Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a method for producing a solid granular frozen mass of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, wherein the beverages are frozen into a granular mass which is conveyed into the glass through the tap. The invention also relates to a device for embodiment of the method.

Background of the invention

To cool alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages poured into a glass ice cubes are added/ which maintain the lower temperature of the beverage during their dissolution. This known cdolihg procedure is used also with fruit beer. Adding ice cubes to a beverage, however, thins it partially, thus degrading the quality and concentration of beverages. Ice cubes are not added to either tap or bottled classical beer, because this would degrade its quality and taste entirely.

Object of the invention

The aforementioned disadvantages of known methods of cooling alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are removed by the method of producing a consistent granular frozen mass of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages according to the invention. The object of the invention is that the beverage under a pressure of 1 to 3 bars is fed into the inner tube of the freezing double-shell exchanger, cold freezing glycol with a temperature of -12 to -16 °C flowing in the outer tube of the double-shell exchanger acts on this inner tube of the double-shell exchanger with introduced beverage for 8-16 min; until the beverage is frozen inside the inner tube. Then the action of the cold freezing glycol on the inner tube of the double-skin exchanger is stopped. Subsequently, hot defrosting glycol with temperature of +20 to +40 °C is fed into the outer tube of the double-shell exchanger, and its action will release the frozen beverage from the wall of the inner tube of the double-shell exchanger after 10 - 30 seconds. The release of the frozen beverage from the inner tube of the double- shell exchanger is followed by breaking the frozen beverage into the granular frozen material. The apparatus for embodiment of the method consists of a technological line, the individual parts of which are interconnected and consisting of a beverage container to which a double-shell exchanger is connected, this double-shell exchanger consists of an inner tube in which the beverage is frozen and an outer tube into which the cold freezing glycol or hot defrosting glycol is fed. On the side of the beverage outlet to the inner tube, an inlet shut-off element for the cold freezing glycol output and an inlet shgt-off element for hot defrosting glycol output is connected to the outer tube of the double-shell exchanger. On the side of the frozen beverage outlet from the inner tube, an inlet shut-off element of cold freezing glycol and an inlet shut-off element of hot defrosting glycol are connected to the outer tube of the double-shell exchanger. A condensation unit is also in the technological line, which is connected to a second cold freezing glycol tank and to a third hot defrosting glycol tank. On the outer tube of the double-shell exchanger, a third sensor is located which is connected to a regulator which controls the freezing temperature of the beverage and a fourth sensor, connected to a regulator which controls the defrosting temperature of the beverage inside the inner tube.

The advantage of the invention is that the prepared beverage, alcoholic or nonalcoholic, is supplied in a consistent frozen granular form. After the granules are dissolved, the resulting beverage is 100% of its original concentration, the quality and flavor of the beverage are retained, while the gradual dissolution of the granules ensures a low temperature of the beverage throughout its consumption.

Summary of figures in drawings

The invention is described in detail in the accompanying drawings, which schematically illustrate the technological line to produce frozen granules and their output through taps.

Description of embodiments

The exemplary embodiments described below are for illustration only, not limiting the possible embodiments of the invention to the examples herein. Example 1

Production of a consistent frozen granular mass from a non-alcoholic beverage and feeding of this granular mass, e.g. juices and various kinds of lemonades and other non-alcoholic beverages, into the tap.

This example further illustrates the formation of a consistent granular frozen mass (frozen granules) from non-alcoholic beverages, wherein the frozen granules are introduced into the tap of the tapping device where they are added to the beverage.

The non-alcoholic beverage from the container 4 under pressure of 1 to 3 bars is fed through tubing into the cooling coil 18 and coil 19 for pre-cooling of the beverage. Both coils 18 and 19 in the first tank 1 are cooled by glycol with temperature of +1 to +4°C. The glycol temperature inside the first tank 1 is monitored by the first sensor 22 of the first controller (controller description see example 4). In the cooling coil 8 made as beverage cooler, the beverage cools to a temperature of about +4 to +8°C and is prepared here for the subsequent output to the tap 16, as soon as the frozen granules output from the tap 15 are ready. In the coil 19, which acts as a pre-cooler, the glycol also pre-cools the beverage to a temperature of about +4 to +8°C to accelerate the subsequent freezing of the beverage. The pre-cooled beverage from coil 19 is fed under pressure of about 1 - 3 bars into the inner tube 20.1 of the double-shell exchanger 20 where the beverage is frozen. After feeding the beverage into the inner tube 20.1 , cold glycol is fed into the outer tube 20.2 of the double-shell exchanger 20 and the glycol temperature is monitored by second sensor 26 and set by the second controller. The second controller also controls the operation of the condenser unit 5 according to the required temperature of glycol in the second tank 2. The second controller sets the required temperature for freezing of the beverage fed into the inner tube 20.1 of the double-shell exchanger 20, which is -12°C for nonalcoholic beverage. For one cycle of beverage freezing, about 0.5 liters of beverage will fit into the inner tube 20.1 to form five to six batches of frozen granules. After filling the inner tube 20.1 the cold freezing glycol inlet shut-off valve H and outlet shut-off valve 12 open and the pump 6 starts, which transports the cold freezing glycol with set temperature -12°C from the second tank 2 into the outer tube 20.2 of the exchanger 20. This cold glycol circulates in the outer tube 20.2 for approx. 8 min., until the beverage in the inner tube 20.1 freezes. The freezing end temperature is sensed by the third sensor 23 of the third controller, where the switch-off temperature is set to -10 ° C for a non-alcoholic beverage.

After freezing the beverage within the inner tube 20.1 , the inlet shut-off valve H and the outlet valve 12 of the cold-freezing glycol are closed. Now the process of releasing the frozen beverage from the inner tube wall 20.1 begins. The inlet shut-off valve 13 and the outlet shut-off valve 14 of hot glycol open, and hot defrosting glycol with temperature +20 to +40°C is fed into the outer tube 20.2 of the double-shell exchanger 20 from the third tank 3 through the third pump 7. The glycol in the third tank 3 is heated by the hot steam from the condenser unit 5 through the small exchanger 25 built into the third tank 3. The glycol temperature in the third tank 3 is monitored with the fifth sensor 27 of the fifth controller. After about 20 seconds, the hot defrosting glycol will release the frozen beverage from the walls of the inner tube 20.1 of the double-shell exchanger 20. The end defrosting temperature is set to +4°C and is monitored by the fourth sensor 24 of the fourth controller. The released frozen beverage is pushed by the pressure of 1-3 bars in the container 4, through the piping in the direction of the tap 15, from which the frozen granules are discharged. Along the way to the tap 15, the frozen beverage-granules proceed through piping that is arranged to form 90° angles where the frozen beverage breaks and creates the frozen granules. During the final pour of the beverage, from the frozen granules tap 15 approx. 0.1 I of frozen granules are poured and the cooled beverage added from tap 16, which, as mentioned above, is fed to the tap 16 from the cooling coil 18. This process can be also reversed, when first the cooled beverage is poured from tap 16 and subsequently the frozen granules are added to the beverage from tap 15. The temperatures of glycol required for pre-cooling, freezing and release of the frozen beverage from the wall of the inner tube 20.1 are provided by the condenser unit 5.

Example 2

Producing consistent frozen granular mass from an alcoholic beverage with alcohol contents up to 5%. The procedure for production of frozen granules from alcoholic beverages with alcohol contents up to 5% is identical with example 1 ; only the temperature of freezing glycol is lowered to -14°C and the end freezing temperature to -12°C. These temperatures also apply for all kinds of beer and cider. Example 3

The procedure for production of frozen granules from alcoholic beverages with alcohol contents up to 10% is identical with example 1 ; only the temperature of freezing glycol is lowered to -16°C and the end freezing temperature to -14°C. These temperatures also apply for all kinds of white wine and sparkling wine.

Example 4

Device.

The device for the production of frozen granules according to the preceding examples consists of a technological line, the main parts of which are interconnected with the food-compatible piping. These main parts include beverage container 4, containing the beverage for freezing and consumption, first tank 1 with glycol of temperature +1 to +4 °C and cooling coils 18 and 19, second tank 2 with freezing glycol of temperature -12 to -16 °C, double-shell exchanger 20, in which the freezing of the beverage takes place, third tank 3 with beverage defrosting glycol of temperature +20 to +40 °C, condenser unit 5_output taps 15 and 16 for pouring the frozen granules and the cold beverage. The technological line also includes the distributor cabinet with the control electronics including all the controllers that control the glycol temperature inside individual tanks. The controllers are designated as first to fifth in the text as described below. The distributor cabinet and the first to fifth controllers are not illustrated in the figure.

To the beverage container 4 which can be for example a stainless steel vessel, a cooling coil 8 for cooling of the beverage and coil 19 for pre-cooling of beverage are connected through piping. Both coils 18 and 19 are placed in the first tank 1 which is filled with glycol cooled to temperature of +1 to +4 °C. To the cooling coil 18 is connected the tap 16 for pouring of the cooled beverage. The first tank T also contains the mixer 8 for mixing of glycol and the first sensor 22 of the first controller that controls the temperature in tank To the first tank 1, the transfer pump 9 is connected, which siphons out the glycol from the second tank 2, while pump 9 is controlled by the first controller.

To the coil 19 the double-shell exchanger 20 is connected. The double-shell exchanger 20 consists of the inner tube 20.1 where freezing of the beverage takes place and of the outer tube 20.2, into which the cold freezing glycol or hot defrosting glycol is fed. The outer tube 20.2 is copper and the outflow is brass. The inner tube 20.1 is plastic food tubing with length of approx. 5 m and 10 mm diameter. The double-shell exchanger 20 is connected to the second tank 2, filled with cold freezing glycol with temperature -12 to -16 °C. In the second tank 2, the second sensor 26 of the second controller and the pump 6 are located. The second controller controls the temperature of the cold freezing glycol for its entry into the outer tube 20.2 of the double-shell exchanger 20. The outer tube 20.2 of the double-shell exchanger 20 is on its first side 20.4, i.e. on the side where the frozen beverage enters the inner tube 20.1 , fitted with the inlet shut-off valve H of the cold freezing glycol and the inlet shut-off valve 13 of the hot defrosting glycol. The outer tube 20.2 of the double-shell exchanger 20 is on its second side 20.3, i.e. on the side, where the pre-cooled beverage enters the inner tube 20.1 from the coil 19, fitted with the outlet shut-off valve 12 of the cold freezing glycol and the outlet shut-off valve 14 of the hot defrosting glycol. To the second tank 2, the condenser unit 5 is connected which ensures cooling of the cold freezing glycol in the second tank 2 through the evaporator 17 located in the second tank 2. The evaporator 17 is made of a copper tube with 12 mm diameter. The injection of the liquid coolant into the evaporator 17 is controlled by the thermostatic expansion valve 10. The second pump 6 pumps the cold freezing glycol with temperature -12 to -16 °C through the inlet shut-off valve 11 to the outer tube 20.2 of the exchanger 20.

For monitoring the freezing and defrosting temperatures of the beverage inside the inner tube 20.1 , on the outer tube 20.2 on the side of the outlet shut-off valves 12 and 14 there are the third sensor 23 and the fourth sensor 24 connected. The third sensor 23 is part of the third controller that controls freezing of the beverage inside the inner tube 20.1. The fourth sensor 24 is part of the fourth controller that controls defrosting of the beverage inside the inner tube 20.1. The inlet shut-off valve 13 and the outlet shut-off valve 14 are connected to the third tank 3. The third tank 3 stores the defrosting glycol with temperature +20 to +40 °C (i.e. glycol for releasing the frozen beverage from the wall of the inner tube 20.1). The third tank 3 is connected to the condenser unit 5 through piping. Glycol in the third tank 3 is heated by the condensation heat from the condenser unit 5 through the small exchanger 25. To the third tank 3 _^ also the third pump 7 and the fifth sensor 27 of the fifth controller are connected. The third pump 7 supplies the hot defrosting glycol to the outer tube 20.2 of the double-shell exchanger 20. The fifth sensor 27 of the fifth controller monitors the glycol temperature in the third tank 3. The fifth controller controls the temperature in tank 3. The tap 15 of frozen granules is connected to the outlet 20.4 of the double- shell exchanger 20. Between the first tank 1 and second tank 2 there is the level overflow 21 which returns glycol from the first tank to the second tank 2. The first tank 1 and the second tank 2 are level-type, the third 3 is a pressure-less closed tank.

Example 5

Device.

The device as described in Example 4, but the tank with glycol of temperature +1 to +4 °C is removed from the technological line. The beverage is fed from the container 4 directly without pre-cooling into the inner tube 20.1 of the double-shell exchanger 20 and to the tap 16. Removing tank with coils 18 and 19 will extend the time necessary for freezing the beverage in the inner tube 20.1 of the double-shell exchanger 20 by approx. 5 to 10 min.

Example 6

Device.

The device as described in Example 4, but the tank 1 with glycol of temperature +1 to +4 °C is removed from the technological line. The beverage in container 4 is pre- cooled to +4 to +8 °C. Removing tank 1 and pre-cooling the beverage in container 4 does not extend the time for granule production and is identical to Example 4

The devices described in Examples 4, 5 and 6 with one double-shell exchanger can provide five to six batches of frozen granules in one freezing cycle of 0.5 liters of beverage. For larger scale operation and requirements for more powerful device, two and more double-shell exchangers 20 can be installed in parallel together with doubling or multiplying the output of the condenser unit 5, exchanger 17, cooling and pre-cooling coils 18 and 19. List of reference signs

1 first glycol tank with temperature +1 to +4 °C

2 second glycol tank with temperature -12 to -16 °C

3 third glycol tank with temperature +20 to +40 °C

4 beverage container

5 condenser unit (cooling unit)

6 second glycol pump

7 third glycol pump

8 mixer

9 transfer pump

10 expansion valve

11 inlet shut-off valve of the cold freezing glycol

12 outlet shut-off valve of the cold freezing glycol

13 inlet shut-off valve of the hot defrosting glycol

14 outlet shut-off valve of the hot defrosting glycol

15 tap for frozen granules

16 tap for cooled beverage

17 evaporator

18 cooling coil for cooling of beverage

9 coil for pre-cooling of beverage

20 double-shell exchanger

20.1 inner tube of the double-shell exchanger

20.2 outer tube of the double-shell exchanger

20.3 inlet of beverage into the inner tube of the exchanger

20.4 outlet of frozen beverage from the inner tube of the exchanger

21 level overflow

22 the first sensor of the first controller controls the temperature of tank 1

23 the third sensor of the third controller controls the temperature of end of freezing

24 the fourth sensor of the fourth controller controls the temperature of end of defrosting

25 small exchanger

26 the second sensor of the second controller controls the temperature of tank 2

27 the fifth sensor of the fifth controller controls the temperature of tank 3