Nitrogen generator and uses thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10752484-B2
Application number	US-201815997960-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 5, 2018
Priority date	Apr 15, 2016
Publication date	Aug 25, 2020
Grant date	Aug 25, 2020

Abstract

A system and method to supply nitrogen gas is provided. Ambient air is compressed and stored in a storage receiver and then nitrogen is separated from the compressed air in a nitrogen membrane separation unit. The separated nitrogen is stored in a nitrogen storage tank under pressure and released through a pressure control valve. The system is confined to a small footprint and is useful as a nitrogen source where conventional compressed nitrogen tanks are a safety or space issue. Systems to prepare nitrogen infused beverages are also provided.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A self-contained dispense system for preparation and dispensation of a specialty nitrogen infused beverage, comprising as components:
means for infusing nitrogen into water to provide a nitrogen infused water;
means for mixing the nitrogen infused water with a beverage concentrate to obtain the nitrogen infused beverage;
means to dispense the nitrogen infused beverage; and
a system to continuously supply nitrogen gas to the means for infusing nitrogen, wherein the system to supply nitrogen gas comprises:
a compressed air feed;
a nitrogen membrane separator;
a nitrogen storage unit;
a pressure control unit; and
a release valve for nitrogen from the nitrogen storage unit.

2. The self-contained dispense system of claim 1 , wherein the system to supply nitrogen gas further comprises:
an air compressor;
a compressed air dryer;
a compressed air storage tank; and
a moisture drain from the compressed air tank.

3. The self-contained dispense system of claim 1 , wherein a volume of the nitrogen storage unit is from 10 to 100 cubic inches.

4. The self-contained dispense system of claim 1 , wherein a pressure of gas of the nitrogen storage unit is from 10 to 100 psi.

5. The self-contained dispense system of claim 1 , wherein a foot print of the system to supply nitrogen gas is less than four square feet.

6. The self-contained dispense system of claim 5 , wherein a height of the system to supply nitrogen gas is less than one foot.

7. The self-contained dispense system of claim 1 , further comprising a mounting panel and/or housing to arrange at least one of the components.

8. The self-contained dispense system of claim 7 , wherein the mounting panel is a wall mount panel and the system is mounted to a wall.

9. The self-contained dispense system of claim 7 , wherein the components are arranged in a housing such that the system stands on a floor or stands on a countertop.

10. The self-contained dispense system of claim 7 , wherein some components are arranged on a wall panel and the others arranged in a housing on a floor or on a countertop.

11. The self-contained dispense system of claim 7 , wherein the system further comprises a refrigeration unit.

12. The self-contained dispense system of claim 7 , wherein the means to dispense the nitrogen infused beverage comprises at least one of a restrictor plate and a restrictor nozzle.

13. The self-contained dispense system of claim 7 , wherein the means to dispense the nitrogen infused beverage is a slow pour beverage faucet that dispenses the specialty nitrogen infused beverage at a rate of from 0.1 to 5 ounces per second.

14. The self-contained dispense system of claim 7 , wherein the system comprises a beverage concentrate container having a volume of from 1 gallon to 10 gallons.

15. The self-contained dispense system of claim 7 , wherein the system comprises a beverage concentrate container which holds a coffee concentrate and the specialty nitrogen infused beverage dispensed from the beverage faucet is a nitrogen infused coffee.

16. The self-contained dispense system of claim 15 , wherein a temperature of the nitrogen infused coffee dispensed is from 30° F. to 40° F.

17. The self-contained dispense system of claim 15 , wherein a nitrogen content of the nitrogen infused coffee at dispense is from 20 ppm to 80 ppm.

18. The self-contained dispense system of claim 15 , wherein a temperature of the nitrogen infused coffee dispensed is from 34° F. to 37° F. and a nitrogen content of the nitrogen infused coffee at dispense is from 40 ppm to 50 ppm.

19. The self-contained dispense system of claim 7 , which does not comprise a compressed nitrogen gas cylinder.

20. The self-contained dispense system of claim 7 , wherein the system comprises a beverage concentrate container which holds a coffee concentrate and the specialty nitrogen infused beverage dispensed from the beverage faucet is a nitrogen infused coffee having a temperature of from 30° F. to 40° F. and a nitrogen content from 20 ppm to 80 ppm.

Assignees

• Automatic Bar Controls Inc

Inventors

• Kleinrichert Charles

Classifications

• B01F23/23765

  Nitrogen · CPC title

• B01F23/236

  specially adapted for aerating or carbonating beverages · CPC title

• B01F23/2363

  Mixing systems, i.e. flow charts or diagrams; Arrangements, e.g. comprising controlling means · CPC title

• B67D1/10

  Pump mechanism (in general F04) · CPC title

• C12C13/10

  Home brew equipment · CPC title