System for externally cooling a beverage holder

Abstract

A system for externally cooling a beverage holder holding a specific amount of beverage comprises a cooling housing having an inner wall and an outer wall. The inner wall is made of thermal conductive material for contacting at least a part of the beverage holder. The cooling housing defines an inner compartment including at least two separate, substantially non-toxic reactants, causing when reacting with one a other a non-reversible, entropy-increasing reaction producing substantially non-toxic products in a stoichiometric number. The at least two separate substantially non-toxic reactants are initially included in the inner compartment separated from one another and causing, when reacting with one another in the non-reversible, entropy-increasing reaction, a heat reduction of the beverage within the beverage holder. The system further comprises an actuator for initiating the reaction between the at least two separate, substantially non-toxic reactants, and an insulating layer of thermal insulating material enclosing the cooling housing.

1 . A system for externally cooling a beverage holder, said beverage holder holding a specific amount of beverage, said system comprising:
 a cooling housing having an inner wall and an outer wall, said inner wall being of thermally conductive material contacting at least a part of said beverage holder, said cooling housing defining an inner compartment including at least two separate, substantially non-toxic reactants, causing, when reacting with one another, a non-reversible, entropy-increasing reaction producing substantially non-toxic products in a stoichiometric number at least a factor 3 larger than the stoichiometric number of said reactants, said at least two separate substantially non-toxic reactants initially being included in said inner compartment separated from one another and causing, when reacting with one another in said non-reversible, entropy-increasing reaction, a heat reduction of said beverage within said beverage holder;   an actuator operable for initiating said reaction between said at least two separate, substantially non-toxic reactants; and   an insulating layer of thermally insulating material enclosing said cooling housing.   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said cooling housing comprises a further layer of insulating material disposed in-between said inner compartment and said inner wall. 
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said cooling housing comprises a layer of PCM having a melting temperature of between −10° C. to 10° C. disposed in-between said inner compartment and said inner wall. 
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said inner wall defines a cavity configured for receiving a bottom portion of said beverage holder. 
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said inner wall is adapted for circumferentially enclosing said beverage holder and defining an inner cooling space. 
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said inner wall has a heat transfer coefficient 2-100 times greater than the heat transfer coefficient of the insulating layer. 
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said cooling housing comprises a lid configured for completely enclosing said beverage holder. 
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said cooling housing comprises a first cooling housing part and a second cooling housing part, each of said first and second cooling housing parts having an inner wall part and an outer wall part, each inner wall part of said first and second cooling housing parts being adapted for circumferentially encircling a first beverage holder and a second beverage holder, respectively, said first cooling housing part being connected through a central housing element of said cooling housing to said second cooling housing part, in which central housing element said inner wall of said first cooling housing part is connected to said outer wall part of said second cooling housing part, and said outer wall part of said first cooling housing part is connected to said inner wall part of said second cooling housing part. 
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 8 , said first and second cooling housing parts defining a first housing end part and a second housing end part, respectively, said first and second housing end parts being positioned juxtaposed said central housing element on opposite sides thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said cooling housing comprises a first cooling housing part and a second cooling housing part, each of said first and second cooling housing parts having an inner wall part and an outer wall part, each inner wall part of said first and second cooling housing parts being adapted for circumferentially encircling a first and a second beverage holder, respectively, said first cooling housing part being connected through a central housing element of said cooling housing to said second cooling housing part, in which central housing element said inner wall of said first cooling housing part is connected to said inner wall part of said second cooling housing part, and said outer wall part of said first cooling housing part is connected to said outer wall part of said second cooling housing part. 
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 10 , said first and second cooling housing parts defining first and a second housing end parts, respectively, said first and second housing end parts being positioned adjacent each other on the same side of said central housing element. 
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said insulating layer is made of a material selected from the group consisting of polystyrene foam, plastics, glass, paper, and paperboard. 
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said external cooling system comprises a plurality of cooling housings, said plurality of cooling housings together being adapted for circumferentially enclosing said beverage holder. 
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said insulating layer constituting an enclosure defines a beverage inlet and a beverage outlet, said beverage holder constituting a tapping line extending between said beverage inlet and said beverage outlet. 
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said non-reversible, entropy-increasing reaction is capable of achieving a heat reduction of said beverage within said beverage holder being capable of at least 50 Joules/ml beverage within a period of time of no more than 5 min. 
     
     
         16 . A method of externally cooling a beverage holder, said beverage holder holding a specific amount of beverage, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing an external cooling system comprising a cooling housing having an inner wall and an outer wall, said inner wall being of thermally conductive material, said cooling housing defining an inner compartment including at least two separate, substantially non-toxic reactants causing, when reacting with one another, a non-reversible, entropy-increasing reaction producing substantially non-toxic products in a stoichiometric number at least a factor 3 larger than the stoichiometric number of said reactants, said at least two separate substantially non-toxic reactants initially being included in said inner compartment separated from one another, said external cooling system further comprising an actuator configured for initiating said reaction between said at least two separate, substantially non-toxic reactants, and an insulating layer of thermally insulating material enclosing said cooling housing;   arranging said external cooling system for circumferentially enclosing and contacting at least a part of said beverage holder; and   activating said actuator, thereby causing said at least two separate substantially non-toxic reactants to react with one another in said non-reversible, entropy-increasing reaction and causing a heat reduction of said beverage within said beverage holder.   
     
     
         17 . A method of producing an external cooling system for a beverage holder, said beverage holder holding a specific amount of beverage, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing a flat cooling housing pre-form having an inner wall and an outer wall, said inner wall being of thermally conductive material, said housing pre-form comprising an inner compartment including at least two separate, substantially non-toxic reactants causing, when reacting with one another a non-reversible, entropy-increasing reaction producing substantially non-toxic products in a stoichiometric number at least a factor 3 larger than the stoichiometric number of said reactants, said at least two separate substantially non-toxic reactants initially being included in said inner compartment separated from one another and causing, when reacting with one another in said non-reversible, entropy-increasing reaction, a heat reduction of said beverage within said beverage holder;   applying an actuator onto said flat cooling housing pre-form, said actuator being capable of initiating said reaction between said at least two separate, substantially non-toxic reactants;   forming a cooling housing from said cooling housing pre-form by deep drawing said cooling housing pre-form, thereby causing said first surface to form an inner wall for circumferentially enclosing and contacting at least a part of said beverage holder; and   enclosing said cooling housing in an insulating layer of thermally insulating material.