Beverage cooling technology

About

The proposed cooling solution is based on the application of phase change material (PCM). PCM changes its physical state from solid to liquid and vice versa within a certain temperature range. During the phase change, the PCM absorbs or releases a large amount of latent heat while its temperature remains nearly constant. The relatively high amount of latent heat absorption or latent heat release without any temperature change is the basic appeal for utilizing PCM as a thermal storage medium. Besides the thermal storage feature, the PCM can be used for cooling or heating purposes or can operate as a kind of thermostat by absorbing or releasing latent heat in an alternating way. In a beverage application, the PCM would initially cool the beverage to obtain a desired temperature. The following thermostat function would then keep the beverage at the desired temperature. The PCM selection will be based on the desired beverage temperature. The PCM will be a non-toxic, bio-based material. The PCM will be cross-linked into a polymeric matrix from which a flexible and thin film is created. The film with the PCM integrated wherein will be transparent to ensure visibility of the products enclosed therein. This macro-encapsulation technology of PCM proposed for this solution was invented by us and is currently, for instance, utilized to keep food and medical products at an optimal temperature during transportation. The film can be wrapped around each beverage container or can be used as a skin for a shipping box comprising multiple beverage containers (bottles or cans). Different sizes of each arrangement are possible. The surface of the films can be cleaned. They are suitable for multiple uses. The thermal features (cooling and thermostat-regulation) provide by the PCM technology are obtained without the reliance on an external power source. The PCM technology works in every geographical area in the same way, and therefore, is applicable for the European market. The application of the PCM technology to keep beverages cool is cost-effective and reliable. The technology saves energy and reduces the carbon footprint.