WO2013138866A1

WO2013138866A1 - Improved beverage chilling system

Info

Publication number: WO2013138866A1
Application number: PCT/AU2013/000297
Authority: WO
Inventors: Benjamin Paul Baker
Original assignee: Tempak International Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2012-03-22
Filing date: 2013-03-22
Publication date: 2013-09-26
Also published as: AU2013201901A1

Abstract

An apparatus for chilling a beverage (10) such as a beer, lager, cider, soft drink, pre-mixed spirit or the like comprises a first tank (200) for receiving liquid coolant and/or beverage lines and, optionally, a heat transfer medium, and a second tank (250), is connected to the first tank by a spillway. The first tank (200) is typically cylindrical. Advantageously as the tank is cylindrical when it is used to create an ice reservoir/thermal storage bank, which may be run down in peak periods, the ice is formed, and used more evenly than would occur with a square tank. The second tank (250) is typically generally crescent shaped in cross-section to fit within the same rectangular housing as the first tank. It is typically much smaller in capacity than the first tank. The first and second tanks may be separated by a layer of insulation to prevent heat transfer from the small tank to the larger tank.

Description

"Improved beverage chilling system"

Cross-Refcrence to Related Applications

The present application claims priority from Australian Provisional Patent Application No 2012901167 filed on 22 March 2012, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an improved beverage chilling system. The present invention also encompasses method of operation of beverage chilling systems to provide multiple beverage dispense temperatures

Background of the Invention

In most countries, patrons of pubs, hotels, restaurants and other outlets where beverages such as beers and lagers are sold, prefer to drink beverages such as beers and lagers chilled typically at temperatures from about 0^UC to 4°C. It will also be appreciated that demand for beverages at pubs and the like is quite uneven, suffering from peaks and troughs. For many outlets, the quiet periods will be much longer in duration than busy periods. Indeed most outlets will see peak demand twice a day only, at lunchtimes and early evenings. However, an outlet's beverage chilling system must be able to keep up with demand at peak times. As a result many outlets, particularly smaller outlets, have beverage chilling systems which can cope with the peak demand, but whose chilling capacity is gTeatly in excess of what is required during quieter periods. This in inefficient in terms of both capital costs, as a more expensive high capacity system has to be installed, as well as in terms of running costs, as such systems are expensive to run in terms on energy (electricity) usage.

Thus, at any one time, in a typical city such as Sydney, significant energy is wasted in running high capacity beverage cooling systems in hotels, pubs and the like, so as to be able to meet short term peak usage.

The present invention aims to provide a small flexible chilling system for beverages that can be configured to suit different applications but which has the capacity to cope with short term peak demands, and which can thus significantly reduce energy consumption used in chilling beverages, which is a significant cost in running a hotel, pub or other such outlet. The system will ideally be able to dispense different beverages at a plurality of different temperatures.

Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like which has been included in the present specification is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present disclosure as it existed before the priority date of each claim of this application.

Throughout this specification the word "comprise", or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.

Summary of the Invention

In a first broad aspect there is provided an apparatus for chilling a beverage, such as a beer, lager, cider soft drink, pre-mixed spirit or the like comprising a first tank for receiving a coolant/refrigerant and or beverage lines and a heat transfer medium, typically a fluid, and a second tank, which may be connected to the first tank by a spillway.

The first tank is preferably cylindrical having a circular cross-section. The advantage of a cylindrical tank is that where it is used to create an ice reservoir/thermal storage bank, which may be run down in peak periods, the ice tends to be formed, and used more evenly than would occur with a square tank.

The refrigerant will typically be R404a.

The heat transfer fluid will either be water, which is more environmentally friendly, or a mixture of water and glycol. The heat transfer medium is used to cool the beverage lines in the main tank and may also be available to be pumped around the tank system including into the second tank.

The second tank may be curved or crescent shaped to fit within the same unit as the first tank. It is typically much smaller in capacity than the first tank.

The first and second tanks are preferably separated by a layer of insulation to prevent heat transfer from the small tank to the larger tank (which is typically maintained at a lower temperature than the larger tank).

The tanks may be used with the same or different heat transfer fluids such as glycol, water or different mixtures of glycol in water.

As discussed above the refrigerant will typically be R404a and will be cooled using a refrigeration condensing unit prior to being pumped along refrigerant lines arranged in the first tank, using pumps.

Typically, the main tank includes a, typically cylindrical, intermediate wall dividing the tank into an outer annular section in which the refrigerant lines/coils are contained and ah inner section which contains the beverage lines. In a preferred embodiment, the heat transfer fluid enters the main tank, via a pump or the like, and is directed tangentially from an outlet towards the intermediate wall. Typically the velocity of the fluid exiting the outlet is about lm sec, although the velocity may vary.

This creates turbulence in the form of a circular motion around the internal surfaces of the refrigerant coil and the beverage coils and means that the first tank does not need to include a separate, moving, mechanical mixing/agitation device.

The tank may include a first beverage line which extends round the perimeter of the intermediate wall concentric with the centre of the main tank and at least one relatively shorter tube, which is less than half the length, and typically less than one fifth the length of the first beverage line, located inside the first beverage line. The first line may typically be 30m long. The shorter line may be in the order of 5-6m long.

Typically, there are a plurality, typically four to six or more shorter beverage lines arranged in a ring inside the first beverage line.

The present invention also encompasses method of operation of the beverage chilling apparatus to provide multiple beverage dispense temperatures.

In one arrangement, the second tank may use the same heat transfer medium as the first tank and the heat transfer medium is circulated between the first and second tanks via the spillway by means of a pump or pumps. In this arrangement, the second tank may act as additional storage for the main heat transfer medium to increase the system capacity.

Alternatively, it may use an entirely separate source of heat transfer medium at an entirely different temperature to the circulating heat transfer medium in the first tank. Hence the system may be used to provide glycol (typically cooled down to - 16°C) for cooling of iced dispense towers/fonts at the point of sale, be used to drive a secondary cooling function or may even be used to dispense beverage at a higher temperature than the main tank.

Brief Description of the Drawings

A specific embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Figure 1 is an isometric view from the front and one side of a beverage cooling system embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is an isometric view from the rear and other side of the beverage cooling system shown in Figure 1 ; Figure 3 is a part exploded view of the beverage cooling system of Figure 1 showing the refrigeration unit and tray separated from the tank assembly;

Figure 4 shows the tank assembly with the top of the tank assembly removed;

Figure 5 is an exploded view showing components of the tray;

Figure 6 is an exploded view showing components of the refrigeration unit;

Figure 7 is an exploded view showing components of a control unit; ·

Figure 8 is a side elevation of the beverage cooling system shown in Figure 1

Figure 9 is a section on G-G shown in Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a section on F-F shown in Figure 8

Figure 11; is an isometric section on F-F shown in Figure 8;

Figure 12a is a schematic sectional view illustrating one preferred arrangement of coolant and beverage lines in the main tank of the beverage cooling apparatus; and

Figure 12b is a side view of one half of the main tank with arrangement of Figure 12a.

Detailed Description of a Preferred Embodiment

Referring to the drawings, Figures 1 and 2 show a beverage cooling system generally shown at 10. The system includes a tank assembly 20, which is contained in a compact, generally square open topped housing 22 having a lid 30 and a refrigeration unit 40. Also visible is connection 50 for ducting. The lid is mounted to the tank assembly via clamps 60 and 70.

Figure 3 shows the system split up into three components, the tank assembly 20, the ref igeration unit 40 and a tray assembly 80.

The refrigeration unit 40 is shown in more detail in Figure 6. On the top of the unit there is a control and display system 90 described in more detail below. The housing (see Figures 1 and 3) includes an air inlet 100 and air outlets 102 and 104.

Referring now to Figure 6, it can be seen that the refrigeration unit 40 includes a housing 40a which contains a single condenser 106 and fan 108. A filter 110 filters air drawn in by the fan. A compressor 1 12 is mounted above the condenser on brackets 114, 116, and above that, the control and display system 90 is mounted on brackets 118. A filter dryer 120 and air outlet 122 are also shown.

Figure 7 shows the components of the control and display system 90, which include a box 130 having a lid 132 and a seal 134 around the lid to reduce the risk of water vapour entering the box and corroding or damaging the electronics 136 or electronic display 138. The tray assembly 80 is shown in more detail in Figure 5. It includes left and right supports 140 and 142 which are mounted to the underside of the system 10 and on which the tray unit 144 slides. Inside the tray the system's pumps 146 and 148 are located as well as pump capacitors 150. A drip tray 152 captures water.

Figure 4 shows more detail of the tank assembly 20, with Figures 8 to 11 also show details of the assembly. Turning first to Figure 4, this shows a cylindrical first or main tank 200, also shown in Figures 10 and 11. Inside the tank there is a coil 202. To the left of the Figure there can be seen a heat exchanger 204, solenoid valves 206 and a flow-meter 208. The system also includes a capillary and a thermo-sensor 210. Figure 4 also shows a seal 212 around the top 214 of the housing of the assembly which provides an airtight seal when the lid 30 is attached.

Note that in Figure 4, the coil 202 and heat-exchanger 204 are shown raised up so that they are visible, when in normal use they are within the tank assembly 20.

Figures 10 and 11 illustrate that the tank assembly includes a second tank 250, in addition to the cylindrical main tank 200. The second tank has a lesser capacity than the main tank and is generally crescent-shaped in cross-section to fit in the space between the exterior of the main tank and the walls of the tank assembly housing. The walls of the secondary tank are higher than that of the main tank and a spillway allows liquids to pass from the second tank to the main tank. Figure 1 1 also illustrates that the main tank 220 is divided into an annular outer portion 260 and an inner portion 270 by an intermediate wall 255. The wall 255 does not extend to the top of the tank, so that heat transfer medium may flow over the top of the wall. In use, with reference to Figures 12a and 12b, the outer portion 260 will carry the coils/lines of coolant 300 302 which will typically be the refrigerant R404a, and the lines for beverages, such as beer, lager or soft drink are carried in the inner portion 270. The beverage lines are cooled by heat transfer with a heat transfer medium/fluid in the main tank, which heat transfer fluid is cooled by contact with the coils 300, 302 carrying coolant. The heat transfer fluid will typically be water, a mixture of water and glycol or glycol, depending on the system requirements and set up. It will most commonly be a water/gl col mixture.

Figures 12a and 12b show one possible coolant and dispense set up for the main tank. First in the annular space 260, there are two concentric refrigerant lines, one outer line 300 and one inner line 302. The outer line typically has a tube diameter of 330mm, the inner tube has a tube diameter of 300mm. In the specific embodiment each refrigerant line has 13 rotations/loops. The number of rotations may be changed.

The heat transfer fluid circulates through the tank via a pumped circuit. The heat transfer fluid enters the tank tangentially via an outlet 275 (shown schematically in Fig 12a), which is typically located towards the bottom of the tank, at a flow rate of about lm/sec and is directed towards the intermediate wall 255. This creates turbulence in the form of circular motion around the internal surfaces of the refrigerant line/coil and the beverage lines which improves heat transfer and obviates the requirement for a separate moving mechanical mixing means.

Inside the tank 270 there are two concentric beverage lines a first outer line/tube 304 having 17 rotations/loops and a diameter of 752mm, an adjacent inner line 306 having 22 rotations/loops and a diameter of about 689mm. The total length of each line is about 31.6m. These lines are used to dispense beverages such as beer at low temperatures. Inside the beverage lines there is an arrangement of six loops 308 having a generally triangular section arranged in a circle. Each loop has 30 rotations/loops and a diameter of 190mm. The total length of each line is about 5.7m.

In use the refrigerant enters the system in two lines and is cooled by the refrigeration unit 40 before being pumped into the main tank 200 by the pumps 146, 148. The coil 202 and the heat exchanger 204 are both connected to the refrigeration unit 40 and the control system 90 decides which evaporator is used by means of solenoid valves 206 which arc controlled by temperature sensors in each tank. The tank contains the heat transfer medium, and in periods of low usage where little beverage is dispensed, the temperature of the heat transfer medium in the tank drops and an ice bank will tend to form on the inner wall of the tank 200. This creates a thermal bank of cold which can be drawn down during peak periods. The fact that the tank and ice bank are circular, having no comers makes the formation and diminution of the ice bank more even making the system more reliable and efficient.

Where sub-zero beer is to be dispensed below °0C, the heat transfer medium will be a mixture of glycol and water which has a lower freezing point than water/ice.

It will be appreciated that the above provides one example of an arrangement for dispensing two super-chilled alcoholic beverages and six chilled beverages and that the size and length and number of turns in the various lines can be adjusted to suit the desired application. Typically the temperature drop for the smaller loops will be of the order of 5-7° so these are suitable for dispensing beer which is served chilled but not super-chilled (i.e. around 0° or less). Of course in other applications the smaller loops may be used for dispensing other types of alcoholic beverage or even in some cases soft drinks, although these are more likely to be dispensed from the second (warmer) tank.

The beverage cooling system described above is very flexible and has a number of significant advantages over existing systems. The use of dual tanks increases the flexibility in running the system. The system may be run, as described above, with multiple dispense temperatures dispensing very cold or even sub-zero beer at the same time as e.g. soft drinks at a relatively higher temperature.

The second tank may use the same heat transfer medium as the first tank and the heat transfer medium is circulated between the first and second tanks via the spillway by means of a pump or pumps. In this arrangement, the second tank may act as additional storage for the main heat transfer medium to increase the system capacity.

One major advantage of the system is that it is energy efficient, and in particular the ability the ability to form an efficient circular ice reservoir which allows the system to cope with peak periods without an increase in cooling capacity.

It is also possible to set up the system to operate in other configurations including with a glycol ice bank in the main tank and glycol coolant in the second tank, with common glycol (or water) coolant in both tanks, and also to have different and separate glycol coolants in both tanks.

The control system may allow the system to be controlled locally via the control panel or remotely via mobile phone/internet or the like.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments, without departing from the broad general scope of the present disclosure. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. An apparatus for chilling a beverage, such as a beer, lager, cider soft drink, pre- mixed spirit or the like comprising a housing containing a first tank for receiving one or more lines for coolant and/or one or more lines for beverages, and a second tank, spaced from the first tank.

2. An apparatus for chilling a beverage as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second tank is connected to the first tank by a spillway.

3. An apparatus for chilling a beverage as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the first tank is generally cylindrical having a circular cross-section.

4. An apparatus for chilling a beverage as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein tank contain a heat transfer medium that is either water, or a mixture of water and glycol, or glycol.

5. An apparatus for chilling a beverage as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 4, wherein the second tank has a generally crescent shaped cross-section and defines a curved wall which generally matches the curvature of the cylindrical lank and both tanks locate in a single generally rectangular, preferably square, housing.

6. An apparatus for chilling a beverage as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the capacity of the second tank is less than the capacity of the first tank.

7. An apparatus for chilling a beverage as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the first and second tanks are separated by a layer of insulation to prevent heat transfer from the second tank to the first tank.

8. An apparatus for chilling a beverage as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the first lank includes an intermediate wall separating the tank into an outer annular section which contains the coolant lines and in inner section which contains the beverage lines.

9. An apparatus for chilling a beverage as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the heat transfer medium enters the first tank via an outlet arranged to create significant turbulence on entry into the tank.

10. An apparatus for chilling a beverage as claimed in claim 9 wherein the heat transfer medium outlet to the first tank is arranged so that the heat transfer medium enters the first tank generally tangentially and impacts on the intermediate wall.

11 An apparatus for chilling a beverage as claimed in claim 9 or claim 10 wherein the first tank does not include a mixing device.

12. An apparatus for chilling a beverage as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the coolant is 404a cooled using a refrigeration means prior to being pumped along one or more coolant lines arranged in the tank or tanks, using pumps.

13. An apparatus for chilling a beverage as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the tank includes a first beverage line which extends round the perimeter of the intermediate wall concentric with the centre of the main tank and at least one relatively shorter tube, which is less than half the length, and typically less than one fifth the length of the first beverage line, located inside the first beverage line.

14. An apparatus for chilling a beverage as claimed in claim 13 wherein there are a plurality, typically four to six or more shorter beverage lines arranged in a ring inside the first beverage line.

15. A method for chilling a beverage, such as a beer, lager, cider soft drink, pre- mixed spirit or the like using an apparatus comprising a housing containing a first tank for receiving coolant and/or beverage lines and a heat transfer medium, and a second tank, spaced from the first tank, including the step of, during periods of low demand, creating a thermal storage bank of frozen heat transfer medium on walls of the first tank, to be run down/diminished during periods of high demand.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein the main tank includes one or more helical lines carrying coolant extending around the tank, adjacent the wall of the tank and one or more helical coils carrying beverage spaced inside the lines carrying coolant.

17. A method as claimed in claim 15 or 16 wherein the heat transfer medium is water.

18. A method as claimed in claim 15 or 16 wherein the heat transfer medium is a mixture of water and glycol.

19. A method as claimed in claim 15 or 16 wherein the heat transfer medium is glycol.

20. A method as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 17 wherein the second tank is arranged to dispense beverage at a higher temperature than the first tank.

21. A method of chilling beverages as claimed in claim 15 using a tank as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14