NL2001601C2 - Cooling device and method for cooling containers. - Google Patents

Description

P84728NL0O

Title: Cooling device and method for cooling containers.

The invention relates to a cooling device or method for cooling containers,

EP 1 252 472 discloses a cooling device for glasses, which comprises a gas source and an outflow opening, wherein a pipe is provided for supplying gas from the gas source to the spray opening. The gas is thereby supplied under high pressure, in liquid form, and will pass into the gas phase near the spray opening. By holding a glass upside down, that is with the drinking opening down, over the nozzle and then allowing gas to escape from the nozzle, the glass is cooled.

When gas is blown out of the nozzle, the pressure in the pipe decreases, causing gas bubbles in the pipe. In addition, gas bubbles can arise due to a staging in temperature. As a result, the liquid gas supply can be hindered in the long term, while moreover an irregular flow pattern is obtained. In this known device, therefore, a buffer tank is provided in the conduit, into which a quantity of liquid gas can be buffered and in which gas which forms in the conduit can be captured. The part of the line that is included between the buffer vessel and the spray opening connects to a bottom side of the buffer vessel. Because liquid gas is buffered, a good separation of gas and liquid gas can be obtained and any pressure differences can be smoothed out. A gas blow-off valve is provided on the top of the buffer tank. The gas blow-off valve is regulated such that when the liquid level falls below a minimum height and the spray opening is closed, gas is blown off, so that liquid gas can be replenished.

This known device is relatively complex in construction and use. Moreover, a lot of gas is vented via the gas blow-off valve, in particular 2 if the ambient temperature of the buffer vessel is relatively high in relation to, for example, the desired temperature of the container to be reached. The buffer vessel will usually be arranged close to the spray opening and have a relatively high temperature, for example room temperature. Very frequently gas is blown off, for example every eight to ten times after gas has been delivered through the nozzle, or more frequently, which can cause noise nuisance and, moreover, the gas can lead to nuisance or even to health problems.

The invention has for its object to provide a cooling device and method for holders 10, which forms an alternative to the known cooling device. Another object that can be envisaged with a cooling device or method is a simplification of the device and / or operations. Another goal can be a simplification and therefore a reduction in costs. A further purpose is to provide a safe cooling device. Other objects or effects can also be achieved with a method or device according to this description.

In this description, gas should be understood to mean at least a fluid that is gaseous at atmospheric pressure and room temperature and that can become liquid upon increasing the pressure and / or reducing the temperature. In this description, liquid gas is understood to mean at least gas that is in the liquid state at the relevant prevailing pressure and temperature. Unless otherwise specified in this description, pipe must be understood to mean at least one pipe suitable for liquefied gas. Where gas is mentioned in this description, gas in a gaseous and / or liquid state is meant, unless otherwise indicated or otherwise follows from the context, for example due to the prevailing pressure and / or temperature.

In a first aspect, a cooling device is characterized in that it is provided with a gas source in which gas is stored in liquid form under pressure, a pipe and a spray opening. The conduit is included between the spray opening and the gas source, for supplying gas in liquid form under pressure from the gas source to the nozzle. A cooling is provided which extends along and / or around at least a part of the conduit.

In a second aspect, a method is characterized in that gas 5 in liquid form is supplied via a line under pressure to a spray opening for delivery of the gas. The preferably liquid gas in the line and / or the line itself is cooled with the aid of a cooling.

To clarify the invention, embodiments of a tapping device and cooling circuit will be further elucidated with reference to the drawing. It shows:

FIG. 1 schematically a cooling device for containers such as glasses;

Hg. 2 schematically shows a holder on a part of a cooling device in side view;

FIG. 3 schematically and partially cut through a portion of a cooling device.

In this description, like or corresponding parts have the same or corresponding reference numerals. The embodiments shown are shown for illustrative purposes only and should in no way be construed as limiting. Cooling devices and parts thereof can be used to at least partially eliminate at least one or more of the disadvantages of the prior art or to achieve the stated or other advantages or to offer an alternative. Also embodiments which do not eliminate the disadvantages or not all the disadvantages of the prior art or which do not attain the advantages or not all the advantages which are intended are capable of falling within the invention claimed by the claims.

In this description, a container must be understood to mean at least, but exclusively, a beverage container from which you can drink, such as a glass or cup. Cooling in this context is to be understood to mean at least a device or operation with which the temperature of an object to be cooled, such as pipe or colder, can be lowered, in particular with respect to the environment or at least adjusted and / or or arranged.

Fig. 1 schematically shows an embodiment of a cooling device 1, provided with a gas source 2, a line 3 and a spray opening 4.

The gas source 2 in this embodiment is a gas bottle 5 that is shown partially cut through. The gas bottle 5 is provided with a valve € and a riser pipe 7 connecting thereto, which also extends to near the bottom 8 of the gas bottle 5. The pressure in the gas bottle 5 can be relatively high, for example 50 to 60 bar when the gas bottle 5 has just been filled. In another embodiment, the gas bottle can contain gas under a pressure of more than 10 bar, preferably more than 20 bar, more in particular more than 30 bar. The gas in the gas bottle 5 is therefore essentially liquid. In an advantageous embodiment the gas is CO2. The gas will preferably be chosen such that it can be released directly into the atmosphere or at least one gas that is naturally present in the atmosphere. In particular in an embodiment in which a gas has been selected which cannot be directly released into the atmosphere or where this is not desired, a suction 9 can be provided, as will be explained in more detail below. As gas bottle 5, there may be, for example, a gas bottle 5 of the type 2506 from the company ACP,

Heuaden-Zolder can be used with a connection according to DIN477 / NBN226 for example. Of course, other types of gas bottles can also be used, with or without riser pipe and / or valve. A gas bottle 5 for use in a device 1 according to the invention can for instance have a capacity of 10 liters, 25 liters or 50 liters or another content.

The line 3 is connected to the gas bottle 5 via the valve 6. The valve 6 can be a valve whose passage can be controlled or can, for example, only have two positions: fully open or fully closed. In another embodiment, multiple positions can be selected. Between the valve 6 and the line 3, a control valve 10 or 5 can be in front of such a pressure control unit, in particular a liquid gas-liquid gas reduction valve, with which a desired pressure can be set, in principle irrespective of the pressure in the gas bottle 5 and / or in the line 3. The line 3 may, for example, have a pressure of a few tens of 5 bar, for example approximately 20 or 30 bar, and such a control valve 10 may for example be designed as type HPR 800, a single-stage control valve for inert, reactive , combustible and oxidising gases and gas mixtures with medium to high purity, resistant to an input pressure of 230 Bar. Other types of xeduction devices can also be used. With the pressure control unit, the pressure with which the liquid gas is introduced into the line 3 can be adjusted such that it does not fluctuate or only minimally. A non-return valve 11 can further be included between the reduction device 10 and the line 3, which can be prevented that gas from the line 3 can flow back in the direction of the gas bottle 5.

If line 3 is disconnected from gas bottle 5, at the check valve 11, then gas is moreover prevented from flowing out of line 3 into the atmosphere, which may be undesirable in particular when using CO2 gas, for example due to health.

At the end 12 of the conduit 3 remote from the gas bottle 5, the spray opening 4 is provided. In this case, nozzle opening 4 is to be understood, at least but not exclusively, as an opening through which gas can be delivered from the conduit, wherein the gas can be delivered both in liquid and in gaseous form, or as a combination. In particular, when the gas flows out, it can change from the liquid form to the gas form, as a result of pressure reduction. The spray opening 4 can for instance be provided with a nozzle 13 and can for instance be formed by a substantially straight, open passage with a cross-section of for instance a few tenths of millimeters or less. The nozzle 13 can easily be selected, for instance depending on the desired amount of gas to be delivered per unit of time, the desired outflow speed, the desired outflow direction and / or a desired outflow pattern. For example, with a nozzle 13 between about 2 and 15 grams of CO2 per second, in particular between about 4 and 10 grain COa per second, more in particular between about 6 and 7 grams per 5 second. The nozzle 13 can for instance be chosen such that it essentially gives a jet or spray pattern as an outflow pattern directly at the outflow. An example of a nozzle suitable for this application is an oil combustion nozzle, for example Delavan type A, B or W, for example in the range of 1.00 and 10.00 GPH, with 10 different spray angles, to be selected depending on below more the shape and / or dimensions of the holders. Such nozzles are supplied, for example, by Delavan Spray Technologies, Bamberg, South Carolina, USA. The valve can be, for example, a direct-acting solenoid valve, for example as available from M&M International, Bedford, 15 GB.

In the embodiments shown in Figs. 1 - 3, the spray opening 4 is accommodated in a housing 14. In the housing 14, between the second end 12 of the line 3 and the spray opening 4 and / or nozzle 13, a control valve 15 is received, with which the gas passage between the line 3 and the spray opening 4 can be opened and closed. The control valve 15 can be connected to a control device 16, with which the control valve 15 can be opened and closed. On or near the housing 14 and / or bg or on the control device 16, a control panel 17 can be provided with which, for example, a control behavior of the control valve 15 can be checked, adjusted and / or adjusted. Moreover, instead of or thereby, control buttons 18 can be provided with which the control valve 15 can be operated.

Near the spray opening 4 a support 19 is provided, on which an edge of a holder 20, shown here as a glass, can be placed, so that the holder 20 is placed upside down above and / or over the spray opening. In the embodiment shown, the spray opening 4 can have an outflow direction P which is approximately parallel to and can substantially coincide with a longitudinal axis L of the holder 20 when it is placed on the support 19. Pit can be beneficial due to symmetry.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, a suction 9 is provided at the spray opening 4. The suction 9 is here embodied, as an example, in the form of a ring 22 extending at least in top view and partially around the spray opening. suction face 23 determines that in side view lies below the spray opening 4. A discharge conduit 10 Such as a pipe 24 is connected to the suction, with which extracted gas

can be carried away to the atmosphere, preferably outside the space B in which the device 1 is arranged

Gas detection means 25 can be connected to the control device 16, with which, for example, the pressure control device 10, the non-return valve 11, the control valve 15 and / or the valve 6 can be closed when, for example, the gas concentration in the vicinity of the device 1 rises above a limit value. This can prevent danger. It is also possible for one or more of the said valves and devices 6,10,11,15 to be closed by the control device 16 when the pressure in the line 3 falls below a minimum limit value or rises above a maximum limit value.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the support 19 is designed such that the control valve 15 can be operated therewith. To this end, the support 19 is, for example, coupled to a shaft 27 with which a switch 28 can be operated, with which the control valve 15 is activated via the control device 16 and, for example, opened as long as the support 19 is pressed down by the holder 20 or during a control device. 16 entered duration, for example, but not limited to a few seconds. For example, for an average size of beer glass, for example about 250 to 350 ml, the control valve can be opened between about 5 seconds and 12 seconds, more particularly for example about 7 seconds, so that during that time for example between about 15 and 75 grams CO2 is injected, more particularly between about 20 and 75 grams, for example between about 20 and 40 grams of CQ2, more in particular between about 30 and 35 grams or for example between 30 and 75 grams, more particularly between 45 and 75 grams 75 grams, such as 60 grams, for relatively large or heavy glasses. The period between opening the control valve 15 once and then closing it can be referred to as a cooling cycle. This can preferably be adjusted with a device according to the invention, for example the duration thereof, for instance between 0 and 60 seconds, and depending on, for example, the container to be cooled, the desired temperature of the container and / or the ambient temperature. For example, with a device according to the invention, a glass can be cooled to an average temperature of less than 4 ° C or to a temperature below 15 ° C, whereby ice can form on the glass. For example, the temperature can be controlled between 5 and -4 ° C. This can be done, for example, in a duration of a cycle of less than 10 seconds. The temperatures and times mentioned are of course only given as an illustration and should not be construed as being restrictive in any way. The control valve 15 can also be controlled on the basis of the amount of gas delivered through the spray opening in a cooling cycle.

In the in hg. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, detection means 26 are provided near the spray opening 4, with which the presence of a holder 20 near the spray opening 4 can be determined. On the basis of a signal from the detection means 26, the control device 16 can then be controlled for opening the control valve 15 and starting a cooling cycle. This can for instance be carried out and controlled in a manner as described above with reference to Fig. 2. Alternatively, the cycle can last as long as a holder 20 is detected near the spray opening 4.

9

In one embodiment, indication means 29 can be provided on the housing, with which, for example, it can be indicated that a cycle is running, that the device 1 is switched on and / or which temperature has been set and / or reached. Furthermore, lighting means V can be provided, for example around the spray opening 4, with which a holder can be illuminated during cooling.

In a device 1 according to the invention, a cooling 30 is provided, with which at least a part of the pipe 3 can be cooled. With the cooling 30, the pipe 3 and the gas therein can be cooled, for which purpose the cooling 30 is at least extends along and / or around at least a portion of the conduit. In the embodiment shown, the cooling 30 comprises a jacket 31 which extends around most of the length of the conduit 3. Between a part of the jacket 31 and the outside of the conduit 3, a channel 32 is provided which is connected to a cooler 33. The cooler 33 can be an in-line cooler. A coolant can hereby be pumped through the channel 32, for example glycol, a glycol mixture or water or another suitable coolant with which the line 3 can be cooled. The gas is also indirectly cooled. The formation of gas bubbles in the pipe 3 is hereby largely prevented, as a result of which obstructing 20 of the pipe 3 during use is not necessary, or at least only very occasionally. A venting device and / or a buffer vessel are therefore not necessary. In particular, it is possible to prevent gas bubbles from being formed which adversely affect the operation of the cooling device 1. In a device 1 according to the invention, the gas source 2 can be arranged relatively far from the spray opening 4, for instance a few meters, without gas bubble formation a problem will be.

With a device 1 according to the invention, a holder 20 can be cooled as follows.

10

The valve 6 is opened, for example completely, and with the pressure control device 11 a desired pressure in the line 3 is set, for example above 30 bar. The pressure of the liquid liquor in the conduit is high up to the closed control valve 15. With the control device 16 an optimum cooling cycle can be set, for example depending on the container 20 to be cooled and the desired cooling temperature, for example 0 ° C. If a container 20 is pressed onto the support 19, a cooling cycle is started and gas is sprayed from the nozzle into the interior space 20A of the container against the walls thereof. Evaporating gas draws heat from the air in the container 20 and on the wall 20B thereof, whereby cooling occurs. The gas, such as CO2, which is heavier than air, will sink down and be sucked away by the extraction. After a desired cooling time and / or a desired amount of gas that has been fed into the container 20, the control valve 15 is closed and the cooling is stopped.

With the cooling 30, for example, a temperature of the line 3 is set which is lower than the temperature of the gas source 3, in particular the gas bottle 5 or the gas present therein. In particular, for example, a temperature of the conduit or the gas therein can be set below 10 ° C, more particularly under 5 ° C, even more particularly below 0 ° C. Surprisingly, it has been found that gas bubble formation in the gas can thereby be considerably limited or even prevented, in particular at the lower temperature, also when the device and / or the gas bottle 5 are arranged, for example, at room temperature.

In the embodiments shown, a beverage line 34 is furthermore provided within the jacket 31, which beverage line is also cooled by the cooling liquid in the channel 32. The beverage line 34 may, for example, extend between a cask or other container 37 to at or in a dispensing column 38. The casing 31 with line 3, channel 32, beverage line 34 and optionally a return channel 35 for the cooling liquid may be included in or be constructed in 11 a conduit 36, for example as a python conduit that is commonly used in, for example, beer taps.

The invention is in no way limited to the devices and methods shown and described in the description and drawing. Alternative embodiments that fall within the claims are considered to be included in this description, including at least combinations of parts of the embodiments shown and alternatives thereto. Other temperature ranges and cooling members can be set and / or applied. Multiple lines and / or drag lines can be combined in one device 1, while moreover several nozzles 4 can be provided on a line and / or in a housing. Gases other than CO2 can be used.

Claims (16)

Clamping device for containers such as glasses, provided with a gas source in which gas is stored under pressure, a pipe and a nozzle, the pipe being included between the nozzle and the gas source, for supplying gas from the gas source to the nozzle under pressure Wherein a cooling is provided which extends along and / or around at least a part of the conduit. Cooling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cooling comprises a jacket which extends around a part of the conduit. 3. Cooling device as claimed in claim 2, wherein a beverage line also extends through the casing 10, the casing preferably forming part of a python line, preferably connected to or connectable to an in-line cooler. 4. Cooling device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein a controllable valve is included between the spray opening and the line, wherein the spray opening is preferably a nozzle. Cooling device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein a control device is provided for controlling the amount of gas which is supplied from the spray opening per unit of time and / or the period of time that gas is discharged from the spray opening per cooling cycle. Cooling device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the gas is CO2 gas or CO2 containing gas, wherein the cooling is arranged such that the temperature of the conduit and / or gas contained therein can be kept below 10 ° C, more in particular below 5 ° C, even more particularly below 0 ° C, preferably between 5 and -4¾. Cooling device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein a suction is provided near the spray opening. IB 8. Cooling device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the device is further provided with gas detection subsections for detecting a gas level outside the gas source above a limit value * 9. Cooling device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the device, in particular the conduit, is adapted for supplying liquid gas to the spray opening. Cooling device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein near and preferably around at least a part of the spray opening a support is provided for a container to be cooled. Cooling device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein detection means are provided near the spray opening, for detection of a holder. 12. Cooling device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein a liquid gas-liquid gas pressure control unit is provided in the line and / or between the line and the gas source. Cooling device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein a gas-draining device is provided. 14. Method for cooling containers such as glasses, wherein gas in liquid form is requested via a line under pressure to a spray opening, for delivery of the gas, wherein the gas in the line and / or the line is cooled using a cooling. 15. Method according to claim 14, wherein the gas in the line and / or the line is cooled to a temperature below 10 ° C, more in particular below 5 ° G, even more in particular below 0 ° C, preferably between 5 and -4 ° C. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein CO2 gas is used as the gas.