초록 ▼

An insulated and refrigerated beverage transport line provides enhanced temperature control of one or more beverages conveyed through the transport line. A plurality of coolant lines carrying a re-circulated coolant makes contact with the one or more product lines. One or more empty lines, referred

An insulated and refrigerated beverage transport line provides enhanced temperature control of one or more beverages conveyed through the transport line. A plurality of coolant lines carrying a re-circulated coolant makes contact with the one or more product lines. One or more empty lines, referred to as packers, may be placed between the coolant lines and the product lines to provide a dimensionally stable and tight group of lines that are bundled together. An external insulation is provided over the bundle of lines to further enhance insulation for the beverage being transported through the product lines. At least one dedicated coolant return line may be placed remote from the other lines. The dedicated coolant return line carries the highest temperature coolant found in a beverage transport system. Independent and separate insulation of this dedicated coolant return line prevents inadvertent heat transfer to the one or more product lines.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A system for carrying a cooled beverage therein, said system comprising: a product line carrying a beverage therein;at least two packers extending with said product line and being empty;at least three coolant lines carrying coolant and extending along said packers and said product line;a first in

1. A system for carrying a cooled beverage therein, said system comprising: a product line carrying a beverage therein;at least two packers extending with said product line and being empty;at least three coolant lines carrying coolant and extending along said packers and said product line;a first insulation group housing said product line, said packers and said at least three coolant lines;a dedicated coolant return line;a second insulation group surrounding said dedicated coolant return line, said second insulation group not enclosing said product line, said at least two packers, and said at least three coolant lines, said second insulation group having an outer surface contacting an outer surface of said first insulation group;a first coolant line of said at least three coolant lines carrying a coolant in a first direction;a second coolant line of said at least three coolant lines carrying coolant in said first direction;a third coolant line of said at least three coolant lines carrying coolant in a second opposite direction;said product line contacting both said at least two packers; andsaid at least three coolant lines each contact said product line and are spaced about a circumference of said product line, and said at least two packers being placed between said at least three coolant lines. 2. The system, as claimed in claim 1, further including: a barrier film for securing said first insulation group and said second insulation group. 3. The system, as claimed in claim 1, further including: a layer of supporting material surrounding said product line, said at least two packers, and said at least three coolant lines. 4. The system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said dedicated coolant return line is in fluid communication with one of said at least three coolant lines, and said dedicated coolant return line carries coolant to a coolant reservoir. 5. A method of cooling a beverage as it is transported from a storage area to a dispense point, said method comprising the steps of: providing a beverage transport line including a bundle of lines and a dedicated coolant return line, said bundle of lines including a product line, at least one packer, and a plurality of coolant lines;providing insulation for covering said bundle of lines and said dedicated coolant return line, said insulation including a first insulation group housing said bundle of lines but not housing said dedicated coolant return line, and a second insulation group housing said dedicated coolant return line;providing a flow of coolant through a first coolant line of said plurality of coolant lines from a coolant reservoir to the dispense point;providing a flow of coolant through a second coolant line of said plurality of coolant lines from the dispense point back to the coolant reservoir;providing a flow of coolant through a third coolant line of said plurality of coolant lines from the coolant reservoir to a heat exchanger;providing a flow of coolant from the heat exchanger through the dedicated coolant return line back to the coolant reservoir;providing a flow of the beverage through said product line from the storage area to the dispense point; andproviding a flow of beverage through said product line cooled by said coolant lines that make contact with at least three separate locations on said product line when viewing a cross-section of said bundle of lines, and wherein said at least one packer is empty and does not carry a fluid, and said at least one packer contacts the product line and separates two of the coolant lines along a diameter of the beverage transport line. 6. The method, as claimed in claim 5, wherein: said plurality of coolant lines includes at least three coolant lines. 7. The method, as claimed in claim 5, wherein: said at least one packer includes three packers. 8. The method, as claimed in claim 5, wherein: said product line, said at least one packer, and said plurality of coolant lines are configured such that a triangular shaped cross-section results from said bundle of lines. 9. The method, as claimed in claim 5, wherein: said product line, said at least one packer, and said plurality of coolant lines are made from tubes having different diameters. 10. A system for carrying a cooled beverage therein, said system comprising: at least one product line carrying the cooled beverage therein;at least one packer extending with said at least one product line and contacting said at least one product line;a plurality of coolant lines extending along said at least one packer and said at least one product line, said plurality of coolant lines contacting said at least one product line;a first layer of insulation surrounding said at least one product line, said at least one packer, and said plurality of coolant lines;a dedicated coolant return line;a second layer of insulation surrounding said dedicated coolant return line, said second layer of insulation not enclosing said first layer of insulation, and said second layer of insulation having an outer surface contacting an outer surface of said first layer of insulation; andsaid plurality of coolant lines and said at least one packer being spaced about a circumference of said at least one product line. 11. The system, as claimed in claim 10, wherein: said at least one packer separates two of the said plurality of coolant lines along a diameter of said at least one product line. 12. The system, as claimed in claim 10, further including: a coolant reservoir;a first coolant line of said plurality of coolant lines carrying a coolant from the coolant reservoir to a dispense point; anda second coolant line of said plurality of coolant lines carrying said coolant from the dispense point back to the coolant reservoir. 13. The system, as claimed in claim 12, further including: a refrigeration unit communicating with said coolant reservoir to cool said coolant in said reservoir. 14. The system, as claimed in claim 12, further including: a third coolant line of said plurality of coolant lines carrying said coolant in the same direction as the first coolant line from the coolant reservoir to a heat exchanger communicating with said system. 15. The system, as claimed in claim 14, wherein: said coolant heated within said heat exchanger is returned to the coolant reservoir by the dedicated coolant return line. 16. The system, as claimed in claim 10, wherein: said at least one packer separates two of said plurality of coolant lines. 17. The system, as claimed in claim 10, wherein: said at least one product line includes two product lines. 18. The system, as claimed in claim 10, wherein: said at least one packer includes three packers. 19. A method of cooling a beverage as it is transported from a storage area to a dispense point, said method comprising the steps of: providing a beverage transport line including a bundle of lines and a dedicated coolant return line, said bundle of lines including at least one product line, at least one packer, and a plurality of coolant lines, said at least one packer and said plurality of coolant lines each extending along said at least one product line and in contact with and space about a circumference of said at least one product line, a first layer of insulation surrounding said at least one product line, said at least one packer, and said plurality of coolant lines, a second layer of insulation surrounding said dedicated coolant return line, said second layer of insulation not enclosing said first layer of insulation, and said second layer of insulation having an outer surface contacting an outer surface of said first layer of insulation;providing a flow of coolant through at least one of said plurality of coolant lines from a coolant reservoir to the dispense point;providing a flow of coolant from a heat exchanger through the dedicated coolant return line back to the coolant reservoir;and providing a flow of the beverage through said at least one product line from the storage area to the dispense point. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein: said at least one packer separates two of said plurality of coolant lines. 21. The method of claim 19, further comprising: providing a flow of coolant through a second coolant line of said plurality of coolant lines from the dispense point back to the coolant reservoir; andproviding a flow of coolant through a third coolant line of said plurality of coolant lines from the coolant reservoir to the heat exchanger.