Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The present invention relates to beverage
dispensing systems and in particular to apparatus for
cleaning beer dispensing systems.
The invention has been developed for use with multi
keg beer dispensing systems such as those used in large
hotels and clubs and will be described with reference to
this application.
In the past, beer dispensing systems have been
cleaned manually, which is a very slow and labour
intensive procedure. For example, a system for a small
club operating approximately 10 kegs at one time would
need to allow about three hours to manually clean the
system. Furthermore, as the cleaning must be conducted
outside business hours, penalty wage costs are often
incurred with the associated labour.
The e~isting manual technique essentially comprises
the steps of disconnecting the beer lines from the kegs
in the cellar and manually flushing the lines with
water, cleaning fluid and purging gas. The water is
usually passed through the lines under mains pressure or
alternatively the cleaning solution is placed in an
empty keg and passed through the system using the beer
delivery gas. After connection of the water or cleaning
fluid the taps are then opened and the flushing medium
is usually discharged into buckets which are then
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repeatedly emptied into the drains.
Not only is the effectiveness of such a system
likely to be inconsistent, often the mains water
pressure used is not adequate for removing any sludge
and deposits that may have built up in the beer lines~
This is particularly relevant in large multi storey
buildings where the beer lines may e~tend from a cellar
to a bar several floors above.
Du~ to the magnitude of the manual cleaning
exercise regardless of outlet size, it is more likely to
be conducted on a weekly or fortnightly basis, which may
be less often than would be desirable. Similarly, it
may not be unusual for some of the less popular beers to
remain stagnant in the lines for extended periods,
during which the lines may become warm providing an
ideal environment for undesirable bacterial growth.
Other disadvantages with manual systems are the
potential dangers associated with using old kegs for
storing and dispensing harmful cleaning agents and the
need for repeated manhandling of dangerous caustic
concentrates and the like.
In view of the potential health risk and the desire
to ensure consistent quality of beer dispensed, a beer
dispensing system cleaning process needs to be simple to
operate, thorough, accurate and foolproofO
It is an object of the present invention to provide
a beverage dispensing system cleaning apparatus which
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will avoid or at least ameliorate one or more of the
above discussed disadvantages of the prior art.
According to one aspect of the invention there is
provided a b~verage dispensing system cleaning apparatus
including, means for selectively supplying cleaning
fluid to an inlet of said dispensing system, selectively
operable valve means connected with the outlet of said
dispensing system, and control means to admit cleaning
fluid to said dispensing system and to selectively
operate said valve means to effect agitation of the
cleaning fluid in said dispensing system.
Preferably the system also includes means for
selectively and sequentially supplying flushing media
such as C02 gas and water to the dispensing system to
remove any residue of beer or cleaning fluid in the
system.
Preferably the cleaning and flushing liquids are
supplied from a pressurised fluid source. In one
embodiment the fluid is pressurised by means of a pump.
Preferably the sequencing of the valYe means is
controlled to facilitate pressurising of the cleaning
fluid or flushing liquid in the system, particularly
during the agitation sequence.
A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be
described, by way of example only, with reference to the
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accompanying drawings in which:
Figure l is a schematic circuit diagram for the
beer dispensing system cleaning apparatus according to
the invention.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the
body of a first embodiment beer tap connector according
to the invention.
Figure 3 is a locking sleeve forming part of the
beer tap connector shown in Figure 2.
Referring to Figure l the beer dispensing system l
includes an inlet 2 in the form of a plurality of beer
keg taps 3. A number of beer lines 4 extend from the
keg taps 3 to an outlet 5 in the form of a number of bar
taps 6 corresponding to the number of beer lines 4.
Connected to the inlet 2 of the beer dispensing
system is the cleaning apparatus indicated generally at
8. This cleaninq apparatus 8 includes a make up water
tank 9 from which the cleaning and flushing fluids,
caustic solution and water, are dispensed via a pump lO
and feed line ll to the dispensing system inlet 2. A
relay 12 (not shown) is provided for actuating the
pump. Also connected to the feed line ll, via a
solenoid valve 14, is a cylinder 13 of CO2.
Hot and cold water lines connect with the make up
tank 9 via a mi~er, filter and solenoid valve 15.
limit switch 16 associated with a float 17 is provided
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within the tank for signalling the solenoid valve 15 to
shut when the fluid within the tank rPaches a
predetermined level.
Also connected via tubing with the tank 9 is a
reservoir 18 of caustic cleaning solution which ;s
selectively dispensed via a solenoid valve 19.
A variable restrictor 21, soienoid valve 22 and
flow indicator 23 are provided in line intermediate the
pump 10 and feed line 11. Also provided in an outlet
from the tank 9 is a drain valve 20 through which
residual solution can be drained.
A distribution manifold ~not shown~ is provided
between the feed line 11 and the keg taps 3. In the
preferred embodiment a loop-type manifold is used to
ensure even pressure distribution to each of the keg
taps. The bar taps are connected (in banks if
convenient) to one or more discharge lines 25 each
including a solenoid valve 26.
- A waste holding tank 40 is also provided in which
the spent caustic can be passivated by the addition of
the correct type and amount of acid 41 prior to draining.
The sequencing of the apparatus described is
effected by a Programmable Logic Controller (not shown)
and where necessary non return valves are provided in
the manner well known to those skilled in the art.
The mode of operation of a preferred embodiment of
the cleaning apparatus system will now be described with
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reference to Figure 1.
The beer lines 9 are first disconnected from the
kegs and connected onto the beer line cleaning system so
as to be in fluid flow communication with the feed line
11. The beer tap drain connectors 30 are then connected.
with the beer taps fi~ed into the open position. The
cellarman then presses the system start button and the
following steps take pl~ce in sequence and auto~atically.
Step No. Description Time/Secs
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Step 0 Fill make-up water tank l/sw
Step 1 Blow lines out with C02 30
Step 2 Wait for lines to settle 30
Step 3 Flush line with water 120
Step 4 B1GW lines out with C02 60
Step 5 Drain make-up water tank l~w
Step 6 Add concentrated caustic 1/sw
to tank
Step 7 Fill make-up water tank l/sw
with water
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Step 8 Wash lines with diluted l/sw
caustic solution
Step 9 Pulse lines with dilu~ed 600
caustic solution
Step 10 Drain make-up water tank l/sw
o diluted caustic solution
Step 11 Fill make-up water tank l/sw
with water
Step 12 Flush lines with water 900
Step 13 Blow lines dry with C02 & 6n
commence draining make-up
water tank
Step 14 Complete draining make-up l/sw
water tank
l/sw (limit switch).
The sequencing of step 9 allows intermittent
pressurising and depressurising of the cleaning flu;d in
the lines 4 by pulsing the solenoid valves 22 and 26n
This process has shown to be e~tremely effective at
removing built up residues in the lines.
In other embodiments CO2 gas is injected into the
cleaning fluid in the line as an additional means to
effect agitation. The gas injection can be
unidirectional or bidirectional, whichevPr is most
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effective.
Referring finally to Figures 2 and 3 there is shown
one embodiment of the tap connectors suitable for use
with the system of the present invention. This
connector is designed for connection to the existing
kind of beer taps commonly used in pubs and clllbs.
The connector 30 comprises a flushing sleeve 31 in
which is located a silicone seat 32 that provides a seal
with the outlet of the beer tap. The seat 32 is
retained by means of a screw cap 33 having an e~Lernally
threaded spigot 34 to which a drain hose to the
discharge line 25 is connected.
When assembled, the locking sleeve 35 shown in
Figure 3 is held captive about the sleeve by the screw
cap 33. II1 use, the connector slides up over the tap
(not shown) which has an operating lever substantially
in the form of a bar extending transversely from the tap
outlet. The locking sleeve is ali~ned to pass over the
tap connection bar, then rotated to lock as a
bayonet-type fastener, holding the tap outlet in sealing
engagement with the seat 32. The connector is
configured so that connection can only be effected with
the tap in the open position. Unfortunately, the taps
are not standa~d throughout the industry and there are a
wide variety of siæes and shapes currently in use.
In another embodiment, the current beer taps are
replaced with specifically designed multi-position taps
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that have a cleaning cycle position permanently
` connected to the discharge lines 25. In this way the
set-up time for running the cleaning system can be
dramatically reduced. With multiposition taps it is of
course essential that the taps include appropriate
"block and bleed" features to ensure that it would not
be possible for the cleaning solution to contaminate the
beer supply.
Similarly, in yet another embodiment the PLC is
replaced by a purpose built circuit board tailored to
suit the particular installation, as the cycle times
would be dependant to an extent upon the length of the
beer lines etc.
Although the invention has been described with
reference to specific examples, it will be appreciated
by those skilled in the art that the invention may be
embodied in many other forms.
