A valve for a plumbing system has a housing with an inlet and an outlet and a valve body movable in the housing between a throttle position with a decreased a flow cross section and reduced flow between the inlet and outlet and an open position with a large flow cross section and free flow between the inlet and outlet. Structure in the valve body applies hydraulic pressure from the inlet or outlet to the valve body to shift same into the throttle position when a pressure differential between the inlet and the outlet exceeds a specified value and into the open position in the absence of a pressure differential between the inlet and the outlet.

A system is for infusing liquid with a gas to form a gas-infused beverage. The system has a tank with first and second cavities. A refrigeration circuit refrigerates the tank and the contents of the first and second cavities. The liquid is supplied to the first cavity and cooled therein by the refrigeration circuit and then supplied to the second cavity and infused with gas therein to thereby form the gas-infused beverage. The gas-infused beverage is then supplied to a beverage outlet for dispensing to a user.

Some variations provide a system for producing a functionalized powder, comprising: an agitated pressure vessel; first particles and second particles contained within the agitated pressure vessel; a fluid contained within the agitated pressure vessel; an exhaust line for releasing the fluid from the agitated pressure vessel; and a means for recovering a functionalized powder containing the second particles disposed onto surfaces of the first particles. A preferred fluid is carbon dioxide in liquefied or supercritical form. The carbon dioxide may be initially loaded into the pressure vessel as solid carbon dioxide. The pressure vessel may be batch or continuous and is operated under reaction conditions to functionalize the first particles with the second particles, thereby producing a functionalized powder, such as nanofunctionalized metal particles in which nanoparticles act as grain refiners for a component ultimately produced from the nanofunctionalized metal particles. Methods for making the functionalized powder are also disclosed.

A sparkling water mixing assembly and a refrigerator having same. The sparkling water mixing assembly comprises a supply module, a mixing container, and a mixing connector. The supply module is configured to supply carbon dioxide. The mixing container is configured to contain a liquid to be mixed, and has an opening. The mixing connector is configured to enable the mixing container to be detachably disposed thereon. The mixing connector has a mixing chamber, a pressure channel, and an accessing channel. The mixing chamber allows the opening to extend into the mixing chamber. The pressure channel is communicated with the mixing chamber, and is configured to adjust the pressure in the mixing chamber. The accessing channel is communicated with the mixing chamber and the supply module, and is configured to enable the mixing container to obtain carbon dioxide.

Bone cement applicators and methods apply a bone cement dough in the region of the spine. The applicators and method have at least one tubular cartridge with an internal space, containing starting components of the bone cement, at least one dispensing plunger that is mobile in longitudinal direction on the inside of the at least one cartridge, a hose, an application opening through which the bone cement dough is applicable, a three-way valve being arranged in the hose or on a side of the hose facing the at least one cartridge and in fluid connection with the opening of the at least one cartridge and/or a collecting container arranged on the three-way valve for accommodation of bone cement dough. The three-way valve is appropriately designed and/or arranged in the bone cement applicator such that it, being in a first position, provides a fluid connection between the application opening and the opening of the at least one cartridge and closes a passage to the collecting container and, being in a second position, provides a fluid connection between the application opening and the collecting container and closes a passage to the opening of the at least one cartridge.

Bone cement applicators and methods for application of a bone cement dough, the applicators and methods comprise a tubular cartridge with an internal space, a dispensing plunger for expelling the starting components through an opening of the cartridge opposite from the dispensing plunger, wherein the dispensing plunger is mobile in longitudinal direction in the internal space of the cartridge. The applicators and methods further comprise a hose, an application opening, a three-way valve operable from outside and arranged or arrangeable in the hose or on a side of the hose facing the cartridge, and a collecting container arranged on the three-way valve. The three-way valve is designed and arranged or arrangeable in the applicator such that it, being in a first position, provides a fluid connection between the application opening and the opening of the cartridge and closes a feed-through to the collecting container and, being in a second position, provides a fluid connection between the application opening and the collecting container and closes a passage to the opening of the cartridge.

A high efficiency cooling wine aerator comprises a tannin balancing piece, a wine aerator body, an ice kettle, an aeration nozzle and a bracket. A cooling cavity is arranged in the wine aerator body; the upper end of the wine aerator body is provided with an opening led to the cooling cavity; the bottom end of the cooling cavity forms a shrinking mouth; the lower end of the wine aerator body is provided with a first connector; the first connector is provided with an aeration cavity led to the shrinking mouth; the lower end of the first connector is provided with a plurality of air inlet grooves at intervals; the tannin balancing piece is detachably connected to the opening at the upper end of the wine aerator body; the ice kettle is placed in the cooling cavity; the aeration nozzle comprises an aeration nozzle body and a second connector arranged above the aeration nozzle body; the aeration nozzle is detachably connected below the wine aerator body through the second connector; and the bracket comprises a supporting seat and a plurality of supporting feet arranged at the circumferential side of the supporting seat at intervals. The high efficiency cooling wine aerator of the present invention is detachable, convenient in cleaning, coolable during decanting and small in noise during decanting.

A domestic carbonation appliance has a replaceable CO.sub.2 cylinder and accepts a refillable bottle with a removeable cap. The cap can cooperate with a carbonation head of a domestic carbonation device but lacks bayonette or thread features for engaging the carbonation head. The device provides for one-touch carbonation.

A valve for a plumbing system has a housing with an inlet and an outlet and a valve body movable in the housing between a throttle position with a decreased a flow cross section and reduced flow between the inlet and outlet and an open position with a large flow cross section and free flow between the inlet and outlet. Structure in the valve body applies hydraulic pressure from the inlet or outlet to the valve body to shift same into the throttle position when a pressure differential between the inlet and the outlet exceeds a specified value and into the open position in the absence of a pressure differential between the inlet and the outlet.

A bathwater circulating system has a pump operable to draw fluid in at an intake port and expel it under pressure at an output port. Water- and air-supply conduits feed water and air to the intake port at a rate determined by a flow-restricting air-intake valve so that the pump mixes the water and the air, pressurizes the mixture and thereby dissolves the air in the water, and expels the air/water mixture at the output port. A pressure-reducing valve is connected by an output conduit that extends from the output port to the pressure relief valve and conducts the water/air-bubble mixture from the pump to the pressure-reducing valve without separation of the air from the water and such that the mixture is at least partially depressurized at the pressure-reducing valve such that the air forms microbubbles in the water.