JP2015218962A - Beverage server and control method for the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a beverage server capable of stably and continuously providing a low-temperature beverage, and a control method for the same.SOLUTION: A beverage server according to the present invention includes a water tank that accommodates cooling water for cooling beer, and a refrigerant pipe 16 that is arranged in the cooling water to produce ice from the cooling water. The refrigerant pipe 16 assumes a spiral shape that is extended to the periphery of an axis line L, and comprises parts 16A and 16B in which distances between the refrigerant pipes 16 adjacent to each other in the extension direction of the axis line L are different from each other.

Description

  The present invention relates to a beverage server used when providing a beverage and a control method thereof.

  Various techniques relating to a beverage server are known. JP-A-2002-211695 discloses a barrel filled with draft beer, a carbon dioxide cylinder for supplying pressurized carbon dioxide gas to the barrel, a cooling device having a cooling coil for cooling draft beer supplied from the barrel, and a cooling coil. A draft beer discharge device including a valve for discharging a cooled draft beer is described. In the cooling device of this draft beer discharge device, the cooling coil, a water tank in which the cooling coil is immersed, and a water tank that accommodates the cooling water are provided spirally outside the cooling coil to form an ice storage part in the water tank. An evaporator tube is arranged. The spiral evaporation pipes are arranged at equal intervals in the vertical direction along the inner surface of the water tank. In addition, a stirring blade that stirs the cooling water and moves it downward is provided inside the cooling coil in the water tank, and the stirring blade rotates downward from a motor located at the upper end of the water tank. It is attached to the lower end of the shaft.

  Further, in the draft beer discharge device, a flow path forming member that forms a flow path of the cooling water is provided, and the cooling water is provided between the lower end of the ice storage unit and the bottom surface of the water tank by the flow path forming member. The flow path is secured. Furthermore, a gap is formed between the inner surface of the water tank and the outer surface of the ice storage unit. Therefore, the cooling water moved downward from the stirring blade flows into the flow path between the lower end of the ice storage unit and the bottom surface of the water tank below the cooling coil and moves to the outside of the cooling coil and the ice storage unit. It enters the gap and moves upward. By forming such a cooling water flow path, the cooling water circulates around the cooling coil and the ice storage section.

JP 2002-211695 A

  In the beverage server described above, the spiral evaporation tubes are arranged at equal intervals in the vertical direction along the inner surface of the water tank, and an integral large wall-shaped ice storage portion is formed around the evaporation tubes. When an integral large wall-shaped ice storage part is formed in this way, heat exchange between the ice storage part and the cooling water may be insufficient for heat exchange between the cooling coil and the cooling water. is there. That is, at the time of continuous dispensing of beverages, a situation may occur in which the cooling water is not sufficiently cooled despite the formation of an integral large ice storage part. Therefore, when the heat exchange between the ice storage part and the cooling water is insufficient, the beverage cannot be sufficiently cooled at the time of continuous dispensing of the beverage, and the low temperature beverage cannot be stably and continuously provided. Cause problems.

  Then, this invention makes it a subject to provide the drink server which can provide a low temperature drink stably and continuously, and its control method.

  A beverage server according to the present invention is a beverage server comprising: a coolant tank that contains a coolant that cools a beverage; and a refrigerant pipe that is disposed in the coolant and generates ice from the coolant. The pipe has a spiral shape extending around the axis, and includes a first part and a second part in which the distance between the refrigerant pipes adjacent to each other in the extension direction of the axis is different.

  The beverage server according to the present invention includes the first portion and the second portion having different spiral pitches in the spiral refrigerant tube. For this reason, integral ice is generated in a portion where the spiral pitch is short, but ice is not generated in a portion where the spiral pitch is long, or ice thinner than the integral ice is generated. Therefore, a plurality of ice or ice having a curved surface is generated in the entire refrigerant pipe. Therefore, the surface area of the ice formed around the refrigerant pipe can be increased as compared with the refrigerant pipe having a uniform helical pitch. For this reason, the contact area between the ice and the cooling liquid can be increased to increase the efficiency of heat exchange between the ice and the cooling liquid, so that the cooling liquid can be sufficiently cooled even during continuous dispensing of the beverage. It is possible to provide a low-temperature beverage stably and continuously.

  A beverage server according to the present invention is a beverage server comprising: a coolant tank that contains a coolant that cools a beverage; and a refrigerant pipe that is disposed in the coolant and generates ice from the coolant. The pipe has a third part and a fourth part that are adjacent to each other in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the refrigerant pipe extends, and in the vertical cross-sectional view of the refrigerant pipe, The thickness of ice formed at the midpoint of the line connecting the fourth part is P1, and the thickness of ice formed on the straight line passing through the central part of the third part and perpendicular to the line is A control unit is provided for controlling the shape of ice formed around the refrigerant pipe so that P1 <P2 when P2.

  According to the beverage server of the present invention, P1 is the thickness of ice formed at the midpoint of the line segment connecting the third portion and the fourth portion of the refrigerant pipe in the vertical sectional view of the refrigerant pipe. Is smaller than P2, which is the thickness of ice formed on a straight line that passes through the central portion of the third portion and is perpendicular to the line segment. Therefore, the surface area of ice can be increased compared to the case of P1 = P2 where the thickness of ice is uniform. When the surface area of the ice is increased in this way, the contact area between the ice and the coolant increases, so that the efficiency of heat exchange between the ice and the coolant can be increased. Therefore, even when the beverage is continuously poured out, the cooling liquid can be kept sufficiently cooled, so that a low-temperature beverage can be provided stably and continuously.

  The control unit may control the shape of ice formed around the refrigerant pipe so that P1 = 0. In this case, a gap through which the coolant can flow is formed between the ice formed around the third portion and the ice formed around the fourth portion. Therefore, the surface area of the ice can be further increased, and the contact area between the ice and the coolant can be further increased, so that the efficiency of heat exchange between the ice and the coolant can be further increased. Therefore, it becomes possible to provide a low temperature beverage more stably and continuously.

  In addition, a beverage pipe through which the beverage passes is provided inside the refrigerant tube in plan view, and the control unit is positioned below the first ice that contacts the inner surface of the coolant tank and the first ice. The shape of the ice formed around the refrigerant pipe may be controlled so as to form the inner surface of the cooling liquid tank and the second ice that does not contact the first ice. In this case, it is possible to form a coolant flow path around the second ice and inside the first ice in the coolant tank. Accordingly, the lower side of the beverage pipe is cooled by the cooling liquid passing through the inside of the second ice, and the lower side of the second ice, the outside and the upper side are bypassed, and the cooling pipe passing through the inside of the first ice is bypassed by the cooling liquid passing through the first ice. It is possible to cool the upper side. Thus, since it becomes possible to cool the upper side and the lower side of the beverage pipe with the cooling liquid that has passed around the first ice and the second ice, respectively, the beverage pipe is cooled more efficiently with the cooling liquid. be able to.

  In addition, a beverage pipe through which the beverage passes is provided inside the refrigerant tube in plan view, and the control unit allows the flow of the coolant extending from the inner surface of the coolant tank to the beverage tube located obliquely above. The shape of ice formed around the refrigerant pipe may be controlled so as to form a path. In this case, a flow path of the cooling liquid is formed from the inner surface of the cooling liquid tank toward the beverage pipe located obliquely upward, and the cooling liquid sufficiently cooled with ice is poured along the flow path. The beverage pipe can be sufficiently cooled. Accordingly, it is possible to provide a continuous low-temperature beverage.

  In addition, the control unit may control the shape of ice formed around the refrigerant pipe so as to form a coolant flow path that gradually narrows toward the top. In this case, the sum of the flow rate of the cooling liquid in the flow path that becomes narrower as it goes upward and the flow rate of the cooling liquid in the flow path that extends from the inner surface of the cooling liquid tank to the beverage pipe that is positioned obliquely upward, By matching the flow rate of the coolant in the channel located below the ice, the fluid pressure on the inflow side to the ice and the fluid pressure on the outflow side from the ice can be substantially matched. Can be efficiently flowed. Therefore, heat exchange between ice and the coolant can be promoted.

  The method for controlling a beverage server according to the present invention is a control of a beverage server comprising: a coolant tank that contains a coolant that cools the beverage; and a refrigerant pipe that is disposed in the coolant and generates ice from the coolant. The refrigerant pipe has a third portion and a fourth portion that are adjacent to each other in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the refrigerant pipe extends. The thickness of the ice formed at the midpoint of the line segment connecting the third part and the fourth part is P1, and is formed on a straight line passing through the central part of the third part and perpendicular to the line segment. When the thickness of the ice is P2, the shape of the ice formed around the refrigerant pipe is controlled so that P1 <P2.

  According to the control method of the beverage server according to the present invention, the thickness of ice formed at the midpoint of the line segment connecting the third portion and the fourth portion of the refrigerant pipe in the vertical sectional view of the refrigerant pipe. Is formed around the refrigerant pipe so that P1 is smaller than P2 which is the thickness of ice formed on a straight line passing through the central portion of the third portion and perpendicular to the line segment. The shape is controlled. Therefore, the surface area of the ice can be increased as compared with the case of P1 = P2 where the thickness of the ice is uniform, and the contact area between the ice and the coolant can be increased. Therefore, since the efficiency of heat exchange between ice and cooling liquid can be increased, it becomes possible to keep the cooling liquid sufficiently cooled even at the time of continuous dispensing of beverages, stably and continuously at a low temperature. Beverages can be provided.

  According to the present invention, a low-temperature beverage can be provided stably and continuously.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the drink provision apparatus provided with the drink server of 1st Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structure of the drink server of FIG. It is a figure explaining the cooling principle of the drink server of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the refrigerant | coolant pipe | tube of the drink server of FIG. (A) is side surface sectional drawing which shows the flow of the cooling water in the drink server of FIG. 2, (b) is a top view which shows the drink server of FIG. It is a figure which shows the structure which performs thickness control of the ice produced | generated by a refrigerant pipe. (A) is the figure which controlled the shape of ice by changing the pitch of a refrigerant pipe, (b) shows the figure which controlled the shape of ice by attaching an ice formation member to a refrigerant pipe, respectively. (A) is a figure which shows the flow path of the cooling water which extends diagonally upward from the inner surface of the water tank and the flow path of the cooling water which becomes gradually narrower toward the upper side, and (b) It is a figure which shows the 1st ice which contacts a side surface, and the 2nd ice which does not contact the inner surface of a water tank and 1st ice.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of a beverage server and a control method thereof according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In all drawings, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 shows an overall configuration of a beverage providing apparatus 1 including a beverage server (server 10) according to the present embodiment. The beverage providing device 1 is a device provided in a restaurant, for example, and is a device that pours beer from the currant 9 in accordance with a customer order or the like. First, the whole structure of the drink provision apparatus 1 is demonstrated. The beverage providing device 1 includes a carbon dioxide cylinder 2, a pressure reducing valve 3, a carbon dioxide hose 4, a beer barrel 5, a head 6, a beer hose 7, and a server 10 in addition to the currant 9.

  The carbon dioxide cylinder 2 is a substantially cylindrical container filled with carbon dioxide at a high pressure. The carbon dioxide cylinder 2 has a function of pushing out the beer liquid inside the beer barrel 5 to the server 10 and also has a function of keeping the amount of carbon dioxide contained in the beer liquid inside the beer barrel 5 at an appropriate amount. Inside the carbon dioxide cylinder 2, the carbon dioxide is filled in a liquid state, for example, at a pressure of about 6 to 8 MPa.

  The carbon dioxide gas cylinder 2 includes a remaining amount indicator 2 a that displays the amount of carbon dioxide gas inside the carbon dioxide gas cylinder 2. As the remaining amount indicator 2a, for example, a needle-shaped one can be used. In this case, when the needle is pointing upward, the amount of carbon dioxide in the carbon dioxide cylinder 2 is relatively large, When the needle is pointing downward, it indicates that the amount of carbon dioxide in the carbon dioxide cylinder 2 has decreased. Thus, the carbon dioxide gas cylinder 2 is provided with the remaining amount indicator 2a, so that the amount of carbon dioxide gas in the carbon dioxide gas cylinder 2 can be visually recognized. The carbon dioxide gas cylinder 2 is provided with an opening / closing handle (not shown) that can be rotated by a user at the top of the carbon dioxide gas cylinder 2, and the flow path of the carbon dioxide gas from the carbon dioxide gas cylinder 2 to the pressure reducing valve 3 by the rotation of the opening / closing handle. Can be opened and closed.

  The pressure reducing valve 3 is a device for adjusting the pressure (hereinafter referred to as gas pressure) due to carbon dioxide applied to the beer liquid inside the beer barrel 5. The pressure reducing valve 3 includes a residual pressure indicator 3 a that displays the residual pressure of the carbon dioxide gas in the carbon dioxide cylinder 2 and a rotary operation unit 3 b for adjusting the gas pressure. For example, the user can increase the gas pressure by rotating the operation unit 3b in the clockwise direction and can decrease the gas pressure by rotating the operation unit 3b in the counterclockwise direction. Here, the amount of carbon dioxide dissolved in the liquid decreases as the temperature of the liquid increases, and increases as the temperature of the liquid decreases. Therefore, by adjusting the gas pressure to an appropriate value with the pressure reducing valve 3 in accordance with the temperature of the beer liquid inside the beer barrel 5, gas separation from which the carbon dioxide gas escapes from the beer liquid at a high temperature, or the beer liquid at a low temperature It is possible to prevent oversaturation that absorbs excessively.

  The beer barrel 5 is a container filled with beer liquid. Since the inside of the beer barrel 5 is hermetically sealed, various germs and the like are prevented from entering the inside of the beer barrel 5. Further, for example, a card-like liquid temperature detection unit 5a can be attached to the surface of the beer barrel 5, and the temperature of the beer in the beer barrel 5 can be detected by the liquid temperature detection unit 5a. it can. In addition to the temperature of the beer in the beer barrel 5, the liquid temperature detector 5a displays the optimum value of the gas pressure corresponding to the detected temperature of the beer.

  Therefore, the user can adjust the gas pressure in the beer barrel 5 to an optimum value by operating the operation unit 3b of the pressure reducing valve 3 and setting the gas pressure to the value displayed on the liquid temperature detection unit 5a. It has become. The beer barrel 5 includes a tube 5b through which beer flows and a base (also referred to as a fitting valve) 5c. The tube 5b of the beer barrel 5 extends vertically inside the beer barrel 5, and the cap 5c is provided at the upper end of the tube 5b.

  The head 6 has a function of sending the carbon dioxide in the carbon dioxide cylinder 2 into the beer barrel 5 via the pressure reducing valve 3 and the carbon dioxide hose 4 and sending out the beer liquid in the beer barrel 5 to the server 10. The head 6 has an operation handle 6a capable of opening and closing a flow path of carbon dioxide gas and beer liquid by moving up and down, a gas joint 6b connected to the carbon dioxide hose 4, and a beer joint 6c connected to the beer hose 7. It has.

  The lower part of the head 6 is connected to the base 5c of the beer barrel 5, and the flow path of the carbon dioxide hose 4 and the beer hose 7 is lowered by lowering the operation handle 6a of the head 6 with the lower part of the head 6 connected to the base 5c. Is opened, and the flow path of the carbon dioxide hose 4 and the beer hose 7 is closed by raising the operation handle 6a of the head 6. The gas joint 6b and the beer joint 6c are detachable from the main body 6d extending vertically at the center of the head 6, and the gas joint 6b, the beer joint 6c and the main body 6d can be disassembled. Thus, the head 6 can be easily cleaned.

  The server 10 is connected to the head 6 via the beer hose 7 and has a function of cooling the beer liquid sent from the beer barrel 5 via the head 6 and the beer hose 7. The server 10 is a so-called electric cooling type instantaneous cooling type server. The server 10 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and the beer hose 7 enters the upper end of the side surface of the server 10. The server 10 cools the beer liquid supplied from the beer hose 7, and the beer liquid cooled by the server 10 is poured out from the currant 9 when the currant 9 is pulled forward, for example.

  As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the server 10 is formed in a spiral shape inside the cooling water W of the water tank 11 connected to the rectangular water tank 11 containing the cooling water W and the beer hose 7. A beer coil (beverage pipe) 12 and a refrigeration cycle apparatus 15 for cooling the cooling water W are provided. The beer coil 12 extends downward from the connection portion with the beer hose 7, extends spirally around the axis L from the lower end thereof, and extends to the currant 9 at a portion drawn upward from the cooling water W at the upper end portion extending spirally. It is connected. The axis L is, for example, a reference line extending in the vertical direction at the central portion of the water tank 11 in plan view. Since the beer coil 12 is thus spiraled to ensure a long flow path for the beer liquid in the cooling water W, the beer liquid in the beer coil 12 is more instantaneously preferable in the server 10. To be cooled.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the refrigeration cycle apparatus 15 includes a refrigerant pipe 16 that extends spirally so as to surround the beer coil 12 outside the beer coil 12 in the cooling water W. The beer coil 12 is provided inside the refrigerant pipe 16 in a plan view. The refrigeration cycle apparatus 15 includes the refrigerant pipe 16, the compressor 17, the condenser 18, the fan 19, the dehydrator 20, and the capillary tube 21, and the refrigeration cycle apparatus 15 includes the refrigerant pipe 16, the compressor 17, A refrigeration cycle in which the condenser 18, the dehydrator 20 and the capillary tube 21 are sequentially connected is configured.

  The compressor 17 is connected to the lower end of the refrigerant pipe 16, and the refrigerant flows into the compressor 17 from the refrigerant pipe 16. The compressor 17 compresses the refrigerant to generate a high-temperature refrigerant gas of, for example, 70 ° C., and the condenser 18 releases heat from the high-temperature refrigerant gas, so that the condenser 18 generates a high-temperature refrigerant liquid of, for example, 40 ° C. Generate. The fan 19 has a function of sending air to the condenser 18 and efficiently exchanging heat in the condenser 18. The high-temperature refrigerant liquid generated by the condenser 18 is sent to the capillary tube 21 via the dehydrator 20. The capillary tube 21 is connected to the upper end of the refrigerant pipe 16, performs a pressure reduction and a flow rate control on the high-temperature refrigerant liquid sent via the dehydrator 20 to generate a liquid refrigerant at −8 ° C., for example, This liquid refrigerant is supplied to the refrigerant pipe 16.

  The server 10 includes a propeller 22 and a motor 23. The propeller 22 agitates the cooling water W in the water tank 11 and forms a flow in the cooling water W, thereby exchanging heat between the cooling water W and the beer coil 12 and exchanging heat between the cooling water W and the refrigerant pipe 16. Promote. The motor 23 is disposed above the beer coil 12, and the shaft 22 a of the propeller 22 attached to the motor 23 enters the inside of the beer coil 12. Therefore, the cooling water W located inside the beer coil 12 moves downward by the rotation of the propeller 22, and forms a flow that moves to the outside of the water tank 11 at the bottom surface 11 a of the water tank 11.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5A, the refrigerant pipe 16 includes a portion (first portion) 16A in which the distance between the refrigerant pipes 16 adjacent to each other in the extending direction of the axis L is different. A portion (second portion) 16B is included, and the pitches of the spirals (hereinafter simply referred to as pitches) in these portions 16A and 16B are different from each other.

  As illustrated in FIGS. 5B and 6, the server 10 includes a control unit 30 that controls the thickness of the ice K3 formed in the refrigerant pipe 16, and the control unit 30 is configured to control the ice K3. It has a sensor 31 that detects the thickness. The sensor 31 is provided so as to protrude from the inner surface 11 b of the water tank 11 to the inside of the water tank 11. The sensor 31 includes two rod-shaped electrodes 32 and 33, and the lengths of these electrodes 32 and 33 are different from each other. The sensor 31 detects the thickness of the ice K3 by detecting conduction or non-conduction between the electrode 32 and the electrode 33. Specifically, when the tip 32a of the electrode 32 and the tip 33a of the electrode 33 are in contact with the cooling water W and are conductive, it is detected that the thickness of the ice K3 does not reach the tip 32a and is thin. When the tip 32a of the electrode 32 is buried in the ice K3 and the tip 32a and the tip 33a are non-conductive, it is detected that the thickness of the ice K3 reaches the tip 32a and is thick.

  When the sensor 31 detects that the ice K3 is thin, the control unit 30 supplies the liquid refrigerant to the refrigerant pipe 16 by the refrigeration cycle device 15 and cools the refrigerant pipe 16, thereby causing the ice K1, K2 to cool. , K3 is controlled to be thicker. On the other hand, when the sensor 31 detects that the ice K3 is thick, the control unit 30 stops the supply of the liquid refrigerant to the refrigerant pipe 16 by the refrigeration cycle device 15, and the ice K1, K2, K3 Control so that it does not become thicker. By performing such control by the control unit 30, ice K1, K2, and K3 are generated in the portion 16A where the pitch of the refrigerant pipe 16 is short, and the portion 16B where the pitch of the refrigerant pipe 16 is long. Does not produce ice. Accordingly, the portion 16B of the refrigerant pipe 16 where no ice is generated serves as a flow path for the cooling water W.

  That is, when the liquid refrigerant is supplied from the capillary tube 21 to the refrigerant pipe 16 as described above, the cooling water W positioned around the refrigerant pipe 16 is cooled by the liquid refrigerant, and the ice K1, around the refrigerant pipe 16 is cooled. K2 and K3 are generated. It takes several hours (for example, 7 or 8 hours) after the server 10 is turned on with the cooling water W in the water tank 11 until the ice K1, K2, and K3 are generated. Thus, for example, if the server 10 is turned on at the end of business at night in a restaurant, ice is formed around the refrigerant pipe 16 at night, and the ice K1, K2, and ice by the start of business on the next day. It can be in a state where K3 is generated. As described above, the ices K1, K2, and K3 are not ice formed in the middle stage of ice generation, but indicate ice formed in the final stage of ice generation, for example, at the start of business.

  Further, the lower end of the refrigerant pipe 16 and the bottom surface 11a of the water tank 11 are separated to such an extent that the ice K3 generated around the refrigerant pipe 16 does not reach the bottom surface 11a. Therefore, since the flow path of the cooling water W is formed between the lower end of the ice K3 formed in the refrigerant pipe 16 and the bottom surface 11a, it moves downward by the rotation of the propeller 22, and the bottom surface 11a of the water tank 11 The cooling water W that has moved to the outside passes between the ice K3 and the bottom surface 11a. The cooling water W that has passed between the ice K3 and the bottom surface 11a moves upward between the inner surface 11b of the water tank 11 and the ice K3. Thus, the cooling water W that moves upward outside the ice K3 moves to the inside of the water tank 11 through the flow path between the ice K2 and the ice K3 or the flow path between the ice K1 and the ice K2. To do. The cooling water W that has passed through the flow path between the ice K1 and the ice K2 is poured into the upper side of the beer coil 12, and the cooling water W that has passed through the flow path between the ice K2 and the ice K3 is above and below the beer coil 12. It is poured near the center of the direction.

  As described above, the shape of ice generated around the refrigerant pipe 16 can be controlled by adjusting the positions of the two electrodes 32 and 33 in the sensor 31 or adjusting the pitch of the refrigerant pipe 16. It becomes possible. Moreover, according to the server 10 which concerns on this embodiment, it has the part 16A and the part 16B from which the helical pitch in the helical refrigerant pipe 16 differs mutually. For this reason, integral ice K1, K2, K3 is generated in the portion 16A having a short spiral pitch, but no ice is generated in the portion 16B having a long spiral pitch.

  Accordingly, a plurality of ices K1, K2, and K3 are generated in the refrigerant pipe 16 as a whole. Therefore, the surface areas of the ices K1, K2, and K3 formed around the refrigerant pipe 16 are increased as compared with the conventional refrigerant pipe having a uniform spiral pitch. Therefore, the contact area between the ice and the cooling water W can be increased to increase the efficiency of heat exchange between the ice and the cooling water W, so that the cooling water W can be sufficiently cooled even during continuous dispensing of beverages. It is possible to continue the operation, and a low-temperature beverage can be provided stably and continuously.

  In addition, by making the pitch of the part 16B in the refrigerant pipe 16 shorter than the state shown in FIG. 4, ice having a thickness smaller than the thickness of the ice formed in the part 16A in the vertical sectional view is given to the part 16B. It is also possible to generate. In this case, ice that is thinner than the ice K1, K2, and K3 is generated in the portion 16B. Therefore, ice having a curved surface is generated in the refrigerant pipe 16 as a whole. Therefore, also in this case, the contact area between ice and cooling water can be increased.

(Second Embodiment)
As shown in FIG. 7A, in the second embodiment, the same refrigerant pipe 16 as in the first embodiment is used. However, the refrigerant pipe 16 is formed around the refrigerant pipe 16 by appropriately changing the pitch of the refrigerant pipe 16. The point which changes suitably the shape of ice to be performed is demonstrated. FIG. 7A shows the refrigerant pipe 16 in a vertical sectional view. In the second embodiment, for example, when the thickness of ice generated by one refrigerant pipe 16 is T and the pitch between the refrigerant pipes 16 is P, the value of P is slightly smaller than the value of 2T. As a result, ice K4 having a curved surface is formed.

  In this case, the refrigerant pipe 16 includes a part (third part) 16C and a part (fourth part) adjacent to each other in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the refrigerant pipe 16 extends (a direction orthogonal to the paper surface of FIG. 7). Part) 16D, and is formed at the midpoint M of the line segment S1 connecting the parts 16C and 16D (formed on a straight line passing through the midpoint M and perpendicular to the line segment S1). Refrigerant such that P1 <P2 where P1 is the thickness of ice K4 and P2 is the thickness of ice K4 formed on a straight line S2 passing through the central portion of the portion 16C and perpendicular to the line segment S1. Supply control of the refrigerant to the pipe 16 is performed.

  Specifically, for example, the refrigerant pipes 16 are arranged at a pitch P as shown in FIG. 7A, and the tip 32a of the electrode 32 in the sensor 31 is arranged at a position where the thickness P1 of the middle point M is reached. When the liquid refrigerant is supplied to the refrigerant pipe 16 in the state, the supply of the liquid refrigerant to the refrigerant pipe 16 is stopped when the thickness of the ice K4 at the midpoint M reaches P1, and P1 <P2. Ice K4 is produced. The ice K4 indicates ice formed at the final stage of ice generation.

  Thus, in the server 10 and its control method according to the present embodiment, P1 which is the thickness of the ice K4 formed at the midpoint M of the line segment S1 connecting the portion 16C and the portion 16D in the refrigerant pipe 16 is It becomes smaller than P2 which is the thickness of the ice K4 formed on the straight line S2 that passes through the central portion of the portion 16C and is perpendicular to the line segment S1. Therefore, the surface area of ice can be increased as compared with ice K5 where P1 = P2 and the thickness is uniform. When the surface area of the ice is increased in this way, the contact area between the ice and the cooling water W increases, so that the efficiency of heat exchange between the ice and the cooling water W can be increased. Therefore, since the cooling water W can be sufficiently cooled even during the continuous pouring of beer, the low-temperature beer can be provided stably and continuously.

  It is also possible to control the shape of the ice formed around the refrigerant pipe 16 so that P1 = 0 by changing the position of the electrodes 32 and 33 of the sensor 31 or the pitch of the refrigerant pipe 16. . In this case, a gap through which the cooling water W can flow is formed between the ice formed around the portion 16C and the ice formed around the portion 16D. Therefore, the surface area of the ice can be further increased, and the contact area between the ice and the cooling water W can be further increased, so that the efficiency of heat exchange between the ice and the cooling water W can be further increased. . Therefore, it becomes possible to provide a low temperature beer more stably and continuously.

  In the second embodiment, the shape of the ice is controlled so that P1 <P2 by changing the pitch of the refrigerant pipe 16, but the ice thickness is P1 <P2 without changing the pitch of the refrigerant pipe 16. You may perform control which stops supply of a refrigerant | coolant at the time of becoming. Moreover, although the spiral refrigerant pipe 16 was illustrated above, 2nd Embodiment is applicable also when a refrigerant pipe is not helical. That is, the third part and the fourth part (for example, the part 16C and the part 16D) that are adjacent to each other in the direction perpendicular to the direction in which the refrigerant pipe extends (for example, the direction orthogonal to the paper surface of FIG. 7) It is also possible to use a refrigerant pipe other than a spiral. Furthermore, in the second embodiment, two or more refrigerant tubes can be used, and the third portion and the fourth portion may be provided in different refrigerant tubes.

(Third embodiment)
As shown in FIG. 7B, the beverage server of the third embodiment includes an ice forming member 40 that controls the shape of the ice K6 formed around the refrigerant pipe 16. The ice forming member 40 is made of a material having a high thermal conductivity such as metal, and is fixed to the refrigerant pipe 16. Further, the ice forming member 40 is fixed to the refrigerant pipe 16 so as to face obliquely upward as the distance from the inner surface 11 b of the water tank 11 increases. Therefore, the ice K6 generated around the refrigerant pipe 16 and the ice forming member 40 also has a shape that faces obliquely upward as the distance from the inner surface 11b increases. Ice K6 indicates the ice formed in the final stage of ice formation.

  Further, for example, due to the arrangement of the two electrodes 32 and 33 in the sensor 31 of the control unit 30, before the ice formed around the refrigerant pipe 16 and the ice forming member 40 contacts the adjacent ice, the refrigerant pipe 16. The supply of refrigerant to is stopped. Therefore, in the beverage server of the third embodiment, a flow path of the cooling water W is formed from the inner side surface 11b of the water tank 11 toward the beer coil 12 positioned obliquely upward, and the ice K6 is sufficiently cooled along the flow path. The cooled cooling water W is poured. Therefore, since the upper beer coil 12 can be sufficiently cooled, a lower temperature beer can be provided. Furthermore, in the beverage server according to the third embodiment, the shape of the ice K6 can be changed as appropriate by appropriately changing the shape of the ice forming member 40 and the manner in which the ice forming member 40 is attached to the refrigerant pipe 16. It is also possible to control the shape.

(Fourth embodiment)
As shown in FIG. 8A, the beverage server of the fourth embodiment includes a refrigerant pipe 56 having an upper portion 56 </ b> A that extends to the outside of the water tank 11 and an ice forming member 60. The ice forming member 60 is made of the same material as the ice forming member 40 described above. The ice forming member 60 is fixed to the upper portion 56 </ b> A of the refrigerant pipe 56 so as to extend obliquely upward from the inner side surface 11 b of the water tank 11 toward the inner beer coil 12.

  Further, for example, due to the arrangement of the two electrodes 32 and 33 in the sensor 31 of the control unit 30, before the ice formed around the upper portion 56A and the ice forming member 60 comes into contact with the adjacent ice, the refrigerant pipe Supply of the refrigerant to 56 is stopped. Then, by the arrangement of the two electrodes 32 and 33 as described above, the refrigerant is supplied to the refrigerant pipe 56 after the ice formed around the lower portion 56B of the refrigerant pipe 56 contacts the ice of the adjacent refrigerant pipe 56. Stopped. Therefore, when a liquid refrigerant is supplied to the refrigerant pipe 56 in this beverage server, the cooling water W located around the refrigerant pipe 56 and the ice forming member 60 is cooled. As a result, the ice K7 having an integral rectangular section is formed in the lower part 56B of the refrigerant pipe 56, and a plurality of ices K8 are formed in the upper part 56A of the refrigerant pipe 56 and the ice forming member 60. Ices K7 and K8 indicate ice formed at the final stage of ice generation.

  The ice K7 is not in contact with either the bottom surface 11a or the inner side surface 11b of the water tank 11, and is between the lower end of the ice K7 and the bottom surface 11a, between the outer side of the ice K7 and the inner side surface 11b, and the ice K7. A flow path of the cooling water W is formed between the ice K8. The ice K8 forms a flow path R1 that narrows between the ice K8 and the inner side surface 11b as it goes upward. Between the plurality of ices K8, a flow path R2 of the cooling water W extending from the inner side surface 11b of the water tank 11 toward the beer coil 12 located obliquely upward is formed.

  In such a beverage server of the fourth embodiment, the periphery of the refrigerant pipe 56 so as to form the flow path R2 of the cooling water W extending from the inner side surface 11b of the water tank 11 toward the beer coil 12 positioned obliquely upward. The shape of the ice K8 formed on is controlled. Therefore, a flow path R2 of the cooling water W is formed from the inner side surface 11b of the water tank 11 toward the beer coil 12 positioned obliquely above, and the ice K8 is cooled along the flow path R2 toward the upper beer coil 12. Since it is possible to pour the cooled cooling water W, the upper beer coil 12 can be sufficiently cooled. Therefore, it is possible to provide a colder beer.

  Moreover, in the drink server of 4th Embodiment, the shape of the ice K8 is controlled so that the flow path R1 of the cooling water W which becomes narrow gradually as it goes upwards is controlled. Therefore, the flow rate of the cooling water W in the flow path R1 that becomes narrower as it goes upward, and the flow rate of the cooling water W in the flow path R2 that extends from the inner side surface 11b of the water tank 11 toward the beer coil 12 that is located obliquely upward. Is made to coincide with the flow rate of the cooling water W in the flow path R3 located below the ice K7, so that the water pressure on the inflow side to the ice and the water pressure on the outflow side from the ice can be made substantially coincident with each other. Therefore, it becomes possible to flow the cooling water W efficiently. Therefore, heat exchange between the ice K7, K8 and the cooling water W can be promoted.

  In addition, although the drink server of 4th Embodiment was equipped with the refrigerant | coolant pipe | tube 56 and the ice formation member 60 which became the shape where the upper part 56A spreads outside the water tank 11, the refrigerant | coolant pipe | tube 56 and the ice formation member 60 are provided. Instead, it is also possible to use a cylindrical spiral refrigerant tube and an ice forming member fixed so as to extend obliquely downward from the refrigerant tube toward the inner surface 11 b of the water tank 11.

(Fifth embodiment)
As shown in FIG. 8B, the beverage server of the fifth embodiment includes a spiral refrigerant pipe 76 in which the diameter of the upper part 76A is longer than the diameter of the lower part 76B. Further, for example, the arrangement of the two electrodes 32 and 33 in the sensor 31 of the control unit 30 stops the supply of the refrigerant to the refrigerant pipe 76 after the ice formed around the upper portion 76A comes into contact with the inner surface 11b. Then, the supply of the refrigerant to the refrigerant pipe 76 is stopped before the ice formed around the lower portion 76B contacts the bottom surface 11a or the inner side surface 11b.

  Therefore, when a liquid refrigerant is supplied to the refrigerant pipe 76 in this beverage server, the cooling water W located around the refrigerant pipe 76 is cooled. The upper portion 76A of the refrigerant pipe 76 is formed with ice (first ice) K9 having a rectangular cross section in contact with the inner surface 11b, and the lower portion 76B of the refrigerant pipe 76 is below the ice K9. The ice (second ice) K10 having a rectangular cross section that is located and does not contact the inner surface (bottom surface 11a and inner surface 11b) of the water tank 11 and the ice K9 is formed. Ices K9 and K10 indicate ice formed in the final stage of ice formation. Therefore, the cooling water W is placed inside the ice K10 (beer coil 12 side), between the ice K10 and the bottom surface 11a, between the ice K10 and the inner side surface 11b, between the ice K10 and the ice K9, and inside the ice K9. The flow path is formed.

  As described above, in the fifth embodiment, it is possible to form the flow path of the cooling water W around the ice K10 in the water tank 11 and inside the ice K9. Therefore, the lower side of the beer coil 12 is cooled by the cooling water W passing through the inside of the ice K10, and the upper side of the beer coil 12 is bypassed by the cooling water W that bypasses the lower side, the outer side and the upper side of the ice K10 and passes through the inside of the ice K9. It can be cooled. Thus, since it becomes possible to cool the upper side and the lower side of the beer coil 12 with the cooling water W that has passed around the ice K9, K10, the beer coil 12 is more efficiently cooled with the cooling water W. Can do.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to each embodiment mentioned above, A various form is employable.

  For example, in the said embodiment, although the cooling water W was accommodated in the water tank 11, things other than water (for example, antifreeze etc.) can also be used as a cooling liquid which cools a drink. For example, instead of the water tank 11 that stores the cooling water W, a cooling liquid tank that stores the antifreeze liquid may be used.

  In the above embodiment, the coolant pipe 56 and the ice forming member 60 are used to form the cooling water flow path R1 that gradually narrows upward. However, the pitch on the upper side of the refrigerant pipe is reduced. Then, the flow path R1 may be formed by forming ice that gradually increases toward the upper side. Furthermore, it is also possible to prevent ice from being partially formed by sandwiching a member having low thermal conductivity, such as a PVC pipe, with respect to the spiral refrigerant pipe. In this case, a portion where no ice is formed can be used as a flow path for the cooling water W.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the thickness of the ice K3 was detected by the sensor 31 which has the two electrodes 32 and 33, sensors other than this sensor 31 can also be used. For example, instead of the sensor 31, a temperature sensor that detects the temperature around the refrigerant pipe 16 may be used.

  Moreover, although the said embodiment demonstrated the example in which the server 10 was installed in the drink provision apparatus 1, the structure of a drink provision apparatus is changeable suitably without being limited to the said embodiment. In addition, the configuration of the refrigeration cycle apparatus can be changed as appropriate.

  Moreover, although the drink server (server 10) demonstrated the example installed in the drink provision apparatus 1 which provides beer in the said embodiment, the drink server of this invention provides the drink provision apparatus which provides drinks other than beer. It can also be applied to.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Beverage provision apparatus, 10 ... Server (beverage server), 11 ... Water tank (coolant tank), 11a ... Bottom surface, 11b ... Inner side surface, 12 ... Beer coil (beverage pipe), 16 ... Refrigerant pipe, 16A ... part ( First part), 16B ... part (second part), 16C ... part (third part), 16D ... part (fourth part), 30 ... control part, 40, 60 ... ice forming member, K1 -K10 ... ice, L ... axis, M ... middle point, R1-R3 ... flow path, W ... cooling water (cooling liquid).

Claims (7)

A beverage server comprising: a coolant tank that contains a coolant that cools the beverage; and a refrigerant pipe that is arranged in the coolant and generates ice from the coolant,
The refrigerant pipe has a spiral shape extending around an axis, and includes a first portion and a second portion in which the distance between the refrigerant tubes adjacent to each other in the extending direction of the axis is different from each other. Beverage server. A beverage server comprising: a coolant tank that contains a coolant that cools the beverage; and a refrigerant pipe that is arranged in the coolant and generates ice from the coolant,
The refrigerant pipe has a third part and a fourth part adjacent to each other in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the refrigerant pipe extends,
In the cross-sectional view of the refrigerant pipe in the vertical direction, the thickness of ice formed at the midpoint of the line segment connecting the third portion and the fourth portion is P1, passing through the central portion of the third portion. A control unit that controls the shape of the ice formed around the refrigerant pipe so that P1 <P2 when the thickness of ice formed on a straight line perpendicular to the line segment is P2. Beverage server with   The said control part is a drink server of Claim 2 which controls the shape of the ice formed around the said refrigerant | coolant pipe | tube so that it may become P1 = 0. A beverage tube through which a beverage passes is provided inside the refrigerant tube in plan view,
The control unit includes first ice that contacts an inner surface of the cooling liquid tank, and a second ice that is positioned below the first ice and does not contact the inner surface of the cooling liquid tank and the first ice. The beverage server according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the shape of ice formed around the refrigerant pipe is controlled so as to form ice. A beverage tube through which a beverage passes is provided inside the refrigerant tube in plan view,
The control unit is configured to form ice flow formed around the refrigerant pipe so as to form a flow path of the cooling liquid extending from the inner side surface of the cooling liquid tank to the beverage pipe located obliquely upward. The drink server as described in any one of Claims 2-4 which controls a shape.   6. The beverage server according to claim 5, wherein the control unit controls the shape of ice formed around the refrigerant pipe so as to form a flow path for the cooling liquid that gradually becomes narrower as it goes upward. A control method of a beverage server comprising: a coolant tank that contains a coolant that cools a beverage; and a refrigerant pipe that is arranged in the coolant and generates ice from the coolant,
The refrigerant pipe has a third part and a fourth part adjacent to each other in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the refrigerant pipe extends,
In the cross-sectional view of the refrigerant pipe in the vertical direction, the thickness of ice formed at the midpoint of the line segment connecting the third portion and the fourth portion is P1, passing through the central portion of the third portion. A beverage server that controls the shape of ice formed around the refrigerant pipe so that P1 <P2 when the thickness of ice formed on a straight line perpendicular to the line segment is P2. Control method.

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