GB2179129A - Apparatus for cooling and dispensing drinks - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus for cooling and dispensing wine or beer comprises a refrigeration unit 2 and two cooling and dispensing units 3. The refrigeration unit 2 comprises an evaporator tank 4, and a compressor 5 with condenser 6 under thermostatic control. The tank 4 is of modest capacity, and in it water is cooled by the refrigerant. The water flows via lines 10 and 11 to and from the units 3, which are connected in series via a line 35. The water cools the wine or beer passing through coils within the units 3. Two thermostats 19 are arranged in parallel, and respond to the temperatures within the units 3, to control operation of a common pump 9, which causes the flow of coolant water through the lines 10 and 11. There is a relatively large contact surface area between the refrigerant coils and water in the tank 4, and between the wine or beer coils and water in the units 3. There is a relatively small amount of water in the entire circuit between the tank 4 and the units 3. Therefore, the system acts with very low thermal inertia, and heat may be transferred quickly between the wine or beer and the refrigerant, via the coolant water. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for cooling and dispensing drinks This invention relates to apparatus for cooling and dispensing drinks, and is concerned particularly although, not exclusively with apparatus for cooling and dispensing wines and beers.

In Specification No: 2 121 943A of our copending British Patent Application, we disclose apparatus for cooling and dispensing drinks, such as wine and beer, for example. The apparatus disclosed in that Specification comprises a refrigeration unit from which cooled water is supplied to a cooling and dispensing unit, at which the product (e.g. wine or beer) is directly dispensed. The system operates with very low thermal inertia. Thus, the refrigeration unit does not build up a large reservoir of ice and/or cold water. The apparatus is designed to cool the product quite rapidly, as it is dispensed.

In the above mentioned apparatus, a pump is provided for pumping the cooled water to the cooling and dispensing unit. The Specification envisages that the refrigeration unit may be common to a plurality of cooling and dispensing units, for each of which there is provided a separate circuit for the coolant (i.e.

the cooled water), together with a respective pump for driving the coolant around the circuit.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention aim to provide apparatus for cooling and dispensing drinks, having a plurality of cooling and dispensing units, a common refrigeration unit, and means for circulating coolant around the cooling and dispensing units, in a more economical manner.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for cooling and dispensing drinks, comprising: a refrigeration unit having a closed tank containing a refrigerant coil; a plurality of cooling units each of which is remote from the refrigeration unit and has a closed tank containing a product coil; a respective dispensing means for each cooling unit, arranged to pass a drink through the product coil and dispense the drink directly at or adjacent the cooling unit; and a common pump means for circulating a coolant through all of said tanks.

Preferably, the apparatus comprises charging means for charging all of said tanks fully with coolant, so as to provide a fully charged circulation path for the coolant. To this end, the tank of each cooling unit and/or the refrigeration unit may be provided on an upper wall thereof with a charging point by means of which the tank may be fully charged with coolant.

At least one of said dispensing means may comprise a hand pump.

Preferably, the apparatus includes first thermostat means adapted to control the flow of refrigerant through the refrigerant coil, in response to the temperature of the coolant at or adjacent the outlet thereof from the refrigeration unit.

The apparatus preferably includes second thermostat means adapted to control the flow of coolant through said units, in response to the temperature of the coolant in at least one of the cooling units. Said second thermostat means may comprise a separate thermostat for each of the cooling units, which thermostats are connected in parallel, to control operation of said pump means.

Preferably, the mass of coolant in use is sufficiently small as to provide no appreciable heat store in the apparatus.

In a second aspect, the invention provides a method of dispensing a drink, including the steps of cooling and dispensing the drink by means of apparatus in accordance with the first aspect of the invention. Said drink may comprise wine or beer.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, referene will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a beer or wine cooler embodying the present invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of a product cooling module thereof, showing coils within the module; Figure 3 is a plan view of an evaporator tank of the cooler, showing an evaporator coil thereof; and Figure 4 is a side view of the evaporator tank, showing the evaporator coil.

The illustrated apparatus is for cooling and dispenssng beer or wine or any other drink. It comprises a portable refrigeration unit 2, and two product cooling and dispensing units 3.

The portable refrigeration unit 2 comprises a first heat exchanger in the form of an evaporator tank 4 through which there is passed a primary heat exchange medium in the form of a refrigerant. The circuit for the refrigerant includes a compressor 5 and a condenser 6, together with a fan unit 7 for cooling the condenser. A first adjustable thermostat 8 is provided on the unit 2, and is adapted to control operation of the refrigeration cycle of the refrigerant.

A pump 9 is also mounted on the refrigeration unit 2, and is connected to pump through the evaporator tank 4 a secondary heat exchange medium in the form of a coolant. By way of typical example, it will be assumed that the coolant is water. The pump 9 pumps the water through the evaporator tank 4 and also through both of the product cooling and dispensing units 3, by way of flow and return lines 10 and 11, and a line 35 connecting the two units 3.

Each product cooling and dispensing unit 3 comprises a second heat exchanger in the form of a product cooling module 12, upon which there are mounted two hand pumps 13 and 14, each of which has a respective dispensing nozzle 15. Water from the refrigeration unit is caused to flow through the product cooling module 12, via the flow and return lines 10 and 11. The product to be dispensed is supplied to each of the pumps 13 and 14 via a respective inlet line 16. From each pump 13 and 14, the product is caused to flow through the product cooling module 12 via respective product flow and return lines 17 and 18. From each of the respective return lines 18, the product is dispensed directly through the respective dispensing nozzle 15.

For each unit 3, a respective second thermostat 19 is provided to control the pump 9 on the refrigeration unit 2, and thereby the coolant cycle. Each second thermostat 19 is connected via a low voltage line 36 and plug 37 to a distribution board 38, to which a control line 39 of the pump 9 is connected.

The evaporator tank 4 and the product cooling modules 12 have respective filling caps 20 and 21, by means of which water can be introduced.

Figure 2 illustrates the internal arrangement of one of the product cooling modules 12, which comprises a elongate tank 22, housing first and second product coils 23 and 24, which serve as heat exchange coils through which the products from the respective hand pumps 13 and 14 are caused to flow. A water inlet 25 and a water outlet 26 are provided respectively at opposite ends of the tank 22.

As may be seen from Figure 2, the first product coil 23 is an elongate coil, with its axis parallel to that of the tank 22. The second product coil 24 is wound around the first product coil 23, with its axis substantially perpendicular thereto. A gap is provided between the second product coil 24 and the walls of the tank 22. The first and second product coils 23 and 24 are so wound as to permit the flow of water between the turns of the coils.

In use, water is caused to enter the tank 22 through the inlet 25, where it immediately meets and is dispersed by the turns of the second product coil 24. As the water passes through the tank 22 towards the outlet 26, it is subjected to an appreciable degree of turbulence because of the obstructions presented by the turns of the product coils 23 and 24.

Having regard to the substantial heat exchange area afforded by the product coils 23 and 24 in the tank 22, there is thus ensured thorough heat exchange between the water and the products in the coils 23 and 24. It will be appreciated tht the water passing through the tank 22 passes through and/or around virtually the whole of the coils 23 and 24.

The internal arrangement of the evaporator tank 4 is shown in more detail in Figures 3 and 4. The tank 4 is elongate in cross-section, and contains the evaporator coil 27 as a heat exchange coil, which is close wound and is also elongate in cross-section. A water inlet 28 is provided at one end and side of the tank 4, and a water outlet 29 is provided at the same end but opposite side of the tank 4.

A temperature probe 30 is connected to the first thermostat 8 and is situated adjacent the water outlet 29.

The water inlet 28 comprises a pipe having a plurality of spray nozzles 31 through which water is sprayed into the tank 4. Because of the close wound turns of the coil 27, the water is caused to flow principally around the coil 27 from the inlet 28 to the outlet 29. The evaporator coil 27 is of a size comparable to that of the tank 4, and the water flows around most of the coil 27 in its passage from the inlet 28 to the outlet 29.

A second temperature probe 32 for each second thermostat 19 is positioned in the re spective tank 22 (Figure 2), and extends well into the tank 22, so as to respond to an average temperature of the water within the tank 22.

The illustrated apparatus is used as follows.

The product cooling and dispensing units 3 are situated at respective locations on a bar, and the portable refrigeration unit 2 is situated at any convenient location, either near of far away from the bar. The water flow and return lines 10 and 11 are connected between the product cooling and dispensing units 3 and the refrigeration unit 2, as are the second thermostats 19. The coolant outlet 26 of the upstream product cooling module 12 is con nected to the coolant inlet 25 of the down stream product cooling module 12 by means of the line 35, so that the two units 3 are connected in series, as regards the flow of coolant.

The filling caps 20 and 21 are removed from the evaporator tank 4 and the product cooling modules 12 respectively, and water is introduced into the evaporator tank 4 (assum ing that this is below the modules 3). When the evaporator tank 4 is full, the filling cap 20 is replaced, and water is then introduced into the product cooling modules 12. When the tanks 22 are full, the caps 21 are replaced.

The apparatus is then substantially fully charged with water, and the apparatus may then be switched on, such that the pump 9 runs to circulate water around the apparatus.

(In practice, the tank 22 will have to be topped up again after a short while, to com pensate for any air that may have been in the system). It is important to note that, because the water circuit can be charged in this man ner, the pump 9 may be of relatively modest capacity, even for pumping water over rela tively large distances. It does not have to de velop any significant head. It merely has to pump the water around the charged system.

The first thermostat 8 is preset to a desired minimum water temperature adjacent the water outlet 29 in the evaporator tank 4. This setting may be adjusted as required. Each second thermostat 19 is adjusted to a required temperature for the product to be dispensed by the pumps 13 and 14 of the respective module. When the temperature of the water either the tank 22 is too high, the pump 9 is actuated, and water is pumped around the system, through the evaporator tank 4. If the water leaving the tank 4 is too warm, the first thermostat 8 cuts in to activate the refrigeration cycle, and the water passing through the evaporator tank 4 is then cooled. The cooled water then passes through thetanks 22, where it cools the product in the coils 23 and 24.

It is to be appreciated that the mass of water in the system is sufficiently small as to provide no appreciable heat store in the apparatus. Thus, for example, it may not be necessary for the evaporator tank to make any ice as a reservoir on which long term cooling of the water depends, although in practice a small amount of ice may build up within the evaporator coil 27 from time to time. By contrast, the whole apparatus operates with very low "thermal inertia". Heat from the products is transferred almost immediately into the water flowing through the product cooling modules 12, and this heat is given up in the evaporator tank almost immediately, as the water passes through it.This is because the heat exchange area of each product cooling module 12 and the flow rate of the water passing through the module are such as to provide substantial uniformity of temperature between the water and the products at the water outlet 26 of the respective tank 22.

Also, the heat exchange area afforded by the evaporator coil 27 and the flow rate of the water passing through the evaporator tank 4 are such as to provide substantial uniformity of temperature between the refrigerant and the coolant at the water outlet 29 of the evaporator tank 4.

Because of the relatively modest amount of water in the evaporator tank 4 at any time, the relatively large compressor 5 may exert a significant cooling effect on the water, with a very low response time.

A particular feature of the illustrated. apparatus is the series connection of the two cooling and dispensing units 3, via the line 35, and the parallel arrangement of their respective thermostats 19. In previously proposed apparatus, it has been the tendency to provide each dispensing unit with its own respective pump. However, the provision of additional pumps involves corresponding additional expense. Surprisingly, we have found that, with a system as illustrated, a plurality of units such as 3 may be connected in series, on the one coolant circuit powered by the common pump 9. In Figure 1, it will be seen that the distribution board 38 has sockets to receive connector plugs 37 of the thermostats 19 of up to four cooling and dispensing units 3 all connected in series, as regards the flow of coolant.

We have tested such a system, and found it surprisingly effective, even when the thermostats 19 of the different cooling and dispensing units 3 are set to different pre-set temperatures. We believe that the effectiveness of the system is due largely to the fact that the coolant reservoir is of modest capacity. It does not build-up a large reserve of ice-cold water.

Thus, when one of the units 3 is operated, the temperature of the coolant in the respective module 12 rises quite rapidly, to actuate the respective thermostat 19 and thereby cause the pump 9 to come into operation.

The coolant passes rapidly around the system, and through the evaporator tank 4, progressively cooling the module 12 of the unit 3 which is currently operating. The rise in temperature in the coolant which is caused by heat exchange with the product being dispensed is reflected through the whole system.

This means that the coolant which is circulated throughout the system does not cause undue cooling of the other modules. As mentioned above, the whole system operates with a very low thermal inertia, and the coolant may have to pass around the entire system a fairly large number of times (for example, more than twenty times), until its temperature is lowered to the cut-out threshold of the thermostat 19 of the unit 3 which is currently operating.

It may therefore be appreciated that the illustrated beer or wine cooler may provide simple and effective cooling of any drink, to any desired temperature. The apparatus may be convenienty located where required, and the fully charged water system enables the pump 9 to pump water quickly around the apparatus. (On a very long run, the flow and return lines 10 and 11 may be insulated, as may the line(s) 35). An important advantage of the illustrated apparatus is that the products are actually cooled as they are being dispensed. There is no significant quantity of product remaining in the pumps 13 and 14 at ambient temperature, so that the apparatus may be used most successively for dispensing small glasses of wine, evan at infrequent intervals. Also, cooling takes place only as and when required.There is no tendency for the products to be over cooled at any point in the apparatus, if there is a long period between dispensing operations. This is helped by the remote location of the product coils 23 and 24 from the evaporator coil 27. By contrast, in previously proposed coolers, where product coils share the same tank as a refrigeration coil, then very low product temperatures can be reached overnight (for example) which, in the case of wine, may cause the product to crystallize and eventually block the product coil.

The illustrated apparatus therefore serves to cool and dispense beer, wine or other drinks with uniform temperature control, cooling of the product being carried out at the point of dispense. In experiments, we have found it possible to dispense products as quickly or as slowly as desired, whilst maintaining a temperature control to within about one degree C.

of a desired setting.

In an alternative arrangement, the two product coils 23 and 24 of each module 12 may be closely wound together (optionally interwoven), both around the edge of the tank 22.

The arrangement may then be such that the water flow through the tank 22 is predominantly around the coils 23 and 24, which are preferably in close contact to facilitate heat transfer therebetween. The temperature probe 32 may,in such a case, comprise a coil which is interwoven around the coils 23 and 24.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specificatin and/or drawings, or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process diclosed herein.

Claims (14)

1. Apparatus for cooling and dispensing drinks, comprising: a refrigeration unit having a closed tank containing a refrigerant coil; a plurality of cooling units each of which is remote from the refrigeration unit and has a closed tank containing a product coil; a respective dispensing means for each cooling unit, arranged to pass a drink through the product coil and dispense the drink directly at or adjacent the cooling unit; and a common pump means for circulating a coolant through all of said tanks.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, comprising charging means for charging all of said tanks fully with coolant, so as to provide a fully charged circulation path for the coolant.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein the tank of each cooling unit is provided on an upper wail thereof with a charging point by means of which the tank may be fully charged with coolant.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 2 or 3, wherein the tank of the refrigeration unit is provided on an upper wall thereof with a charging point by means of which the tank may be fully charged with coolant.

5. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one of said dispensing means comprises a hand pump.

6. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, including first thermostat means adapted to control the flow of refrigerant through the refrigerant coil, in response to the temperature of the coolant at or adjacent the outlet thereof from the refrigeration unit.

7. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, including second thermostat means adapted to control the flow of coolant through said units, in response to the temperature of the coolant in at least one of the cooling units.

8. Apparatus according to Claim 7, wherein said second thermostat means comprises a seperate thermostat for each of the cooling units, which thermostats are connected in parallel, to control operation of said pump means.

9. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the mass of coolant in use is sufficiently small as to provide no appreciable heat store in the apparatus.

10. Apparatus for cooling and dispensing drinks, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

11. Apparatus for cooling and dispensing drinks, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1, together with Figure 2 and/or Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.

12. A method of dispensing a drink, including the steps of cooling and dispensing the drink by means of apparatus according to any preceding claim.

13. A method according to Claim 12, wherein said drink is wine.

14. A method according to Claim 12, wherein said drink is beer.