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US 10,894,936 B2Granted
Indirect water heating and chilling system for brewing beer
AssigneePrecisionTemp, Inc.
InventorGerry C. Wolter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for brewing beer in small batches comprises a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger. The first heat exchanger delivers heated fluid into the second heat exchanger. A fluid-in line delivers cool fluid into the second heat exchanger. The second heat exchanger is configured to indirectly chill or heat brewing ingredients in a vessel.
Claims18
A system for brewing beer, the system comprising:
- (a) a first heat exchanger;
- (b) a burner;
- (c) a second heat exchanger;
- (d) a vessel configured to:
- i. contain brewing ingredients;
- and
- ii. house the second heat exchanger;
- (e) a first thermometer configured to measure a temperature of a liquid in the first heat exchanger;
- (f) a second thermometer configured to measure a temperature of the brewing ingredients;
- (g) a fluid loop, the fluid loop comprising the first heat exchanger in fluid communication with the second heat exchanger via a feed hose and the second heat exchanger in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger via a return hose;
- and
- (h) a three-way valve in fluid communication with the feed hose and a drain line,
- wherein:
- 1) the burner is configured to:
- a. activate in response to a preselected temperature measured by the second thermometer;
- b. once activated, to heat the liquid in the first heat exchanger;
- and
- 2) the first heat exchanger is in fluid communication with the second heat exchanger such that heated liquid may be transferred from the first heat exchanger to the second heat exchanger;
- 3) the second heat exchanger is configured to indirectly heat the brewing ingredients contained in the vessel, when the heated liquid is inside the second heat exchanger;
- and
- 4) the three-way valve is configured to selectively:
- a. close the fluid loop such that the liquid flows from the first heat exchanger to the second heat exchanger via the feed hose and the liquid flows from the second heat exchanger to the first heat exchanger via the return hose, when the three-way valve is in a first position;
- or
- b. stop the flow of the liquid from the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger via the feed hose and to stop the flow of the liquid from the second heat exchanger to the first heat exchanger via the return hose and open a fluid-out line such that the liquid flows from the system via a drain, when the three-way valve is in a second position.
21 more elements
A system for brewing beer, the system comprising:
- (a) a first heat exchanger;
- (b) a burner;
- (c) a second heat exchanger;
- (d) a vessel configured to:
- i. contain brewing ingredients;
- and
- ii. removably house the second heat exchanger;
- (e) a first thermometer configured to measure a temperature of a liquid in the first heat exchanger;
- (f) a second thermometer configured to measure a temperature of the brewing ingredients;
- (g) a first thermostat that is configured to activate or deactivate the burner based upon a predetermined temperature read by the first thermometer;
- (h) a second thermostat that is configured to activate or deactivate the burner based upon a predetermined temperature read by the second thermometer;
- (i) a fluid-in line that is fluidly connected to the second heat exchanger and is configured to deliver the liquid to the second heat exchanger;
- (j) a fluid-out line that is fluidly connected to the second heat exchanger and is configured to receive the liquid from the second heat exchanger;
- (k) a fluid loop, the fluid loop comprising the first heat exchanger in fluid communication with the second heat exchanger via a feed hose and the second heat exchanger in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger via a return hose;
- and
- (l) a three-way valve in fluid communication with the feed hose and a drain line, wherein the three-way valve is configured to selectively:
- i. close the fluid loop such that the liquid flows from the first heat exchanger to the second heat exchanger via the feed hose and the liquid flows from the second heat exchanger to the first heat exchanger via the return hose, when the three-way valve is in a first position;
- or
- ii. stop the flow of the liquid from the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger via the feed hose and to stop the flow of the liquid from the second heat exchanger to the first heat exchanger via the return hose and open the fluid-out line such that the liquid flows from the system via a drain, when the three-way valve is in a second position;
- wherein the second heat exchanger is configured to selectively indirectly heat or indirectly chill the brewing ingredients contained in the vessel.
17 more elements
A system for brewing beer, the system comprising:
- (a) a first heat exchanger;
- (b) a burner;
- (c) a second heat exchanger;
- (d) a vessel configured to contain brewing ingredients;
- (e) a thermometer configured to measure a temperature of the brewing ingredients;
- (f) a proofing switch;
- (g) a flue hood;
- (h) a drain line;
- (i) a fluid loop, the fluid loop comprising the first heat exchanger in fluid communication with the second heat exchanger via a feed hose and the second heat exchanger in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger via a return hose;
- and
- (j) a three-way valve in fluid communication with the feed hose and the drain line;
- wherein:
- 1) the burner is configured to:
- a. activate in response to a preselected temperature measured by the thermometer;
- and
- b. once activated, to heat a liquid in the first heat exchanger;
- 2) the first heat exchanger is in fluid communication with the second heat exchanger such that heated liquid may be transferred from the first heat exchanger to the second heat exchanger;
- 3) the second heat exchanger is configured to indirectly heat the brewing ingredients contained in the vessel, when the heated liquid is inside the second heat exchanger;
- 4) the proofing switch is configured to deactivate the burner when pressure in the flue hood rises above a predetermined limit;
- and
- 5) the three-way valve is configured to selectively:
- a. close the fluid loop such that the liquid flows from the first heat exchanger to the second heat exchanger via the feed hose and the liquid flows from the second heat exchanger to the first heat exchanger via the return hose, when the three-way valve is in a first position;
- or
- b. stop the flow of the liquid from the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger via the feed hose and to stop the flow of the liquid from the second heat exchanger to the first heat exchanger via the return hose and open a fluid-out line such that the liquid flows from the system via a drain, when the three-way valve is in a second position.
21 more elements
A system for brewing beer, the system comprising:
- (a) a first heat exchanger;
- (b) a burner;
- (c) a second heat exchanger;
- (d) a vessel configured to contain brewing ingredients;
- (e) a fluid loop comprising the first heat exchanger in fluid communication with the second heat exchanger via a feed hose and the second heat exchanger in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger via a return hose;
- and
- (f) a three-way valve in fluid communication with the feed hose and a drain line;
- wherein:
- 1) the three-way valve is configured to selectively:
- a. close the fluid loop such that a liquid flows from the first heat exchanger to the second heat exchanger via the feed hose and the liquid flows from the second heat exchanger to the first heat exchanger via the return hose, when the three-way valve is in a first position;
- or
- b. stop a flow of fluid the liquid from the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger via the feed hose and to stop a flow of fluid the liquid from the second heat exchanger to the first heat exchanger via the return hose and open a fluid-out line such that the liquid flows from the system via a drain, when the three-way valve is in a second position;
- 2) the burner once activated is configured to heat the liquid in the first heat exchanger;
- 3) the first heat exchanger is in fluid communication with the second heat exchanger such that the heated liquid may be transferred from the first heat exchanger to the second heat exchanger;
- and
- 4) the second heat exchanger is configured to indirectly heat the brewing ingredients contained in the vessel, when the heated liquid is inside the second heat exchanger.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.