Apparatus and method of cooling fluids

Abstract

An apparatus for cooling a fluid includes a cooling medium ( 32 ) and a drive mechanism ( 37 ). The cooling medium ( 32 ) is arranged to accept, in use, an insert ( 36 ) comprising a fluid contained by a wall such that the cooling medium is in thermal contact with a first side of the wall and causes heat from the fluid in contact with a second side of the wall to flow through the wall to the first side to cool the fluid. The drive mechanism ( 37 ) is arranged to apply a series of shock accelerations to the wall of the insert for a period of time during cooling of the fluid.

1 . An apparatus for cooling a fluid, comprising:
 a cooling medium arranged to accept, in use, an insert comprising a fluid contained by a wall such that the cooling medium is in thermal contact with a first side of the wall and causes heat from the fluid in contact with a second side of the wall to flow through the wall to the first side to cool the fluid; and   a drive mechanism arranged to apply a series of shock accelerations to the wall of the insert for a period of time during cooling of the fluid.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the shock accelerations are applied, in use, as primarily angular accelerations. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the shock accelerations are applied, in use, in a direction that is locally substantially tangential to the wall. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the shock accelerations are applied, in use, over an angular range of movement of up to 5°. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the shock accelerations are applied, in use, over an angular range of movement of less than 1°. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the shock accelerations comprise a peak acceleration of at least 10 g, 25 g, 50 g or 100 g. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the shock accelerations comprise a peak acceleration occurring within a maximum duration of 0.2 seconds, preferably a maximum duration of 0.02 seconds and further preferably a maximum duration of 0.002 seconds. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the shock accelerations are applied, in use, at least once every 5 seconds. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the shock accelerations are applied, in use, at least once every second. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8  or  9 , wherein the shock accelerations are applied, in use, at least 3 times per second. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of any preceding claim, further comprising means to support the insert such that the insert is moveable relative to the cooling medium by the drive mechanism. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the drive mechanism applies the series of shock accelerations directly to the insert, causing it to move relative to the cooling medium. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11  or  12 , wherein the drive mechanism comprises the means to support the insert. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the drive mechanism grips the insert by one or more of clamping, clipping, sliding into a taper fit or friction fit, an elastic grip where the insert at least partially compresses the grip, or applying at least one of suction, air pressure, or a magnetic field. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of any of  claims 11 - 14 , wherein the insert is supported, in use, in a cavity in the cooling medium. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the drive mechanism is arranged to apply the series of shock accelerations by imparting angular accelerations to the insert within the cavity. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15  or  16 , wherein the cavity comprises a wall to separate the cooling medium from the insert. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of any of  claims 15 - 17 , wherein the cavity is sized to provide a close fit with the insert in use. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the close fit allows for linear and/or rotational sliding movement of the insert in the cavity. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of any of  claims 15 - 19 , wherein the cavity is substantially axisymmetric about a central axis. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of any of  claims 15 - 20 , wherein the cavity is substantially cylindrical about a central axis. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 20  or  21 , wherein the drive mechanism is arranged to apply the series of shock accelerations as angular accelerations about the central axis of the cavity. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of any of  claims 15 - 22 , wherein the cavity comprises a low friction surface. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of any of  claims 15 - 23 , further comprising a means for conveying the insert within the cavity. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the means for conveying the insert within the cavity comprises a means of actively moving air in and out of the cavity. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the means for conveying is arranged, in use, to pump air out of the cavity such that the insert is pressed against the insert holder by the partial vacuum that is created. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 25  or  26 , wherein the means for conveying is arranged, in use, to pump air into the cavity such that pneumatic pressure below the insert raises the insert at least partially out of the cavity. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of any of  claims 15 - 27 , wherein the drive mechanism also comprises a or the means of actively moving air in and out of the cavity. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of any of  claims 15 - 28 , wherein the drive mechanism is arranged to apply the series of shock accelerations to the wall of the insert by pumping air into and/or out of the cavity in short bursts. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of any of  claims 15 - 29 , wherein the cavity comprises an insert holder having a high friction e.g. rubberised surface to support the insert. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of any of  claims 1 - 10 , wherein the cooling medium comprises at least one solid body defining a cavity arranged to grip the insert, in use, and wherein the drive mechanism is arranged to apply the series of shock accelerations to both the cooling medium and the insert. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the solid body provides a compressive load to the insert in use. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 31  or  32 , wherein the solid body deforms to be in intimate physical contact with at least a region of the first side of the wall in use. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of any of  claims 31 - 33 , wherein the solid body comprises at least a flexible portion that can be tightened around the insert in use. 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of any of  claims 31 - 34 , wherein the cooling medium comprises two or more solid bodies that clamp together to form the cavity arranged to grip the insert. 
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of any of  claims 31 - 35 , wherein the cavity is substantially axisymmetric about a central axis. 
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of any of  claims 31 - 36 , wherein the cavity is substantially cylindrical about a central axis. 
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of any of  claims 31 - 37 , wherein the drive mechanism is arranged to apply the series of shock accelerations as angular accelerations about the central axis of the cavity. 
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of any preceding claim, further comprising means to rotate the insert, in use, at a substantially constant rate. 
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein the constant rate is between 300 rpm and 600 rpm, and more preferably between 450 rpm and 600 rpm. 
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of  claim 39  or  40 , wherein the means to rotate the insert applies a rotation about a substantially vertical axis. 
     
     
         42 . The apparatus of any of  claims 39 - 41 , wherein the means to rotate the insert applies a substantially constant rotation about the same axis as the shock accelerations are applied as primarily angular accelerations. 
     
     
         43 . The apparatus of any of  claims 39 - 42 , wherein the insert is rotated, in use, while in a cavity in the cooling medium. 
     
     
         44 . The apparatus of  claim 43 , wherein the cavity is substantially axisymmetric about a central axis. 
     
     
         45 . The apparatus of  claim 43  or  44 , wherein the cavity is substantially cylindrical about a central axis. 
     
     
         46 . The apparatus of  claim 44  or  45 , wherein the means to rotate the insert is arranged to rotate the insert about the central axis. 
     
     
         47 . The apparatus of any of  claims 39 - 46 , wherein the means to rotate the insert is part of the drive mechanism. 
     
     
         48 . The apparatus of any of  claims 39 - 47 , wherein the inserted is rotated, in use, at the same time as the series of shock accelerations is applied such that the resulting motion of the insert is a superposition of the rotation at a substantially constant rate and the series of shock accelerations. 
     
     
         49 . The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the cooling medium is a fluid. 
     
     
         50 . The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the cooling medium is air. 
     
     
         51 . The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the cooling medium is a chilled aqueous solution of propylene glycol. 
     
     
         52 . The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the cooling medium comprises at least one solid body comprising channels through which a cooling fluid is circulated in use. 
     
     
         53 . The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the cooling medium comprises one or more solid bodies defining a cavity to accept the insert in use. 
     
     
         54 . The apparatus of  claim 53 , wherein the cavity is substantially axisymmetric. 
     
     
         55 . The apparatus of  claim 53  or  54 , wherein the cavity is substantially cylindrical. 
     
     
         56 . A system comprising the apparatus according to any preceding claim, and further comprising an insert accepted in the cooling medium, the insert comprising a fluid contained by a wall such that the cooling medium is in thermal contact with a first side of the wall and causes heat from the fluid in contact with a second side of the wall to flow through the wall to the first side to cool the fluid. 
     
     
         57 . The system of  claim 56 , wherein the wall of the insert is a substantially impermeable barrier for the fluid contained by the wall. 
     
     
         58 . The system of  claim 56  or  57 , wherein the fluid is a liquid or a part-frozen slurry of ice and liquid. 
     
     
         59 . The system of any of  claims 56 - 58 , wherein the insert is a drinks package, such as a can, bottle or tin. 
     
     
         60 . The system of any of  claims 56 - 59 , wherein the insert has a substantially axisymmetric form and the series of shock accelerations is applied as angular accelerations about the central axis of the insert. 
     
     
         61 . An apparatus to cool a fluid through a wall, comprising a cooling medium to accept heat from a first side of the wall such that the wall is cooled causing heat from the fluid to flow into a second side of the wall, wherein the temperature of the cooling medium is below a freezing point or glass transition temperature of at least a constituent of the fluid, and the apparatus applies a series of shock accelerations for at least a period of time within the time spent cooling the fluid through the wall. 
     
     
         62 . The apparatus of  claim 61  wherein the way by which the cooling medium accepts heat is conducting to the cooling medium physically contacting the first side of the wall. 
     
     
         63 . The apparatus of  claim 61  or  62  wherein the cooling medium is a fluid. 
     
     
         64 . The apparatus of  claim 61  or  62  wherein the cooling medium is a solid arranged to substantially contact the first side of the wall. 
     
     
         65 . The apparatus of any of  claims 61  to  64  wherein the apparatus is adapted to accept at least one insert comprising a fluid and a wall. 
     
     
         66 . The apparatus of  claim 65  wherein the shock accelerations at the wall are applied by applying acceleration motions to the insert. 
     
     
         67 . The apparatus of any of  claim 65  or  66  wherein the apparatus is configured to hold the wall or insert such that it can apply acceleration motions to the insert or to strike the wall or insert to create the acceleration motions. 
     
     
         68 . The apparatus of  claim 67  wherein the apparatus comprises a feature to hold the insert such that acceleration motions can be imparted to the insert. 
     
     
         69 . The apparatus of  claim 67  or  68  wherein holding is achieved by one or more of clamping, clipping, sliding into a taper fit or friction fit, an elastic grip where the insert at least partially compresses the grip, or applying at least one of suction, air pressure or a magnetic field. 
     
     
         70 . The apparatus of any of  claims 64  to  69  wherein the cooling medium comprises at least one solid body adapted to close to a substantially intimate thermal contact with the insert. 
     
     
         71 . The apparatus of  claim 70  wherein the cooling medium provides a compressive load to the insert. 
     
     
         72 . The apparatus of  claim 71  wherein the cooling medium comprises a flexible element that can be wrapped or tightened around the insert. 
     
     
         73 . The apparatus of  claim 72  wherein the cooling medium deforms to substantially intimately contact at least a region of the first surface of the wall. 
     
     
         74 . The apparatus of  claim 73  wherein the cooling medium deforms at least a region of the first side or surface of the wall. 
     
     
         75 . The apparatus of any of  claims 70  to  74  wherein the cooling medium comprises 2 or more bodies that together clamp the insert. 
     
     
         76 . The apparatus of  claim 75  wherein the closing of the cooling medium around the insert causes a deformation of the wall of the insert such that the first surface of the wall substantially intimately contacts a region of the surface of the cooling medium. 
     
     
         77 . The apparatus of  claim 76  wherein the contacting region of the cooling medium is shaped substantially as a negative of a region of the wall it contacts. 
     
     
         78 . The apparatus of  claim 77  wherein the contacting region of the cooling medium is shaped approximately as a negative of a region of the wall it contacts with variation from the exact negative such that the variation in compressive force over the surface of the wall is lower. 
     
     
         79 . The apparatus of any of  claims 73  to  78  wherein the deformation imparted as a result of compressive force is mostly elastic or preferably substantially entirely elastic. 
     
     
         80 . The apparatus of any of  claims 70  to  79  wherein the cooling medium comprises a feature to hold the insert such that it can apply acceleration motions to the insert. 
     
     
         81 . The apparatus of any of  claims 70  to  80  wherein the cooling medium is moveable to an open position where the insert is substantially not clamped and can be inserted or removed with relative ease. 
     
     
         82 . The apparatus of any of  claims 62  to  81  wherein the shock acceleration motions are applied to the insert around an axis. 
     
     
         83 . The apparatus of any of  claims 62  to  82  wherein the shock acceleration motions are applied such that the shock acceleration direction is substantially in a tangential plane locally at the wall. 
     
     
         84 . The apparatus of any of  claims 62  to  83  wherein the shock acceleration motions are applied to the insert as angular accelerations about a central axis of the insert. 
     
     
         85 . The apparatus of any of  claims 61  to  84  wherein the shock acceleration comprises a peak acceleration of at least 100 m/s 2  at the wall, preferably a peak acceleration of at least 250 m/s 2  at the wall, and most preferably a peak acceleration of at least 1000 m/s 2 . 
     
     
         86 . The apparatus of  claim 85  wherein the peak acceleration occurs over an angular travel of 5°. 
     
     
         87 . The apparatus of  claim 86  wherein the peak acceleration occurs over an angular travel of less than 1°. 
     
     
         88 . The apparatus of any of  claims 85  to  87  wherein the peak acceleration occurs within a maximum duration of 0.2 seconds. 
     
     
         89 . The apparatus of any of  claims 61  to  88  wherein the shock accelerations are applied at least once every 5 seconds. 
     
     
         90 . The apparatus of  claim 89  wherein the shock accelerations are applied at least once every second. 
     
     
         91 . The apparatus of  claim 90  wherein the shock accelerations are applied at least 3 times per second. 
     
     
         92 . The apparatus of any of  claims 61  to  92  wherein the shock accelerations are in any direction relative to the instantaneous motion of the wall including in a retrograde direction (deceleration). 
     
     
         93 . The apparatus of  claim 92  wherein the shock acceleration motion is applied such that it moves the package while leaving the fluid weakly accelerated substantially only by shear from the wall by substantially avoiding applying acceleration to the fluid out of plane of the package wall. 
     
     
         94 . The apparatus of any of  claims 62  to  93  wherein the apparatus is adapted to receive an insert of substantially axisymmetric form, and apply angular shock acceleration motions about the axis of the form of the insert. 
     
     
         95 . The apparatus of any of  claims 61  to  92  wherein the apparatus uses an impact to produce the shock accelerations. 
     
     
         96 . The apparatus of  claim 95  wherein the impact is between two or more features or components in a drive mechanism of the apparatus or the impact may comprise striking the insert. 
     
     
         97 . A system, comprising the apparatus according to any of  claims 61  to  96  and at least one insert comprising a fluid and a wall. 
     
     
         98 . The system of  claim 97  wherein the insert further comprises a feature to enable the insert to be opened by hand such as a screw cap or a ring-pull or frangible feature such as a scored feature or a membrane. 
     
     
         99 . The system of  claim 97  or  98  wherein the insert is a packaged fluid where the package comprises the wall. 
     
     
         100 . The system of  claim 99  wherein the package is one of a bottle, can, tin, sachet, bag or pouch. 
     
     
         101 . The system of any of  claims 97  to  100  wherein the wall is a flexible, semi-rigid or rigid membrane or other substantially impermeable barrier. 
     
     
         102 . The system of  claim 101  wherein the wall is substantially made of one of aluminium, steel, stainless steel, glass, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) or another polymer, or a laminate or other combination of materials comprising at least one of aluminium, steel, stainless steel, glass, PET, PP, PE, or another polymer. 
     
     
         103 . The system of any of  claims 97  to  102  wherein the fluid is a liquid or a part frozen slurry of frozen and unfrozen liquid. 
     
     
         104 . The system of any of  claims 97  to  102  wherein the fluid is a beverage. 
     
     
         105 . The system of  claim 104  wherein the fluid is carbonated. 
     
     
         106 . A method of cooling a fluid through a wall, by providing a cooling medium to accept heat from a first side of the wall such that the wall is cooled causing heat from the fluid to flow into a second side of the wall, wherein the temperature of the cooling medium is below a freezing point or glass transition temperature of at least a constituent of the fluid, and applying a series of shock accelerations for at least a period of time within the time between starting cooling and finishing cooling the fluid through the wall. 
     
     
         107 . The method of  claim 106 , wherein the method is applied to at least one insert comprising a fluid and a wall. 
     
     
         108 . The method of  claim 107  wherein the insert further comprises a feature to enable the insert to be opened by hand such as a screw cap or a ring-pull or frangible feature such as a scored feature or a membrane. 
     
     
         109 . The method of  claim 107  or  108  wherein the insert is a packaged fluid where the package comprises the wall. 
     
     
         110 . The method of  claim 109  wherein the package is one of a bottle, can, tin, sachet, bag or pouch. 
     
     
         111 . The method of  claims 107  to  110  wherein the wall is a flexible, semi-rigid or rigid membrane or other substantially impermeable barrier. 
     
     
         112 . The method of  claim 111  wherein the wall is substantially made of one of aluminium, steel, stainless steel, glass, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) or another polymer, or a laminate or other combination of materials comprising at least one of aluminium, steel, stainless steel, glass, PET, PP, PE, or another polymer. 
     
     
         113 . The method of any of  claims 106  to  112  wherein the fluid may be a liquid or a part frozen slurry of frozen and unfrozen liquid. 
     
     
         114 . The method of  claim 113  wherein the fluid is a beverage. 
     
     
         115 . The method of  claim 114  wherein the fluid is carbonated. 
     
     
         116 . The method of any of  claims 106  to  115  wherein the way by which the cooling medium accepts heat is by conducting to the cooling medium physically contacting the first side of the wall. 
     
     
         117 . The method of any of  claims 106  to  116  wherein the cooling medium is a fluid. 
     
     
         118 . The method of any of  claims 106  to  116  wherein the cooling medium is a solid arranged to substantially contact the first side of the wall. 
     
     
         119 . The method of any of  claims 107  to  118  wherein the shock accelerations at the wall are applied by applying acceleration motions to the insert. 
     
     
         120 . The method of any of  claims 107  to  119  wherein the apparatus is configured to hold the wall or insert such that it can apply acceleration motions to the insert or to strike the wall or insert to create the acceleration motions. 
     
     
         121 . The method of  claim 120  wherein the apparatus comprises a feature to hold the insert such that acceleration motions can be imparted to the insert. 
     
     
         122 . The method of  claim 120  or  121  wherein holding is achieved by one or more of clamping, clipping, sliding into a taper fit or friction fit, an elastic grip where the insert at least partially compresses the grip, or applying at least one of suction, air pressure or a magnetic field. 
     
     
         123 . The method of any of  claims 106  to  122  wherein the acceleration motions are applied to the insert around an axis. 
     
     
         124 . The method of any of  claims 106  to  123  wherein the acceleration motions are applied such that the shock acceleration direction is substantially in a tangential plane locally at the wall. 
     
     
         125 . The method of any of  claims 106  to  124  wherein the acceleration motions are applied to the insert as angular accelerations about a central axis of the insert, especially for substantially rotationally symmetric or axisymmetric inserts. 
     
     
         126 . The method of any of  claims 106  to  125  wherein the shock acceleration comprises a peak acceleration of at least 100 m/s 2  at the wall, preferably a peak acceleration of at least 250 m/s 2  at the wall, and most preferably a peak acceleration of at least 1000 m/s 2 . 
     
     
         127 . The method of  claim 126  wherein the peak acceleration occurs over an angular travel of 5°. 
     
     
         128 . The method of  claim 127  wherein the peak acceleration occurs over an angular travel of less than 1°. 
     
     
         129 . The method of any of  claims 126  to  128  wherein the peak acceleration occurs within a maximum duration of 0.2 seconds. 
     
     
         130 . The method of any preceding claim wherein the shock accelerations are applied at least once every 5 seconds. 
     
     
         131 . The method of  claim 130  wherein the shock accelerations are applied at least once every second. 
     
     
         132 . The method of  claim 131  wherein the shock accelerations are applied at least 3 times per second. 
     
     
         133 . The method of any of  claims 106  to  132  wherein the shock accelerations are in any direction relative to the instantaneous motion of the wall including in a retrograde direction (deceleration). 
     
     
         134 . The method of  claim 133  wherein the acceleration motion is applied such that it moves the package while leaving the fluid weakly accelerated substantially only by shear from the wall by substantially avoiding applying acceleration to the fluid out of plane of the package wall. 
     
     
         135 . The method of any of  claims 106  to  134  wherein the apparatus is adapted to receive an insert of substantially axisymmetric form, and apply angular acceleration motions about the axis of the form of the insert. 
     
     
         136 . The method of any of  claims 106  to  135  wherein the apparatus uses an impact to produce the shock acceleration. 
     
     
         137 . The method of  claim 136  wherein the impact is between two or more features or components in the drive mechanism of the apparatus or the impact may comprise striking the insert. 
     
     
         138 . An apparatus to cool a fluid through a wall, where the apparatus comprises a cooling medium, to accept heat from a first side of the wall such that heat from the fluid flows into a second side of the wall, wherein the cooling medium comprises at least one solid body adapted to close to a substantially intimate thermal contact with an insert, the insert comprising the fluid and the wall, wherein the apparatus applies a series of shock accelerations for at least a period of time within the time spent cooling the fluid through the wall. 
     
     
         139 . The apparatus of  claim 138  wherein the cooling medium provides a compressive load to the insert. 
     
     
         140 . The apparatus of  claim 139  wherein the cooling medium comprises a flexible element that can be wrapped or tightened around the insert. 
     
     
         141 . The apparatus of  claim 140  wherein the cooling medium deforms to substantially intimately contact at least a region of the first surface of the wall. 
     
     
         142 . The apparatus of  claim 141  wherein the cooling medium deforms at least a region of the first side or surface of the wall. 
     
     
         143 . The apparatus of any of  claims 138  to  142  wherein the cooling medium comprises 2 or more bodies that together clamp the insert. 
     
     
         144 . The apparatus of  claim 143  wherein the closing of the cooling medium around the insert causes a deformation of the wall of the insert such that the first surface of the wall substantially intimately contacts a region of the surface of the cooling medium. 
     
     
         145 . The apparatus of  claim 144  wherein the contacting region of the cooling medium is shaped substantially as a negative of a region of the wall it contacts. 
     
     
         146 . The apparatus of  claim 145  wherein the contacting region of the cooling medium is shaped approximately as a negative of a region of the wall it contacts with variation from the exact negative such that the variation in compressive force over the surface of the wall is lower. 
     
     
         147 . The apparatus of any of  claims 141  to  146  wherein the deformation imparted as a result of compressive force is mostly elastic or preferably substantially entirely elastic. 
     
     
         148 . The apparatus of any of  claims 138  to  147  wherein the cooling medium comprises a feature to hold the insert such that it can apply acceleration motions to the insert. 
     
     
         149 . The apparatus of any of  claims 144  to  148  wherein the cooling medium is moveable to an open position where the insert is substantially not clamped and can be inserted or removed with relative ease.