US 4,304,736 A · Method of and apparatus for making and dispensing a carbonated beverage utilizing propellant carbon dioxide gas for carbonating

Abstract

A method of and apparatus for making and dispensing carbonated water; the method has the steps of using carbon dioxide propellant gas at a predetermined propellant pressure for propelling flat water through cooling coils and into a carbonator, pressurizing the carbonator at a predetermined storage pressure which is less than the propellant pressure, exhausting used propellant gas into cooled propellant water, commonly admitting water and exhausted gas into the carbonator while restricting and backing up the flowing propelled water and gas and mixing them together under a pressure above the storage pressure, and storing and dispensing under the storage pressure; flat water may also be selectively diverted and dispensed after cooling and before contact with exhausted propellant gas, and the propellant pressure may be boosted with municipal water pressure; the apparatus has a pneumatically powerable water pump, a carbonator, a propelled water conduit connecting a pump outlet to a carbonator inlet, a fill valve in the water conduit and under control of a carbonator water level sensor, a cooling coil in the water conduit, a carbon dioxide gas conduit having a propellant gas pressure regulator and outlet connected to the pump and a storage pressure regulator and outlet connected to the carbonator, an automatic vent valve for venting carbon dioxide from the carbonator, and a propellant gas exhaust conduit connecting a pump gas outlet to the propelled water conduit downstream of the cooling coil and upstream of a turbulator leading into a restrictor spray nozzle in the carbonator.

Claims33

Dependent claims

A method of making and dispensing carbonated water, comprising the steps of:

(a) pressurizing a carbonator with carbon dioxide gas a predetermined storage pressure;
(b) propelling initially flat water into the carbonator with carbon dioxide gas at predetermined propellant gas pressure, said propellant gas pressure being higher than the storage pressure;
(c) boosting the propellant gas pressure by applying municipal water pressure upon the water being propelled;
(d) exhausting used propellant carbon dioxide gas into the so-propelled flat water;
and
(e) mixing the used propellant gas and so-propelled water and forming carbonated water therefrom;
and
(f) storing and dispensing this carbonated water under the storage pressure.

5 more elements

Apparatus for making and dispensing carbonated water, comprising

(a) a pneumatically powerable water pump having a water inlet connectible to a source of flat water, a water outlet, a gas inlet, a gas outlet, and means for pneumatically propelling water while physically separating the water from the gas;
(b) a carbonator having an inlet, an outlet connected to a dispensing nozzle, and level control means for controlling the level of water within the carbonator at a level less than the height of the carbonator with there being a gas space above the water;
(c) a propelled water conduit connecting the pump water outlet to the carbonator inlet, said conduit having a normally closed valve which is operatively and controllably connected to said level control;
(d) a gas conduit connectible to a source of pressurized carbon dioxide gas, and having
(1) a first outlet connected to the pump gas inlet,
(2) propellant regulator means for regulating a predetermined pneumatic propellant pressure at said pump gas inlet,
(3) a second outlet connected to the carbonator, and
(4) storage regulator means for regulating a predetermined pneumatic storage pressure within the carbonator and on the water therein;
(e) means in said propelled water conduit for cooling flow of water therethrough;
(f) a propellant gas exhaust conduit fluidly connecting the pump gas outlet to the carbonator, said exhaust conduit having means for precluding reverse flow of exhausted gas back into the pump;
and
(g) means in fluid communication with the carbonator for venting any and all excess exhausted propellant gas therefrom.

9 more elements

A method of making and dispensing carbonated water, comprising the steps of

(a) propelling initially flat water into an atmosphere of carbon dioxide gas which is substantially devoid of the other gaseous constituents of atmospheric air, said propelling being done with and under the pressure of a quantity of propellant carbon dioxide gas which is in excess of a required quantity for a desired level of carbonation in the water and which is at a predetermined propellant pressure;
(b) exhausting the carbon dioxide gas after it has been used as the propellant, into direct and intimate contact with the propelled water;
(c) mixing the propelled water and exhausted propellant gas together while in intimate contact with each other, and forming carbonated water therefrom with the required quantity of carbon dioxide gas being taken into solution by the water;
(d) degassing the propelled water at least partially of its entrained gaseous constituents other than carbon dioxide during the step of mixing;
(e) venting the excess carbon dioxide gas and the degassed gaseous constituents to ambient;
and
(f) storing and dispensing the carbonated water under and in exposure to said atmosphere and at a storage pressure which is substantially less than the propellant pressure and which is at an equilibrium pressure for the desired level of carbonation.

4 more elements

Apparatus for making and dispensing carbonated water, comprising

(a) a pneumatically powerable variable speed and output water pump having a water inlet connectable to a source of flat water, a water outlet, a gas inlet, a gas outlet, and means for pneumatically propelling water while physically separating the water from the gas;
(b) a carbonator having an inlet, and an outlet connected to a dispensing nozzle;
(c) a propelled water conduit connecting the pump water outlet to the carbonator inlet, said conduit having valve means for allowing flow of water into the carbonator and for precluding reverse flow from the carbonator to the water pump;
(d) a gas conduit connectable to a source of pressurized carbon dioxide gas, and having
(1) a first outlet connected to the pump gas inlet,
(2) propellant regulator means for regulating a predetermined pneumatic propellant pressure at said pump gas inlet,
(3) a second outlet in fluid connection with the carbonator, and
(4) storage regulator means for regulating a predetermined pneumatic storage pressure within the carbonator;
(e) a propellant gas exhaust conduit fluidly connecting the pump gas outlet to the carbonator, said exhaust conduit having means for precluding reverse flow of exhausted gas back into the pump;
(f) a flat water conduit connected to means for dispensing flat water and to the propelled water conduit upstream of the valve means;
and
(g) a pair of volumetric flow controls operative for controlling the volumetric output and speed of the pump, with the first such control being in the flat water conduit and the second control being in the propelled water conduit downstream of the connection of the flat water conduit thereto.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method of and apparatus for making and dispensing a carbonated beverage utilizing propellant carbon dioxide gas for carbonating

Life of this patent

Method of and apparatus for making and dispensing a carbonated beverage utilizing propellant carbon dioxide gas for carbonating

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims33