RU2780269C1 - Device for heating and emulsification of beverages - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: beverage making.

SUBSTANCE: device for heating and emulsification of beverages contains pump (2), zone (10) for mixing air and water, a steam generation device, and first channel (5) for steam mixed with air, communicating with steam tube (6) made with the possibility of immersion in beverage (7) to be heated and emulsified, wherein the specified steam generation device contains instant action steam generator (4), and specified zone (10) for mixing is located in front of the specified instant steam generator.

EFFECT: obtaining a homogenous flow of air and steam from a steam generator for foam formation.

11 cl, 1 dwg

Description

The present invention relates to a device for heating and emulsifying beverages, in particular milk-based beverages. As is known, at present, apparatuses for heating and emulsifying milk-based beverages comprise a steam generating apparatus formed by a steam boiler, which is pressurized with cold air from a compressed air source and cold water from a pump.

Downstream from the boiler, there is a channel for steam mixed with air, which communicates with a steam tube that is immersed in the drink to be heated and emulsified.

The disadvantage of the devices described above is the inability to ensure proper mixing of air and steam, since, as can be seen, cold air is fed directly into the boiler, and three separate areas of hot water, air and steam are formed in it.

This is due to the higher specific volume of cold air injected into the boiler, e.g. at 25 °C, compared to the specific volume of steam inside the boiler (e.g. steam at 2.5 bar), which in turn differs from the specific volume of water .

As a result of the above, stratification occurs into steam at the top of the boiler and air and water at the bottom of the boiler, since the specific volumes are different and there is no mixing movement.

At the time of removal of steam from the boiler for heating and foaming milk, such stratification does not provide the necessary homogenization of the removed steam / air mixture, which reduces the quality of milk foaming.

This problem is further exacerbated by the location of the boiler outlet at the top of the boiler in an area where steam accumulates.

The use of a steam storage boler further implies that the boiler must have appropriate pressure and temperature resistance features even at rest.

The object of the present invention is to provide a device for heating and emulsifying beverages, by which the aforementioned technical disadvantages of the prior art can be overcome.

Within the scope of this object, one of the objectives of the invention is to provide a device for heating and emulsifying beverages, whereby it will be possible to avoid the use of a pressure receiving vessel in which a high pressure and temperature must be maintained for a long period of time.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device for heating and emulsifying beverages, in which water and/or air can be added to the inside of the evaporator at any time, even while the device is in operation, and which will be very practical in use and will save a lot of time.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for heating and emulsifying beverages, in which rapid and continuous evaporation is possible as needed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for heating and emulsifying beverages, which provides for perfect mixing between air and water before the mixture is fed into the fast pressure generator.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for heating and emulsifying beverages, with which the ideal emulsification of the beverage can be ensured.

This task, as well as these and other goals, is achieved by means of a device for heating and emulsifying drinks, comprising a pump, an air and water mixing zone, a device for generating steam and a first channel for steam mixed with air, communicating with a steam tube configured to immersion in a drink to be heated and emulsified, characterized in that said device for generating steam contains an instantaneous steam generator, and said convergence zone is located in front of said instantaneous steam generator.

Additional features of the present invention are further defined in the claims appended to the main claims, which better disclose the structure of the device.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will appear more fully in the description of a preferred, but not the only possible embodiment of the apparatus for heating and emulsifying beverages in accordance with the invention, illustrated by a non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings.

On FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a device according to the invention.

In particular, in the figure described above, the device for heating and emulsifying beverages as a whole is indicated by the number 1.

The device 1 comprises a pump 2 which draws water from the water storage tank 3 of the pump so that the water enters a water-air mixing zone 10 located in front of the pump 2, and a steam generation device formed predominantly by an instantaneous steam generator 4.

In particular, the pump 2 is preferably a gear pump and draws water from the tank 3 through a first water passage 12 which communicates directly with said mixing zone 10 .

The instantaneous steam generator 4 is advantageously switched off, but is ready for immediate use and does not require a long start-up time.

The first channel 5 for steam mixed with air, communicating with a steam tube 6, made with the possibility of immersion in a milk-based drink 7, preferably to be heated and emulsified, is connected to an instantaneous steam generator 4.

The convergence zone 10 communicates with the air channel 11 on which the first valve system is installed for blocking or regulating the flow of air associated with said air channel, and in particular with the flow controller 16 and the on/off valve 17.

The flow regulator 16 and the valve 17 can conceivably be replaced by a single valve, not shown, which can be activated appropriately to block or regulate the air flow within the air passage 11.

The advantage is that the device 1 has a second channel 14 for water mixed with air, which communicates on one side with the pump 2 and on the other hand with an instantaneous steam generator, and a third channel 13 for water mixed with air, which communicates with on one side with the mixing zone 10 and on the other side with the pump 2.

The second channel 14 enters directly into the interior of said instantaneous steam generator 4 and at the same time supplies it with a homogeneous water/air mixture to ensure its optimal evaporation.

The advantage is that the water and air entering the evaporator are heated in this way: the water boils and the air expands.

Due to the turbulence caused by the boiling process and the expansion of the air, swirling movements are created, ensuring the correct mixing of steam and air, intended to optimize the process of foaming or emulsifying and heating the drink.

The steam tube 6 contains a temperature probe 15 for determining the temperature of the beverage 7.

The control of the device 1 is entrusted to the CPU 20 of the control unit, which is connected as shown in FIG. 1 with a broken line, with a pump 2, an on/off valve 17, a flash steam generator 4, a probe 15 and at least one first valve 21 to reduce the pressure inside the flash steam generator 4 to ambient pressure and allow the generator 4 to empty at rest.

The control unit 20 is further connected to at least one second valve 22 for restoring ambient pressure between the first valve and the steam pipe.

In one embodiment, valve 22 may be replaced by a check valve, which is not shown.

In light of the foregoing, if desired, changes can be made to the operating sequences of device 1.

For example, it is possible to vary the various operating sequences by synchronously activating or deactivating the valve 17 on the pump 2 during the operating cycle of the device to allow the ratio between the volume of foam and the desired heating of the beverage to be adjusted as desired.

The device according to the invention works as follows.

The user uses a special selector 30 to turn on the device, and the control unit 20 reads the signal from the temperature probe 15, which begins to register the temperature of the drink.

The control unit 20 then activates the pump 2 and the instantaneous steam generator 4 together with the two outlet valves 21 and 22.

Steam is supplied to the steam tube 6 and the drink is heated 7.

When the set temperature is reached (for example, 30 °C), the control unit 20 activates the air valve 17.

A mixture of water and air is formed in the mixing zone 10 located in front of the instantaneous steam generator 4 and the pump 2.

After passing through the flash steam generator, the mixture of air and water flows into the beverage, continuing to heat and emulsify the beverage.

When the desired temperature is reached, for example 65 °C, the control unit deactivates the pump, the instantaneous steam generator and the two valves.

Due to the effect of pressure difference between the internal and external environment, the instantaneous steam generator 4 is emptied.

Many modifications and changes can be made to the beverage heating and emulsifying apparatus described herein, all of which are within the scope of the invention; in addition, all parts can be replaced by technically equivalent elements.

Used in practice materials and dimensions can be any, appropriate to the needs and the state of the art.

Claims (11)

1. A device for heating and emulsifying drinks, containing a pump (2), a zone (10) for mixing air and water, a device for generating steam and a first channel (5) for steam mixed with air, communicating with a steam tube (6) made with the possibility of immersion in a drink (7) to be heated and emulsified, characterized in that said device for generating steam contains an instantaneous steam generator (4), and said mixing zone (10) is located in front of said instantaneous steam generator, and said zone (10 ) information is located after the specified pump (2) and before the specified instantaneous steam generator (4), and the specified first channel (5) for steam mixed with air contains at least one first valve (21) for reducing the pressure inside the specified instantaneous steam generator action to ambient pressure and ensure that the generator is emptied at rest. 2. The device according to claim. 1, characterized in that it contains a source of compressed air (8), which communicates with the specified area (10) information through the channel (11) for air. 3. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that said pump (2) takes water from the tank (3) through the first water channel (12) and directs water to the specified mixing zone through the second water channel (13). 4. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it contains a second channel (14) for water mixed with air, which communicates on one side with the specified convergence zone, and on the other side with the specified instantaneous steam generator. 5. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said steam tube contains a temperature probe (15) for determining the temperature of said beverage. 6. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a control unit (20) connected to at least said pump, said compressed air source, said instantaneous steam generator and said probe. 7. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said compressed air source and said pump direct cold air and cold water, respectively, to said convergence zone. 8. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said second channel (14) enters directly into said instantaneous steam generator. 9. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said pump is a vibration pump. 10. The device according to claim. 1, characterized in that it contains a first valve system for blocking or regulating the flow of air associated with the specified channel for air. 11. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said first channel (5) for steam mixed with air comprises at least one second valve (22) for restoring ambient pressure between said first valve and said steam tube.

Images