressure in the tank

"OMPI 1 adapted in that a corresponding connection is made for the overflow of compressed gas from the tank into the bottle. The pressure in the bottle is then the same as in the tank.

5

DE-AS 26 58 667 provides no indication of that

Pouring beer into drinking vessels. Here, the Pro¬ arises problem that the current flowing from a tap beer, which is in the tank under gas pressure immediately behind the PTO _Q faucet is fully relaxed, whereby the ge in the beer dissolved pressure gas, especially carbon dioxide, abruptly in the form of bubbles emerges, which shows up as strong foaming of the beer. In particular, this is the case with white beer g which is usually under a particularly high carbon dioxide pressure, in which the carbon dioxide pressure is normally 2.5 to 3 bar. This foaming means that the individual drinking vessels are successively filled with smaller amounts than the full volume of the drinking vessel. In pubs, this results of pouring _{Q is} a significant delay.

From DE-PS 95 674 a device for tapping carbonated liquids, in particular beer, is known, with which significant losses of carbon dioxide are to be avoided during liquid movement. This device essentially consists of an intermediate container connected to a beer keg, the volume of which corresponds at least to that of a drinking vessel and from which the beer is tapped into the drinking vessel after it has been filled. The redirection of the beer from the beer keg into the intermediate container takes place in such a way that the intermediate container is initially biased at least to the gas pressure in the beer keg, whereupon the intermediate container relaxes and the beer is redirected from the beer keg into the intermediate container for filling c. When the beer is diverted from the beer keg into the intermediate Relaxation of the intermediate container takes place in such a way that a whistling valve attached to the intermediate container is opened, but the connection of the intermediate container to a compressed air source, which provided for the generation of the gas pressure in the intermediate container before this beer diversion, is maintained. The compressed air contained in the intermediate container whistles, with simultaneous loading of the compressed air source, which is an unnecessary consumption for it. The whistling runs on a fast and extensive

, Beyond what promotes pressure decrease, so a considerable ^• pressure stage a non-desirable foaming in Zwischen¬ container. If the intermediate container is then filled in this way, the supply of compressed air is blocked and a tap is opened. Here, too, there is a pressure stage, namely due to the shut-off, the supply of compressed air, which in turn favors the foaming of the beer in the intermediate container.

The object of the invention is to accelerate the pouring of beer, in particular wheat beer, and to reduce the foam development desired per se in such a way that a rapid filling of the drinking vessel is possible in one go with sufficient foam formation.

On the basis of the process steps described at the outset, this is done in that when the beer is diverted into the intermediate container, a pressure close to the gas pressure in the tank is maintained in the intermediate container, which pressure essentially drops to the tap in the drinking vessel by gently lowering the pressure is reduced to atmospheric pressure.

The operating phase from the beginning of the redirection of the beer into the intermediate container until the beer is tapped into a drinking vessel is thus broken down into two special process steps. First, when filling the Maintain intermediate container in this a pressure close to the gas pressure in the tank. Then the. Pressure in the intermediate container before the spigot is substantially reduced to atmospheric pressure by gently lowering the pressure. It thus results over the period from

Beginning of the decanting of the beer from the tank into the intermediate container up to the tap into a drinking vessel, a reduction in pressure at which pressure jumps are largely avoided, since a relatively low pressure reduction occurs first of all for the redirection of the beer into the intermediate container Then thereupon, by gentle pressure reduction, essentially to atmospheric pressure without beer movement, the pressure is relaxed so that foam formation in the intermediate container is counteracted to a considerable extent.

In this way it is achieved that when the beer is diverted from the tank into the intermediate container, practically no foam initially arises because of the essentially identical pressure prevailing in both vessels. The beer finally flows largely foam-free from the intermediate container, since the gentle pressure reduction in the intermediate container results in a corresponding gentle pressure relief for the beer therein, which reduces the tendency of the carbon dioxide dissolved in the beer to escape in the form of gas bubbles. The beer thus remains largely foam-free in the intermediate container during the gentle pressure relief. It is passed from the intermediate container through the opening of an outlet into the drinking vessel, the desired foam layer then forming on the surface of the beer without this, however, filling up a substantial part of the drinking vessel.

If air is used as the medium for the pressure preload in the intermediate container, it flows into the intermediate container from the outside when the drinking vessel is filled one, either on the path on which the gentle pressure reduction in the intermediate container previously took place, or, if the latter way the air cannot flow into the intermediate container quickly enough, via a separately opened inlet on the intermediate container.

It has proven to be advantageous to additionally apply pressure to the beer in the intermediate container through a float plate, which covers the essential part of the liquid level of the beer. This float plate is supported by the beer and also ensures while he _d ge _d ross-line relaxation of the intermediate container for it, since _ß little foam in the intermediate container corresponds in this process.

The device for carrying out the method is based on a tank connected to a compressed gas source. This source of compressed gas is usually a carbon dioxide bottle. This apparatus is characterized denotes ge, that the intermediate container is connected to the ^'tank via a valved conduit connected which is provided with valves for the supply of compressed gas, for the throttled discharge of the pressurized gas and the introduction of air and also has a nozzle on its underside.

The device can also be designed in such a way that the intermediate container contains a separating film made of resilient, tightly closing material for dividing its interior into two container parts, the pipeline connected to the tank and a dispensing valve on one container part and valves on the other container part connected for the supply and discharge of a print medium ".

Due to the use of the separating film, it is achieved that the pressure medium introduced into the intermediate container does not come into contact with the beer contained in the intermediate container can occur so that in addition to gaseous pressure media also liquid pressure media can be used.

5 Due to the existing connections and the valves, the filling process for the intermediate container and the filling of the drinking vessel can be controlled so that successively the intermediate container is filled largely without foam, whereupon a drinking vessel 0 is then filled from the intermediate container and so on. The volume of the intermediate container can be matched to that of a drinking vessel. In this case, the intermediate container must also be filled before each drinking vessel is filled. On the other hand, it is also possible to design the ^five intermediate container larger and give this the volume of some drinking vessels, so that then tank successively several drinking vessels can be filled from the Zwischen¬ without a replenishment of intermediate _Q is between container necessary.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the figures. Show it:

1 shows the overall arrangement of the device,

Fig. 2 the intermediate container alone.

Fig. 3 shows the intermediate container with a release film.

0

1 shows the barrel 1 serving as a tank, which in the illustrated embodiment can be filled with wheat beer. The connector 2 leading into the barrel 1 is connected on the one hand via the inlet 3 with shut-off valve 4 and the 5 pressure hose 5 to the carbon dioxide bottle 6 and on the other hand via the outlet 7 with shut-off valve 8 and the beer hose 9 to the inlet 10 of the intermediate container 11. The carbonic acid contained in the carbon dioxide bottle 6 1 reaches the outside via the pressure reducer 12, since there is normally a pressure of approximately 110 bar in the carbon dioxide bottle 6, whereas for the carbon dioxide pressure in the barrel 1 only one of approximately 3 bar in the case of a filling

5 wheat beer is needed. The pressure hose 5 is connected to the pressure reducer 12 via the shut-off valve 13.

In order to fill the intermediate container 11 with eggs 34, carbonic acid is introduced into the barrel 1 by opening the shut-off valves 13 and 4 via the pressure hose ¹⁰ 5 and the inlet 3 in a known manner, which fills the cavity contained in the barrel 1 above the beer level and due to its pressure presses beer over the pipe 14 reaching to its bottom into the barrel 1. The pipe 14 leads directly to the outlet 7, so that when the shut-off valve 8 is opened, beer is pressed into the beer hose 9 and thus flows into the intermediate container 11.

The intermediate container 11 was with a before this process

-OU

Carbon dioxide filling has been provided, specifically via the pressure line 15 shown in broken lines, which receives carbon dioxide from the pressure reducer 12 via the shut-off valve 16 and which supplies this to the intermediate container 11 via the shut-off valve 20 on the connecting piece ₂₅ 17. With regard to the design of the connecting piece 17, reference is made to FIG. In the intermediate container 11 there is the same gas pressure as in the barrel 1 above its liquid gel.

3C

So that the effective carbon dioxide pressure in the barrel 1 for filling the intermediate container 11 with beer 34 can have an effect, the shut-off valve 20 for the supply of carbonic acid is closed and the shut-off valve 18 is opened, to which the throttle 19 is connected, so that now the gas contained in the intermediate container 11 can slowly escape via the shut-off valve 18 and the throttle 19. The consequence -ε-

^{1 of} which is a slow filling of the intermediate container 11 with aier 34, - whereby the beer 34 flowing into the intermediate container 11 is always kept under a pressure which comes very close to the carbon dioxide pressure in the barrel 1, since gas escaping from the intermediate container 5 11 with regard to its volume is immediately replaced by a corresponding volume of beer. The consequence of this is that practically no carbon dioxide in the form of bubbles can emerge from the beer 34 during this process, so that, above all, the interior of the intermediate container 11 remains practically foam-free. The filling of the intermediate container 11 can be observed through its sight glass 21. In the case of a filling which is sufficient for the subsequent transfer into a drinking vessel, the shut-off valve 22 inserted in the inlet 10 is closed, whereby the filling process of the intermediate container 11 is ended.

When the shut-off valve 22 is closed, the shut-off valve 18 is closed at the same time, so that the carbonic acid pressure in the intermediate container 11 is maintained, which practically corresponds to that in the barrel 1. 0

The beer 34 contained in the intermediate container 11 can now be tapped into a drinking vessel, in particular a beer glass 23, for which purpose the shut-off valve 26 is slowly opened first, which results in a gentle pressure reduction 5 in the interior of the intermediate container 11. The carbonic acid contained in the intermediate container 11 escapes via the shut-off valve 26 and the throttle 27, the speed of the gas escaping in this way slowly increasing. The carbonic acid dissolved in beer 34 is therefore not stimulated to release gas bubbles from its solution in beer 34, which would be the case if the pressure acting on beer 34 was suddenly reduced. As a result, with this gradual g pressure reduction in the intermediate container 11, there is practically no foam formation. Then, when the balance has in the intermediate container 11 corresponds ^"sustained overpressure v- itgehend or completely on the _q Absperrve 26 eσenüber the surrounding atmosphere,

OP The shut-off valve 24 contained in the outlet pipe 25 is opened, so that the beer 34 contained in the intermediate container 11 is now under the effect of gravity into a drinking vessel under the outlet pipe 25, in particular into the beer glass 23 shown in FIG. 1 , flow 5 can. Due to the corresponding filling of the

The intermediate container 11 results in a complete filling of the beer glass 23, the beer 34 only foaming in the beer glass 23 to the extent that this is appropriate for an appealing one

Impression of a fully poured beer glass required

10 is. During this outflow of beer 34 from the intermediate container 11, the volume which increases above its liquid level is filled with air which flows from the outside through the throttle 27 and which is still

• _{j ^} g opened shut-off valve 26 flows through the connector 17 into the interior of the intermediate container 11. The inflow speed is regulated by the throttle 27, which can be adjusted in a known manner so that the desired outflow speed in the outlet pipe 25 results. The throttle 27 can of course also be used to allow the previous outflow of carbonic acid from the intermediate container 11 in the sense of a gentle pressure drop in the intermediate container 11.

5 With reference to FIG. 2, it should be explained that the illustrated construction of the intermediate container 11 comprises the cover 28, which is fastened to the flange 30 by means of the screws 29. The seal between the lid

28 and flange 30 take place via the interposed O-ring 31. The manometer 32 is attached to the cover 28, with which the pressure prevailing in the intermediate container 11 is present at all times

Pressure can be read.

2, the connector 17 contains the Ab- 5th

Shut-off valve 18 with throttle 19 for deriving the pressure in the intermediate container 11 when it is filled, and the shut-off valve 26 with throttle 27 for slow relaxation 1 of the carbonic acid when the intermediate container 11 is filled and for sucking in air when the beer 34 contained in the intermediate container 11 flows into a drinking vessel. It should now be pointed out that the shut-off valves 18 and 526 with their connected throttles 19 and 27 can be combined with one another, since they are only to be designed for the passage of gas, although the throttles each have a different throttling function. In the case of a summary of the above organs or- ¹⁰ to a shut-off valve with an attached ^"

Throttle is only to ensure that the throttle suck a gently rising draining the under overpressure ^• carbonic acid ^"from the intermediate container 11 and a Ein¬ has to allow air, the latter what departures

15 visually the flow rate to the desired one

Adapt the speed of filling a drinking vessel. In this case, the throttle must have a different throttling effect depending on the direction of flow of the gas, which can be achieved using known means.

* uu

For this purpose, for example, direction-sensitive valves can be provided which, depending on the direction of the current, are connected to corresponding throttle openings.

5 It is of course also possible to design the throttle 27 in such a way that, depending on the type of beer, it allows air to flow into the intermediate container 11 at different speeds. Is it a type of beer that does not tend to foam as much

30 like wheat beer, e.g. light beer (full beer), the flow velocity of the air through the throttle 27 can be increased.

In FIG. ^"2 nor the float plate 33 is shown, which floats on the liquid level of the intermediate container 11 containing beer 34th These are a plate, the cross section of the inner space of the intermediate 1 container 11 essentially fills. It consists of a durable, especially acid-proof plastic. However, it can also consist of a tight bush made of stainless steel, so that it has swimming properties. 5 The intermediate container 11 and the lid 28 are also made of stainless steel. The float plate 33 has a particular effect on relaxing the carbon dioxide contained in the intermediate container 11 as a result of opening the shut-off valve 26. The tendency of the carbon dioxide dissolved in the beer to emerge in the form of gas bubbles from the beer has the greatest effect during this relaxation process. The float plate 33 resting on the liquid level helps to slow down the relaxation acting on the intermediate 34 contained in the intermediate container 11, so that there is a particularly smooth transition from the tensioned to the relaxed state.

In the method described above, the intermediate container 11 is pressurized by carbon dioxide which is removed from the carbon dioxide bottle 6 before it is filled with beer 34. A separate carbon dioxide filling is therefore required for each filling process of the intermediate container 11, which leads to a corresponding consumption of carbon dioxide.

This carbon dioxide consumption can be saved in that the pretensioning of the intermediate container 11 before it

Filling compressed air is used. A corresponding compressed air source in the form of the compressor 34 is shown in FIG. 1. The compressor 39 delivers compressed air via the pressure reducer 35 and the shut-off valve 36 to the compressed air hose 37 into which the air filter 38 is switched on.

The air filter 38 ensures that no contaminants can be passed on. The compressed air then reaches the connecting piece 17, specifically here to the shut-off valve 20 (see FIG. 2), where compressed air instead of the

Carbonic acid is supplied according to the above

Embodiment was used. When using compressed air, make sure that the pressure is correct -1 £ - of the intermediate container 11 in this pressure reached does not exceed the pressure which acts in the .1 keg on the beer contained therein. This is achieved here by means of the manometer shown in FIG. 2, that when a pressure which is just below the pressure in the drum 1 is reached, the shut-off valve 20 is closed.

If compressed air is used to pretension the intermediate container 11, the float plate 33 has a particularly favorable effect. It practically completely prevents contact between the air contained in the intermediate container 11 and the beer that has flowed in. However, this is only of importance if beer is stored in the intermediate container 11 for a long time without being filled into a drinking vessel. Normally, however, the intermediate container 11 only serves to be filled step by step and then to be used for pouring beer into a drinking vessel.

It should also be pointed out that the intermediate container 11 can be dimensioned one after the other both for filling one or more drinking vessels. In order to keep the beer fresh, the size of the intermediate container 11 should, however, only be dimensioned such that it is emptied again in rapid succession after it has been filled. Larger intermediate containers can thus be used at taps with a large beer throughput, whereas in cases in which the filling of the intermediate container 11 and the subsequent pouring into a drinking vessel is possible without undue delay, an intermediate container with a size is expediently used that corresponds to the volume of a drinking vessel.

The intermediate container shown in Fig. 3 is' ^* in principle constructed in the same way for the same components with same reference numerals are used as the intermediate _¬ container according to Fig. 2,. Differences

OMPI , 2 with respect to the representation according to FIG. 2, in that the outlet pipe 25 used for tapping the beer according to FIG. 3 protrudes laterally from the intermediate container 11 and a pressure switch instead of the manometer 32 according to FIG. 2 in FIG. 3 of the arrangement according to FIG. 3 36 is provided, which is used to generate a signal which is used for the automatic process control as a function of the pressure prevailing in the intermediate container 11, namely when, during the pretensioning of the intermediate

I Q container 11 of the barrel 1 (see Fig. 1) prevailing

Pressure is reached. Zwischen¬ shown 3 of the domestic Fig. Container further includes the release film 33, which is clamped by means of the O-ring 31 so ^'that the container 11 Zwischen¬ two separate container parts to ER-

15 give, namely the lower container part 34, which is filled by the beer, and the upper container part 35, which contains the pressure medium, in particular air. The pressure exerted by the printing medium on the separating film 33 is indicated by the arrow shown. The release film

20 is made of a tight resilient material, such as polyethylene. In addition, it should be pointed out that the shut-off valve 18 can be used both to allow the pressure medium to flow in and to flow out, which is counteracted by the relevant

² ^ sets directional arrows is indicated. Which type of shut-off valves 18, 26 or how many are used depends on how the speeds in the pressure relaxation are to be set in each case.

30

Through the separating film 33 it is achieved that in the

Intermediate container 11 redirected beer does not come into contact with the pressure medium. It is thereby ensured a particularly high pollution of the beer, which if appropriate may get clogged by the print media minor impurities, the print media unless somehow the beer mix can and solve this thing, for example, when using air as a ^'

OH - ^• Ar pressure medium is conceivable. The separating film 33 also enables the use of not only gaseous pressure media, but also liquid pressure media, for example water, because it always tightly separates the container part 35 from the container part 34 containing the beer.

The separating film 33 also has the advantage that it prevents beer from penetrating into the connecting piece 17. Such penetration is possible in the event that beer or foam rises into the connecting piece 17 due to incorrect operation.

The shut-off valves shown in the figures can be manually operated or automatically controlled valves. In the case of automatic control, solenoid valves are expediently used, which are activated in a known manner by a sequence control. A relay circuit or programmed electronic circuit can be used in a known manner as sequence control.

Claims

Patent claims

1. Method for tapping beer, in particular wheat beer, into drinking vessels, in which the beer flows out under gas pressure from a tank, in particular a beer keg, the tank first being connected to an intermediate container which has previously been biased at least to the gas pressure in the tank is, the volume of which corresponds at least to that of a drinking vessel, whereupon the intermediate container relaxes and the beer is diverted from the tank for the purpose of filling the intermediate container and finally an outlet on the intermediate container is opened for filling the drinking vessel, characterized in that when the beer is diverted into the intermediate container (11) in this a pressure close to the gas pressure in the tank (1) is maintained, which is reduced to the atmospheric pressure by gently lowering the pressure before tapping into the drinking vessel (23).

O PT ^ N l 1

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that air is admitted during the filling of the drinking vessel (23) into the intermediate container (11) via an open inlet (26).

5

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized gekenn¬ characterized in that on the beer (34) in the intermediate container (11) a pressure is exerted by a float plate (33) which the essential part of the liquid level of

10 beer (34) covers.

4. Device for performing the method according to one of claims 1 to 3 with a tank connected to a Druck¬ gas source, in particular beer keg, l _ characterized in that to the tank (1) via a valve (8, 22) provided Pipeline of the intermediate container (11) is connected, which with valves (20, 18, 26) for the supply of compressed gas, for the throttled discharge of the compressed gas and the introduction

20 is provided with air and also has a nozzle (25) on its underside.

5. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that in the intermediate container (11) one of its cross section

25 essentially filling float plate (33).

6. Device for performing the method according to one of claims 1 to 3 with a to a compressed gas

30 source connected tank, in particular beer keg, characterized in that the intermediate container (11) is connected to the tank (1) via a pipeline provided with a valve (8, 22) and which has a separating film (33) made of flexible , tightly fitting material for

35 dividing its interior into two container parts (34, 35)

'contains, with the one container part (34) with the

O PI WIPO -V- tank (1) connected pipeline (10) and a ZapfVen¬ valve (25) and to the other container part (35) valves (18, 20, 26) for the supply and discharge of a pressure medium are connected.