Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02790754 2012-09-24
Liquid Flow Balancer
Inventor: MEHRA Rakesh J.
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to devices, systems and methods that
maintain required flow rates and pressures in dispensing systems used in the
draught industry. This invention also relates to controlling turbulences,
transient
pressures and flow rates of a fluid in a tube.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
At present in the draught beer industry, in order to dispense beer
via draught, pressure is applied to the keg, which is filled with beer. The
applied
pressure could be in the range of 12psi to 24psi or upward. This applied
pressure
pushes the beer from inside the keg to the faucet via beer lines or simple
food
grade vinyl tubings. Thus the flow of the beer in tubings/ beer lines have to
be
restricted or controlled or else it would result in foam when dispensed at the
faucet with high a flow. rate. At present in order to control or restrict the
beer flow
rate in the tubings, various internal diameter tubings are used and which are
also
in 30-50 feet in length. Hence longer the lines, the more product inside them.
In
the event of cleaning beer lines/ tubings or any leaks, accidents, there is
complete loss of the product within the tubings. Also longer tubing means
extra
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material costs and more energy required to cool the tubings and hence more
expenses.
THE PRESENT SITUATION
At present to control the flow of any medium, a liquid or gas,
various flow control devices are used. They use of some kind of form, either a
ball or screw at the site of the opening of the tubing where the medium flows
out.
Thus by controlling the size of the opening one can control the flow of the
medium rushing out. This has its advantages that one can control the flow rate
as
needed during the operation being performed. At times uses of devices which
break down the inside walls of the device into various compartments through
which the medium is channeled and restricted. But since the medium has to pass
through out the complete device, comprising of various other components,
either
different shapes and sizes or a screw, it creates turbulences. Which can
result in
agitated medium at the receiving end of the tube. This phenomenon is more
evident in mixed mediums, example carbonated drinks (liquid and carbon dioxide
gas). The only way to control flow rate or balance the flow, without any
turbulence is via a smooth transition between the high flow rate to low flow
rate.
Hence very much needed a smooth transition to balance the flow
would require a very simple device that has less number of parts as possible,
with little or no sharp edges those would contribute to the turbulence and
still be
cost effective.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Figure 1 and 2. Illustrates, The Liquid Flow Balancer, a very simple
device with minimum number of parts in contact with the medium which would
flow through it. It comprises of a ball/ balls and wedges, by placing one or
series
of same size or different sizes balls inside a tubing/ housing unit. The
specific
volume of the ball/ balls will reduce the volume and speed of the medium that
will
flow through this housing unit. The housing unit (2) which houses the ball/
balls
(4) is designed to reduce the volume and mass flow rate of the medium flowing
through the tubing/ housing (2). The rectangular wedges (3) are designed to
prevent the ball/ balls (4) from blocking the opening of the splicer (1). The
splicer
(1) maintains the inside diameter of the tubing/ housing (2). The splicer (1)
also
aids in extension of the tubing/ housing (2). Another option of using hose
nipple*
(5), to connect the flow balancer to a specific piece of equipment used called
keg
coupler, which engages with the keg and allows one to tap the keg of its
contents.
* Requires rubber washer for air or liquid tight seal and fits standard 7/8-14
Hex nut.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
As seen in figure 3.
1. Splicer/ Barbed fitting:
Usually made of stainless steel or chrome or nickel plated brass or made of
materials depending on the medium in use and must comply within the working
parameters of the operation performed. Designed to maintain the inside
diameter
of the hose and aid in extension of the tubing/ housing unit. It is
characterized by
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the presence of angled barbs that grab and hold on the ID of a hose. In order
to
tightly secure the splicer to the tubing, it is recommended to use screw
clamps,
tab clamps or tie rods.
2. Tubing/ Housing unit:
Cylindrical shaped, usually made of stainless steel, vinyl or nylon or made of
materials depending on the medium in use and must comply within the working
parameters of the operation performed. Designed to remain durable at
recommended temperatures and pressures of the material used. It should not.
rot,
swell, or dry out and is unaffected by normal cleaning compounds.
3. Wedqe:
Made of materials depending on the medium in use. It must comply within the
working parameters of the operation performed. A rectangle piece of material,
with variable length, though a shorter length would provide more strength,
rigidity, and durability. The width should be smaller than the housing unit
but
larger than the opening of the splicer. This in turn would prevent the wedge
to
slide out of the hosing unit but effectively prevent the ball/ balls blocking
the
openings and allow the medium to flow through out the tubing. Properties
needed
are, include strength and durability at recommended temperatures and pressures
of the material used. It should not rot, swell, or dry out and is unaffected
by
normal cleaning compounds.
4. Ball:
Made of materials depending on the medium in use. It must comply within the
working parameters of the operation performed. Designed to reduce the volume
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and mass flow rate of the medium flowing through the tubing/ housing.
Properties
needed are, strength and durability at recommended temperatures and
pressures of the material used. It should not rot, swell, or dry out and is
unaffected by normal cleaning compounds.
5. Hose Nipple*
Usually made of stainless steel or chrome or nickel plated brass. or made of
materials depending on the medium in use and must comply within the working
parameters of the operation performed. It is a small section of pipe with
angled
barbs that grab and hold on the ID of a hose and the other end designed to
connect fluid components. Figure 3. Illustrates a design used to connect the
tubing to necessary equipment, called keg coupler required to dispense liquids
from Kegs (stainless steel or plastic). In order to tightly secure the hose
nipple to
the tubing, it is recommended to use screw clamps, tab clamps or tie rods.
* Requires rubber washer for air or liquid tight seal and fits standard 7/8-14
Hex nut.
DETAILS ON THE INVENTION
Liquid and Gas flow balancer, by placing one or series of same size
or different sizes balls inside a housing unit of uniform shape, size and
volume.
The placed ball/ balls and wedges which could be made of any material that is
inert to the medium (liquid/ gases) that it will be in contact during the
process and
provided the placed balls are not deformed or deconstructed in any other form
the process, then these placed balls will occupy a specific volume as per
their
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dimensions inside this housing unit. This specific volume of the ball/ balls
will
reduce the volume of the medium that flow through the housing unit.
In fluid dynamics and hydrometry, the volumetric flow rate, (also
known as volume flow rate, rate of fluid flow or volume velocity) is the
volume of
fluid which passes through a given surface per unit time. The SI unit is m3/ s
(cubic meters per second). Volumetric flow rate is really just part of mass
flow
rate, since mass relates to volume via density. The mass flow rate of a system
is
a measure of the mass of fluid passing a point in the (m/s) system per unit
time.
The mass flow rate is related to the volumetric flow rate as shown below where
"d" is the density of the fluid, "m" is the mass and "V" is the volume, d= mN,
and
Mass flow rate= Density x Velocity x Area. Therefore by placing ball/ balls
within
the housing unit, reduced density of medium will flow through and in turn
reduced
mass flow rate (mass/sec).
By using the Flow Balancer one can eliminate the need of longer
beer lines in order to control or restrict the beer flow rate. The length of
the beer
lines can be cut down to just 10-15 feet in length. There will be no loss in
excess
product during cleaning or in the case of any mishaps. An establishment could
profit in hundreds of dollars in savings by using the flow balancer.
The only drawback this flow balancer has over other flow control
devices is that, it is a fixed control balancer. There is no way to change the
flow
rate when in use. In order to change the flow rate one has to play with the
number of balls placed within the housing unit, until the desired flow balance
is
achieved.
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The flow balancer due to its thin, sleek design and structure is very
easy to place it between tight areas within any working environment. Another
very important feature of this flow balancer is that, it creates less
turbulence, due
to the use of smooth surfaces of the ball/ balls.
The strength and durability of the flow balancer depends on the
medium in use and the materials used to build the flow balancer in conjunction
within the working parameters of the operation performed. When construction
materials used for the flow balancer are inert to the medium that it will
balance or
the cleaning solutions used to clean the device, there are no limitations to
the
extend of its uses.
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