EP1998878B1 - Impregnator - Google Patents

Abstract

An impregnator for mixing a nonaerated or only slightly aerated liquid (F) with gas (G), in particular for mixing a noneffervescent or only slightly effervescent beer precursor product, or a beer precursor product containing CO2, with CO2, includes a mixing cell, in particular tubular, which except for an incoming liquid inlet, an incoming gas inlet, and an outlet, is partitioned off from the surrounding, and at least one Impregnator body is disposed in the mixing cell in such a way that the flow through the mixing cell of the liquid (F) and gas (G) must necessarily take place through the impregnator body. Disposed in the mixing cell is at least one impregnator body, which includes a porous solid body, namely of a foam material, a sponge, a follow fiber module, or a sintered material.

Description

The invention relates to an in-line fumigation dispenser impregnator for displacing a non-gas or low-gas beverage pre-product liquid with gas according to the preamble of claim 1. The invention further relates to a dispensing system with inline fumigation according to the preamble of claim 23.

Impregnation in the context of the invention is the dissolution of gases in liquids, ie the impregnation of liquids with gases, as it is used in absorption columns in large-scale plants. For example, according to the German patent specification DE 2503681 a gas to be absorbed in a liquid is passed in a column from bottom to top in countercurrent to the liquid flowing from top to bottom through the column packed with a porous ceramic material.

In the beverage dispenser impregnators are, however, used to impregnate beverage precursors with gases in dispensing systems or to dissolve gases in the beverage precursors and so produce ready to drink drinks only in the dispensing system. Examples of beverage precursors to be impregnated are lemonades, (-sirupe) and, in particular, a low-carbon or low-acid beer precursor. Besides aroma-containing gases, suitable impregnating gases are, in particular, carbonic acid (more precisely: CO ₂ ) and nitrogen (more precisely N ₂ ), for example to produce a bubbly lemonade and in particular a carbonated beer.

Although the term "carbon dioxide" or "carbonated" is common in beverages, but more specifically, carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) is added, which binds for the most part only physically in the liquid and no chemical reaction to carbonic acid (H ₂ CO ₃ ) received.

Wobei

Mi

dem Massenstrom eines Gases von der Gasphase in die Flüssigkeit,

A

der Oberfläche an der der Stoffaustausch stattfindet,

(Ci*-C1)

dem Konzentrationsgefälle zwischen der Gleichgewichtskonzentration an der Phasengrenzfläche und der momentanen Konzentration in der Flüssigkeit,

δ

der Länge des Transportweges vom Flüssigkeitsinneren an die Phasengrenzfläche,

Di

dem Diffusionskoeffizienten für Gase.

ξ

dem Absorptionskoeffizienten (der Löslichkeit von Gasen) in Abhängigkeit von Temperatur. Druck und Stoff, und

(Pi*-P1)

dem Druckgefälle zwischen dem Partialdruck des Gases und dem momentan anliegenden Druck in der Flüssigkeit

entspricht. Danach ist die Geschwindigkeit (Mi), mit dem sich ein Gleichgewichtszustand in einer Flüssigkeit einstellt, von dem Konzentrationsgefälle, dem Diffusionskoeffizienten für Gas, dem Absorptionskoeffizienten, der Oberfläche, der Länge des Transportweges, dem herrschenden Druck und der Temperatur abhängig.This physical bond when dissolving gases in liquids is a mass transfer process according to the laws of physical absorption. This exchange process takes place in the gas-liquid phase interfaces. The gas diffuses into the liquid. While non-polar nonelectrolytes such as oxygen and nitrogen are primarily incorporated into the voids between the liquid molecules when dissolved, polar electrolytes such as carbon dioxide in water form hydrogen bonds with the equally polar water molecules, which together with other water molecules form associates. For example, CO ₂ molecules penetrate very well into the structure of the water molecules. The mass transfer of gases into liquids is described in the simplified form of the first Fick's Law $$\mathrm{Wed.}=\mathrm{A}\left(\mathrm{ci}*-\mathrm{C}1\right)=\left(\mathrm{di}/\mathrm{.DELTA.I}\right)\mathrm{A\; \xi }\left(\mathrm{pi}*\mathrm{P}1\right)\mathrm{,}$$

In which

Wed.

the mass flow of a gas from the gas phase into the liquid,

A

the surface at which the mass transfer takes place,

(Ci * -C1)

the concentration gradient between the equilibrium concentration at the phase interface and the momentary concentration in the liquid,

δ

the length of the transport path from the interior of the liquid to the phase interface,

di

the diffusion coefficient for gases.

ξ

the absorption coefficient (the solubility of gases) as a function of temperature. Pressure and substance, and

(Pi * -P1)

the pressure gradient between the partial pressure of the gas and the currently applied pressure in the liquid

equivalent. Thereafter, the velocity (Mi) at which a state of equilibrium is established in a liquid depends on the concentration gradient, the diffusion coefficient for gas, the absorption coefficient, the surface, the length of the transport path, the prevailing pressure and the temperature.

Efficient mass transfer systems must therefore have a large surface area at which the mass transfer can take place, provide great turbulence for the shortest possible transport routes, and provide high pressure and low temperatures in order to achieve the most efficient and rapid mass transfer.

In addition to known bubble-forming systems, such as stirring systems, loop reactors or injection systems, which achieve low cost due to their susceptibility and particularly in the injection systems high equipment costs (pressure vessel, pressure pump, cooling system) and accordingly high operating costs, have in the tap beverage beverage enforced with carbonic carbonators or impregnators of the type described.

By a given gas and liquid pressure - in the impregnation of carbonated beer precursor with CO ₂ , for example, have 4 bar fluid pressure and 5 bar gas pressure or 5 bar liquid pressure and 5.5 bar gas pressure proved suitable - it tries to set the desired gas to liquid ratio in the mixing cell and an optimal pressure in the mixing cell, so that the desired solution of the gas in the liquid he follows.

However, such impregnators are often used in inline fumigation dispensers in which the beverage precursor is conventionally sucked out of a bag with piston pumps from a tank and more recently also with diaphragm pumps, so that the impregnator is exposed on the input side to the pressure surges of the piston pump and no constant fluid pressure can be achieved. Furthermore, the volume flow, which enters the mixing cell per unit time, depends essentially on the dispensing speed with which the tap taps the drink. As the dispensing speed changes, the pressure drop from the gas supply side to the mixing cell is also changed, so that the opening degree of the gas supply and the liquid supply fluctuate although the external pressure is set to a fixed value. As a result, the volume flows entering the mixing cell also change, so that the gas-liquid mixing ratio can deviate from the optimum for dissolving the gas in the liquid at the respective pressure in the mixing cell.

In dispensing systems, a beverage is conveyed from a beverage container via a beverage supply line to a usually higher-lying dispensing tap. In conventional dispensing systems, the beverage supply line consists of a dispensing line, in dispensing systems with inline fumigation or on-side Druckbegasungsstufen can also be arranged in the beverage supply line one or more impregnators, with a beverage precursor is enriched example with carbon dioxide. In so-called postmix dispensing systems mixing valves for syrup with an inline-fumigated water can also be in the beverage supply line and a buffer container in which the water is gassed under a carbon dioxide atmosphere.

An impregnator in which a liquid is impregnated under gas atmosphere with the gas, in which case the US patent US 636, 162 refer to. The gas and the liquid are guided past wire mesh braids and the impregnated liquid-gas mixture is passed into a buffer tank.

To convey the beverage or beverage precursor through the beverage supply line a certain delivery pressure is necessary. In conventional dispensing systems, this is provided for example via a compressed gas (eg carbon dioxide), with the pressure of a beverage keg or a beverage container is applied, so that the drink over the dispensing line is pushed up to the tap. In dispensing systems with a side-pressure degassing stage, which operate on the in-line Karbonisierverfahren and in which a so-called. Impregnator is provided to a low-carbon or -lose beverage pre-product in the dispensing system with carbonic acid or the like. to provide, on the other hand, the beverage container downstream of a pump with which the beverage precursor is pumped from the beverage container to the impregnator and carbonated there, ie with carbon dioxide (more precisely carbon dioxide) is added, then to be promoted as a drink with dissolved carbon dioxide to the tap ,

This requires a certain working pressure, which is above the keg pressure and the pouring pressure. For example, when in-line gassing of beer, a pressure in the impregnator of 4 to 5 bar has proven suitable.

In order to be able to set the desired dispensing speed at the tap, it is therefore necessary to artificially increase the pressure loss in the dispensing system, so that, for example, an excessively high delivery pressure or the overpressure required for inline filling is reduced, for example to that customary in conventional dispensing systems barrel pressure level. For example, in conventional beer dispensers, max. 1.5 to 3 bar, often 2.2 to 3 bar barrel pressure usual.

One possibility for this is to wind the line in the form of a helix. Furthermore, so-called pressure compensators are known, which today are usually integrated directly into the tap. In this case, a displaceable throttle body is arranged in the feed line of the tap, the position of the tap can adjust via an adjusting screw so that the throttle body releases an annular gap of a desired thickness and thus change the resistance and can be adapted to the desired conditions. With the adjustment screw, the taper adjusts the tap to a desired flow rate, for example, according to whether it has large vessels such as e.g. 1l-Maßkrüge or small vessels, such as 0.25l Colagläser wants to fill and after the liquid to be tapped, for example, light beer in contrast to wheat beer.

In particular, in dispensing systems with Schank-side Druckbegasungsstufe in which above the conventional dispensing equipment usual tap pressure working pressure in the impregnator is necessary, the problem occurs that the flow control is no longer readily possible on the tap. If the dispensing system is used for beer, the beer "breaks", ie it begins to foam, because carbon dioxide is released. The delivery is based on the fact that the nozzle pressure compensator is designed for a certain pressure range. Is the line pressure now clear? higher than anticipated, the laminar flow is disturbed and turbulence occurs, resulting in the release of carbon dioxide.

In addition, there may be fluctuations in the delivery pressure when using a compressed air diaphragm pump on the tap. The dispensing pressure should, however, be constant, as otherwise fluctuations in pressure can lead to unwanted release of carbon dioxide.

The US patents US Pat. No. 6,712,342 B2 and US 6,138,995 disclose beverage dispensers in which hollow fiber membranes or bundles are provided. Therein, hydrophobic hollow fibers serving as impregnating bodies are installed, through which CO2 flows and are bathed by the liquid to be impregnated. In this case, only the gas can pass through the walls of the hollow fibers and thereby impregnates the liquid on the other wall side.

Another dispenser-impregnator, for example, in the DE 198 51 360 A1 proposed. It is a Rohrsiebkarbonator, in which a plurality of mixing screens are lined up in a mixing cell designed as a tube to the gas and liquid supply can be connected. The mixing screens in their entirety provide the desired large surface area at which the mass transfer can take place upon dissolution of the carbonic acid in the beverage precursor. Such a Rohrsiebkarbonator is also the patent application DE 100 55 137 A1 refer to.

Also in the US script US 3,761,066 is such a Rohrsiebkarbonator shown in which the supplied gas and water must flow through a plurality of wire mesh mixing screens: gas is supplied from the side, from above water. The gas passes through a filter and a subsequent nozzle or baffle plate in a Vorverwirbelungsstufe, in which the liquid enters, namely through openings in the circumference of a cylindrical perforated plate. The resulting flow enters through apertures in a conical perforated plate in the actual impregnation. There are arranged cylindrical wire mesh rings, wherein between the individual wire mesh rings each plates are arranged so that the flow drives a slalom through the wire mesh and thereby impregnated. The annular wire mesh elements can also be formed from any material suitable for use in the carbonator shown with (liquid) permeable properties.

Such Rohrsiebkarbonatoren are not only relatively expensive in terms of material costs, but also in terms of the corresponding complex assembly due to the high number of metal screens.

Therefore, also bulk material carbonators have been proposed recently, for example in the German patent application DE 101 60 397 A1 , This document is to be taken from a bulk material carbonator with a mixing cell, which is filled with a bulk material high surface, such as a quartz granules or the like. Other granules, such as plastic granules or VA steel granules have been proposed as bulk material. However, the achievable with the bulk material surface is limited. Because the flooding of the bulk material from the impregnator must be avoided at least in the food industry, so that the bulk material may not be ground arbitrarily fine despite the requirement of a large surface in order not to add the necessary for the bulk material restraint systems. Nevertheless, this will not be completely avoided over time, so that bulk carbonators must be replaced relatively frequently. Furthermore, it is disadvantageous that such bulk carbohydrates can be cleaned relatively poorly, so that usually the entire bulk material carbonator is exchanged at the cleaning intervals necessary especially in connection with starchy or sugary drinks from a food hygiene point of view.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an in-line dispenser impregnator, which is achieved with low manufacturing and operating costs, a high gas release efficiency, and which is suitable for use in the food industry and for the production of beer, and one with a such impregnator equipped dispensing system, as well as the production of beer and other beverages to improve.

This object is achieved with regard to the in-line dispensing machine impregnator with the features of claim 1, with regard to the dispensing system having the features of claim 23.

According to the invention, an impregnating body is arranged in a mixing cell of the in-line dispensing machine impregnator, into which a gas inlet and a liquid inlet discharges and from which an outflow for the liquid-gas mixture leads, so that the passage of the liquid and of the gas through the Mixing cell forcibly must be carried through the impregnating through, wherein the impregnating body consists of a porous material, that is a porous solid is. The porous or having pores Solid body can be made of any pore-containing material with a large surface, such as sintered materials, woven, knitted. Braided or felt solids, or sponge or foamed materials or the like. These materials are inexpensive and, in particular, the sintered solids can be produced with great uniformity of the pore size and arrangement, so that advantages are not only achieved in economic terms, but also with regard to the quality of the impregnation or carbonization of the gas to be impregnated, in particular carbonizing liquid.

The material used for the impregnating body are all of the above-mentioned materials. However, it has been found that embodiments in which the or one of the impregnating body is made of a sponge made of foamed material or foam existing body, have many advantages, since these materials have a high porosity adjustable depending on the material, relatively have a large number of pores and average pore size and thus large phase boundaries with low flow resistance and sufficient resistance to material rinsing. In a preferred embodiment, the at least one impregnation body of a polyester or polyether filter foam with a pore size of 90-100 PPI (pores per inch) this corresponds to a pore size of about 250 microns and about 90,000 cells / cm ³ (open cell). It is particularly advantageous for the foam to have the cell structure of a reticulated filter foam which is almost 100% open-celled. Due to the reticulation, the cell membranes are almost completely removed, leaving only one framework. This ensures a very low flow resistance. The phase boundary surfaces are therefore no longer located at completely surrounded by material walls pores, but only enclosed by a scaffold material, otherwise open-walled cells.

To achieve an even smaller pore size, the foam is advantageously compressed in the carbonator, in particular from originally 150 mm to 80 mm in length. As a result, the foam impregnation body is compacted and the number of cells increases to about 170,000 cells / cm ³ .

Even with sintered materials, however, large phase boundaries and turbulence in the flow can be generated. Depending on the desired gas, liquid, and composition of the starting mixture, different sintered materials with different pore sizes are available, so that the impregnator can be matched to the respective specifications by selecting the suitable material for the impregnating body can. Depending on the requirements, also on the resistance and food compatibility of the impregnating body, a sintered material made of glass, ceramic, plastic or metal can be used.

The impregnation body is advantageously designed as a disk filling the diameter of the mixing tube, so that the liquid, but also the gas, must forcibly flow through the impregnation body and dissolve on the large surface at the pores of the solid. It is advantageous that this solid can be easily introduced into the mixing cell, but also can be easily removed from it again, so that on the one hand cost-effective production and on the other hand maintenance of the impregnator at the predetermined by the hygiene rules intervals is easily possible. A flushing of bulk material is thus effectively avoided without the high cost and the constructive and assembly-related effort as in a Rohrsiebkarbonator incurred.

However, it would also be conceivable to provide the impregnation body with a socket - for example made of plastic - and thus to form a diameter of a mixing cell designed as a mixing tube filling impregnating cartridge.

If it proves necessary to additionally fix the impregnating body in the mixing cell, appropriate fixing means may be provided, such as a perforated plate or a grid which holds the impregnating body in position and with which the impregnating body is optionally compressed.

A further advantageous development relates to a high-frequency or ultrasonic vibration device which acts on the interior of the mixing cell and thus serves as additional impregnation device or as impregnation support device. In this case, the vibration device could, for example, be attached to the wall of the mixing cell, have ultrasound generators distributed over the entire circumference of the mixing cell and / or an ultrasound unit arranged in the mixing cell. Due to the vibrations generated by high-frequency vibration and the cavitation caused thereby high turbulence and thus short transport routes are achieved in the mixing cell in the mixing cell. It is particularly advantageous in this case for the ultrasound application to take place under the pressure prevailing in the mixing cell of the carbonator or impregnator (for example 3 to 5 bar) and when the medium is flowing through.

A method for dissolving gas in a liquid by means of ultrasound is in the European patent specification EP 0 661 090 B1 described.

The invention is not limited to an impregnator with a impregnating body. Rather, several impregnating bodies can be arranged in series in the mixing cell. In this case, each or some of the impregnating body may consist of different materials, so that the mixing properties of the impregnator can be better matched to the particular liquid, gas or desired starting composition.

Advantageously, a the mixing cell gas and liquid supply side against the environment sealing head piece is provided, which is provided with a connection for a liquid supply line and a connection for a gas supply line. The impregnator can thus be easily installed in existing systems.

The impregnator is preferably produced as a one-piece end product, for example as a one-piece injection-molded component with a welded-in impregnation body. Alternatively, the impregnator can also be constructed so that it can be broken down into its individual parts and cleaned, with a simple replacement of the impregnation or the body is possible. Particularly advantageous is the impregnator total (except for the impregnating or the impregnating) or at least the housing of the mixing cell made of a plastic, which does not swell and can be formed with sufficiently accurate tolerances.

If the head piece is screwed to the mixing tube and the gas inlet opens centrally into the mixing tube and the liquid channel eccentric or annular, the gas outlet can be provided, for example, on a mixing tube screwed on the inside of the head piece pipe stub.

Furthermore, for mixing in a second gas, a second gas supply line connection may be provided on the mixing cell. It would also be conceivable, for this purpose, to connect a plurality of impregnators in series in such a way that the outflow of a preceding impregnator is connected to the liquid feed of a subsequent impregnator so as to create an impregnation plant for mixing a liquid with a plurality of gases. Such impregnators with multiple gas connections can be advantageously used to offset a non-carbonated or only slightly CO ₂ -containing beer precursor with CO ₂ and nitrogen. Nitrogen is added to beers - at least in non-banned countries - for better foam durability, whereas CO ₂ beer precursors must be added, which are not or only slightly CO ₂ -containing.

Further advantageous uses of the impregnator according to the invention are obtained when adding a beverage precursor with aromas, since aromas or fragrances are often present in gaseous form. This use is particularly suitable for substances that are not long lasting when mixed or in low concentrations and freshly prepared on an ongoing basis. By way of example, an apple juice with a cherry flavor could be added. A similar advantageous use has already been mentioned in connection with the impregnator with two gas feeds. Of course, the impregnators according to the invention, which have only one gas inlet, can also be used with particular advantage to displace a non-bubbling or weakly bubbling, or non-weak or weakly CO ₂ -containing beer precursor with Co ₂ . On the other hand, they can also be used to treat beer or beer precursor with nitrogen.

Advantageously, a gas inlet valve and a liquid inlet valve are further provided, which are adapted to enable and close the gas and liquid inlet of the impregnator according to the size of a pressure gradient from the inlet side to the mixing point, wherein the gas inlet valve has a arranged in a gas inlet channel Gaseinlassschließelement, and Liquid inlet valve disposed in a liquid inlet passage liquid inlet closing element, and wherein the gas inlet closing element and the liquid inlet closing element are coupled together so that the gas inlet valve releases the gas inlet depending on a self-adjusting opening degree of the liquid inlet to a predetermined opening degree.

By means of the coupling according to the invention of the opening degree of the gas inlet with the degree of opening of the liquid inlet, it is thus possible to set a mixing ratio suitable for the impregnation process in the mixing cell interior for different dispensing speeds. Depending on the selected liquid or gas and the optimal for the respective pressure ratio of the two to each other, the coupling can be linear or degressive or progressive with the pressure rising. If the liquid inlet opens wide, the gas inlet also opens correspondingly wide so that, for example, the necessary carbonic acid flows in to impregnate a non-carbonated beer precursor. On the other hand, if the opening degree of the liquid inlet is reduced, the opening degree of the gas inlet also decreases correspondingly, so that, in turn, a mixing ratio of gas and liquid suitable for the impregnation operation in the mixing cell is established.

In this way, it is possible to both the effects of pressure fluctuations on the mixing cell side on the ratio of inflowing gas to inflowing liquid as well as the effects of pressure fluctuations on the liquid inlet side. For when the pressure in the mixing cell drops, the liquid inlet closing element reduces the opening degree of the liquid inlet and thus the gas inlet closing element coupled thereto decreases the opening degree of the gas inlet accordingly. The same applies to an increase in the pressure in the mixing cell, wherein the gas inlet closing element, the opening degree either in the same ratio, or a suitable for the respective impregnation process (mixing ratio of the pressure) following the law, as predetermined by the liquid inlet closing element.

On the other hand, if there are pressure surges on the liquid inlet side, which can be triggered by the use of piston pumps as described above, the liquid inlet valve will release the liquid inlet to a certain degree, depending on the existing at any time pressure drop from the liquid inlet to the mixing cell the coupling of the gas inlet valve and the gas inlet is opened accordingly wide.

Advantageously, the liquid inlet closing element is biased towards the liquid inlet side and integrally connected to the gas inlet closing element, so that a displacement of the liquid inlet closing element is transmitted to the gas inlet closing element. The unit thus formed may be formed in the manner of a piston valve, when the mixing cell head or the head piece of the impregnator is constructed like a T-piece, i. when liquid inlet and gas inlet are aligned. It is thus possible in a structurally simple manner to establish the inflowing liquid mass flow as well as the incoming gas mass flow as a function of the pressure gradient from the liquid inlet side to the mixing cell.

Alternatively, an electrical coupling of the closing elements could be provided. Furthermore, a piston slide unit consisting of the gas inlet closing element and the liquid inlet closing element in the manner of a directional control valve could also be used in a mixing head in which two inlet passages running in parallel lead into the mixing cell interior. For this purpose, for example, a closed position could be provided, in which the spool seals both the gas inlet channel, and the liquid inlet channel, and an open position in which the spool is pushed with one or more openings penetrating it both in front of the liquid and gas inlet opening, so that the respective inlet is released. In this arrangement, however, an additional measure is necessary to operate the spool valve in response to the pressure drop from the liquid inlet side to the mixing cell, For example, a corresponding bypass line to an end face of the spool from the liquid inlet side and acting on the other end face of the spool biasing device. However, this structure is relatively complicated.

Therefore, a tee-like mixing head with aligned liquid inlet channel and gas inlet channel is preferred in which the piston valve formed by liquid inlet closing element and Gaseinlassschließelement sitting directly in the liquid inlet channel and the gas inlet channel and by displacement in the direction of the gas inlet both the gas inlet and the liquid inlet to the desired extent releases. On the other hand, a displacement towards the liquid inlet closes both the gas inlet and the liquid inlet.

In a first embodiment, this response to the pressure drop from the liquid inlet to the mixing cell could be accomplished by having the gas inlet closure member be a conically expanding flask adjacent to the gas feed side, which is in a likewise tapered gas inlet channel section and connected to the liquid inlet closure member via a spool valve section , The Flüssigkeitsseinlassschließelement may be a tapered to the liquid supply side slide, which is located in a tapered also to the liquid supply side fluid supply and is biased on its side facing away from the liquid supply side to the liquid supply.

However, because of a simple and less expensive construction, an embodiment is preferred in which the liquid passage from the liquid supply side into the mixing cell is made through the liquid inlet closing member and the gas supply through the gas inlet closing member. For this purpose, the liquid closing element may be a multi-sided hollow body, which is open to the liquid supply side, wherein in the hollow body on several sides enclosing walls at least one liquid passage opening for the liquid is provided. In the closed position, in which the liquid inlet closing element fills the liquid inlet blocking section, there is thus no liquid passage. However, if the liquid inlet closing element is brought into an open position in which it protrudes into a mixed-cell-side volume, the liquid passage is at least partially released and the beverage precursor which has flowed from the liquid feed side into the hollow body can flow into the mixing cell.

The gas inlet closing element may also be provided in this case as a conical sliding element in a conical gas inlet channel. Is advantageous, however, also on the Gas inlet side a hollow body provided as a gas inlet closing element, but this hollow body is open towards the mixing cell and in a closed position fills the gas supply channel and in an open position far into a gaszufuhrseitiges volume into that at least one gas passage opening is released for the gas through which the gas can flow from the gas supply side into the mixing cell interior.

It goes without saying that in the event that the force acting on the spool from the gas side is greater than the force acting from the liquid side, it is also possible to provide the liquid-side hollow body with an opening to the mixing cell and with closable Liquid passages to the liquid supply side, when at the same time the gas inlet closing element is open to the gas side and closed to the mixing cell.

In this case, a sealing element is advantageously provided between the gas inlet closing element and the gas inlet blocking section.

Furthermore, it is advantageous if the liquid passages are bores distributed over the wall of the liquid inlet closing element, ie are relatively small in relation to the diameter of the liquid inlet blocking section, but are present in high numbers for this purpose. The same applies to the gas passages. Advantageously, the diameter ratio closing element: Durchtrittsbohrung over 1:10, preferably about 1:20. In this way, it is possible to accurately meter the number of available for the gas or liquid passage through holes depending on the position of the valve spool.

It is particularly advantageous if the liquid and / or gas passage holes are provided as a helically arranged around the side wall of the respective closing element chain of holes. Because in this case, the available for the liquid or gas passage number of holes does not abruptly increases, or does not abruptly from, but increases or decreases gradually when moving the spool to each a hole, so that the desired Gas or liquid mass flow can be adjusted more precisely depending on the pressure gradient from the liquid inlet side to the mixing cell.

Advantageous developments are the subject of the other dependent claims.

Figur 1

eine Schnittansicht eines Festkörper-Imprägnierers gemäß einer erstenAusführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung;

Figur 2a

eine Schnittansicht eines Imprägnierers gemäß einer weiteren Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung;

Figur 2b

eine der Figur 2a entsprechende Schnittansicht einer weiteren Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung;

Figur 3

eine Schnittansicht entlang der Achse des Gas- und des Flüssigkeitseinlasskanals in Figur 2b senkrecht zur Blattrichtung;

Figur 4

eine Schnittansicht entlang der Linie IV-IV in Figur 3 einer leicht abgewandelten Form der in Figur 2b gezeigten Ausführungsform der Erfindung;

Figur 5

eine der Figur 4 entsprechende Ansicht einer leichten Abwandlung der inFigur 2b gezeigten Ausführungsform;

Figur 6

eine Schnittansicht eines Imprägnierers gemäß einer weiteren Ausführungsform der Erfindung; und

Figur 7

eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Ventilschiebers in Figur 6.

In the following, individual advantageous embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

FIG. 1

a sectional view of a solid state impregnator according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2a

a sectional view of an impregnator according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2b

one of the FIG. 2a corresponding sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3

a sectional view taken along the axis of the gas and the liquid inlet channel in FIG. 2b perpendicular to the sheet direction;

FIG. 4

a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. 3 a slightly modified form of in FIG. 2b shown embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5

one of the FIG. 4 corresponding view of a slight modification of the embodiment shown in Figure 2b;

FIG. 6

a sectional view of an impregnator according to another embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 7

a perspective view of a valve spool in FIG. 6 ,

First, reference is made to FIG. 1 , 1 denotes a tubular mixing cell. In the mixing cell 1, disk-shaped impregnating bodies 11, 13, 15 are pressed in series one after the other so that the liquid flowing through the mixing cell 1 and the gas flowing through the mixing cell 1 or the already premixed gas-liquid mixture must pass through the impregnating bodies 11, 13, 15 and so on the Surface of the indicated with points pores can go into solution. In this case, the first impregnation body 11 seen from the feed side is made of a finer-pored sintered material than the two subsequent impregnation bodies 13, 15.

The impregnation body is followed by a calming section, designated 10, in which the gas-liquid mixture emerging as a turbulent flow from the outlet-side impregnating body 15 is calmed to a laminar flow before it emerges from the impregnator through a drain opening 7 and, for example, to a tap in FIG the dispenser is led.

The drain pipe 7 is provided in a screwed onto the mixing tube 1 cover, which is sealed with an O-ring against the mixing tube. On the inlet side, the mixing tube 1 is also closed with a screwed-in component, a head piece 21 and sealed with an O-ring.

On the one hand - in the drawing on the left - the gas supply G on and on the other hand - in the drawing on the right - the liquid supply F can be connected to the head piece 21. For this purpose, the head piece 21 is penetrated by a gas supply channel which opens into the mixing cell via a pipe stub 3, and by a liquid passage channel which opens eccentrically into the mixing cell 1 at a point designated 6. Both gas supply side and liquid supply side threaded holes are provided in the head piece, in each of which fittings 33, 31 are screwed, in each of which a check valve 29, 27 is received, with which the gas or liquid supply channel against return from the mixing cell 1 are secured. In turn, a connecting pin 23 is screwed into the gas supply-side connecting piece 33, which can be plug-connected to a gas supply line, whereas a connection pin 25 is screwed into the local connection piece 31 on the liquid supply side, to which a liquid hose can be plugged with a suitable plug-in piece. In this case, the gas supply channel in the region of the gas supply-side connecting pin 23 has a cross-sectional constriction, designated 22, which serves as a pressure-limiting nozzle 22. With the pressure limiting nozzle 22 it is ensured that the gas pressure is not so high that the gas displaces the liquid in the mixing cell, the gas pressure and above the mixing process still remains sufficiently controllable.

The above-mentioned pipe stub 3, in which the headpiece penetrating gas supply channel opens centrally, in this case has on its side facing away from the head piece 21 a plate 5 and a circumferential shoulder 5; and is at his head 21 facing side screwed into the provided with an internal thread, centric to the mixing tube central axis A extending gas supply channel. Between the plate 5 and a corresponding peripheral stop on the head piece 21, a pre-impregnation sleeve 17 is clamped. The Vorimprägnierhülse 17 is the headpiece side sealed with a trained as an inner shoulder on a paddle wheel 19 sealing ring against the head and the other end against the plate 5 of the pipe stub 3, wherein in the drawing, the pipe stub 3 in a not yet fully entered into the threaded hole in the head state The paddle wheel 19 has guide vanes distributed over its circumference, with which the liquid entering the mixing cell 1 at the liquid inlet 6 is set into a spiral swirling flow. The pipe stub 3 forming the gas inlet into the mixing cell 1, on the other hand, has on its circumferential surfaces two long holes 4 through which the gas from the gas supply channel can pass through the preimpregnating sleeve 17 into the mixing cell 1.

The mixing process is as follows:

From a connected gas supply G gas is passed through the head 21 penetrating the gas supply channel to the slots 4 of the pipe stub 3 and exits there. The leaked gas forcibly diffuses through the sealed at both ends pre-impregnation 17, whereby the gas jet entering the gas flow to a large area over the mixing cell 1 facing surface of Vorimprägnierhülse 17 distributed on the surface of the pores of the porous material, from the Vorimprägnierhülse 17 is formed, swirling gas injection converts before it enters the mixing cell 1.

At the same time, liquid from an attached liquid supply F exits the mixing tube central axis A eccentrically through a liquid supply channel penetrating the head piece 21 at the point 6 into the mixing cell 1. There, the liquid flow impinges on the guide vanes 41 of the impeller 19 and is acted upon by this with a swirl in the transverse direction to the inflow, so that the liquid inlet is first braked and swirled. Due to the fact that the pre-impregnation stage 17 consists of a merely semipermeable, hydrophobic material, the liquid inflow can not penetrate as far as the gas outlet openings 4. A first premixing of the turbulent gas inflow distributed over a large area and the swirling liquid inflow in the mixing cell 1 thus takes place in the inflow region in the vicinity of the head piece 21.

The preimpregnation stage 17 and the pre-Verwirungsungsstufe (paddle 19) could also be omitted. As an alternative to the pre-impregnation stage 17 and the Vorverwirbelungsstufe (paddle 19), an ultrasonic vibrator could also be provided to effect a pre-impregnation. Alternatively, the ultrasonic vibrator could also be arranged downstream of the impregnating bodies 11, 13, 15 described below. Instead of an ultrasonic vibrator, a high-frequency vibrator could also be provided. As high frequency frequencies above 12000 Hz are referred to within the scope of the invention.

The flow already existing from the liquid already premixed with the liquid enters the first impregnation body 11, which consists of a finely porous material. The surface of the porous Festkörperimprägnierkörpers 11 is formed not only by its outer surface, but also by the surface of the pores in the interior of the impregnation 11 and is therefore very large, so that there is a large turbulence of the passing flow and high solution due to the large phase interface of the gas in the liquid comes. Two further impregnation bodies 13, 15 can be connected to the first impregnation body 11 with which the fine adjustment of the mixing ratio of the gas-liquid mixture is carried out. In this case, the impregnation bodies 11, 13, 15 made of a porous sintered material disc-shaped and stuffed into the mixing tube 1, so that they completely close its diameter and the inflow is forced to diffuse through the material of the impregnation 11, 13, 15 therethrough. The two impregnation bodies 13, 15 have a smaller number of pores than the foremost impregnation body 11.

However, the sintered solids 11, 13, 15 can, as has recently been found, also be replaced by foam impregnating bodies, in particular by polyester or polyether filter foams, preferably reticulated.

After passing through the main impregnation, which is formed by the impregnation 11, 13, 15, the gas-liquid mixture enters a separated by the impregnating body 11, 13, 15 of the remaining mixing cell 1 calming area 10, in which the decelerated turbulent flow and is converted into a laminar flow, which can escape via the drain opening 7 from the mixing cell.

FIG. 2a shows an embodiment of the impregnator according to the invention, in which the impregnation, although according to the same principle as in in Fig. 1 However, on the inlet side of the mixing cell, a valve arrangement is provided, in which a gas inlet closing element 121 and a liquid inlet closing element 127 is coupled, whereas on the outlet side of the mixing cell Pressure compensator arrangement is provided. Even with strongly fluctuating pressure conditions and mass flow rates, a consistently good impregnation result can be achieved and at the same time the churnability of the beverage produced can be ensured. The mixed-cell inlet-side valve arrangement and the mixed-cell outlet-side pressure compensator arrangement complement each other in terms of intercepting pressure or quantity fluctuations in the inlet and on the tap side. This is particularly important in view of the bar side beer aeration with CO ₂ of great importance, since beer is a drink that starts to foam easily. However, when the beer or beer-gas mixture in the dispenser tears under foam formation, no satisfactory Zapfergebnis can be achieved.

The liquid flows through the liquid inlet F and the gas through the gas inlet G in the mixing head 121 and is forwarded there in the mixing cell 1, in which the actual impregnation takes place. The gas inlet closing element 129 has the shape of a conically tapered to the gas inlet G towards the piston, the Flüssigkeitsseinlassschließelement 127 is a frusto-conically tapering toward the liquid inlet piston and the two closing elements 127, 129 are connected via a sectionally needle-like connecting portion 128 to a valve slide unit. The liquid inlet closing element 127 is biased against the liquid inlet by a ring spring 134 which, on the one hand, is supported on the rear side of the liquid inlet closing piston 127 and on the other side on a wall of the liquid inlet channel, enclosing the connecting section 128.

When a force is exerted on the liquid inlet closing member 127 by the incoming liquid greater than the counterforce resulting from the mixing cell internal pressure on the inside of the liquid inlet closing member 127, the spring force and the gas pressure on the gas inlet closing member 129, the liquid inlet closing member 127 opens the liquid inlet and outlet the connecting portion 128 - the gas inlet closing member 129 the gas inlet. In this case, the conical course of the gas inlet closing element 129 and the gas inlet section enclosing it is matched to the truncated conical course of the liquid inlet closing element 127 or the liquid inlet barrier section surrounding it so that the gas / liquid mass flow ratio optimum for the impregnation process is established for each pressure gradient between the liquid inlet and the mixing cell.
The gas supply G takes place through a Vorimprägnierkörper 117 therethrough, on which the liquid feed F flows annularly. To compensate for mixing cell inlet-side pressure fluctuations, a compressible balloon 26 can furthermore be provided as volume compensation body.

The impregnator is in the overhead position, i. the mixing head 121 is located at the bottom and the mixing cell 1 with the impregnating bodies 13 has a vertically upward flow pattern. In the mixing cell 1 after passing through the impregnating 13 still existing gas bubbles B can ascend in this way and be intercepted in a calming 10 of the mixing cell 1, without entering the pressure compensator at the mixing cell outlet and thereby lead to turbulence on the tap.

Alternatively, the mixing head 121 may be arranged at the top. Because, as has been shown, even better results are achieved. This is due to the fact that the carbonated liquid is still in a kind of sedimentation tank before the (bottom) exit from the mixing cell. In addition, unbound gas, especially CO2 in the liquid, tends to rise, ie, back towards the proportional valve to be bound in liquid there.

If the liquid or the beverage impregnated in the impregnating or mixing cell 1, for example carbon dioxide, reaches the inlet for the pressure compensator arrangement, then it presses against the throttle body 108 with the working pressure in the mixing cell 1. This pressure is acted upon by the prestressing force the back against the throttle body 108 oppressive spring 109, which can be adjusted via an adjusting screw 9a. Further, the pressure on the outlet side A acts against the working pressure in the mixing cell. When the taper opens the dispensing line or the dispensing tap connected to the outlet side A, the pressure on the outlet side A drops and the throttle body 108 is pushed upward until the liquid impregnated in the mixing cell 1 can flow through the pressure compensator arrangement to the dispensing tap.

The gap width between the sleeve 102 and the throttle pin 108 determines the flow velocity and thus the mass flow and at the same time has an influence on the pressure loss at the pressure compensator arrangement. If the tapper requires a large amount of, for example, tap-proof impregnated beer, the pressure drops sharply on the tap side and the throttle body 108 opens onto a large gap width. If the pressure drops less on the tap side (because the tap requires a smaller amount) opens the throttle body 108 to a smaller gap width.

In this case, the pressure compensator arrangement also acts on the inlet valve arrangement, since with the pressure compensator arrangement pressure changes in the mixing cell are buffered, resulting from the various bleed speeds, which reduces the gas metering problems to be intercepted via the inlet valve arrangement at different pressure gradients between the liquid inlet and the mixing cell, since the pressure fluctuations become smaller.

A further embodiment of the invention is in FIG. 2b shown. The in FIG. 2a shown throttle body 108 and accordingly the sleeve 102 are slightly slimmer than in Fig. 2b shown body 8 and sleeve 2, so that the friction losses are slightly lower overall. Further, the sleeve 102 is completely received in the plug 120 terminating the mixing cell on the outlet end face, to which the outlet piece 130 is flanged with a side-extending outlet A and sealed to the sleeve 102 with an O-ring. Also, the plug 120 is sealed with an O-ring and a front side inserted flat gasket against the side walls of the mixing cell.

The pressure compensator arrangement thus has a line piece 2, 30, 12, which is screwed into an (inner) threaded flange 20 of an impregnator, which forms the end wall of the mixing cell 1. The line piece 2, 30, 12 has an inlet-side sleeve 2, which is pressed into a corresponding receiving opening in the wall of the threaded flange 20 which terminates the mixing cell 1 on the outlet end side. In the sleeve 2, a throttle body or pin 8 is arranged, which tapers towards the inlet side and thus corresponds to the local expansion of the sleeve 2. On the pin 8 acts a spring 9, which urges the pin 8 to the inlet of the sleeve 2, so that the inlet of the sleeve 2 and the line piece 2, 30, 12 is closed, if no pressure from the inlet side on the pin 8 acts. For this purpose, the spring 9 is supported on an annular shoulder 16 in the pipe section 30, wherein the pipe piece 30 is screwed sealed into the internal thread of the threaded flange 20 and holds the sleeve 2 in the receptacle in the threaded flange 20 and with her a continuous, to the environment forms sealed conduit. On the outlet side, a connecting piece 12 is inserted into the pipe section 30, so that the impregnator can be connected via the pressure compensator assembly to the dispensing line.

The pressure compensator arrangement of FIG. 2b thus differs from the in FIG. 2a embodiment shown essentially in that the beverage outlet takes place here through the annular spring 9 and then kink-free vertically upwards, whereas according to Fig. 2a a side beverage outlet port is provided. Although the inlet valve arrangement is even more fundamentally different from the one in FIG Fig. 2a shown embodiment, have been here as well as in the pressure compensator assembly for functionally similar or identical components, similar reference numerals are given as in FIG. 2a.

The liquid inlet closing element 227 is in turn supported by a ring spring 234 against the liquid inlet pressure, which encloses a connecting portion 228 which connects the liquid inlet closing element 227 with the gas inlet closing element 229 to a piston slide unit which is displaceable in the aligned gas inlet channel and liquid inlet channel. In this case, the hollow cylinder forming the liquid inlet closing element 227 is open towards the liquid inlet and closed with an end wall on the mixing cell side, whereas the hollow cylinder needle forming the gas inlet closing element 229 is closed towards the gas supply side by an end wall and several to the mixing cell 1 distributed over its circumference Fig. 2b not shown openings (see reference numeral 232 in FIGS. 3 and 4 ). The hollow cylinder forming the liquid inlet closing element 227 is accommodated in a bore forming a liquid inlet barrier section, the hollow cylinder needle forming the gas inlet closing element 229 is in a bore forming a gas inlet barrier section, a gas seal 239 is provided between the bore and the hollow cylindrical needle and the two bores are aligned with one another.

Denoted at 236 is a chain of liquid passage openings that spirals around the circumferential side wall of the liquid inlet closing element 227, and a chain of gas passage openings that spirals around the circumferential side wall of the liquid inlet closing element 227. If a correspondingly high pressure is applied to the liquid inlet closing element 227 from the liquid feed side, the entire piston or valve slide arrangement shifts to the left in the drawing, whereby the liquid inlet closing element 227 with its side facing the mixing cell projects into an open volume 237. As a result, at least part of the liquid passages 236 are released, depending on the applied liquid pressure, gas pressure and mixing cell internal pressure, so that the liquid mass flow flowing into the mixing cell is adjusted accordingly.

Similarly, when the gas inlet closing element 229 is displaced to the left via the connecting section 228, it protrudes with its end facing the gas supply into a free volume 235, whereby a part of the gas passage bores 238 corresponding to the released part of the liquid passages 236 be released, so that adjusts the optimum for the impregnation gas mass flow for each inflowing liquid mass flow.

Between the sleeve 2 and the head piece 221, a impregnation body 213 may be pressed, through which the flow must pass. The impregnation body 213 is dimensionally stable so far that no further fastening means are needed. Except for the calming area 10, he completely fills the mixing cell 1. Again, it has been shown that the impregnator is best operated in a position in which the mixing head is up, ie in a relation to the drawing rotated by 180 ° position.

The FIGS. 4 and 5 each show variations of the in FIG. 2b shown embodiment.

In FIG. 4 In this case, an open position of the valve slide consisting of the liquid inlet closing element 227, the connecting section 228 and the gas inlet closing element 429 is indicated by a hatched line. It can be seen that the chain of the gas passages 438 revolves around the side circumferential wall of the gas inlet closing element 429 with a smaller pitch. Thus, a greater number of gas passages are released per unit length by which the valve spool is moved to the open position than in the Fig. 2b illustrated embodiment. Therefore, the in Fig. 4 For example, for the production of a beverage other than those shown in FIG Fig. 2b illustrated embodiment, for example, for the production of wheat beer from a carbonated wheat beer precursor and carbon dioxide in contrast to the production of light beer from a non-carbonated barley beer precursor and carbon dioxide.

At the in Fig. 5 On the other hand, in the illustrated embodiment, both the entire circumferential side wall of the liquid inlet closing member 327 and the gas inlet closing member 329 are perforated with passages 336 and 338, respectively.

Fig. 6 shows a further embodiment of the impregnator according to the invention and Fig. 7 the valve spool of this impregnator consisting of the liquid inlet closing element 527, the connecting section 528 and the gas inlet closing element 529. In this case, functionally similar or identical parts have been provided with similar reference numerals.

The gas passages 538 extending as a chain around the circumference of the gas inlet closing element 529 have a diameter of 0.2 mm, only the first gas passage on the side of the gas inlet is somewhat larger, in the embodiment shown here 0.3 mm. On the other hand, the liquid passages 536 arranged as a chain around the circumference of the liquid inlet closing member 527 have a diameter of 2.2 mm. The diameter ratio is thus in a range of 1: 9 to 1:11 which appears to be suitable overall for proportional valves for impregnation of the type according to the invention for beer production.

The gas flows through the gas passages 538 into an inner bore 540 extending along the gas inlet closing element 529 and otherwise closed to the gas inlet side Fig. 6 is shown. From the inner bore 540, the gas flows via two outlet openings 532 (diameter 2.2 mm) at the periphery of the connecting portion 528 in the mixing cell.

The inner bore 540 may be in contact with the liquid side, but does not have to. In the example shown, it is drilled from the liquid side into the valve slide, so that it can be manufactured in one piece. Due to the higher gas pressure (for example 5.5 bar compared to 4.5 bar liquid pressure), in each case a flow of liquid to the gas inlet side is prevented even with the slide open and sufficient gas flow is ensured in the direction of the mixing cell. The gas also can not penetrate far to the liquid inlet side, because it is entrained by the massively much larger liquid flow through the liquid passages 536.

The in the FIGS. 6 and 7 Moreover, the embodiment shown differs substantially only from the following points from those in FIGS FIGS. 2b to 5 In the illustrated embodiment, the mixing cell is completely filled in its upper region by a solid body 513 which consists of a compressed foam and serves as an impregnating body, which is pressed into position by means of a perforated plate designated by 514 and held there. The perforated plate 514 is in turn held on its outer periphery by a threaded plug 520 in position with which the mixing cell is sealed on the output side. The impregnation body is in particular made of polyester or polyether filter foam with a pore size of 90-100 PPI (pores per inch), for example measured according to the PPI measurement method. This corresponds to a pore size of approx. 250 μm and approx. 90,000 cells / cm ³ (open-pored cells). The cell structure is that of a reticulated filter foam, ie nearly 100% open-celled. As an alternative to the mounting of the impregnating body by means of the perforated plate 514, an impregnating body filling out the entire mixing cell could also be provided. The impregnator is off the reasons already mentioned in the in Fig. 6 shown position with top seated head piece installed.

Furthermore, the compensator pin 508 is arranged in the threaded plug 520 in a correspondingly shaped recess 502 which tapers conically towards the mixing cell.

Of course, deviations from the illustrated embodiments are possible without departing from the scope of the invention. Furthermore, the features of the illustrated embodiments may be combined as desired.

So it is in the in the FIGS. 2a to 7 Although shown impregnators particularly advantageous that both impregnated solid, and the inlet-side proportional valve and the outlet-side pressure compensator are used. For example, by employing impregnated solids, clogging or malfunctioning of the pressure compensator is prevented and the inlet pressure control valve reduces the pressure fluctuations on the pressure compensator and vice versa. However, within the scope of the invention, embodiments of an impregnator would also be conceivable which each have the features shown only with regard to the filling of the mixing cell, the inlet or the outlet or in which only two of these aspects of the invention are realized.

In addition to beer and lemonade, drinks such as cider, sparkling wine, champagne, apple juice, cola can be prepared by carbonating from a corresponding, low-carbon or -lose precursor with the impregnator according to the invention. Alternatively to the in the FIGS. 2a to 7 in the context of the invention, a control or regulation of an impregnator having the features of the preamble of claim 21 shown, with which the CO ₂ content im with the inventive impregnator shown and claimed in claims 11 to 20 coupling of Gaseinlassschließelement and liquid inlet closing element produced beverage is controlled via the input side gas pressure as a control variable. If, for example, you want to have less CO ₂ in the beverage than is currently available, the gas pressure is reduced, eg from 5.5 bar to 5 bar gas pressure. If you want more CO ₂ in the drink, then the gas pressure is increased, for example to 6 bar. Thus, you can always set the desired, beverage-specific CO ₂ content on the gas pressure, but always depending on the respective liquid pressure. The higher the liquid pressure, the lower is the CO ₂ concentration in the beverage produced while the gas pressure remains the same. In order to increase the liquid pressure, for example, from 5.5 bar to 6 bar, the same CO ₂ concentration generated in the To get a drink, the gas pressure should also be corrected upwards until the ratio is right again. The CO ₂ concentration in the drink produced can be measured and the gas pressure can be adjusted according to a suitable control algorithm. In the case of a known fluid pressure, the suitable gas pressure can also be read as a parameter recorded in advance in a characteristic diagram of the respective impregnator and of the respective beverage and adjusted accordingly.

Claims (23)

1. An inline bar system impregnator for inline gassing of a nonaerated or only slightly aerated beverage precursor product (F) in a bar system, such as sodas, soft drinks, water, or juice with carbon dioxide or nitrogen, or a noneffervescent or only slightly effervescent beer precursor product, or a beer precursor product containing no or only slightly CO₂, with CO₂ or nitrogen, having
   a mixing cell (1), in particular tubular, which except for a liquid inlet (6) and a gas inlet (3), both discharging into the mixing cell, and an outlet (7), is partitioned off from the surroundings, and at least one impregnator body (11, 13, 15; 213; 513) is disposed in the mixing cell (1) in such a way that the flow through the mixing cell (1) of the beverage precursor product (F) and gas (G) must necessarily take place through the impregnator body (11, 13, 15), characterized in that disposed in the mixing cell (1) is at least one impregnator body (11, 13, 15), which comprises a solid body having pores, namely a foam material, a sponge, or a sintered material.
2. The inline bar system impregnator as defined by claim 1, characterized in that the impregnator body (11, 13, 15) is embodied as a disk that fills the diameter of the mixing tube (1).
3. The inline bar system impregnator as defined by one of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the impregnator body, provided with a mounting, is embodied as an impregnation cartridge that fills the diameter of the mixing tube.
4. The inline bar system impregnator as defined by one of the foregoing claims, characterized in that a high-frequency or ultrasonic vibrator acting on the interior of the mixing cell (1) is provided.
5. The inline bar system impregnator as defined by one of the foregoing claims, characterized in that a first impregnator body (11) comprising a first porous material is followed downstream in the mixing cell (1) by at least one second impregnator body (13, 15) comprising one or more other porous materials.
6. The inline bar system impregnator as defined by one of the foregoing claims, characterized in that a head piece (21; 121; 221), sealing off the mixing cell (1) on the gas and liquid infeed side from the surroundings is provided with one connection (25; 225) for a liquid infeed line and one connection (23; 223) for a gas infeed line.
7. The inline bar system impregnator as defined by claim 6, characterized in that the head piece (21) is penetrated by a liquid channel, which discharges into the mixing tube (1) in particular eccentrically or annularly to a mixing tube axis (A) and is preferably secured by a check valve (27), and by a gas passage channel, which discharges into the mixing tube (1) in particular centrally to the mixing tube axis (A) and which is preferably likewise secured by a check valve (27).
8. The inline bar system impregnator as defined by one of the foregoing claims, characterized in that a second gas inlet or a second gas infeed line connection for feeding a second gas into the mixing cell is provided.
9. The inline bar system impregnator for inline gassing of liquids, such as sodas, soft drinks, water, or juice, with carbon dioxide or nitrogen and in particular of a low-carbon-dioxide or carbon-dioxide-free beer precursor product with carbon dioxide or nitrogen, as defined by one of the foregoing claims, having a mixing cell (1), which has a mixing tube axis (A), a gas inlet (G), and a liquid inlet (F), and a gas inlet valve (129; 229; 329; 429; 529) and a liquid inlet valve (127; 227; 327; 427) are provided, which are arranged for opening and closing the gas and liquid inlets (G, F) in accordance with the magnitude of a pressure drop from the inlet side to the mixing cell (1), and the gas inlet valve (129; 229; 329; 429; 529) has a gas inlet closing element (129; 229; 329; 429; 529), disposed in a gas inlet channel, and the liquid inlet valve (127; 227; 327; 527) has a liquid inlet closing element (127; 227; 327; 527), disposed in the liquid inlet channel, characterized in that
   the gas inlet closing element (129; 229; 329; 429; 529) and the liquid inlet closing element (127; 227; 327; 527) are coupled to one another in such a way that the gas inlet valve (129; 229; 329; 429; 529) opens the gas inlet (G) to a predetermined degree of opening, as a function of a degree of opening of the liquid inlet (F) that is established.
10. The inline bar system impregnator as defined by claim 9, characterized in that the liquid inlet closing element (127; 227; 327; 527) is prestressed toward the liquid inlet side by a prestressing device (134; 234), and the gas inlet closing element (129; 229; 329; 429; 529) and the liquid inlet closing element (127; 227; 327; 527) are joined together in one piece, so that a displacement of the liquid inlet closing element (129; 229; 329; 529) is transmitted to the gas inlet closing element (127; 227; 327; 527).
11. The inline bar system impregnator as defined by claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the liquid inlet channel has a liquid inlet blocking portion, aligned with a gas inlet blocking portion of the gas inlet channel, and the liquid inlet closing element (127; 227; 327; 527) and the gas inlet closing element (129; 229; 329; 429; 529) communicate with an elongated valve slide unit (127, 129; 227, 228, 229; 327, 329; 22 , 428, 429; 527, 528, 529), and the liquid inlet closing element (127; 227; 327; 527) fills the liquid inlet blocking portion, and the gas inlet closing element (129; 229; 329; 429; 529) fills the gas inlet blocking portion, in a closing position, and in an opening position they open a flow to a degree that corresponds to the pressure drop toward the mixing cell.
12. The inline bar system impregnator as defined by one of claims 9 through 11, characterized in that the liquid inlet closing element (227; 327; 527) is a hollow body surrounded on multiple sides, which is open toward the liquid infeed side (F), and the gas inlet closing element (229; 329; 429; 529) is a hollow body, surrounded on multiple sides, which toward the mixing cell side (237) has at least one mixing cell opening (232; 532), and in each of the walls surrounding the respective hollow bodies on multiple sides at least one respective liquid passage 236; 336; 536) for the beverage precursor product and at least one gas passage (238; 338; 438; 538) for the gas are provided, and the liquid inlet closing element (227; 327; 527), in an opening position, protrudes into a volume (237) on the side toward the mixing cell in such a way that the liquid passage (236; 336; 536) is at least one partly opened, and the gas inlet closing element (229; 329; 429; 529) protrudes into a volume (236) on the side toward the gas inlet in such way that the gas passage (238; 338; 438; 538) is at least partly opened.
13. The inline bar system impregnator as defined by one of claims 9 through 12, characterized in that at least for the gas inlet closing element (229; 329; 429; 529), a seal (239; 539) is provided on the gas inlet blocking portion.
14. The inline bar system impregnator as defined by one of claims 9 through 13, characterized in that the liquid inlet blocking portion has a larger diameter than the gas inlet blocking portion, and the liquid inlet closing element (227; 327; 527) adjoins the gas inlet closing element (229; 329; 429; 529) via a shoulder on which an annular spring (134; 234), functioning as a prestressing device (134; 234), is braced on one end, which spring surrounds the gas inlet closing element (229; 329; 429; 529) in a piston slide portion (228; 528), and is braced on its other end on a wall that defines the volume (237) on the side toward the mixing cell.
15. The inline bar system impregnator as defined by one of claims 9 through 14, characterized in that the liquid passages (236; 336; 536) are bores (236; 336; 536) that are distributed over the wall of the liquid inlet closing element (227; 327; 527).
16. The inline bar system impregnator as defined by one of claims 9 through 15, characterized in that the gas passages (238; 338; 438; 538) are bores (238; 338; 438; 538) distributed over the wall of the gas inlet closing element (227; 327).
17. The inline bar system impregnator as defined by claim 15 or 16, characterized in that the liquid inlet closing element (227; 327; 527) and/or the gas inlet closing element (229; 329; 429; 529) is a cylindrical body or has a cylindrical shape.
18. The inline bar system impregnator as defined by claim 17, characterized in that the liquid passages (236; 536) and/or gas passages (238; 438; 538) are disposed as a chain of bores disposed in a spiral about the side wall of the respective closing element (227, 229; 527, 529).
19. The inline bar system impregnator as defined by one of claims 1 through 18, for a bar system with inline gassing, having the tubular mixing cell (1), which has a liquid inlet (F), a gas inlet (G), and a beverage outlet (A), characterized in that the beverage outlet (A) of the inline bar system impregnator is formed by a pressure compensator assembly, having a line segment (2, 30, 12; 102, 130; 502, 530, 512), forming a portion of the beverage infeed line, and having a throttle restriction (8; 108; 508) disposed movably in the line segment (2, 30, 12; 102, 130; 502, 530, 512), which throttle restriction, during the tapping operation, opens a cross section of the line segment (2, 30, 12; 102, 130; 502, 530, 512) for the beverage to be tapped, so that a beverage flows past it at its surface, wherein the throttle restriction (8; 108; 508) is prestressed, counter to the beverage flow, toward one wall of the line segment (2, 30, 12; 102, 130; 502, 530, 512) via a prestressing device (9, 16; 109, 9a; 509) such that below a predetermined pressure difference between the inlet side and the outlet side, the cross section is not opened, and wherein the prestressing device (9, 16; 109, 9a; 509) includes at least one spring (9; 109; 509), by way of which the throttle restriction (8; 108; 508) is braced counter to the beverage flow.
20. The inline bar system impregnator as defined by claim 19, characterized in that the line segment (2, 30, 12; 102, 130; 502, 530, 512) widens, at least in its inlet-side portion, in the direction toward the dispensing tap, and the throttle restriction (8; 108; 508) has the shape of an elongated body, which becomes thicker in the manner of a truncated cone with the widening of the line segment (2, 30, 12; 102, 130; 502, 530, 512), wherein the inlet-side tip of the throttle restriction (8; 108; 508) is rounded.
21. The inline bar system impregnator as defined by claim 20, characterized in that the tubular body (30; 530) is embodied as a threaded stopper (30; 530) which can be screwed onto a female-threaded flange (20; 520).
22. An impregnating system for mixing a beverage precursor product with a plurality of gases, characterized in that a plurality of inline bar system impregnators as defined by one of claims 1 through 21 is connected in series in such a way that the outlet of a preceding inline bar system impregnator communicates with the liquid inlet of a following inline bar system impregnator.
23. A bar system with inline gassing, having a beverage infeed line to a dispensing tap, characterized in that in the beverage infeed line, an inline bar system impregnator as defined by one of claims 1 through 21 or an impregnation system as defined by claim 22 is provided.

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