FR3065278B1 - DEVICE FOR QUICK COOLING A LIQUID CONTAINED INSIDE A BOTTLE AND RAPID COOLING METHOD IMPLEMENTED BY SAID DEVICE - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cooling device (1) for a liquid contained inside a bottle (23), comprising: - a dip tank (3) for receiving a cooling composition (19) comprising a fluid coolant; a heat exchanger (11) for cooling said cooling composition from an ambient temperature to a temperature between -5 ° C and -10 ° C; - a rotation motor for rotating the bottle (23); - A holding member (9) of said bottle (23) on the rotation motor. The invention also relates to a cooling assembly comprising a cooling device (1) and a cooling composition 19 comprising a heat transfer fluid. The invention also relates to a cooling method implemented by the cooling device of the invention.

Description

The present invention relates to a device for cooling a liquid contained inside a bottle, and to a cooling method implemented with such a device.

The bottles of wine or champagne can be stored and kept in a natural or refrigerated cellar, or even in a refrigerator, this in order to control the temperature of conservation and refrigeration. This is typically the case for restaurants and night establishments, which store and keep standard (0.75 liter) or medium ("magnum") type bottles, with a capacity equal to 1.5 liters, or two bottles of standard capacity) in such a cellar, most often refrigerated, or in refrigerators.

Some restaurants or night establishments offer for sale bottles (in particular of champagne) with a capacity equal to 3 liters ("Jeroboam", bottle containing 3 liters, equivalent to four standard bottles of 0.75 liter) or with an even greater capacity.

The storage of these bottles with a capacity greater than or equal to 3 liters in a refrigerated cellar or in refrigerators is unsuitable.

Indeed, these large capacity bottles would occupy a very important place in the refrigerated cellar or in the refrigerators, thus preventing the storage of other standard capacity bottles. In addition, the cost of an installation for refrigerating a storage room is higher the larger the storage room. Furthermore, prolonged storage of champagne at low temperature is detrimental to the maintenance of its organoleptic qualities.

These restaurants and night establishments then prefer to store these large-capacity bottles in an unrefrigerated storage room, that is to say at room temperature (approximately 25 ° C.), then cool these bottles at the request of the customer.

However, champagne is typically tasted at a temperature of around 10 ° C, the cooling time of a large-capacity bottle, from its storage temperature of 25 ° C to its tasting temperature of 10 ° C, is greater at one o'clock. It is not possible for an establishment to offer such long service times to its customers.

Some establishments are then forced to offer these large capacity bottles for sale only when they are ordered in advance by the customer, in order to be able to organize the management of their refrigerated cellar or refrigerators upstream. This solution turns out to be ineffective in practice because the establishment cannot spontaneously offer this type of large capacity bottles to their customers.

One solution to quickly cool the liquid contained in a large-capacity bottle, for example champagne, could be to immerse this bottle in a bath of liquid nitrogen.

However, liquid nitrogen in contact with the wall of the bottle generates crystallization of the tartaric salts present in champagne and the formation of ice crystals. These crystals trap air bubbles and, when the bottle is opened, the pressure that prevailed there before opening drops suddenly, causing these bubbles to release from the neck of the bottle. A significant part of the contents of the bottle escapes from the bottle in an uncontrolled manner. This is a phenomenon known as stacking. Furthermore, contact of the pressurized bottle with liquid nitrogen presents a significant risk of glass breakage and explosion of the bottle.

The present invention aims to overcome the above drawbacks by proposing a cooling device which makes it possible to cool the contents of a three-liter bottle, from 25 ° C to 10 ° C, in 15 minutes, without causing stacking phenomenon and without altering the quality of the content or damaging the visual of the bottle.

The present invention relates to do this a device for cooling a liquid contained inside a bottle, comprising: a diving tank, designed for and intended to receive a cooling composition, said composition comprising a heat transfer fluid; a heat exchanger, for cooling said cooling composition from an ambient temperature less than or equal to about 25 ° C to a temperature between about -5 ° C and about -10 ° C, preferably between about -5 ° C and about - 8 ° C; a rotation motor inside the diving tank, designed to rotate the bottle, the liquid inside of which is to be cooled; a member for holding said bottle on the rotation motor.

The inventors have found that, when a three-liter capacity bottle, whose liquid contained inside is to be cooled, is kept on the rotation motor in the tank containing the cooling composition, the rotation of the engine for a period of about 15 minutes causes a heat exchange between the liquid contained in the bottle and the wall of the bottle in contact with the cooling composition such that the temperature of the contents of the bottle changes from an approximately equal ambient temperature at 25 ° C at a temperature approximately equal to 10 ° C.

The inventors have further found that the quality of the contents of the bottle is not affected, and that the wall of the bottle is not visually deteriorated.

In addition, no stacking phenomenon is to be deplored thanks to the cooling device of the present invention.

According to an optional characteristic of the cooling device according to the invention, the rotation motor is designed to drive the bottle, the liquid contained inside is to be cooled, in alternating rotation according to at least one phase of rotation in a clockwise direction and at least one phase of rotation in an anti-clockwise direction.

The inventors have noticed that when the bottle is alternately rotated in a phase of clockwise rotation and in a phase of counterclockwise rotation, the stop movement and change of direction promotes the mixing of the liquid contained in the bottle, for example champagne.

By favoring such a mixture, it is possible to reduce the temperature differences between several places of the liquid contained in the bottle, which allows good temperature homogenization of the liquid contained in the bottle.

In addition, the change of direction of rotation of the bottle makes it possible to create an even greater movement of the liquid inside the bottle, further promoting the heat exchange between the liquid contained in the bottle and the wall of the bottle at contact of the cooling composition.

According to another characteristic of the cooling device of the invention, the member for holding the bottle on the rotation motor comprises a basket for holding the bottle, the shape and dimensions of which allow the bottle to be circumferentially held.

This is to prevent the bottle from rising to the top of the tank when the bottle rotates.

The bottle holding basket may further include in its lower part a fixing lug on the rotation motor.

According to one embodiment, the heat exchanger comprises at least one Peltier effect module.

The cooling device of the invention comprises in this case a hot air evacuation device, arranged opposite the Peltier effect module.

In order to facilitate its use, the cooling device can include a control panel and display of required cooling parameters.

Furthermore, according to a characteristic common to the cooling device of the invention, the diving tank can comprise a thermoplastic polymer, such as polymethyl methacrylate, sold under the brand Plexiglas®.

The present invention also relates to an assembly for cooling a liquid contained inside a bottle, comprising: a cooling device according to the invention; and a cooling composition comprising a heat transfer fluid, immersed in the diving tank of said cooling device.

According to one arrangement of the invention, the cooling composition comprises water and the heat-transfer fluid, said heat-transfer fluid representing a proportion of between approximately 20% and approximately 40% of the total volume of said cooling composition, preferably approximately 30% .

The inventors have found that a cooling composition comprising water and the heat-transfer fluid in the proportions indicated makes it possible to reach a minimum temperature of the order of -10 ° C., which advantageously makes it possible not to damage the device. of the invention.

The heat transfer fluid of the cooling composition may for example comprise a food glycol.

The heat transfer fluid of the cooling composition may more specifically comprise propylene glycol or propanediol. The invention also relates to a method for cooling a liquid contained inside a bottle, comprising the following successive steps: A- the cooling composition of the cooling assembly of the invention is cooled, from the room temperature up to a temperature between about -5 ° C and about -10 ° C, preferably between about -5 ° C and about -8 ° C; B- a bottle is placed in the diving tank of the cooling assembly, the liquid contained inside is to be cooled, so that said bottle is held by the rotation motor; C- the rotation motor of the cooling assembly is rotated for a period of between approximately 10 minutes and approximately 20 minutes, preferably for a period of approximately 15 minutes, said cooling composition being maintained at a temperature between about -5 ° C and about -10 ° C, preferably between about -5 ° C and about -8 ° C; D- we take the bottle out of the diving tank.

Thanks to the process of the invention, the inventors have realized that it is now possible to cool the contents of a three-liter bottle, from 25 ° C to 10 ° C, in 15 minutes, without causing any phenomenon of stacking and without altering the quality of the contents or damaging the visual of the bottle.

Optionally, step C of the method of the invention comprises at least one phase of rotation in a clockwise direction and at least one phase of rotation in a counterclockwise direction.

Still optionally, step A is obtained for a duration of between approximately one hour and approximately two hours, preferably for a duration of between approximately one hour thirty minutes and approximately two hours. Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the detailed description which follows for the understanding of which reference will be made to the appended drawings in which: FIG. 1 illustrates a cooling device according to the invention; Figure 2 shows the bottle holder, holding a bottle; FIG. 3 represents the tank of the cooling device of the invention, in which a cooling composition is immersed; FIG. 4 represents the cooling assembly of the invention, in operation, a bottle with a capacity of three liters being positioned inside the tank of the cooling device.

In all of the figures, identical or analogous references represent identical or analogous organs or sets of organs.

Referring to Figure 1, schematically illustrating the cooling device 1 of the invention.

The cooling device 1 comprises a diving tank 3 resting on a support base 5.

The tank adopts for example a generally cylindrical shape. Of course, another shape of the tank can be retained.

The tank is intended to receive a cooling composition which comprises a heat transfer fluid, composition detailed in the following description.

This cooling composition is chosen so that it freezes at a temperature below -15 ° C. Thus, the tank is made of a material capable of containing such a cooling composition. To this end, the tank can be made of a thermoplastic polymer, such as polymethyl methacrylate, sold under the brand Plexiglas®. Inside the tank 3 is housed a rotation motor 7. The rotation motor 7 is designed to rotate the bottle whose liquid contained inside is to be cooled.

In order to keep the bottle on the rotary motor 7 of which the liquid contained inside is to be cooled, the cooling device 1 of the invention comprises a member 9 for holding the bottle (visible in FIG. 2 and in the Figure 4) which is described below.

According to one embodiment, the rotation motor 7 is designed to drive the bottle, the liquid contained inside is to be cooled, in alternating rotation, according to one or more phases of rotation clockwise and one or more phases counterclockwise.

As indicated above, the movement of stop and change of direction favors the mixing of the liquid contained in the bottle, for example champagne. By favoring such a mixture, it is possible to reduce the temperature differences between several places of the liquid contained in the bottle, which allows good temperature homogenization of the liquid contained in the bottle. In addition, the change of direction of rotation of the bottle makes it possible to create an even greater movement of the liquid inside the bottle, further promoting the heat exchange between the liquid contained in the bottle and the wall of the bottle at contact of the cooling composition. By way of nonlimiting example, the speed of rotation of the rotation motor 7 can be between approximately 50 revolutions per minute and approximately 100 revolutions per minute.

In addition, it has been found that the heat exchange between the liquid contained in the bottle and the wall of the bottle in contact with the cooling composition is favored by carrying out a phase of rotation in a clockwise direction then a phase of rotation in a direction anti-clockwise, cyclically throughout the cooling period.

The number of turns for each direction of rotation can be for example equal to 1.5 turns, this value being configurable at will.

The cooling device 1 of the invention further comprises a heat exchanger 11 (visible in Figures 1 and 4). The heat exchanger 11 is designed to cool the cooling composition from an ambient temperature to a temperature between approximately -5 ° C and approximately -10 ° C, preferably between approximately -5 ° C and approximately -8 ° C. The heat exchanger develops for this purpose a power approximately equal to 1500 watts.

According to one embodiment, the heat exchanger 11 comprises one or more Peltier effect module (s) 13.

A Peltier effect module, known from the prior art, conventionally comprises two faces, one called cold and the other called hot.

The bottle whose liquid inside is to be cooled is positioned opposite the cold face of the Peltier effect module 13.

A hot air evacuation device can be arranged opposite the hot face of the Peltier effect module 13.

According to an optional characteristic of the cooling device 1 of the invention, this device can include a control and display panel 15.

This control panel can be in the form of a touch screen, which offers a user to indicate the initial temperature of the bottle and the desired final temperature. The control and display panel 15 can integrate a calculation module making it possible to indicate to the user the estimated time for cooling the bottle according to the required criteria.

Referring to Figure 2, showing the holding member 9 of the bottle, now a bottle of champagne. The member 9 for holding the bottle on the rotation motor 3 comprises for example a basket for holding the bottle.

The holding basket has a shape and dimensions allowing circumferential holding of the bottle. For this purpose, the holding basket can be of generally cylindrical shape.

In its lower part, the holding basket comprises a bracket for fixing the basket to the rotation motor. The holding basket may also include in its lower part a set of rollers 17 allowing the basket to rotate.

Reference is made to FIG. 3 which represents the immersion tank 3 of the cooling device 1 of the invention, in which a cooling composition 19 is immersed.

The cooling composition 19 comprises water and a heat transfer fluid. The cooling composition 19 is designed to have a freezing point approximately equal to -15 ° C.

The heat transfer fluid representing a proportion of between approximately 20% and approximately 40% of the total volume of said cooling composition, preferably approximately 30%.

Such a proportion of heat transfer fluid makes it possible to reach a minimum temperature of the order of -10 ° C., which advantageously makes it possible not to damage the cooling device 1. In addition, the heat transfer fluid advantageously does not solidify when the temperature of the cooling composition reaches a temperature of the order of -10 ° C since the freezing point of the heat transfer fluid is approximately equal to -15 ° C.

The heat transfer fluid of the cooling composition 19 comprises for example a food glycol.

The heat transfer fluid of the cooling composition may for example comprise propylene glycol or propanediol.

Reference is made to FIG. 4, which illustrates a cooling assembly 21 of the invention in operation. The cooling assembly 21 comprises the cooling device 1 of the invention and the cooling composition 19.

The cooling composition 19 is immersed in the diving tank 3 of the cooling device 1.

A bottle 23 with a capacity of three liters has been positioned inside the diving tank 3 of the cooling device 1. The bottle 23 containing the liquid to be cooled may be made of glass. The thickness of the glass of the bottle is between 5 and 10 millimeters, in particular 8 to 10 millimeters when the bottle whose container to be cooled is a three-liter champagne bottle.

The cooling method of the invention implemented by the cooling assembly 21 of the invention is as follows.

The cooling composition 19 of the cooling assembly 21 is cooled from ambient temperature, for example equal to approximately 25 ° C, to a temperature between approximately -5 ° C and approximately -10 ° C, preferably between approximately -5 ° C and approximately -8 ° C (step A).

This first step of cooling the composition 19 can typically be obtained for a duration of between approximately one hour and approximately two hours, preferably for a duration of between approximately one hour thirty minutes and approximately two hours.

According to a step B of the cooling method of the invention, the bottle 23, the liquid of which, for example champagne, contained inside is to be cooled, is placed in the diving tank 3 of the cooling assembly 21.

The arrangement of the bottle 23 in the diving tank 3 is carried out so that the bottle 23 is held by the rotation motor 7. The holding of the bottle 23 in position on the rotation motor 7 is obtained thanks to the holding device 9.

During a step C of the cooling method of the invention, the rotation motor 7 is driven in rotation once the bottle 23 is positioned and maintained on the rotation motor 7.

The duration of rotation of the motor may for example be between approximately 10 minutes and approximately 20 minutes, preferably for a duration approximately equal to 15 minutes.

During the rotation phase, the cooling composition 21 is maintained at a temperature between about -5 ° C and about -10 ° C, preferably between about -5 ° C and about -8 ° C.

As previously indicated, step C of the cooling method of the invention may comprise one or more phase (s) of clockwise rotation and one or more phase (s) of rotation in a counterclockwise direction, this in particular in order to favor the mixing of the liquid contained in the bottle, allowing to decrease the temperature differences between several places of the liquid contained in the bottle.

Once the rotation phase has ended (for a duration of approximately 15 minutes), the bottle 23 is removed from the diving tank 3 (step D).

It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the sole embodiments of this device and assembly for cooling a liquid contained inside a bottle, and of the cooling process implemented by such a device and assembly, described above only by way of illustrative examples, but on the contrary embraces all the variants involving the technical equivalents of the means described as well as their combinations if these fall within the scope of the invention.

Claims (13)

1. Cooling device (1) for a liquid contained inside a bottle (23), comprising: a diving tank (3), designed for and intended to receive a cooling composition (19), said composition comprising a heat transfer fluid; a heat exchanger (11) comprising at least one Peitier effect module, for cooling said cooling composition from an ambient temperature less than or equal to about 25 ° C to a temperature between about -5 ° C and about -10 ° C, preferably between about -5 ° C and about -8 ° C; a rotation motor (7) inside the diving tank (3), designed to rotate the bottle (23) whose liquid inside is to be cooled; a holding member (9) of said bottle (23) on the rotation motor (7). 2. Cooling device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the rotation motor (7) is designed to drive the bottle (23), the liquid contained inside is to be cooled, in alternating rotation according to at least one phase of clockwise rotation and at least one phase of counterclockwise rotation. 3. Cooling device (1) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the holding member (9) of the bottle (23) on the rotation motor (7) comprises a holding basket for the bottle whose shape and dimensions allow circumferential support of the bottle (23). 4. Cooling device (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the bottle holding basket comprises in its lower part a lug for fixing said basket on the rotation motor. 5. Cooling device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises a device for evacuating hot air, arranged opposite the module with Peitier effect (13 ). 6. Cooling device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it comprises a control and display panel (15) of required cooling parameters. 7. Cooling device (1) according to any one of claims J. to 6, characterized in that the diving tank (3) comprises a thermoplastic polymer such as polymethyl methacrylate. 8. A cooling assembly (21) of a liquid contained inside a bottle (23), comprising: a cooling device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7; and a cooling composition (19) comprising a heat transfer fluid, immersed in the diving tank (3) of said cooling device (1). 9. Cooling assembly (21) according to claim 8, characterized in that the cooling composition (19) comprises water and the heat transfer fluid, said heat transfer fluid representing a proportion of between approximately 20% and approximately 40% of the total volume of said cooling composition, preferably around 30%. 10. Cooling assembly (21) according to one of claims 8 or 9, characterized in that the coolant of the cooling composition (19) comprises a food glycol. Tl. Cooling assembly (21) according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that the heat transfer fluid of the cooling composition (19) comprises propylene glycol or propanediol. 12. Method for cooling a liquid contained inside a bottle (23), comprising the following successive stages: A- the cooling composition (19) of the cooling assembly (21) is cooled in accordance with one of claims 8 to 11, from ambient temperature to a temperature between approximately -5 ° C and approximately -10 ° C, preferably between approximately -5 ° C and approximately -8 ° C; B- a bottle (23) is placed in the diving tank (3) of the cooling assembly (21), the liquid contained inside is to be cooled, so that said bottle is held by the engine of rotation (7); C- the rotation motor (7) of the cooling assembly is rotated for a period of between approximately 10 minutes and approximately 20 minutes, preferably for a period of approximately 15 minutes, said cooling composition (19) being maintained at a temperature between about -5 ° C and about -10 ° C, preferably between about -5 ° C and about -8 ° C; D- the bottle (23) is taken out of the diving tank (3). 13. A cooling method according to claim 12, characterized in that step C comprises at least one phase of rotation in a clockwise direction and at least one phase of rotation in a counterclockwise direction. 14. A cooling method according to one of claims 12 or 13, characterized in that step A is obtained for a duration of between approximately one hour and approximately two hours, preferably for a duration of between approximately one hour and thirty minutes and about two hours.