US2249794A - Carbonator - Google Patents

Description

July 22, 1941. c. z. SUTTON CARBQNATOR Filed June 19, 19:59

INVENTOR (bar/e5 Zoo fU/foh ATTORNEYS Patented July 22, 1941 CARBON ATOR 7 Charles Zook Sutton, Piedmont, C'alifl, assignor to Bestest Products, Inc., a corporation oi California Application June 19, 1939, Serial No. 279,934

Claims.

This invention relates to a liquid carbonation device, particularly one suited to domestic or commercial installation to provide a supply of carbonated water.

It is in general the broad object of the present invention to provide a novel, efiicient liquid carbonator practically free of moving parts.

Prior devices for manufacture of carbonated liquids, particularly carbonated water, usually include means for supplying carbon dioxide,

means for supplying water, and mechanically operated means as rotated paddles for mixing together the gas and water to the end that the two be brought into'equilibrium, and as much carbon dioxide dissolved in the water as is possible under the conditions existing in the carbonator. Such devices are relatively expensive because, involving as they do, an outside power requirement to operate the mechanical mixing device, electric power or some other'power source must be provided. In addition, the involved structure must include a stuffing box or gland. These are generally a source of trouble.

While the prior art contains various disclosures of non-mechanical carbonation devices, an examination of these discloses that they are relatively ineflicient and inefiective to produce carbonated water with the degree of carbonation today'demanded by the public. This, I have found,,is because of the inadequate mixing of the water and gas. I have determined that the gas and water, or other liquid to be carbonated,

should be continually and vigorously agitated and preferably by a pluralityof separate means while in the presence of each other so that if. any porinvention.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the carbonator of my invention, while Figure 3 is a section taken along the line 3-3 in Figure l. f Ina cordance withmy invention, I provide a suitable vessel 5 adapted 'to withstand the pressure. The vessel is closed at one end by closure 6 and at the other by an end closure 1 having a infsection, through a carbonator embodying my undue pressure created in the vessel.

generally rectangular opening therein. A cover plate 8 with a gasket 9 closes the opening in the end closure 1, the opening therein and the plate 8 cooperating to'permit of installation and removal of certain operating parts within the vessel. A'bar II is extended across the ends of the vessel and, together with stud I2 and nut 13 draw and retain the plate 8 in position. This construction is claimed in the applicants copending application Serial Number395,409 filed May 2'7, 1941.

The vessel 5 is normally cylindrical in cross section so that, when arranged horizontally and only partially filled with liquid it provides a liquid body of relatively large free area which, as will presently appear, is exposed to a gas phase there- A pressurerelease valve M of a type well known in the art is mounted on closure I to relieve any Mounted upon the plate is a water inlet l6 supplying water to a valve member I! controlling liquid admission through passage I8 into the vessel. In communication with the passage 18 is an elongated tube l9 finally leading upwardly to discharge through a spray nozzle 2'0 into that space normally occupied by gas in the vessel. It is to be noted that tube l9 has a Venturi throat as at 2|, and that apertures 22 are provided in the throat 'to withdraw gas from the space and mix with the liquid ejected through the Venturi and spray head 20 on tube I9 into the gas space in the vessel.

Spray head 20 directs a stream of liquid force fully onto a free area in the vessel to circulate positively the liquid body therein. To assist mixingof the gas withdrawn from the gas space into the liquid in'tube [9, a plurality of restrictions 2| are provided inthe tube. These are each preferably Venturi tubes so that a varying pressure vessel'andmaintain the vessel selectively filled with'liquidt'o the liquid level line indicated in the drawing:

Means-are provided for supplying gas and in the drawing this has been indicated by an inlet .the entire body clo'ckwisein" Figure l.

line 32 connected to a fitting 33 mounted on closure 1.

Fitting 33 is a tube extended through closure 1. At one end and on one side of closure 1 it carries a head 34 and a gasket 36. A nut 31 and another gasket on the other side of closure 1 enable the fitting to be secured in place. A plate 39 is secured to the head 34 and receives gas passed by the head. An outlet or draw-ofi line IA is suitably mounted on 'plate 8 whereby CO2 saturated liquid can be withdrawn from the vessel.

Plate 39 is generally flat with its under surface roughened as at 40 to give a rolling motion centration being present. The roughened under surface 40 of the plate 39 agitates and tears oif the bubble-waterinterface whereby, as the bubbles roll up the plate, the interface is con;- stantly renewed. The eifect of this is to saturate the water beneath the plate and, at the same time, cause it to circulate. The plate, ex-

.cept adjacent its lower end, is spaced from the vessel so thatliquid is admittedfreely to be carbonated,

When the vessel is filled and neither gas nor liquid is being admitted, the liquid level is as indicated in Figure 1 as the normal. liquid level, the horizontal broken line. As carbonated liquid is drawn oif through: the draw off pipe BIA, the pressure within the vessel falls, gas is admitted to the vessel, the gas regulator valve (not shown) being set to open ata pressure about pounds below the water pressure on water checkvalve 49. The admission of gas into the vessel continues until the pressure within the vessel is equal to or above that at which the gas regulator valve supplies gas. The check valve 32 is then closed so that carbonated liquid will not go back up the gas line.

The float 3| normally has such a weight relative to its volume that it drops until it is closely adjacent to the plate 39 before valve ll opens and water is admitted. With this type of float valve, and with check valve, inserted in the water line, little water is admitteduntil valve I! is open fully'and water is admitted freely through nozzle 2?] In the drawing I have indi icated by broken 'line'sjl the path of water and gas sprayed through the nozzle 20. However, this representation is'not'quite accurate, being rather diagrammatic, inasmuch ',.as the spray nozzle is so designed that it jets the water spray out fanwise' across the entire surface of the free cross-sectional area of the device to stir and agitate the entire surface of the waterbody therein forcefully and create circulation through Water admission continues until water is shut off 'by the float. Gas admission ceases' as soon as the pressure within the..vessel is equ'al too'r above that at which the'gas, regulatorlvalve supplies gas. This'isfusuallyonly after .the'f'ifloat, has dropped, water is admitted and the float'fhas started return to thatposition inwhich it shuts off the water.- Even though water continues to be admitted for some period thereafter, there is sufiicient excess gas within the vessel to insure full and complete carbonation of all the water admitted.

It is another feature of the present carbonator that full and adequate carbonation of the liquid can be procured with relatively low gas pressure, of the order of 4.0 and 50 pounds. Mechanical carbonation devices employ gas of about pounds pressure. Because the present carbonator is so effective, it can ordinarily be operated directly from city water main pressure without any supplemental pumps being required. This feature is of great advantage because it enables the device to be installed at practically any location having an adequate supply of a suitable liquid under pressure.

While theviolent liquid ejection through the Venturi throated tube I9 and spraying of the liquid gas mixture onto the liquid body in the vessel agitates that bodyand, presents to the gas phase a constantly renewed liquid-gas interface, I have found that the time required to bring to equilibrium the gas and liquid is relatively long. However, by employingthe several means disclosed, by initially contacting the gas and liquid by means ofrOughened plate 39 to presenta constantly renewed gas-liquid interface, by' mixing'the liquid to besprayed with gas and by constantly but non-mechanically, stirring, the liquid body to provide a constantly re.-

newed gas-liquid interface, the liquid is quickly saturated to the extent possible at the temperature existing in the liquid' -At' the normal working liquid level, there is I availab'lea gas-liquid interface of appreciable extent, the vessel 5 having a relatively large. free horizontal cross-sectional area. Constant'stirri'ng of this'forcefully circulates the liquid therein'and renewsthela'rge gas-liquid interfacefwhereby saturation is quickly effected; The s'praynozzle 20 is effective to spray the length of thetank and circulate the-. liquid body positively and forcefully,.the liquid passing to the bottom of. the vessel where itmixes with gas from plate 39 and then-back" again.

This ensures quick and uniform carbonation.

I claim: i a

1. In a liquidcarbonation' device;.a closed vessel, means for maintaining said vessel filled with liquidto substantially a predetermined level, including liquid spray means discharging liquid substantially horizontally through a gas Tspace oversaid liquid. and onto said'liquid adjacentan end of said vessel to agitate the'ent'ire liquid body and a plate positionediri said vessefand submerged .in said liquidat a. slight angle" to the horizontal, said. plate terminating atits .upper end beneath. said water level and "spaced from said end of said vessel. to release gas into liquid above said plate between said'plate end and said vessel endand meansfor admitting COz gas beneath saidplate adjacent the lower end thereof. Y

2. In a liquid carbonator, atubular vessel haw ing a major and a minor axis andlarrangediwith its major axis generally horizfontal, means-for maintaining said vessel. at. least partiallyfilled with liquid to provide a'liquid body and asp res for gas in said vessel, means for .forcefull'yejecting aliquid directlyand'substantially horizon tally through said gasispaceangidnie a'free portion of said liquid'body toiagitate said body and create a constantly newf gas-liquid 1 interface, means submergedfinl said -liquidlbodyand providing" a gas-liquid contactingifn'ieans in said liquid body, and means for admitting CO2 gas beneath said submerged contacting means.

3. In a liquid carbonator, a vessel, means for maintaining said vessel at least partially filled with liquid to provide'a liquid body and a space for gas in said vessel, means for ejecting liquid directly and substantially horizontally onto said liquid body to agitate said body forcefully and create a constantly new gas-liquid interface, a

gas-liquid contact plate submerged in said liqa flat plat positioned in said vessel and normally submerged in said liquid for receiving gas admitted to said vessel, said plate having its gas contact surface roughened to agitate positively gas admitted beneath said plate prior to release into said space.

5. A liquid carbonator comprising a vessel, means for maintaining said vessel partially filled with liquid to provide a free liquid body in said vessel and a gas space in contact therewith, said means including a liquid spray nozzle positioned in said vessel to discharge substantially horizontally, directly and forcefully onto said liquid body adjacent an end thereof to create and maintain positive liquid circulation in said liquid body, a plate positioned substantially horizontally in said liquid body and having gas-liquid contact means, and means for admitting gas to said vessel beneath said plate, said plate discharging gas adjacent one end of said liquid body.

CHARLES ZOOK SUTTON.

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