JPH08323174A - Carbonated water producing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To rapidly produce carbonate water having a high carbon dioxide content and having good taste to drink by providing the inside of a carbon dioxide pressure vessel with a cylindrical spraying chamber having a spherical projection in the bottom and allowing carbonate water to flow down along a cylindrical wire net to the bottom of the carbon dioxide pressure vessel. CONSTITUTION: The carbon dioxide pressure vessel 1 is internally provided with the cylindrical spraying chamber 11 which is closed in the upper part and the circumference and has a spray 9 in the upper part. The bottom of the cylindrical spraying chamber 11 is provided with the spherical projection 16 having the circular base of the diameter (d) smaller than the inside diameter D of the spraying chamber 11. The connecting part 19 thereof is provided with many small holes 18 and the cylindrical wire net 17 opened in both upper and lower parts are connected to the underside thereof. The water drops sprayed from the spray 9 come into collision against the surface of the spherical projection 16 and form the water droplets smaller than before the collision. These water droplets splash into the cylindrical spraying chamber 11 and come into contact with the carbon dioxide, thereby absorbing the carbon dioxide. The water droplets, thereafter, flow downward from the small holes 18 and wet the surface of the cylindrical wire net 17, thereby increasing its surface area and absorbing the carbon dioxide.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a carbonated water producing apparatus for producing carbonated water by contacting carbon dioxide gas with water, and particularly to producing carbonated water suitable for a carbonated beverage supply apparatus such as a vending machine or a dispenser. Regarding the device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a method for producing carbonated water, an orifice is provided in the upper portion of a carbon dioxide gas pressure vessel to inject water into the vessel, and bubbles generated at that time absorb carbon dioxide gas to produce carbonated water. The method is, for example, JP-A-61-16.
It is known from Japanese Patent No. 4630. However, this method absorbs carbonated water due to the vibration of water caused by injection, so if this carbonated water is contained in the mouth, it is easy to separate the gas due to the human body temperature, so-called tangy soda that goes over the throat is generated There are disadvantages that are not.

Therefore, a method has been considered in which a spray is attached to the side wall of the carbon dioxide gas pressure vessel to spray the water so that the water has a sufficient scattering distance for absorbing the carbon dioxide. However, in a carbonated beverage manufacturing apparatus such as a vending machine or a dispenser which is placed in a limited space, it is not realistic to increase the size of the apparatus in order to increase the scattering distance.

Therefore, as a method of increasing the scattering distance without increasing the size of the apparatus, it has been considered to provide a convex surface facing the spray and to collide the sprayed water there. However, even with such a configuration, most of the energy that collides with the convex surface is absorbed on the convex surface, so that the water does not repel and drops along the convex surface, and the desired effect cannot be obtained.

There is also a method of continuously injecting water from the nozzle into the carbon dioxide pressure vessel to collide with the inner wall to generate a very fine mist, but in this case also, most of the colliding energy is absorbed on the wall surface. Water is not effective because it travels down the walls and falls.

In addition to this, there is also a method in which cooled water is put in a carbon dioxide gas pressure vessel and stirred by a stirrer provided in the vessel so that the bubbles generated at this time gradually absorb the carbon dioxide gas. When such a carbonated water manufacturing device is used in a vending machine or a dispenser, if the carbonated water selling operation continues, the carbon dioxide content in the carbon dioxide gas pressure vessel drops sharply and becomes unusable. There is.

[0007]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to produce carbonated water promptly, to have a high carbon dioxide gas content, to reduce carbon dioxide gas dissipation, and to create a tangy throat. It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for producing carbonated water, which is capable of producing delicious carbonated water, and is particularly suitable for a carbonated beverage supply apparatus such as a vending machine or a dispenser.

[0008]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION As a result of extensive studies to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a carbon dioxide gas pressure vessel with a cylindrical spray chamber of a specific structure having a spherical projection at the bottom. , The water droplets sprayed into the cylindrical spray chamber are atomized and brought into sufficient contact with carbon dioxide to absorb the carbon dioxide, and then the carbonated water travels down a specific cylindrical wire net and flows down to the bottom of the carbon dioxide pressure vessel. By doing so, they have found that the above problems can be solved, and have completed the present invention.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, in a carbonated water production apparatus using a carbon dioxide gas pressure vessel in which carbon dioxide gas and water are introduced and carbonated water is produced by contact between the two, a carbon dioxide gas pressure vessel, A spherical projection having a cylindrical spray chamber having a top and a perimeter closed and a water-introducing spray attached to the top, and a circular bottom having a diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the cylindrical spray chamber at the bottom of the cylindrical spray chamber. Objects are connected and installed, and a large number of small holes for water to pass through are provided in the connecting part, and a cylindrical wire net with an open upper part and a lower part is connected under the connecting part and sprayed from a sprayer. The water droplets collide with the surface of the spherical projection, become smaller than the water droplets before the collision, and are scattered into the cylindrical spray chamber to make sufficient contact with carbon dioxide gas, and then flow downward from the small holes to cause the cylindrical wire mesh to flow. Transmission of carbon dioxide pressure A carbonated water manufacturing apparatus is characterized in that so as to flow down to the bottom.

The invention of claim 2 of the present invention is the apparatus for producing carbonated water according to claim 1, wherein the lower end of the cylindrical wire mesh is in contact with the carbonated water in the carbon dioxide gas pressure vessel.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the apparatus for producing carbonated water according to the first or second aspect, the pressure of the predetermined carbon dioxide gas in the carbon dioxide pressure vessel is 3 Kg /
It is characterized in that water is sprayed from the sprayer at a pressure higher than cm ² .

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the carbonated water producing apparatus according to the first to third aspects, the upper limit of the carbonated water in the carbon dioxide gas pressure vessel is controlled by a water level control sensor provided in the carbon dioxide gas pressure vessel. The water level, the lower limit water level and the dangerous water level are detected, and the operation of the water supply pump is controlled by the detected signals.

[0013]

With the above-described structure of the present invention, the water sprayed from the spray collides with the surface of the spherical projection, becomes smaller than the water droplets before the collision, and is scattered into the cylindrical spray chamber to form carbon dioxide gas. As well as absorbing carbon dioxide gas by contacting it sufficiently, the water that absorbed carbon dioxide gas flows out from the small holes, wets the surface of the cylindrical wire mesh, and flows down the cylindrical wire mesh. To absorb carbon dioxide gas. The water that has absorbed carbon dioxide in this way flows down to the bottom of the carbon dioxide pressure vessel, so that good carbonated water can be produced.

By contacting the lower end of the cylindrical wire mesh with the carbonated water in the carbon dioxide gas pressure vessel, the water absorbing the carbon dioxide gas can flow down without disturbing the surface of the carbonated water in the carbon dioxide gas pressure vessel. Therefore, better carbonated water can be produced.

The material of the spherical projections is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to use a material in which water colliding with the surface of the spherical projections is not easily absorbed by the spherical projections. As such a material, polyacetal is used. There is. That is, by forming the spherical projection body with polyacetal or coating the surface of the spherical projection made of stainless steel with polyacetal, the water sprayed from the spray collides with the surface of the spherical projection and the spherical projection is formed. Without falling along the surface, the water droplets become smaller than the water droplets before the collision and scatter in the cylindrical spray chamber to make sufficient contact with the carbon dioxide gas to sufficiently absorb the carbon dioxide gas.

When water is sprayed from the sprayer at a pressure higher than the predetermined carbon dioxide gas pressure in the carbon dioxide gas pressure vessel by 3 Kg / cm ² or more, the spherical projections are thereby formed in the form of fine water droplets at an appropriate speed. Without colliding with the surface and traveling along the surface of the spherical projection, the droplet becomes smaller than the water droplet before the collision and is scattered in the cylindrical spray chamber, so that even better carbonated water is generated.

By detecting the upper limit water level, the lower limit water level and the dangerous water level of the carbonated water in the carbon dioxide gas pressure container by the water level control sensor provided in the carbon dioxide gas pressure container, the operation of the water supply pump is controlled by the detected signal. , You can always supply delicious carbonated water and improve safety.

[0018]

The present invention will be described in more detail by way of examples, which should not be construed as limiting the invention. FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing an embodiment of a carbonated water production apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged explanatory view of the carbon dioxide gas pressure vessel. 1 and 2, a carbon dioxide gas pressure vessel 1 is immersed in a cooling water tank 2 and kept cold. In this carbon dioxide gas pressure vessel 1, carbon dioxide gas from a carbon dioxide gas cylinder 3 is passed through a carbon dioxide gas introduction pipe line 4 to the carbon dioxide gas pressure vessel 1.
Water is supplied under pressure from an inlet 8 provided at the upper part of the water, and water from the cistern 5 that stores tap water is supplied from the water supply pump 6.
A polyacetal having a circular bottom on its bottom is sealed from a spray 9 provided on the upper portion of the carbon dioxide pressure vessel 1 through a pipe 7 cooled by It is pressurized and supplied into the cylindrical spray chamber 11 in which the spherical projections 16 made of steel are connected and installed.

The diameter d of the circular bottom surface of the spherical projection 16 installed to be connected to the bottom of the cylindrical spray chamber 11 is smaller than the inner diameter D of the cylindrical spray chamber 11, and the cylindrical spray chamber 11 and the spherical projection 16 are connected. A large number of small holes 18 are provided in the connecting portion 19 of 16. Further, below the connecting portion 19, a cylindrical wire net 17 having an open upper portion and a lower portion is connected. The water droplets sprayed from the spray 9 are spherical protrusions 1 made of polyacetal.
The water droplets collide with the surface of No. 6 and become smaller than the water droplets before the collision, and the water droplets are scattered into the cylindrical spray chamber 11 and sufficiently contact with the carbon dioxide gas to absorb the carbon dioxide gas. The water that has absorbed the carbon dioxide then flows downward from the small holes 18 to wet the surface of the cylindrical wire net 17, and then flows downward through the cylindrical wire net 17, so that the surface area also increases here and the carbon dioxide gas is sufficiently contacted. It can absorb carbon dioxide. The lower end of the cylindrical wire net 17 is installed in contact with the carbonated water in the carbon dioxide gas pressure vessel 1. In this way, the water that has absorbed the carbon dioxide flows down to the bottom of the carbon dioxide pressure vessel 1, so that good carbonated water can be produced.

When water is sprayed from the sprayer at a pressure higher than the predetermined carbon dioxide gas pressure in the carbon dioxide gas pressure vessel by 3 Kg / cm ² or more, the surface of the spherical projection 16 is formed on the surface of the spherical projection 16 in the state of fine water droplets at an appropriate speed. After the collision, the water droplets become smaller than the water droplets before the collision and are scattered in the cylindrical spray chamber 11,
Since the surface area becomes large and the carbon dioxide gas can be sufficiently contacted to absorb the carbon dioxide gas, better carbonated water is produced.

A water level control sensor 10 is provided in the carbon dioxide gas pressure vessel 1, and when the amount of the carbonated water in the vessel 1 decreases, the water level control sensor 10 operates to activate the pump 6 and the cistern 5 The water can be introduced into the carbon dioxide gas pressure vessel 1 after being cooled by the cooling coil 7 immersed in the cooling water tank 2.

Specifically, for example, the water level control sensor 10a
The upper limit water level of the carbonated water in the carbon dioxide gas pressure vessel 1 is detected by the water level control sensor 10b, the lower limit water level is detected by the water level control sensor 10b, and the dangerous water level is detected by the water level control sensor 10c. When it exceeds the limit, the water supply pump 6 is stopped, and when the carbonated water level falls below the lower limit water level, the water supply pump 6 is activated, and when the carbonated water level falls below the dangerous water level, a buzzer sounds and an alarm is issued. It is preferable to control the operation of the water supply pump 6 based on the detected signals.

The carbonated water produced in this manner is difficult to separate into gases, and most of them do not immediately separate into gas at body temperature when contained in the mouth, and the separation of gas continues even after passing through the throat. It becomes carbonated water over the throat.

The carbonated water generated in the carbon dioxide gas pressure vessel 1 is taken out of the carbon dioxide gas pressure vessel 1 by the siphon tube 13 when the carbonated water supply valve 12 is opened at the time of sale, and is passed through the flow rate control device 14. It is supplied again after being cooled by the cooling coil 15.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged explanatory view of another carbon dioxide gas pressure vessel 1a used in the carbonated water producing apparatus of the present invention. Cylindrical part 1
An apparatus for producing carbonated water according to the present invention was produced in the same manner as in the above-mentioned example except that the spherical protrusion 16a made of polyacetal having 6b was used. The same reference numerals as those in FIGS. 1 and 2 indicate the same parts as those in FIGS.

FIG. 4 shows the time when carbonated water (2 ° C.) (shown by ⊚) produced by the carbonated water producing apparatus of the present invention is left at room temperature (20 ° C.) and the amount of carbon dioxide gas remaining in the carbonated water. Is a graph showing (volume of carbon dioxide gas / volume of water). For comparison, FIG. 4 shows the results of testing the commercially available bottled carbonated water (denoted by ◯) and the carbonated water produced by a conventional carbonated water producing apparatus (denoted by Δ). From FIG. 4, the carbonated water produced by the apparatus for producing carbonated water of the present invention has a high content rate of carbon dioxide gas, and the dissipation of carbon dioxide gas is as small as that of bottled carbonated water on the market. It can be seen that the carbonated water produced by the device has a high carbon dioxide content, but has a large carbon dioxide dissipation.

[0027]

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION With the above-described structure of the present invention, carbonated water can be easily and quickly produced, and the content of carbon dioxide is high and the amount of carbon dioxide dissipated is small. It is possible to produce a carbonated water with a tangy taste. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The carbonated water production apparatus of the present invention is economical because it has a simple structure, and is highly effective. In particular, it is suitable for a carbonated beverage supply apparatus such as a vending machine or a dispenser, and thus has high industrial utility value.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing an embodiment of a carbonated water production apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged explanatory view of a carbon dioxide pressure vessel used in the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged explanatory view of another carbon dioxide gas pressure vessel used in the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a graph showing the relationship between time and residual carbon dioxide when carbonated water is left at room temperature (20 ° C.).

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 1a Carbon dioxide gas pressure vessel 2 Cooling water tank 3 Carbon dioxide gas cylinder 4 Carbon dioxide gas introduction pipe line 5 Sistan 6 Water supply pump 7 Cooling coil 8 Inlet port 9 Spray 10, 10a, 10b, 10c Water level control sensor 11 Cylindrical spray chamber 12 Carbonate Water supply valve 13 Siphon tube 14 Flow quality control device 15 Cooling coil 16, 16a Spherical protrusion 16b Cylindrical part 17 Cylindrical wire mesh 18 Small hole 19 Connecting part

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A carbonated water production apparatus using a carbon dioxide gas pressure vessel in which carbon dioxide gas and water are introduced and carbonated water is produced by contact between the two, in a carbon dioxide gas pressure vessel, an upper part and a surrounding area are sealed, and A cylindrical spray chamber having a spray for introducing water attached to the upper part thereof is provided, and a spherical projection having a circular bottom surface having a diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the cylindrical spray chamber is connected and installed at the bottom of the cylindrical spray chamber. A large number of small holes for water to pass through are provided in the connecting part, and a cylindrical wire net with an open upper part and a lower part is connected under the connecting part so that water droplets sprayed from the surface of the spherical projections. Collide with the water droplets before they collide and become smaller than the water droplets before the collision and fly into the cylindrical spray chamber to make sufficient contact with the carbon dioxide gas, and then flow downward from the small holes and propagate through the cylindrical wire mesh to the bottom of the carbon dioxide pressure vessel. To run down to A carbonated water production device characterized by the above. 2. The apparatus for producing carbonated water according to claim 1, wherein the lower end of the cylindrical wire net is in contact with the carbonated water in the carbon dioxide gas pressure vessel. 3. The carbonated water production according to claim 1 or 2, wherein water is sprayed from the sprayer at a pressure higher than the predetermined carbon dioxide pressure in the carbon dioxide pressure vessel by 3 kg / cm ² or more. apparatus. 4. An upper limit water level, a lower limit water level and a dangerous water level of the carbonated water in the carbon dioxide gas pressure vessel are detected by a water level control sensor provided in the carbon dioxide gas pressure vessel, and the operation of the water supply pump is controlled by the detected signals. Claim 1 characterized by the above.
The carbonated water production apparatus according to claim 3.