Method and Apparatus for Chilling Draught Beverages

Abstract

The present invention provides an apparatus for delivering a beverage under pressure from a container to a dispensing means. The apparatus has a heat exchanger, a tank for holding a quantity of a coolant fluid and a reservoir for holding a quantity of the beverage. The reservoir is located in the tank for submersion in the coolant fluid. A first conduit delivers the beverage from the container to the heat exchanger while a second conduit delivers beverage to the reservoir. A third conduit delivers beverage from the reservoir to the dispensing means. The invention allows for the delivery of cold beverage form the container over a distance to the dispensing means.

1 . An apparatus for delivering a beverage under pressure from a container to a dispensing means comprising: 
 a trunk line including a beverage conduit for delivering the beverage from the container, the trunk line further including a coolant fluid conduit connected to a source of coolant fluid for delivering the coolant fluid;    a heat exchanger defining an inlet for receiving the coolant fluid conduit and an outlet for the coolant fluid conduit, the heat exchanger further defining an inlet for receiving the beverage conduit, an outlet for the beverage conduit and a heat exchanging surface for heat exchange between the beverage and the coolant fluid;    a reservoir for holding a quantity of the beverage, the reservoir being connected to the heat exchanger, the reservoir defining an inlet for receiving the beverage and a beverage outlet.    
   
   
       2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the apparatus further comprises a housing connected to the trunk line, the heat exchanger and the reservoir being located in the housing, the housing being adapted to hold a quantity of coolant fluid for submersing said heat exchanger and said reservoir.  
   
   
       3 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the housing defines a first sub-compartment and a second sub-compartment, the heat exchanger being located in the first sub-compartment and the reservoir being located in the second sub-compartment.  
   
   
       4 . An apparatus according to  claim 3  wherein a fin is formed on an exterior wall of the reservoir for enhancing circulation of the coolant fluid over the reservoir.  
   
   
       5 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein pins are attached to an exterior wall of the reservoir to promote heat exchange.  
   
   
       6 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the heat exchanger is a shell in tube heat exchanger or a flat plate heat exchanger.  
   
   
       7 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the heat exchanger is a serpentine coil.  
   
   
       8 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the coolant fluid is either water of glycol.  
   
   
       9 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the beverage is beer.  
   
   
       10 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the reservoir is in contact with a source of cooling.  
   
   
       11 . An apparatus according to  claim 10  wherein the source of cooling is a coolant fluid.  
   
   
       12 . An apparatus according to  claim 11  wherein the reservoir is submerged in the coolant fluid.  
   
   
       13 . An apparatus according to  claim 12  wherein the coolant fluid is glycol.  
   
   
       14 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising a probe for measuring the temperature of one of the coolant fluid and the beverage, the probe being adapted to cooperate with sensors to send a signal to a refrigeration unit for the coolant fluid so that the refrigeration unit may be alternately turned on or off in order to regulate the temperature of the coolant fluid.  
   
   
       15 . An apparatus according to  claim 14  wherein the probe is located in at least one of the coolant fluid conduit, the beverage conduit, the chamber and the heat exchanger.  
   
   
       16 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the reservoir is located before the heat exchanger so that beverage fills the reservoir before entering the heat exchanger.  
   
   
       17 . An apparatus for delivering a beverage under pressure from a container to a dispensing means comprising: 
 a housing defining a chamber for holding a quantity of a coolant fluid, the housing further defining an inlet and an outlet;    a heat exchanger located in the chamber, the heat exchanger defining a inlet, an outlet and a passageway communicating between the inlet and the outlet.    a reservoir located in the chamber, the reservoir defining a storage chamber for holding a quantity of the beverage, said reservoir further defining an inlet and an outlet in fluid communication with the storage chamber;    a first beverage conduit received in the inlet of the housing and the inlet of the heat exchanger for delivering beverage to the passageway of the heat exchanger;    a second beverage conduit received in the outlet of the heat exchanger for delivering the beverage to the reservoir, the second beverage conduit being received in the inlet of the reservoir; and    a third beverage conduit for delivering the beverage from the outlet of the reservoir to the dispensing means.    
   
   
       18 . An apparatus according to  claim 17  wherein the heat exchanger further includes a housing defining a chamber for holding a quantity of the coolant fluid, the housing defining a coolant fluid inlet and a coolant fluid outlet, and an inlet and an outlet for receiving the passageway, the passageway being a coil located in the chamber.  
   
   
       19 . An apparatus according to  claim 17  wherein the heat exchanger is a flat plate heat exchanger immersed in the coolant fluid.  
   
   
       20 . An apparatus according to  claim 17  further comprising a source of coolant fluid, a first coolant fluid conduit for delivering coolant fluid to the chamber and a second coolant fluid conduit received in the second outlet of the heat exchanger for circulating the coolant fluid back to the source of coolant fluid.  
   
   
       21 . An apparatus for delivering a beverage under pressure from a container to a dispensing means comprising: 
 a housing defining a chamber for holding a quantity of a coolant fluid, the housing further defining an inlet and an outlet;    a heat exchanging means located in the chamber, the heat exchanging means defining a beverage passageway having an inlet and an outlet;    a reservoir located in the chamber for holding a quantity of the beverage, the reservoir having an inlet and an outlet;    a beverage conduit communicating between the container, the heat exchanging means, the reservoir and the dispensing means to define a beverage flow path from the container through the heat exchanging means and the reservoir to the dispensing means;    a source of coolant fluid for delivering coolant fluid to the housing; and    a coolant fluid conduit for communicating between the heat exchange means and the source of coolant fluid to define a flow path between the heat exchange means and the source of coolant fluid.    
   
   
       22 . An apparatus according to  claim 21  further comprising a probe for measuring the temperature of one of the coolant fluid and the beverage, the probe being adapted to cooperate with sensors to send a signal to a refrigeration unit for the coolant fluid so that the refrigeration unit may be alternately turned on or off in order to regulate the temperature of the coolant fluid.  
   
   
       23 . An apparatus according to  claim 22  wherein the probe is located in at least one of the chamber and the heat exchanger.  
   
   
       24 . An apparatus according to  claim 21  wherein the reservoir is located before the heat exchanger so that beverage fills the reservoir before entering the heat exchanger.  
   
   
       25 . A method of maintaining a cool temperature in a beverage delivered through a beverage conduit from a container to a dispensing means comprising the following steps: 
 providing a trunk line comprising the beverage conduit and a coolant fluid conduit connected to a source of coolant fluid;    providing a heat exchanger defining an inlet for receiving the coolant fluid conduit and an outlet for the coolant fluid conduit, the heat exchanger further defining an inlet for receiving the beverage conduit, an outlet for the beverage conduit and a heat exchanging surface for heat exchange between the beverage and the coolant fluid;    providing a reservoir for holding a quantity of the beverage, the reservoir being connected to the heat exchanger, the reservoir defining an inlet for receiving the beverage and a beverage outlet;    delivering coolant fluid through the coolant fluid conduit to the heat exchanger;    delivering the beverage through the beverage conduit from the container through the heat exchanger for heat exchange with the coolant fluid;    delivering the beverage to the reservoir; and    delivering the beverage from the reservoir to the dispensing means.    
   
   
       26 . The method according to  claim 21  further including the step of submerging the reservoir in a coolant fluid.  
   
   
       27 . The method according to  claim 22  further including the step of submerging the heat exchanger in a coolant fluid.  
   
   
       28 . A method of maintaining a cool temperature in a beverage delivered through a beverage conduit from a container to a dispensing means comprising the following steps: 
 providing a trunk line comprising the beverage conduit and a coolant fluid conduit connected to a source of coolant fluid;    providing a heat exchanger defining an inlet for receiving the coolant fluid conduit and an outlet for the coolant fluid conduit, the heat exchanger further defining an inlet for receiving the beverage conduit, an outlet for the beverage conduit and a heat exchanging surface for heat exchange between the beverage and the coolant fluid;    providing a reservoir for holding a quantity of the beverage, the reservoir being connected to the heat exchanger, the reservoir defining an inlet for receiving the beverage and a beverage outlet;    delivering the beverage to the reservoir;    delivering the beverage from the reservoir to the heat exchanger for heat exchange with the coolant fluid; and    delivering the beverage from the heat exchanger to the dispensing means.    
   
   
       29 . The method according to  claim 28  further including the step of submerging the reservoir in a coolant fluid.  
   
   
       30 . The method according to  claim 29  further including the step of submerging the heat exchanger in a coolant fluid.  
   
   
       31 . An apparatus for delivering a beverage under pressure from a container to a dispensing means comprising: 
 a trunk line including a beverage conduit for delivering the beverage from the container, the trunk line further including a coolant fluid conduit connected to a source of coolant fluid for delivering the coolant fluid;    a heat exchanger defining an inlet for receiving the coolant fluid conduit and an outlet for the coolant fluid conduit, the heat exchanger further defining an inlet for receiving the beverage conduit, an outlet for the beverage conduit and a heat exchanging surface for heat exchange between the beverage and the coolant fluid;    a temperature probe for measuring the temperature of one of the coolant fluid and the beverage, the probe being adapted to cooperate with sensors to send a signal to a refrigeration unit for the coolant fluid so that the refrigeration unit may be alternately turned on or off in order to regulate the temperature of the coolant fluid.    
   
   
       32 . An apparatus according to  claim 31  wherein the probe is located in one of the heat exchanger, the coolant fluid conduit and the beverage conduit.