Patent ID: 6449970
Filing Date: 2002-09-17
Classification: B67D

Abstract:
A comestible fluid refrigeration used to cool comestible fluid in a fluid dispensing apparatus, the system, comprising:a compressor; a condenser coupled to the compressor; a refrigerant expander coupled to the condenser; a heat exchanger coupled to the refrigerant expander and the compressor, the heat exchanger having: a comestible fluid input port for receiving comestible fluid; a comestible fluid output port for discharging cooled comestible fluid; a refrigerant input port for receiving refrigerant from the refrigerant expander; and a refrigerant output port for discharging refrigerant from the heat exchanger; a valve coupled between the heat exchanger and the compressor, the valve being adjustable to increase and decrease comestible fluid temperature discharged from the fluid output port of the heat exchanger by increase and decrease of refrigerant pressure within the heat exchanger, respectively; a bypass regulator in fluid communication between the compressor and a point between and including the refrigerant expander and the heat exchanger, the bypass regulator adjustable to open and close fluid communication between the compressor and the heat exchanger; a temperature sensor positioned to detect temperature of comestible fluid in the fluid dispensing apparatus; and a system controller coupled to the temperature sensor, the system controller responsive to comestible fluid temperatures measured by the temperature sensor by automatically adjusting the bypass regulator to increase or decrease pressure in the heat exchange.