Abstract:
A beer and beverage chilling assembly and method utilizes a tank filled with a cooling solution with a temperature of less than 30° F., and an air bubbler or mechanical agitator in the tank to keep the solution from freezing. A rack in the tank supports beer cans and bottles which are submerged in the cooling solution to produce super chilled beer having a temperature less than 30° F. The cooling method allows the can or bottle to be opened after being super-cooled without the beer freezing or turning to slush.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 of a provisional application Ser. No. 62/199,289 filed Jul. 31, 2015, which application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    In the United States, beer is normally served cold. Refrigerated cans and bottles of beer are usually at a temperature around 40° F. In comparison, tap beer is often served at 34-38° F. Some consumers try to lower the beer temperature by placing the can or bottle in a freezer for a period of time, which runs the risk of freezing the beer or getting the beer too cold such that it turns to slush upon opening of the can or bottle, both of which are undesirable. If the beer is left in the freezer too long, the beer will turn to slush when the can or bottle is opened due to a combination of the release of carbon dioxide and the decrease of pressure, both of which contribute to raise the freezing temperature of the beer, as compared to the freezing point when the can or bottle is closed and under pressure. 
         [0003]    For many beer drinkers, the colder the beer, the better, as long as the beer is not frozen or slushy in the can or bottle when opened. Therefore, there is a demand for super chilled beer. The freezing point of beer depends upon its alcohol content. The freezing point decreases as the alcohol content increases. Most beer has an alcohol content of approximately 3-8%, which has freezing temperatures of approximately 26-30° F. 
         [0004]    Therefore, the primary objective of the present invention is the provision of a process and apparatus for super chilling beer to a temperature below 30° F. without freezing the beer or causing slush formation upon opening of the beer can or bottle. 
         [0005]    Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a process and apparatus which utilizes a water/glycol solution to super cool beer, soda, and other beverages in cans and bottles submerged in the solution to a temperature of approximately 24-28° F. 
         [0006]    A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a process and apparatus for controlled cooling of canned and bottled beer to a temperature of below 30° F. 
         [0007]    Still another objective of the present invention is a provision of a beer chilling assembly wherein beer containers are placed in a tank and submerged in a cooling solution to super chill the beer in the containers. 
         [0008]    Yet another objective of the present invention is the provision of a chiller assembly to super chill beer stored on racks in a tank filled with a liquid coolant to chill the beer to approximately 27° F. 
         [0009]    A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a method and apparatus which quickly and economically chills canned and bottled beverages to a super cold temperature without freezing or causing slush formation when a can or bottle is opened. 
         [0010]    These and other objectives have become apparent from the following description of the invention. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    The beer super-cooling process and apparatus utilizes an insulated tank or cooler having racks therein to hold the cans or bottle in an upright position. A solution of water and glycol fills the tank such that the cans and bottles are at least 80% submerged in the solution. Cooling coils in the bottom of the tank have a refrigerant running through so as to cool the water/glycol mixture and thereby cool the cans and bottles of beer or other alcoholic beverages. Air is introduced into the solution at one or more points in the tank, to keep the solution from freezing. The cans and bottled are preferably pre-cooled in a refrigerator to a temperature of no more than 38° F. before placing the containers in the solution. The end result is a beer temperature of approximately 24-29° F., and the container being openable without the beer turning slushy. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention to super chill beer. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is another perspective view of the apparatus, according to the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a view of the apparatus showing the cooling coil in the bottom of the tank. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a schematic sketch of the beer chilling system of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]    The apparatus  10  to super chill beer generally includes an insulated cooler or tank  12 . Preferably, a rack  14  is provided in the tank  12  to hold cans  13  and bottles  15  of beer, or other beverages in an upright standing position. A chilling plate  16 , such as a coil of copper tubing, is located in the bottom of the cooler  12 , beneath the rack  14 . A refrigeration system  18  is connected to the chill plate or coil  16 , so that a refrigerant fluid such as glycol, flows through an inlet line  20  to the chill plate tubing and back to the refrigeration system  18  through a return line  22 . Thus, the cooling fluid circulates between the chill plate  16  and the refrigeration system  18 . 
         [0017]    The cooler  12  is partially filled with a cooling solution  24  so that the beer cans  13  and bottles  15  are substantially submerged in the liquid  24 . The cooling solution  24  is preferably a mixture of water and glycol in a ratio of approximately 4.5-5:1. 
         [0018]    The cooler  12  includes an airline or loop, preferably located beneath the chill plate  16 . The airline  26  is connected to an air source, such as a compressor  28 , and has holes so as to inject air into the solution  24  in the tank  12 . A fluid injector or pump  30  is operatively connected between the air compressor  28  and the cooler tank  12  to supply air to the air line  26  for injection of air into the solution  24 , which helps to circulate the solution  24  around the cans  13  and bottles  15  and precludes freezing of the solution  24 . The fluid injector  30  substitutes glycol for the conventional pump oil, such that a small amount of glycol is present in the air line  26 , to prevent moisture in the air from freezing and clogging the holes in the air line  26 , due to the cold temperature of the adjacent chill plate  16 . A regular connected to the air pump  28  controls the volume of air being injected into the cooler tank  12 . 
         [0019]    The refrigeration or chilling unit  18  circulates the glycol, or other refrigerant, in a closed loop, through the chilling plate  16  in the tank  12 , so as to cool the bath solution  24  circulating around the beer cans  13  and bottles  15 . 
         [0020]    In the preferred embodiment, the refrigerant has a freeze point of approximately 10° F. and the bath solution  24  in the cooler tank  12  has a freeze point of approximately 20° F. The refrigeration unit  18  is set at approximately 22-24° F. which will maintain the bath solution at approximately 24-26° F. The content of the cans  13  and bottles  15  will be cooled by the solution to 24-27° F., depending on how long these containers are in the cooler  12 . For example, it typically takes approximately 30 minutes for beer placed in the cooler at 33° F. to be chilled to 27° F. or colder. The process produces beer that does not freeze, or turn to slush when the cans  13  or bottles  15  are opened. 
         [0021]    The bath solution  24  is monitored to maintain the desired depth in the tank, as well as the desired freeze point. Solution  24  is lost from the tank when the cans  13  or bottles  14  are removed, and by evaporation. The bath solution  24  also absorbs moisture from the ambient air, which will also effect its freeze temperature. 
         [0022]    The cooler  12  is water-tight or leak-proof, and can take any convenient configuration or shape. For example, the cooler  12  can be rectangular, L-shaped, or square. The rack  14  fits the shape of the cooler  12 , and preferably is removably mounted therein for cleaning and maintenance. The rack  14  may include dividing walls to help keep the cans  13  and bottles  15  upright. The walls and floor of the rack have holes or other openings to permit the cooling solution  24  to circulate throughout the cooler tank  12 . 
         [0023]    The refrigeration system itself is conventional, and generally includes a glycol holding tank, a compressor, an evaporator, a condenser, a pump, and a motor. 
         [0024]    When beer is not being dispensed or sold, or the tank is otherwise not in use, a lid or lids can be mounted over the tank to enclose the contents. The lid(s) can be sliding or hinged. A lock can be provided on the lid to secure the tank when beer is not being dispensed, such as overnight. 
         [0025]    It is understood that the components of the apparatus can take many variations, without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the cooling plate  16  can be metal, plastic, rubber, or composite tubing having heat transfer properties. Fins can be attached to the plate, if the plate is made from metal, such as copper, brass, stainless steel, or aluminum. The cooling plate  16  can also be in the form of a radiator. The cooler plate  16  may have glycol from the chiller unit  18  circulating through the tubing, or maybe directly chilled with Freon or ammonia from the refrigerator system  18 . Alternatively, the chiller plate  16  can be placed in a separate liquid bath to absorb and disperse heat. The heat transfer system for the chiller plate  16  can also be provided by a stand alone refrigerator or freezer, a walk-in refrigerator or freezer using air circulation as the means for heat transfer. The heat transfer system can also use ice mixed with antifreeze or salt water to lower the freezing temperature to 27° F. or less. Another option is the use of dry ice for maintaining the cooler plate at a desired temperature. As a further alternative, the cooler plate  16  can be eliminated, and the liquid bath  24  cooled directly by circulation through any of the above described refrigeration or cooling systems. 
         [0026]    The refrigeration system  18 , which preferably uses the glycol, can be installed locally adjacent the tank  12 , or can be positioned remotely from the tank  12  with appropriate conduits extending between the refrigerator system  18  and the tank  12 . The glycol refrigerator system can be air cooled or water cooled. A freezer, geo-thermal system, or heat pump can also be used as a substitute for the refrigeration system. 
         [0027]    While the liquid bath  24  is preferably a water/glycol solution, alternative solutions include salt water, or other anti-freezing solutions which freeze at a desired temperature, preferably less than 27° F. For example, when the solution  24  is adjusted to freeze at 25° F., ice will form and build up around the cooling coils  16 . This bank of ice at 25° F. helps maintain the bath temperature at the desired level, even when warmer beer is added to the tank  12  or when ambient temperature are higher. Preferably, the bath solution  24  is circulated via a pump, which may be outside the tank or submerged in the tank. Similarly, air for airline  26  can circulated using an air compressor, diaphragm, or vein-type pump. Bottled compressed gas can also be used for the air line  26 . 
         [0028]    A propeller or paddle wheel can be used in the tank  10 , in place of the air line  26 , to prevent freezing of the solution  24 . 
         [0029]    The rack  14  can take various forms, and can be made from metal, rubber, or composite material. While the rack may be eliminated, the use of the rack helps maintain the beverage cans  13  and bottles  15  in an orderly fashion, and helps with stock rotation so that the persons serving the beer knows which beer has been in the rack for the longest period of time. The rack preferably includes perforations, holes, or other openings for circulation of the solution  24 , or can be made as a wire shelf for solution circulation. The rack  14  can also be made so as to be lifted out by the server with multiple cans or bottles of beer for serving. An empty rack can also be easily removed and replaced with a stocked rack having beverage containers to be super-chilled. 
         [0030]    As one example of operation of the beer chilling system  10 , the components start at room temperature, and the cooler  12  is filled with beer cans  13  and/or bottles  15 . The bath solution  24  is cooled to approximately 25° F. in about 4-5 hours. Ice may begin to form on the cooler plate, which helps stabilize the bath temperature at 25° F., by insulating the bath solution from the refrigerate circulating from the refrigeration unit  18 . The refrigerant from the refrigeration unit may drop to as low as 17° F., and continue to build up ice around the cooler plate  16 , up to two inches thick. During busy times when warmer cans and bottles of beer are being replenished to the cooler, the bank of ice will partially melt and maintain the 25° F. bath temperature. Preferably, the fresh cans of beer added to the cooler are pre-chilled in a refrigerator to a conventional temperature of 32-38° F., which allows these new containers of beer to be super chilled to approximately 27° F. in 15-20 minutes. In comparison, room temperature cans of beer added to the cooler  12  will take about an hour to chill to 27° F., which is a less desirable option than re-stocking with pre-chilled beer containers. 
         [0031]    The invention has been shown and described above with the preferred embodiments, and it is understood that many modifications, substitutions, and additions may be made which are within the intended spirit and scope of the invention. From the foregoing, it can be seen that the present invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.