Beverage system for providing a cold beverage
A beverage system for providing a cold beverage is disclosed that includes a water supply unit for providing water, cooling means arranged downstream of the water supply unit 100 , dispensing means for dispensing a beverage arranged downstream of the cooling means, valve means arranged downstream of the cooling means and upstream of the dispensing means, and a control module adapted to operate the valve means. A beverage machine that includes the beverage system and methods for using the beverage machine are also disclosed.
1 . A beverage machine comprising:
a beverage system for providing a beverage, and
a mixing chamber configured for receiving beverage ingredients;
wherein the beverage system comprises:
a water supply for providing water;
a cooler for cooling the water provided by the water supply, wherein the cooler is downstream of the water supply;
a dispenser configured for dispensing the beverage, wherein the dispenser is downstream of the cooler;
a flowmeter configured for measuring a water flowrate, wherein the flowmeter is downstream of the water supply and upstream of the cooler;
a controller; and
a valve member being downstream of the cooler and upstream of the dispenser, wherein the valve member is controlled by the controller, and the controller operates the valve member based on either a sensed temperature of the water or a predetermined period of time to direct water from the cooler either (i) in a loop back to the cooler via a position upstream of the flowmeter and downstream of the water supply for a further cooling of the water, or (ii) to the dispenser for dispensing the cooled beverage;
wherein the valve member comprises a three-way valve including a single inlet, wherein the single inlet is configured to receive the water cooled by the cooler only; and wherein the beverage system is configured to provide the water cooled by the cooler to the valve member without dividing the water prior to the valve member;
wherein the cooler comprises a cooling circuit comprising at least a condenser, a heat exchanger, a compressor, and a throttle device which is arranged between the condenser and the heat exchanger; and
wherein the cooler has at least one of the following configurations:
(i) at least one of the condenser or the heat exchanger is selected from the group consisting of a micro channel heat exchanger, a plate heat exchanger, an adiabatic wheel heat exchanger, a plate fin heat exchanger, a pillow plate heat exchanger, a direct contact heat exchanger, and a spiral heat exchanger; or
(ii) the compressor is selected from the group consisting of a rotary compressor, an eccentric compressor, a piston compressor, and a linear compressor.
2 . The beverage machine according to claim 1 , wherein the controller operates the valve member based on the sensed temperature of the water.
3 . The beverage machine according to claim 2 , wherein the sensed temperature of the water is measured by a first temperature sensor upstream of the valve member and at a water outlet of the cooler.
4 . The beverage machine according to claim 3 , wherein the cooling circuit comprises a refrigerant selected from the group of 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (“R134a”), 2-methylpropene (“R600a”), propane (“R290”), monochlorodifluoromethane (“R22”) or carbon dioxide (“R744”) or a mixture thereof.
5 . The beverage machine according to claim 1 , wherein the water supply comprises a water tank and/or a connection configured for connecting the beverage system to a water pipe.
6 . The beverage machine according to claim 1 , further comprising a pump arranged downstream of the flowmeter and configured to provide adjustable pump outputs.
7 . The beverage machine according to claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to control the adjustable pump outputs of the pump, based on the water flowrate measured by the flowmeter, such that a predetermined constant water flowrate is provided.
8 . The beverage machine according to claim 7 , wherein the controller is adapted to provide an alarm signal and/or to stop the beverage system in case the water flowrate is below a predetermined minimum flowrate, wherein the predetermined minimum flowrate is in a range between 80 ml/min and 250 ml/min.
9 . The beverage machine according to claim 1 , wherein the condenser comprises a ventilator for cooling a refrigerant in the condenser, wherein the ventilator is configured to provide adjustable ventilation power controlled by the controller.
10 . The beverage machine according to claim 9 , wherein the controller is adapted to reduce a compression power of the compressor and/or the adjustable ventilation power of the ventilator when a first temperature sensor detects a temperature below a predetermined minimum temperature, wherein the predetermined minimum temperature is in a range between 2° C. and 10° C.
11 . The beverage machine according to claim 1 , wherein the beverage machine comprises a brewing module configured to receive a capsule and/or a pad containing beverage ingredients for beverage preparation.
12 . The beverage machine according to claim 1 , wherein the mixing chamber is configured for receiving the beverage ingredients dosed from a storage reservoir.
13 . The beverage machine according to claim 9 , wherein the beverage system further comprises an environmental temperature sensor configured for measuring environmental temperature, and wherein the controller is configured to control the adjustable ventilation power of the ventilator based on the environmental temperature.
14 . A beverage system for providing a cooled beverage, the beverage system comprising:
a water supply for providing water;
a cooler for cooling the water provided by the water supply, wherein the cooler is downstream of the water supply;
a dispenser configured for dispensing the cooled beverage, wherein the dispenser is downstream of the cooler;
a flowmeter configured for measuring a water flowrate, wherein the flowmeter is downstream of the water supply and upstream of the cooler;
a controller; and
a valve member being downstream of the cooler and upstream of the dispenser, wherein the valve member is controlled by the controller, and the controller operates the valve member based on either a sensed temperature of the water or a predetermined period of time to direct water from the cooler either (i) in a loop back to the cooler via a position upstream of the flowmeter and downstream of the water supply for a further cooling of the water, or (ii) to the dispenser for dispensing the cooled beverage;
wherein the valve member comprises a three-way valve including a single inlet, wherein the single inlet is configured to receive the water cooled by the cooler only; and wherein the beverage system is configured to provide the water cooled by the cooler to the valve member without dividing the water prior to the valve member;
wherein the cooler comprises a cooling circuit comprising at least a condenser, a heat exchanger, a compressor, and a throttle device which is arranged between the condenser and the heat exchanger; and
wherein the cooler has at least one of the following configurations:
(i) at least one of the condenser or the heat exchanger is selected from the group consisting of a micro channel heat exchanger, a plate heat exchanger, an adiabatic wheel heat exchanger, a plate fin heat exchanger, a pillow plate heat exchanger, a direct contact heat exchanger, and a spiral heat exchanger; or
(ii) the compressor is selected from the group consisting of a rotary compressor, an eccentric compressor, a piston compressor, and a linear compressor; and
wherein the compressor is configured to provide adjustable compression power controlled by the controller.
15 . The beverage system according to claim 14 , wherein the beverage system further comprises an environmental temperature sensor configured for measuring environmental temperature, and wherein the controller is configured to control the adjustable compression power of the compressor based on the environmental temperature.
16 . A beverage system for providing a cooled beverage, the beverage system comprising:
a water supply for providing water;
a cooler for cooling the water provided by the water supply, wherein the cooler is downstream of the water supply;
a dispenser configured for dispensing the cooled beverage, wherein the dispenser is downstream of the cooler;
a flowmeter configured for measuring a water flowrate, wherein the flowmeter is downstream of the water supply and upstream of the cooler;
a controller; and
a valve member being downstream of the cooler and upstream of the dispenser, wherein the valve member is controlled by the controller, and the controller operates the valve member according to predetermined time patterns to direct water from the cooler either (i) in a loop back to the cooler via a position upstream of the flowmeter and downstream of the water supply for a further cooling of the water, or (ii) to the dispenser for dispensing the cooled beverage,
wherein the predetermined time patterns are stored in a memory of the controller;
wherein the valve member comprises a three-way valve including a single inlet, wherein the single inlet is configured to receive the water cooled by the cooler only; and wherein the beverage system is configured to provide the water cooled by the cooler to the valve member without dividing the water prior to the valve member;
wherein the cooler comprises a cooling circuit comprising at least a condenser, a heat exchanger, a compressor, and a throttle device which is arranged between the condenser and the heat exchanger; and
wherein the cooler has at least one of the following configurations:
(i) at least one of the condenser or the heat exchanger is selected from the group consisting of a micro channel heat exchanger, a plate heat exchanger, an adiabatic wheel heat exchanger, a plate fin heat exchanger, a pillow plate heat exchanger, a direct contact heat exchanger, and a spiral heat exchanger; or
(ii) the compressor is selected from the group consisting of a rotary compressor, an eccentric compressor, a piston compressor, and a linear compressor.