Cooling Device for Beverages
In a cooling device for beverages in beverage containers, including a preferably cylindrical chamber for receiving a beverage container and at least one cooling element (1), the chamber is constructed as a basin for a cooling bath.
The invention relates to a cooling device for beverages in beverage containers, including a preferably cylindrical chamber for receiving a beverage container and at least one cooling element.
Cooling devices for beverages are basically used in two different types. On the one hand, there are cooling devices with relatively low cooling capacities, which are used to slowly cool down beverages to temperatures of, e.g. 6 to 10° C. and keep them at those temperatures. These, for instance, comprise commercially available household refrigerators. On the other hand, there are cooling devices that serve to bring beverage bottles to a desired drinking temperature within the shortest possible time. This group of cooling devices includes so-called rapid coolers for the catering industry, which are able to cool beverages in beverage bottles from room temperature to e.g. 10° C. within a few minutes. This type of coolers involves the substantial problem of a long precooling time (up to 3 hours) the device requires until ready for operation. The present invention primarily relates to cooling devices of the rapid cooler type.
Rapid coolers of the prior art operate according to various methods, e.g. with air cooling, water cooling, water-with-ice cooling or by using circulating water in an ice bath, ice bags (cool packs) or compression chillers.
The following factors are important for the rapid cooling of beverages in closed beverage containers.
- 1. Beverages consist of a high portion of water. The specific heat capacity of water is about 4.2 kJ/kgK and that of ethanol (consumable alcohol) about 2.4 kJ/kgK. Hence follows that the cooling of 1 liter of water from room temperature (ca. 23° C.) to 10° C. requires a removal of energy of 54.6 kJ. At a cooling capacity of 500 W, the cooling process to 10° C. is completed within about 2 minutes. This cooling capacity cannot be easily accomplished by compact devices using cooling liquids having the required, low evaporation temperatures (e.g. −40° C.)
- 2. The wall of a beverage container usually is made of a poor thermally conductive material (e.g. glass). In order to be able to cool a liquid at the above-mentioned capacity of e.g. 500 W at all, a sufficiently high temperature gradient has to be provided. To this end, an appropriately low temperature level must be created.
- The thermal conductivity of glass is 1 W/mK. The thermal conductivity of aluminum is 200 W/mK. The thermal conductivity of polyethylene terephthalate (basic material of PET bottles) is 0.25 W/mK.
- The thinner the wall thickness and the higher the thermal conductivity, the lower may be the temperature gradient in order to transfer the desired cooling capacity to the liquid. Since wine, sparkling wine, champagne etc. tend to be bottled and the thickness of the glass must be appropriately dimensioned because of the overpressure in the bottle, the required heat flow through the bottle can only be realized by temperatures far below the freezing point of water. Cooling devices operating with ice or at temperatures around 0° C. are, therefore, only to a limited extent suitable for rapid cooling processes.
- 3. A further decisive factor is the heat transfer from the cooling medium to the container wall (e.g. outside of a glass bottle). From thermodynamics and liquid dynamics, it is known that the transfer of heat may take place by heat conduction, heat radiation and/or convection. Commercially available rapid coolers from the catering industry utilize the effect of heat conduction through contact with a suitably cooled cool pack or a cooled glycol sleeve surrounding the beverage bottle. The thermal contact between the cooling sleeve and the beverage bottle is, however, insufficient because of the lacking application pressure of the sleeve at the bottle and because the sleeve does not enclose the entire surface of the bottle.
- The transfer of heat from the cooling medium to the beverage container can be enhanced by creating a laminar or turbulent air current within a “frost chamber” receiving the beverage container. Since the heat capacity of air is low, appropriately high air flow rates are required. In technological terms, this is difficult to realize for compact, small coolers. Further problems arise by the air humidity freezing on the condenser in the interior and the formation of condensed water.
Due to their typically long precooling times, prior art rapid coolers are hardly suitable for cooling beverages to drinking temperature within a few minutes after having turned on the device.
The present invention, therefore, aims to provide an instant cooler for beverages in beverage containers, which minimizes both the precooling time and the cooling process for beverages in containers, and makes this technology accessible to households and the catering industry by a suitable construction.
In particular, it is to be feasible to cool a 0.75-liter wine bottle from ambient temperature to drinking temperature (8° C.) in less than a minute. In addition, the device is to be far more compact than conventional refrigerators or freezers.
To solve this object, the invention in a cooling device of the initially defined kind contemplates that the chamber is constructed as a basin for a cooling bath. In operation, the chamber contains a cooling liquid. For cooling, the beverage container is thus placed into the cooling bath in such a manner that cooling medium, i.e. the cooling liquid of the cooling bath, will immediately get into contact with the beverage container. It is thereby possible to increase the surface area via which the cooling liquid contacts the beverage container, and hence improve the heat transfer from the cooling medium to the container wall. In a preferred manner, it is provided that the amount of the cooling liquid contained in the chamber is dimensioned such that the beverage container is immersed in the cooling bath by at least 30%, preferably at least 80%, of its height as it is being introduced into the chamber. Overflowing of the chamber can advantageously be avoided in that the chamber has a portion widened in terms of cross section. The widened portion is, in particular, provided in a central part or in the upper part of the chamber. It is also possible to provide kind of communicating vessels to prevent overflowing. Alternatively, the widened portion can be formed as an edge portion bordering the opening of the chamber and having an inner surface conically widening as far as to the opening of the chamber, so that cooling liquid will run back into the bath through the passage seal during stripping-off.
The high cooling rate provided by the invention also has positive ecological and economical effects in that beverages need no longer be stored in refrigerators or wine coolers for indefinite periods of time, but can be cooled on demand. The energy necessary for keeping the cooled beverage in stock is thus no longer required.
Particularly efficient cooling will preferably be provided in that the at least one cooling element is arranged within the chamber, i.e. is disposed or immersed in the cooling liquid of the cooling bath during operation. The at least one cooling element can, in particular, be disposed on the wall of the chamber such that the space available for receiving the beverage container is reduced as little as possible. In this context, a particularly short precooling period (time until the cooling bath has reached the desired temperature after having turned on the cooling device) will be achieved in that the amount of the cooling liquid of the bath is minimized, said amount having to be adapted to the geometries of the respective cooling container and the cooling bath. In a preferred manner, the cooling device for beverage containers has a dimension such that, when introducing the beverage container into the chamber, only a small annular gap of 0.1 mm to 3 cm, preferably 0.1 mm to 2 cm, will remain between the wall of the beverage container and the cooling element, which is preferably disposed on the wall of the chamber. Unless the beverage container is cylindrically designed, the above-mentioned annular gap is to be measured at the narrowest point.
A particularly space-saving configuration, which at the same time offers a large surface area for the heat exchange with the cooling bath, is preferably achieved in that the cooling element is comprised of a cooling coil. The cooling element, in particular the cooling coil, is preferably designed to peripherally surround the beverage container to be introduced. In a preferred further development, the cooling element, in particular the cooling coil, additionally comprises a portion provided below the beverage container to be introduced in order to enable the rapid precooling of the cooling liquid and, after having introduced the container, rapidly cool the latter.
In a preferred manner, the volume of the chamber, the volume of the cooling liquid present in the cooling bath and the diameter and/or volume of the beverage container are adapted to one another in such a manner that the filling level of the cooling liquid rises at least 1.5 times, preferably at least 3 times, in a particularly preferred manner at least 4 times, when introducing the beverage container into the cooling bath. This means that the filling level during the introduction of the beverage container rises from, for instance, 5 cm to at least 7.5 cm, preferably to at least 15 cm, in a particularly preferred manner to at least 20 cm. The larger the increase of the filling level, the higher the ratio of the surface area available for the heat exchange between the cooling element and the cooling liquid, and between the cooling liquid and the beverage container, to the volume of the cooling liquid, and hence the shorter the precooling time of the device at a short cooling time of the beverage.
The volume of the chamber, the volume of the cooling liquid present in the cooling bath and the diameter and/or volume of the beverage container are, in particular, adapted to one another in such a manner that a peripherally uniform annular gap of 3 cm at most, preferably 2 cm at most, remains between the wall of the beverage container and the wall of the chamber, or the cooling element preferably disposed on the chamber wall. Unless the beverage container and/or the chamber wall are cylindrically designed, the above-mentioned annular gap is to be measured at the narrowest point, i.e. the annular gap is 3 cm at most, preferably 2 cm at most, at the narrowest point.
If it is anticipated that conventional beverage cans have diameters ranging between 50 and 85 mm, preferably 50 and 70 mm, the cooling device according to the invention is configured for cans such that the annular gap resulting from the introduction of a can is outwardly delimited by an element having an inner diameter of 50 mm to 145 mm, preferably 50 mm to 105 mm. The outer limitation of the annular gap is, for instance, formed by the chamber wall or by the inner periphery of the cooling element, as the case may be.
If it is anticipated that conventional beverage bottles have diameters ranging between 50 and 160 mm, preferably 50 and 100 mm, the cooling device according to the invention for bottles is configured such that the annular gap resulting from the introduction of a bottle is outwardly delimited by an element having an inner diameter of 50 mm to 220 mm, preferably 50 mm to 140 mm.
The volume of the chamber with the cooling element (e.g. cooling coil), the volume of the cooling liquid present in the cooling bath, and the diameter of the beverage container (or volume of the beverage container) are preferably adapted to one another in such a manner that the filling level of the cooling liquid rises at least as far as to the upper edge of the cooling element when introducing the beverage container into the cooling bath.
In order to determine, irrespectively of the specific use of the cooling device by a user, whether the cooling device meets the preferred criteria in terms of gap width and/or rise of the filling level, a test configuration is provided. There, the configuration is preferably devised such that the filling level of the cooling liquid rises at least 1.5 times, preferably at least 3 times, in a particularly preferred manner at least 4 times, when introducing a circular-cylindrical test body having an optional diameter of 49.9 mm, 79.9 mm, 109.9 mm, 139.9 mm, 169.9 mm, or 199.9 mm, respectively, into a cooling bath of any desired volume. In this case, the test body should have a height at least corresponding to the height of the bath after having introduced the container. When carrying out the test, the test body is to be placed on the bottom of the chamber.
Basically, the invention is not limited to a cylindrical chamber. Thus, it is, for instance, possible to design the chamber as a square or a polygon rather than a cylinder. Furthermore, the chamber may also comprise a cylindrical shape changing along its height in terms of diameter (e.g. cone).
Another modification of the invention is feasible in that the chamber is comprised of a plurality of sectional chambers in mutual fluid-communication (communicating vessels). The individual sectional chambers can be cylindrically designed such that a single bottle or a single can is received in each of the sectional chambers. In this case, each sectional chamber in terms of diameter is preferably adapted to the can or bottle to be introduced such that, when introducing the can or bottle, only a small annular gap remains around the container, in particular an annular gap having a width of less than 3 cm, in particular less than 2 cm. In a particularly preferred manner, the sectional chambers have the previously indicated diameters as a function of whether the respective sectional chamber is provided for the introduction of a can or a bottle. It is also possible to place different vessels with different cooling coils in one device (e.g. 5 can coolers in one device).
The cooling element is preferably incorporated in a coolant cycle. The coolant cycle can, for instance, be configured as the cycle of a compression chiller. A compression chiller is a refrigerating machine that uses the physical effect of the evaporation heat at a change of the aggregation state from liquid to gaseous. A refrigerant conveyed in a closed cycle successively experiences different changes of its aggregation state. The gaseous refrigerant is at first compressed by a compressor. In the consecutive heat exchanger (condenser or liquefier), the refrigerant condenses (liquefies) while giving off heat. After this, the liquid refrigerant is expanded due to a change in pressure via a throttle, e.g. an expansion valve or a capillary tube. In the consecutively arranged, second heat exchanger (evaporator), the refrigerant evaporates while taking up heat at low temperature (hot cooling). The cycle can then start all over again. The process has to be kept running from outside by supplying mechanical work (driving power) via the compressor. During that time, the refrigerant absorbs thermal power at a low temperature level (e.g. a −30° C. cold cooling bath) and releases it to the environment at a higher temperature level (e.g. 35° C.) while supplying technical work.
The housing of the cooler can be acoustically insulated, e.g. by means of sound insulation panels, in order to minimize a possibly existing compressor noise.
Alternatively, the at least one cooling element can be configured as a thermoelectric cooling element, in particular a Peltier element, or as a Joule-Thomson cooler or a mixed Joule-Thomson cooler. For subminiature instant chillers, high-speed mini-compressors are preferably provided (e.g. mini-compressors of the Aspen 14-12 and 14-24 series by Aspen Compressor LLC).
The heat transfer between the cooling bath and the cooling element, on the one hand, and the cooling bath and the beverage bottle, on the other hand, is advantageously maximized in that means for circulating the cooling bath are provided. The circulation of the cooling bath ensures the homogenization of the temperature within the cooling bath, thus constantly maximizing the temperature gradient that is available for the heat transfer. In addition, thermodynamic edge effects will thereby be minimized, which would otherwise reduce the heat transfer. In a preferred manner, the means for circulating the cooling bath comprise a rotor arranged in the chamber, an ultrasonic membrane, a pump or the like.
In order to minimize power losses as much as possible, it is preferably provided that the wall of the chamber is surrounded by a thermal insulation. Said insulation is advantageously comprised of a vacuum insulation.
In order to prevent the beverage from freezing, a precise temperature control may be required. In particular, it has to be taken into account that the cooling bath may have a temperature of 0° C. to −160° C. to minimize the cooling time such that too long an exposure of the beverage bottle in the cooling device will result in the immediate freezing of the beverage. The control of the temperature of the cooling bath is preferably performed in that a heating element for heating the cooling bath is provided. The heating element is preferably arranged in the chamber and configured as an electric resistance heater. The heating element can advantageously be designed as a heating coil disposed on the wall of the chamber. The windings of the heating coil can be provided between the windings of the cooling coil. An evaporation valve for controlling the output and temperature would also be conceivable.
Temperature control is preferably performed in that a temperature sensor is provided for detecting the bath temperature, said temperature sensor being connected to a control circuit. The control circuit is suitably connected to the cooling element, and if desired to the heating element, via control lines in order to control the cooling and/or heating capacities as a function of the measurements of the temperature sensor. Moreover, an additional measurement would be conceivable using an infrared measuring device to determine the temperature of the beverage in the beverage container by suitable arrangements, wherein the measurements can be supplied to the control circuit in order to enable precise control.
In the following, the invention will be explained in more detail by way of an exemplary embodiment schematically illustrated in the drawing.
The cooling bath in which the beverage contained in a beverage container is brought to drinking temperature is delimited from the surrounding environment by a jacket wall 5 and a thermally insulating jacket 3 surrounding the jacket wall 5. The jacket wall 5 may be made of metal, plastic or any other suitable material. The thermally insulating jacket 3 can be formed by foamed polystyrene or by vacuum insulation. Other materials would, of course, also be suitable for insulation. The jacket wall 5 plus associated jacket 3 may, moreover, comprise a widened portion provided in the central region of the cooling device so as to enable the cooling liquid 4 to evade into the widened portion in order to prevent a spillover of the cooling liquid 4 when introducing a beverage container into the cooling device. In order to also ensure the cooling of smaller beverage containers such as cans, the device according to the invention further provides differently large adapters to guarantee uniform liquid displacement and cooling.
The cooling bath and the cooling device are, in particular, geometrically adapted in such a manner as to require only very little cooling bath liquid to surround the beverage container by as much cooling liquid 4 as possible. The introduction of a bottle causes the displacement of the cooling liquid and the maximization of the effective cold transfer surface between cooling coil (cooling bath wall)—cooling bath—beverage surface.
Between the cooling elements 1 may be arranged heating elements 2 that are respectively operated by the control lines 8 and the control circuit 11. The heating elements 2, after a cooling procedure, allow for the rapid heating of the cooling bath temperature to the desired drinking temperature of the beverage in order to prevent further cooling or freezing of the beverage. The device according to the invention can thus also be used for the long-term temperature control of beverages. The configuration according to the invention will thus avoid the bursting of, e.g. glass bottles, because of their freezing contents. Instead of the heating elements 2, a mechanism for “ejecting” the beverage bottles would also be conceivable.
In order to increase the heat transfer between the cooling liquid 4 and the vessel wall of the beverage to be cooled, the cooling liquid 4 can be set in motion by a rotor 13 or any other means. The thus resulting turbulent flow will additionally enhance the heat transfer. The temperature sensor 6 enables the constant control of the temperature of the cooling liquid 4 and the associated control of the cooling cycle and the heating elements 2 via a control circuit 11. The temperature sensor 6 is connected to the control circuit via a line 12. An additional sensory element 9 such as a filling level meter or a temperature measuring means would be conceivable.
An array of passage seals 14 prevents the evaporation of cooling liquid 4, the contamination of the cooling liquid 4, and the accidental injury to persons through contact with the cooling liquid 4 present in the cooling bath, and possible hypothermia resulting therefrom. In addition, stripping-off of the cooling liquid 4 from the beverage container has thus become possible. The passage seals also provide protection from odor.
Claims
1-33. (canceled)
34. A cooling device for beverages in beverage containers, including a chamber for receiving a beverage container, at least one cooling element, said cooling element (1) being incorporated in a coolant cycle of a Joule-Thomson or mixed Joule-Thomson cooler, whereby the chamber is constructed as a basin for a cooling bath, wherein the filling level of a cooling liquid (4) rises at least 1.5 times, when introducing a circular-cylindrical test body having a diameter of 49.9 mm or 79.9 mm or 109.9 mm or 139.9 mm or 169.9 mm or 199.9 mm into the cooling bath of any desired volume.
35. A cooling device according to claim 34, wherein the at least one cooling element (1) is arranged within the chamber.
36. A cooling device according to claim 34, wherein the at least one cooling element (1) is disposed on a wall (5) of the chamber.
37. A cooling device according to claim 34, wherein the cooling element (1) is comprised of a cooling coil.
38. A cooling device according to claim 34, wherein means for circulating the cooling liquid are provided.
39. A cooling device according to claim 38, wherein the means for circulating the cooling bath comprise a rotor (13) arranged in the chamber, a circulation pump or a membrane (e.g. ultrasonic membrane).
40. A cooling device according to claim 34, wherein a wall (5) of the chamber is surrounded by a thermal insulation (3).
41. A cooling device according to claim 40, wherein said insulation (3) is comprised of a vacuum insulation.
42. A cooling device according to claim 34, wherein a heating element (2) for heating the cooling bath is provided.
43. A cooling device according to claim 42, wherein the heating element (2) is arranged in the chamber and configured as an electric resistance heater.
44. A cooling device according to claim 42, wherein the heating element (2) is designed as a heating coil disposed on the wall (5) of the chamber.
45. A cooling device according to claim 34, wherein an opening provided for introducing the beverage container into the chamber comprises one or several passage seals (14).
46. A cooling device according to claim 34, wherein a temperature sensor (6) is provided for detecting a bath temperature, said temperature sensor being connected to a control circuit (11).
47. A cooling device according to claim 46, wherein the control circuit (11) is connected to the cooling element (1), and if desired to the heating element (2), via control lines (8) in order to control cooling and/or heating capacities as a function of the measurements of the temperature sensor (6).
48. A cooling device according to claim 34, wherein the cooling liquid (4) of the cooling bath is comprised of alcohol or an alcohol-water mixture.
49. A cooling device according to claim 34, wherein the chamber has a portion widened in terms of cross section.
50. cooling device according to claim 49, wherein the widened portion is formed as an edge portion bordering the opening of the chamber and having an inner surface conically widening as far as to the opening of the chamber.
51. A cooling device according to claim 34 for beverage cans, wherein the annular gap resulting from the introduction of a can is outwardly delimited by an element having an inner diameter of 50 mm to 145 mm.
52. A cooling device according to claim 34 for beverage bottles, wherein the annular gap resulting from the introduction of a bottle is outwardly delimited by an element having an inner diameter of 50 mm to 220 mm.
53. A cooling device according to claim 34, wherein the chamber is cylindrical.
54. A cooling device according to claim 48, wherein the cooling liquid is comprised of ethanol.
55. A cooling device according to claim 51, wherein the annular gap resulting from the introduction of a can is outwardly delimited by an element having an inner diameter of 50 mm to 105 mm.
56. A cooling device according to claim 52, wherein the annular gap resulting from the introduction of a bottle is outwardly delimited by an element having an inner diameter of 50 mm to 140 mm.
57. A cooling device according to claim 34, wherein the filling level of the cooling liquid (4) rises at least 3 times.
58. A cooling device according to claim 34, wherein the filling level of the cooling liquid (4) rises at least 4 times.
59. A method for cooling beverages contained in beverage containers, comprising filling the chamber of the cooling device according to claim 1 with a cooling liquid, inserting beverage containers containing a beverage(s) to be cooled in said cooling device, and cooling said beverage(s) in beverage containers.
60. A method according to claim 59, wherein the volume of the chamber (optionally with the cooling element), the volume of the cooling liquid (4) present in the cooling bath, and the diameter and/or volume of the beverage container are adapted to one another in such a manner that the filling level of the cooling liquid (4) rises at least 1.5 times, when introducing the beverage container into the cooling bath.
61. A method according to claim 59, wherein the volume of the chamber (optionally with the cooling element), the volume of the cooling liquid (4) present in the cooling bath, and the diameter and/or volume of the beverage container are adapted to one another in such a manner that an annular gap of 3 cm at most, remains between the wall (5) of the beverage container and the wall of the chamber, or the cooling element.
62. A method according to claim 59, wherein the volume of the chamber, the volume of the cooling liquid (4) present in the cooling bath, and the diameter of the beverage container are adapted to one another in such a manner that the filling level of the cooling liquid (4) rises at least as far as to the upper edge of the cooling element (1) when introducing the beverage container into the cooling bath.
63. A method according to claim 62, wherein the filling level of the cooling liquid (4) rises 3 times.
64. A method according to claim 60, wherein the filling level of the cooling liquid (4) rises at least 4 times.
65. A method according to claim 61, wherein the diameter and/or volume of the beverage container are adapted to one another in such a manner that an annular gap of 2 cm at most, remains between the wall (5) of the beverage container and the wall of the chamber, or the cooling element.
66. A method according to claim 61, wherein the cooling element is disposed on the chamber wall (5).
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 19, 2013
Publication Date: May 14, 2015
Inventor: Johannes WILD (Wien)
Application Number: 14/395,773
International Classification: F25D 31/00 (20060101);
