Beverage cooling system

Abstract

Various systems, processes, and techniques may be used for cooling beverages. In one general implementation, a beverage cooling system may include a pump, a cooling subsystem, and a control subsystem. The pump may circulate a coolant that is used to keep a beverage in a python cool, the cooling subsystem may extract heat from the coolant to keep it cool, and the control subsystem may monitor the coolant temperature and control the cooling subsystem. The cooling subsystem may include a cooling block, a thermoelectric cooler, a heat distributor, a heat pipe assembly, a fin assembly, and a fan. The cooling block may be adapted to receive the coolant and receive heat therefrom. The thermoelectric cooler may be thermally coupled to one side of the cooling block and adapted to extract heat from the cooling block.

1 . A beverage cooling system comprising:
 a pump to circulate a coolant;   a cooling subsystem including:
 a cooling block adapted to receive the coolant, allow it to circulate therethrough, and receive heat therefrom; 
 a thermoelectric cooler thermally coupled to one side of the cooling block, the thermoelectric cooler adapted to extract heat from the cooling block; 
 a heat distributor thermally coupled to the thermoelectric cooler, the heat distributor adapted to spread the extracted heat over a larger area; 
 a heat pipe assembly comprising a plurality of pipes adapted to receive the heat from the heat distributor and convey the heat to distal ends of the heat pipes; 
 a fin assembly adapted to receive the heat at the distal ends of the pipes; and 
 a fan adapted to generate an airflow through the fin assembly to carry away heat from the fin assembly; 
   a first conduit adapted to carry cooled coolant from the cooling block towards a beverage python;   a second conduit adapted to carry coolant back into the system from the beverage python;   a temperature sensor adapted to detect the temperature of the coolant in the second conduit; and   a control subsystem coupled to the thermoelectric cooler and the temperature sensor, the control subsystem adapted to vary the power to the thermoelectric cooler based on the temperature of the coolant in the second conduit.   
     
     
         2 . The beverage cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein the fan is adapted to couple to a housing to suspend the cooling subsystem therein. 
     
     
         3 . The beverage cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling subsystem further includes a second thermoelectric cooler thermally coupled to the opposite side of the cooling block from the first thermoelectric cooler, a second heat distributor thermally coupled to the second thermoelectric cooler to spread heat therefrom over a larger area, a second heat pipe assembly adapted to receive heat from the second heat distributor, and a fin assembly adapted to receive the heat from the second heat pipe assembly. 
     
     
         4 . The beverage cooling system of  claim 3 , further comprising a coupling assembly adapted to couple the first heat pipe assembly to the second heat pipe assembly such that the thermoelectric coolers are suspended inside the coupling assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The beverage cooling system of  claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensor adapted to detect the temperature of the ambient air, wherein the controller is adapted to monitor the ambient air to ensure proper beverage temperature. 
     
     
         6 . The beverage cooling system of  claim 1 , further comprisinga display coupled to the control subsystem, the display adapted to present message regarding the system. 
     
     
         7 . The beverage cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein the control subsystem is adapted to determine a steady-state power for the thermoelectric cooler by adjusting the power to the thermoelectric cooler over a decreasing range while using a high power and a low power outside of the range to maintain the temperature of the coolant. 
     
     
         8 . A beverage cooling system comprising:
 a pump to circulate a coolant;   a cooling subsystem including:
 a cooling block adapted to receive the coolant, circulate it therethrough, and receive heat therefrom; 
 a first thermoelectric cooler thermally coupled to one side of the cooling block, the thermoelectric cooler adapted to extract heat from the cooling block; 
 a first heat distributor thermally coupled to the thermoelectric cooler, the heat distributor adapted to spread the extracted heat over a larger area; 
 a first heat pipe assembly comprising a plurality of pipes adapted to receive the heat from the heat distributor and convey the heat to distal ends of the heat pipes; 
 a first fin assembly adapted to receive the heat at the distal ends of the pipes; 
 a first fan adapted to generate an airflow through the fin assembly to carry away heat from the fin assembly, the fan adapted to couple to a housing to suspend the cooling subsystem therein; 
 a second thermoelectric cooler thermally coupled to another side of the cooling block, the thermoelectric cooler adapted to extract heat from the cooling block; 
 a second heat distributor thermally coupled to the second thermoelectric cooler, the second heat distributor adapted to spread the extracted heat over a larger area; 
 a second heat pipe assembly comprising a plurality of pipes adapted to receive the heat from the second heat distributor and convey the heat to distal ends of the heat pipes; 
 a second fin assembly adapted to receive the heat at the distal ends of the second pipes; 
 a second fan adapted to generate an airflow through the second fin assembly to carry away heat from the second fin assembly, the fan adapted to couple to a housing to suspend the cooling subsystem therein; and 
 a coupling assembly adapted to couple the first heat pipe assembly to the second heat pipe assembly such that the thermoelectric coolers are suspended inside the coupling assembly; and 
   a first conduit adapted to carry cooled coolant from the cooling block towards a python;   a second conduit adapted to carry coolant back into the system from the beverage python;   a temperature sensor adapted to detect the temperature of the coolant in the second conduit;   a control subsystem coupled to the thermoelectric coolers and the temperature sensor, the control subsystem adapted to vary the power to the thermoelectric coolers based on the temperature of the coolant in the second conduit;   a temperature sensor adapted to detect the temperature of the ambient air; and   a display coupled to the control subsystem, the display adapted to present messages regarding the system's status.