Methods and systems of determining the amount of liquid in a liquid supply tank of a beverage forming machine without a dedicated sensor are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the beverage forming machine includes a controller capable of determining the amount of liquid in the liquid supply tank based on a gas volume in a reference vessel, such as a conduit, in fluid communication with the liquid supply tank.

A device for preparing hot beverages (1) has a flow control system (2) with a water source; (14) a brewing unit (40) with a brewing chamber (41) to hold brewing material and an with inlet line (L4) for the inlet of brewing water into the brewing chamber (41); a heating device (9) for heating the water supplied to the brewing chamber (41); a pump (9) configured to pump the water from the water source (14) to the brewing chamber (41); and a control device (18) to activate and deactivate the functional components for preparing of a selected beverage. In order to obtain an optimum brewing result, the control device (18) is configured to activate the pump (9) at a preselected rate of flow from a selection of different rates of flow ({dot over (V)}) for a subsequent beverage preparation.

A beverage preparation machine (1) comprising a thermal conditioning device (71), such as a heater or cooler, said thermal conditioning device (71) comprising a control unit (4) for controlling a start-up phase of the thermal conditioning device (71) from a temperature of inactivity to an operative temperature, the control unit (4) comprising: a controller with a start-up profile for starting-up the thermal conditioning device (71), wherein the start-up profile has at least one parameter and the controller has a self-learning mode for adjusting the at least one parameter; and a temperature sensor connected to the controller for measuring a temperature of the thermal conditioning device (71); wherein the self-learning mode causes the controller during a start-up phase to: calculate a ramp value representative of a rate of change in temperature during the start-up phase of the thermal conditioning device; adjust the at least one parameter as a function of the adjusted ramp value; use the adjusted at least one parameter for a remainder of the start-up phase. A method for operating and calibrating the thermal conditioning device of such a beverage preparation machine.

A heating apparatus and method of heating. The embodiments of the invention relate to coffee machine heating apparatuses for providing heated brew water for passing through coffee grounds. The apparatus and method involves using low pressure steam (i.e. less than 1 bar absolute) at a saturation temperature that is substantially equal to the desired brew water temperature. Advantageously, improved temperature control of the brew water is achieved in a manner which is more convenient to an end user. The operating temperatures are more stable (the need for a cooling flush is removed) and the operating temperatures is reached in a quicker manner than with conventional machines.

A water heater for an aircraft beverage brewing apparatus includes a three way electrical conduit for conducting electrical power in three separate phases. The heater has a housing with a fluid inlet port at a first removable end piece and a fluid outlet port at a second removable end piece. The hollow cylindrical core incorporates a heating element wound around the core, and the housing includes three resettable temperature sensors at the outlet, each of the three resettable temperature sensors connected to a separate phase of power from the three way electrical conduit.

In order to reduce limescale formation on the continuous flow heater during operation of an apparatus for preparing freshly brewed hot beverages which has a hot water generator, which is embodied as a continuous flow heater, and a brewing apparatus, to which hot water from the hot water generator can be supplied, a controller for actuating the continuous flow heater is provided, which controller switches on the continuous flow heater for the purpose of drawing a pre-specified quantity of hot water and switches off said continuous flow heater shortly before the quantity of hot water is completely output, so that the temperature of the hot water at the output of the continuous flow heater is declining at the end of the drawing operation.

A heating device for heating water, having a container having an inlet channel and an outlet channel, two spaced-apart plates which act as electrodes and each comprise an electrical connection for connection to an electrical voltage source for generating a current flow through the water located between the plates, wherein at least one plate is mounted movably in order to change the distance between the plates and thereby the volume provided between the plates. A water-conducting device such as a washing machine, dishwasher or hot beverage maker, includes a flow conducting system and a heating device arranged therein, as described above.

A beverage preparation machine (1) comprising a thermal conditioning device (71), such as a heater or cooler, said thermal conditioning device (71) comprising a control unit (4) for controlling a start-up phase of the thermal conditioning device (71) from a temperature of inactivity to an operative temperature, the control unit (4) comprising: a controller with a start-up profile for starting-up the thermal conditioning device (71), wherein the start-up profile has at least one parameter and the controller has a self-learning mode for adjusting the at least one parameter; and a temperature sensor connected to the controller for measuring a temperature of the thermal conditioning device (71); wherein the self-learning mode causes the controller during a start-up phase to: calculate a ramp value representative of a rate of change in temperature during the start-up phase of the thermal conditioning device; adjust the at least one parameter as a function of the adjusted ramp value; use the adjusted at least one parameter for a remainder of the start-up phase. A method for operating and calibrating the thermal conditioning device of such a beverage preparation machine.

A heating device for heating water having a container having an inlet and an outlet, two spaced-apart plates which act as electrodes and are each connected to an electrical voltage source for generating a current flow through the water located between the plates, and a control device for activating and deactivating a valve at the inlet and for activating and deactivating the voltage source. A water-conducting device, such as a washing machine, dishwasher or hot beverage maker, includes a flow line system and a heating device arranged therein, as described above.

A modular brewing system is described for providing hot water and managing power to multiple brew tower modules using a single centralized boiler and power management module so as to limit the number of high-power circuits required in a coffeehouse or store. The boiler and power management module manages power of components of the centralized boiler assembly and any brew tower modules connected thereto, including the boiler heaters, the grinder motors, and the brew chamber heaters.