Rapid fluid cooling and heating device and method
AssigneeThe Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
InventorsGregory H. Loibl, George Sidebotham
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Abstract
A method and device for rapidly changing at least one of the temperature and the state of a liquid in a container is provided. The container is rapidly rotated about its longitudinal axis. A source of a thin film of a medium having a different temperature than the liquid in the container is provided to thermally affect the container while rotating the container. The container is positioned at an angle to the horizontal of less than 45°, and the position of the container with respect to the thin film source is controlled by angling the axis of the container skewed from the axis of the rotating mechanism. The device can be used to cool liquids such as beverages, warm liquids such as infant formula, and/or make ice cream.
Claims122
A method of rapidly cooling a liquid in a container, the container having a longitudinal axis, comprising the steps of:
- a) rapidly rotating the container about its longitudinal axis;
- b) providing a source of a thin film of cooling medium to cool the container while performing said rotating step;
- wherein said rotating step is performed at a rate dependent upon the geometry of the container.
A method of rapidly cooling a liquid in a container, the container having a longitudinal axis, comprising the steps of:
- a) rapidly rotating the container about its longitudinal axis;
- b) providing a source of a thin film of cooling medium to cool the container while performing said rotating step;
- c) positioning the container at a first angle to the horizontal of less than 45°;
- and
- d) controlling the position of the container with respect to the thin film source,
- wherein said controlling step comprises the step of positioning the container at a second angle from a rotational axis of a rotating mechanism performing said rotating step and thereby urging the container to move along the rotating mechanism.
A method of rapidly cooling a liquid in a container, the container having a longitudinal axis, comprising the steps of:
- a) rapidly rotating the container about its longitudinal axis;
- b) providing a source of a thin film of cooling medium to cool the container while performing said rotating step, said step b) comprising the step of spraying the container with the cooling medium from a spray source;
- c) setting a predetermined time period for said rotating and spraying steps;
- and
- d) automatically ceasing said rotating and spraying steps upon expiration of the predetermined time period;
- e) overriding said automatic cessation step;
- and
- f) continuing to perform said spraying and rotating steps for a second predetermined period of time for extra cooling of the liquid in the container.
A method of rapidly cooling a liquid in a container, the container having a longitudinal axis, comprising the steps of:
- a) rapidly rotating the container about its longitudinal axis;
- b) providing a source of a thin film of cooling medium to cool the container while performing said rotating step;
- c) collecting the cooling medium in a reservoir;
- and
- d) cooling the cooling medium with a cooling element in thermal communication with the reservoir.
A method of rapidly warming a liquid in a container, the container having a longitudinal axis, comprising the steps of:
- rapidly rotating the container about its longitudinal axis;
- spraying the container with a warming medium from a spray source while performing said rotating step;
- wherein said rotating step is performed at a rate dependent upon the geometry of the container.
A method of rapidly warming a liquid in a container, the container having a longitudinal axis, comprising the steps of:
- rapidly rotating the container about its longitudinal axis;
- spraying the container with a warming medium from a spray source while performing said rotating step;
- positioning the container at a first angle to the horizontal of less than 45°;
- and
- controlling the position of the container with respect to the spray source;
- wherein said controlling step comprises the step of positioning the container at a second angle from a rotational axis of a rotating mechanism performing said rotating step and thereby urging the container to move along the rotating mechanism.
A method of rapidly warming a liquid in a container, the container having a longitudinal axis, comprising the steps of:
- rapidly rotating the container about its longitudinal axis;
- spraying the container with a warming medium from a spray source while performing said rotating step;
- collecting the warming medium in a reservoir;
- and
- heating the warming medium with a heating element in thermal communication with the reservoir.
A method of rapidly making ice cream in a container, the container having a longitudinal axis, comprising the steps of:
- a) rapidly rotating the container about its longitudinal axis;
- b) providing a source of a thin film of a cooling medium having a temperature below 0° C. to cool the container while performing said rotating step;
- c) positioning the container at a first angle to the horizontal of less than 45°;
- and
- d) controlling the position of the container with respect to the spray source,
- wherein said controlling step comprises the step of positioning the container at a second angle from a rotational axis of a rotating mechanism performing said rotating step and thereby urging the container to move along the rotating mechanism.
A method of rapidly changing at least one of the temperature and the state of a liquid in a container, the container having a longitudinal axis, comprising the steps of:
- a) rapidly rotating the container about its longitudinal axis;
- b) providing a source of a thin film of a medium having a different temperature than the liquid in the container to thermally affect the container while performing said rotating step;
- c) positioning the container at an angle to the horizontal of less than 45°;
- and
- d) passively controlling the position of the container with respect to the thin film source.
Apparatus for rapidly cooling a liquid in a container having a first longitudinal axis, comprising:
- a housing having a bottom and side walls defining an interior volume;
- a rotating mechanism having a second longitudinal axis disposed in said housing adapted to rotate a container placed in said interior volume about said first longitudinal axis;
- a lateral positioner disposed at an angle to said second longitudinal axis in said housing adapted to position the container;
- a spray jet spraying a cooling medium onto the container,
- wherein said lateral positioner causes the container to be at said angle to said second longitudinal axis.
Apparatus for rapidly warming a liquid in a container having a first longitudinal axis, comprising:
- a housing having a bottom and side walls defining an interior volume;
- a rotating mechanism having a second longitudinal axis disposed in said housing adapted to rotate a container placed in said interior volume about said first longitudinal axis;
- a lateral positioner disposed at an angle to said second longitudinal axis in said housing adapted to position the container;
- a spray jet spraying a warming medium onto the container,
- wherein said lateral positioner causes the container to be at an angle to said second longitudinal axis.
Apparatus for rapidly making ice cream, comprising:
- a container having a first longitudinal axis into which ice cream ingredients are disposable;
- a housing having a bottom and side walls defining an interior volume into which said container is placed;
- a rotating mechanism having a second longitudinal axis disposed in said housing adapted to rotate said container about said first longitudinal axis;
- a lateral positioner disposed at an angle to said second longitudinal axis in said housing adapted to position said container;
- and
- a spray jet spraying a cooling medium having a temperature below 0° C. onto said container,
- wherein when said container is placed within said interior volume, said lateral positioner causes said container to be at an angle to said second longitudinal axis.
Apparatus for rapidly changing at least one of the temperature and the slate of a liquid in a container, comprising:
- a housing having a bottom and side walls defining an interior volume;
- a rotating mechanism having a longitudinal axis disposed in said housing adapted to rotate a container about the container's longitudinal axis;
- a lateral positioner disposed at an angle to said longitudinal axis in said housing adapted to position the container;
- and
- a source of a thin film of a medium having a first temperature different from a second temperature of the liquid inside the container to thermally affect the container,
- wherein when the container is placed within said interior volume, said lateral positioner causes the container to be at an angle to said longitudinal axis.
Apparatus for rapidly cooling a liquid in a container, comprising:
- a housing having a bottom and side walls defining an interior volume, said housing being part of a refrigerator;
- a rotating mechanism having a longitudinal axis disposed in said housing adapted to rotate a container about the container's longitudinal axis;
- a source of a thin film of a cooling medium to cool the container,
- wherein when the container is placed within said interior volume, the thin film of cooling medium thermally communicates with the container while said rotating mechanism rotates the container,
- wherein said thin film source comprises at least one of a spray jet directing the cooling medium towards the container and a piece of ice disposed above the container in contact with the container, said ice forming a thin film of cold water as said ice melts and cools the liquid in the container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.