Carbon dioxide precooling system for a carbonator

A carbon dioxide precooling system, linked with a carbon dioxide source and with a carbonator, for aiding in carbonated water formation includes a carbon dioxide line linked with the carbon dioxide source at an inlet and with the carbonator at an outlet. As such, carbon dioxide travels from the carbon dioxide source, across the carbon dioxide line, and to the carbonator. The carbon dioxide precooling system includes a cooling device in cooperative engagement with the carbon dioxide line. The cooling device sufficiently cools the carbon dioxide within the carbon dioxide line prior to entering the carbonator thereby aiding in the formation of carbonated water within the carbonator.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 1. Field of the Invention
 The present invention generally relates to dispensing equipment and, more
 particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a carbon dioxide precooling
 system for a carbonator that cools carbon dioxide prior its introduction
 into a carbonator tank.
 2. Description of the Related Art
 Typically, beverage dispenser systems dispense a beverage flavor syrup
 mixed with either plain water to form a drink, such as punch, or
 carbonated water to form a carbonated drink, such as cola. Beverage
 dispenser systems often include carbonators for providing carbonated
 water.
 Current carbonators include a tank with an interior portion wherein
 carbonated water is formed and collected. A carbon dioxide inlet, having
 one end in communication with a carbon dioxide source and another end in
 communication with the interior portion of the tank, delivers pressurized
 carbon dioxide from the carbon dioxide source to the interior portion of
 the tank. A water inlet, having one end in communication with a plain
 water source, such as water from a public water line, and another end in
 communication with the interior portion of the tank, delivers water from
 the plain water source to the interior portion of the tank. Upon their
 entry, plain water and carbon dioxide combine under pressure within the
 interior portion of the tank to form carbonated water. The newly formed
 carbonated water collects in the tank and exits through an outlet to a
 beverage dispenser system's dispensing valves.
 A beverage flavor syrup line, having one end in communication with a syrup
 source and another end in communication with the dispensing valves,
 delivers beverage flavor syrup to the dispensing valves to ultimately form
 a desired beverage. As such, beverage flavor syrup combines with either
 plain or carbonated water to form a drink or a carbonated drink,
 respectively.
 Current carbonator design does not provide for the cooling of carbon
 dioxide prior to entering the tank. In particular, the tank receives
 carbon dioxide at ambient temperature directly from the carbon dioxide
 source. Employing carbon dioxide at ambient temperature to form carbonated
 water greatly diminishes the absorption of carbon dioxide by the water,
 thereby resulting in carbonated water that is less than favorable and
 having a greater potential for forming "flat" carbonated drinks.
 Additionally, in that it is highly desirable in the industry to serve
 carbonated drinks at the coldest temperature possible, kinetic theory
 dictates that the high level of molecular activity associated with the
 pressure head of ambient temperature carbon dioxide unfavorably raises the
 overall temperature of carbonated water formed within the tank.
 Accordingly, there is a long felt need for cooling carbon dioxide prior to
 its introduction into a carbonator tank to enhance the process for forming
 carbonated water.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 In accordance with the present invention, a carbon dioxide precooling
 system, linked with a carbon dioxide source and with a carbonator
 including a carbonator tank, for aiding in carbonated water formation
 includes a carbon dioxide line linked with the carbon dioxide source at an
 inlet and with the carbonator tank at an outlet. Additionally, the carbon
 dioxide precooling system includes a cooling device in cooperative
 engagement with the carbon dioxide line. As such, carbon dioxide travels
 from the carbon dioxide source, across the carbon dioxide line, and to the
 carbonator tank. The cooling device sufficiently cools the carbon dioxide
 within the carbon dioxide line prior to entering the carbonator tank
 thereby aiding in the formation of carbonated water within the carbonator
 tank.
 In a first embodiment of a carbon dioxide precooling system, the cooling
 device is a cold plate with a cold plate housing. The carbon dioxide line
 is thus positioned along the cold plate housing to sufficiently cool the
 carbon dioxide within the carbon dioxide line. In a second embodiment of a
 carbon dioxide precooling system, the cooling device includes a cooling
 chamber with cooling fluid disposed therein and a refrigeration unit in
 cooperative engagement with the cooling chamber for sufficiently cooling
 the cooling fluid. The carbon dioxide line is thus submerged within the
 cooling fluid to sufficiently cool the carbon dioxide within the carbon
 dioxide line.
 The carbon dioxide precooling system may further include a beverage
 dispenser containing dispensing valves for dispensing a desired drink
 therefrom, such as cola or punch. The carbon dioxide precooling system may
 provide a water line linked with a water source at one end and with the
 carbonator tank at another end such that water travels from the water
 source, across the water line, and to the carbonator tank. The carbon
 dioxide precooling system may provide a beverage flavor syrup line linked
 with a syrup source at an inlet and with the dispensing valves at an
 outlet whereby beverage flavor syrup travels from the syrup source, across
 the beverage flavor syrup line, and to the dispensing valves. Accordingly,
 the water line may be positioned in cooperative engagement with the
 cooling device such that the water within the water line is sufficiently
 cooled prior to entering the carbonator tank. The beverage flavor syrup
 line may be positioned in cooperative engagement with the cooling device
 such that the beverage flavor syrup within the beverage favor syrup line
 is sufficiently cooled prior to entering the dispensing valves.
 Furthermore, the carbon dioxide precooling system may include a carbonated
 water line linked with the carbonator tank at an inlet and with the
 dispensing valves at an outlet whereby carbonated water travels from the
 carbonator tank, across the carbonated water line, and to the dispensing
 valves. The carbonated water line may be positioned in cooperative
 engagement with the cooling device such that the carbonated water within
 carbonated water line is sufficiently cooled prior to entering the
 dispensing valves.
 In accordance with the present invention, a method for aiding in the
 formation of carbonated water includes linking a carbon dioxide line with
 a carbon dioxide source to receive a supply of carbon dioxide across the
 carbon dioxide line. The carbon dioxide line is linked with a carbonator
 for delivering carbon dioxide to the carbonator. A cooling device is
 provided in cooperative engagement with the carbon dioxide line to
 sufficiently cool the carbon dioxide within the carbon dioxide line prior
 to entering the carbonator, thereby aiding in the formation of carbonated
 water in the carbonator. Cooling carbon dioxide with a cooling device may
 comprise utilizing a cold plate whereby the carbon dioxide line is
 positioned along the cold plate to sufficiently cool the carbon dioxide
 within the carbon dioxide line. Cooling carbon dioxide with a cooling
 device may comprise submerging the carbon dioxide line in a cooling fluid
 to sufficiently cool the carbon dioxide within the carbon dioxide line.
 It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a carbon
 dioxide precooling system and associated method for enhancing the process
 for forming carbonated water.
 It is a further object of the present invention to provide a carbon dioxide
 precooling system for a carbonator that cools carbon dioxide prior to its
 introduction into the carbonator.
 Still other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will
 become evident to those skilled in the art in light of the following.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
 As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed
 herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are
 merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms.
 The figures are not necessarily to scale, and some features may be
 exaggerated to show details of particular components or steps.
 As illustrated in FIG. 1, a carbon dioxide precooling system 1 is linked at
 an inlet with a carbon dioxide source 2 and at an outlet with a carbonator
 tank 3, whereby carbon dioxide flows from the carbon dioxide source 2
 through the carbon dioxide precooling system 1 to the carbonator tank 3.
 In this preferred embodiment, the carbon dioxide source is a standard,
 commercially available carbon dioxide tank where carbon dioxide is stored
 therein at ambient room temperature. The carbonator tank 3 may be
 configured in any shape necessary to meet the space requirements of a
 beverage dispensing system and, in this preferred embodiment, is
 constructed from any suitable material such as metal or hard plastic.
 Carbonator tank 3 includes a tank wall defining an interior portion
 wherein carbonated water is formed and collected. As such, on entering the
 carbonator tank 3, carbon dioxide and water combine under pressure within
 the interior portion of the carbonator tank 3 to form carbonated water.
 The newly formed carbonated water collects in carbonator tank 3 and exits
 carbonator tank 3 to thus form a desired carbonated drink.
 Accordingly, two embodiments of the present invention are contemplated for
 cooling carbon dioxide prior to its introduction into a carbonator tank
 although those skilled in the art will recognize other suitable and
 equivalent embodiments. In the first embodiment, shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a
 carbon dioxide precooling system 1', disposed within a beverage dispenser
 10, includes a carbon dioxide line 2' linked with a carbon dioxide source
 2 at an inlet and with a carbonator 7 at an outlet. Carbon dioxide thus
 travels from carbon dioxide source 2 across carbon dioxide line 2' to
 carbonator 7. Additionally, water is delivered from a plain water source
 4, such as a public water line, to carbonator 7 via a water line 4' linked
 with the plain water source 4 at an inlet and with the carbonator 7 at an
 outlet. As such, water from water line 4' and carbon dioxide from carbon
 dioxide line 2' are combined under pressure within a carbonator tank 3 of
 carbonator 7 to form carbonated water.
 Furthermore, beverage flavor syrup is delivered from a syrup source 5 to
 dispensing valves 8 via a beverage flavor syrup line 5' linked with the
 syrup source 5 at an inlet and with the dispensing valves 8 at an outlet.
 Therefore, when a carbonated drink is desired, carbonated water is
 delivered from the carbonator 7 across a carbonated water line 9 to a
 desired dispensing valve from dispensing valves 8. Beverage flavor syrup
 brought to dispensing valves 8 by beverage flavor syrup line 5' is thus
 combined, in dispensing valves 8, with carbonated water from carbonated
 water line 9 to form the desired carbonated drink. It should be added
 that, as those skilled in the art will recognize, pumps associated with
 delivering water across water line 4', beverage flavor syrup across
 beverage flavor syrup line 5', and carbonated water across carbonated
 water line 9 are not shown in FIGS. 2-3.
 The carbon dioxide precooling system 1' includes a cooling device for
 cooling carbon dioxide within carbon dioxide line 2'. As preferred, the
 cooling device comprises a cold plate 6 that is secured to the beverage
 dispenser 10 using any suitable means. Cold plate 6 includes a cold plate
 housing 16 with an outer surface and an inner surface. Cold plate housing
 16 is made from any suitable material such as aluminum or aluminum alloy.
 As such, carbon dioxide line 2' is disposed within cold plate housing 16
 so as to sufficiently cool the carbon dioxide flowing through the carbon
 dioxide line 2' as is preferred for the optimum formation of carbonated
 water. The water line 4' and the beverage flavor syrup line 5' are also
 disposed within the cold plate housing 16 for cooling the water and
 beverage flavor syrup flowing therein, respectively.
 FIG. 3 illustrates the preferred positioning within the cold plate housing
 16 of the carbon dioxide line 2' as well as of the water line 4' and the
 beverage flavor syrup line 5'. It must be emphasized that the distance
 between the carbon dioxide line 2' and the cold plate housing 16 as well
 as the distance between the carbon dioxide line 2' and the water and the
 beverage flavor syrup lines 4', 5', respectively, may be varied to
 optimally facilitate heat transfer to their respective fluids flowing
 therein. Moreover, each line disposed within the cold plate housing 16 may
 be of any size, shape, and spatial configuration, such as a helical or a
 serpentine configuration, necessary to facilitate optimum heat transfer
 and, in this preferred embodiment, is constructed from any suitable
 material, such as metal or hard plastic. Additionally, although FIG. 3
 shows the carbon dioxide line 2', the water line 4', and the beverage
 flavor syrup line 5' arranged in five rows and two columns, those skilled
 in the art will recognize that any number of rows and columns which will
 facilitate maximum heat transfer to the respective fluids flowing within
 such lines may be utilized.
 In operation, the carbon dioxide line 2' and the cold plate 6, both of the
 carbon dioxide precooling system 1', sufficiently cool carbon dioxide
 delivered from the carbon dioxide source 2 prior to introducing the cooled
 carbon dioxide within the carbonator tank 3. Specifically, ice is placed
 along the outer surface of the cold plate 6. In effect, the ice acts as a
 heat sink that absorbs heat from the carbon dioxide, water, and beverage
 flavor syrup flowing respectively through the carbon dioxide line 2', the
 water line 4', and the beverage flavor syrup line 5', each disposed within
 the cold plate 6. Heat thus travels from the lines, across the inner
 surface and the outer surface of the cold plate 6, respectively, to the
 ice, thereby cooling the fluids flowing through such lines.
 Cooled carbon dioxide and cooled water are delivered from the carbon
 dioxide line 2' and the water line 4' into the carbonator tank 3. The
 cooled water combines with the cooled carbon dioxide under pressure to
 form a favorably cooler carbonated water than if carbon dioxide were
 provided at ambient temperature, which is current industry practice, i.e.
 in the absence of the carbon dioxide precooling system 1'. When a
 carbonated drink is thus desired, cooled carbonated water is delivered
 from carbonator 7 across carbonated water line 9 to a desired dispensing
 valve of dispensing valves 8. Beverage flavor syrup brought to dispensing
 valves 8 by beverage flavor syrup line 5' is thus combined, in dispensing
 valves 8, with carbonated water from carbonated water line 9 to form the
 desired carbonated drink. To further enhance the drink formation process,
 it should be added that the favorably cooler carbonated water can be
 further cooled prior to entering dispensing valves 8 in that carbonated
 water line 9 may be disposed within cold plate 6.
 In the second embodiment, shown in FIG. 4, a carbon dioxide precooling
 system 1", disposed within a beverage dispenser 10, includes a carbon
 dioxide line 2' linked with the carbon dioxide source (not shown) at an
 inlet and with a carbonator 7 at an outlet. Carbon dioxide thus travels
 from the carbon dioxide source across the carbon dioxide line 2' to the
 carbonator 7. Water is delivered from a plain water source (not shown),
 such as a public water line, to carbonator 7 via a water line 4' linked
 with the plain water source at an inlet and with the carbonator 7 at in
 outlet. Water from water line 4' and carbon dioxide from carbon dioxide
 line 2' are thus combined under pressure within a carbonator tank 3 of
 carbonator 7 to form carbonated water. In addition, beverage flavor syrup
 is delivered from a syrup source (not shown) to dispensing valves 8 via a
 beverage flavor syrup line 5' linked with the syrup source at an inlet and
 with the dispensing valves 8 at an outlet. Therefore, when a carbonated
 drink is desired, carbonated water is delivered from the carbonator 7
 across a carbonated water line 9 to a desired dispensing valve of
 dispensing valves 8 in the same manner as described above. It should be
 added that, as those skilled in the art will recognize, pumps associated
 with delivering water across water line 4', beverage flavor syrup across
 beverage flavor syrup line 5', and carbonated water across carbonated
 water line 9 are not shown in FIG. 4.
 The carbon dioxide precooling system 1" includes a cooling device for
 cooling carbon dioxide within carbon dioxide line 2'. As preferred, the
 cooling device includes a cooling chamber 15 disposed within beverage
 dispenser 10. Cooling chamber 15 contains a cooling fluid that is
 typically water. The cooling device includes a refrigeration unit 13 in
 cooperative engagement with the cooling chamber 12. Refrigeration unit 13
 includes a standard beverage dispenser refrigeration system which contains
 an evaporator coil 17 that extends from the refrigeration unit 13 into the
 cooling chamber 15 so that the evaporator coil 17 is submerged within the
 cooling fluid. As such, the cooling fluid freezes in a slab about the
 evaporator coil 17.
 In this second embodiment, the carbon dioxide line 2' in addition to the
 water line 4' and the product line 5' are submerged within the cooling
 fluid to cool the respective fluids flowing within the lines in accordance
 with forming a desired drink or carbonated drink. As such, the
 refrigeration unit 13 establishes a circuitous path of convection of
 unfrozen cooling fluid about the slab of frozen cooling fluid to
 facilitate optimum heat exchange between the cooler cooling fluid and the
 warmer carbon dioxide, water, and beverage flavor syrup flowing within the
 carbon dioxide line 2', the water line 4', and the beverage flavor syrup
 line 5', respectively.
 Moreover, each line disposed within the cooling chamber 15 may be of any
 size, shape, and spatial configuration, such as a helical or a serpentine
 configuration, necessary to facilitate optimum heat transfer and, in this
 preferred embodiment, are constructed from any suitable material, such as
 metal or hard plastic. Although FIG. 4 shows the carbon dioxide line 2' as
 a single wound line, the water line 4' as a single wound line, and the
 beverage flavor syrup line 5' collectively as a set of three single wound
 lines, those skilled in the art will recognize that any number of wound
 lines which will facilitate maximum heat transfer to the respective fluids
 flowing within such lines may be utilized.
 In operation, the carbon dioxide line 2' as well as the cooling chamber 15
 and the refrigeration unit 13, all of the carbon dioxide precooling system
 1", sufficiently cool carbon dioxide delivered from the carbon dioxide
 source prior to introducing the cooled carbon dioxide into the carbonator
 tank 3. Specifically, unfrozen cooling fluid within cooling chamber 15
 follows a continuous path of convection between the cooler frozen slab of
 cooling fluid and the warmer carbon dioxide line 2', water line 4', and
 beverage flavor syrup line 5. In effect, the slab of frozen cooling fluid
 acts as a heat sink and the unfrozen cooling fluid acts as a medium or
 "intermediary" for heat exchange, whereby the slab absorbs heat
 transferred by the unfrozen cooling fluid from the carbon dioxide as well
 as from the water, and beverage flavor syrup flowing through the
 respective carbon dioxide line 2', water line 4', and beverage flavor
 syrup line 5', each submerged in the unfrozen cooling fluid.
 As such, cooled carbon dioxide and cooled water are delivered from the
 carbon dioxide line 2' and the water line 4' into the carbonator tank 3.
 The cooled water combines with the cooled carbon dioxide under pressure to
 form a favorably cooler carbonated water than if carbon dioxide were
 provided at ambient temperature, i.e. in the absence of the carbon dioxide
 precooling system 1". When a carbonated drink is thus desired, cooled
 carbonated water is delivered from carbonator 7 across carbonated water
 line 9 to a desired dispensing valve of dispensing valves 8. Beverage
 flavor syrup brought to dispensing valves 8 by beverage flavor syrup line
 5' is thus combined in dispensing valves 8 with carbonated water from
 carbonated water line 9 to form the desired carbonated drink. To further
 enhance the drink formation process, it should be added that the favorably
 cooler carbonated water can be further cooled prior to entering dispensing
 valves 8 in that carbonated water line 9 may be submerged with the cooling
 fluid of cooling chamber 15.
 Although the present invention has been described in terms of the foregoing
 embodiment, such description has been for exemplary purposes only and, as
 will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, many alternatives,
 equivalents, and variations of varying degrees will fall within the scope
 of the present invention. That scope, accordingly, is not to be limited in
 any respect by the foregoing description, rather, it is defined only by
 the claims that follow.