Abstract: A process for improving beverage quality and increasing syrup yield within a beverage proportioning system. After reducing the alkalinity of the water and determining the acidity of the finished syrup component, sugar is added to the finished syrup in a quantity sufficient to bring the syrup within the brix and acidity parameters of the syrup. The method increases the brix value of the syrup, which allows for a high syrup yield and a high quality final beverage. To ensure a high syrup yield, the water flow to be mixed with the finished syrup is determined as a function of the brix of the finished syrup as compared to preset parameters of the beverage.

Abstract: A gas-liquid cleaning spray system employs one or more converging-diverging nozzles to accelerate a gas-liquid mixture to a supersonic velocity for cleaning various types of articles, such as mechanical, electrical and fluid components. The gas, such as air or nitrogen, is supplied at high pressure to a nozzle body where it is mixed with cleaning liquid, such as water or liquid detergent, which is supplied to the nozzle body at a relatively low flow rate. Acceleration of the gas-liquid mixture to a supersonic velocity eliminates the need for a high pressure, high flow rate and high volume liquid supply. After the components are contacted with the gas-liquid mixture, the cleaning liquid can be recaptured and analyzed for cleanliness verification of the components.

Abstract: A system for cleaning and verifying the cleanliness of the interior surfaces of hollow items, such as small bottles, tanks, pipes and tubes, employs a rotating spray head for supplying a gas-liquid cleaning mixture to the item's surface at a supersonic velocity. The spray head incorporates a plurality of nozzles having diverging cross sections so that the incoming gas-liquid mixture is first converged within the spray head and then diverged through the nozzles, thereby accelerating the mixture to a supersonic velocity. In the preferred embodiment, three nozzles are employed; one forwardly facing nozzle at the end of the spray head and two oppositely facing angled nozzles exiting on opposite sides of the spray head which balance each other, and therefore impart no net side load on the spray head. A drive mechanism is provided to rotate the spray head and at the same time move the head back and forth within the item to be cleaned.