Preparation of mixtures for the production of aerated beverages

A container feeding apparatus for preparing homogenous mixtures from liquid components having different viscosities, comprising:

• a variable flow rate pump for supplying a driving liquid component;
• means for supplying a driven liquid component;
• a loop line in which the mixture circulates continuously with constant speed and including
• a) a first inlet for receiving the supplied driving liquid component;
• b) gas diluting means connected at its first inlet to a source of compressed gas for supplying diluted gas to a second inlet of the loop line in a single direction;
• c) the means for supplying the driven liquid component being connected to a third inlet of the loop line and to an outlet of the diluting means;
• d) a mixer connected at its inlet to the outlet of the diluting means and to the third inlet of the loop line for mixing the driven and driving liquid components with the diluted compressed gas;
• an outlet of the loop line providing the homogenous mixture to a container feed line;
• and
• pump means located upstream of an outlet of the mixer for unidirectionally circulating the mixture in the loop line with a minimum slow rate that exceeds the flow rate in the container feed line.