A dispensing system for a beverage includes in a tap system a bore for housing a duct. Along the bore, close to or on the duct, at least two electrodes are provided such that at least at some locations along the duct, the two electrodes are provided opposite to one another with the duct in between, thus constituting a capacitor. An oscillating signal is provided to one electrode and a signal is read out from the other electrode. As a beverage is drawn through the duct in a container, capacitance of the capacitor changes. The flowing beverage may have different characteristics, but capacitance may also change as the beverage in the duct is in conducting contact with a container that may be in contact with an earth contact. The change of capacitance results in a change of the amplitude of a detection circuit connected to the second electrode.

A system and method for the automated dispensing of bulk keg wine is provide having, in combination: integrated temperature control; pressure monitoring; automated purging; and integrated point of sale data acquisition for determining inventory usage statistics for each keg of wine dispensed. The system provides for precise measurement of each portion. An error alarm system warns an operator about beverage tank low level. A system for forcing the flashing of poor quality beverage. Recording of all delivery process events allows for operator or management review and control.

Certain embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a method that may include identifying at least one metric for a fluid flowing through a line from a vessel to a dispenser. The method may include identifying a reference value for the at least one metric for the fluid. The method may include performing an analysis of the fluid based on the at least one metric for the fluid. The method may include comparing results of the analysis with the reference value. The method may include performing at least one action based on determining that there has been a change in the at least one metric relative to the reference value.

A dispensing system for a beverage comprises in a tap system a bore for housing a duct. Along the bore, close to or on the duct, at least two electrodes are provided such that at least at some locations along the duct, the two electrodes are provided opposite to one another with the duct in between, thus constituting a capacitor. An oscillating signal is provided to one electrode and a signal is read out from the other electrode. As a beverage is drawn through the duct in a container, capacitance of the capacitor changes. The flowing beverage may have different characteristics, but capacitance may also change as the beverage in the duct is in conducting contact with a container that may be in contact with a ground contact. The change of capacitance results in a change of the amplitude of a detection circuit connected to the second electrode.

A fluid heating system including a heating chamber that receives fluid and heats the fluid to provide heated fluid, a dispensing device that dispenses the heated fluid, the dispensing device encompassing the heating chamber, a thermostatic control device that regulates a power supply to the heating chamber, an energy recovery device that harvests mechanical energy provided by a flow of the heated fluid from the heating chamber to the dispensing device and generates electrical energy to power the thermostatic control device, a pressure regulating valve, wherein in a closed position, passage for the heated fluid is prevented between the heating chamber and the drain when a pressure in the heating chamber is below a predetermined pressure threshold and passage for the heated fluid is provided between the heating chamber and the drain when the pressure in the heating chamber is above the predetermined pressure threshold.

A drink station is provided with an alkaline filter cartridge in fluid communication with an ambient temperature water line provide alkaline water, and with a chilled water mixed with the alkaline water at a spigot to provide chilled alkaline water. A hot water heating element is located below the spigot so hot water flows upward for dispensing from the spigot, with a vent line between the heating element and spigot helping hot water to flow from the spigot to the heating element. A refrigeration system and a carbonation system is also provided. The refrigeration system uses the ice-bank technology. A submersible agitator pump improves heat exchanged between ice-bank and water by forced convection. The agitator pump operating based on the temperature of the drinking water. A figure eight evaporator coil can provide two cylindrical ice banks and two chilled water coils to increase the chilled water capacity.

The present system generally relates to a fluid flow system where a controller and motor pump assemblies are used to optimize the control of fluid flow through the system. The controller samples the back electromotive force of the motor and pump assemblies and is able to utilize the sampled back electromotive force in conjunction with predefined target back electromotive force values, preferably empirically determined and tuned to an induvial motor and for a select fluid, to tune the voltage applied to the system, control the back electromotive force of the system and, by extension, control the flow of fluid.

A system for monitoring flow conditions of fluid flowing from a product container through a solenoid pump. The system includes at least one solenoid pump comprising a solenoid coil, which, when energized, produces a stroke of the solenoid pump, at least one product container connected to the at least one solenoid pump wherein the at least one solenoid pump pumps fluid from the at least one product container during each stroke, at least one PWM controller configured to energize the at least one solenoid pump, at least one current sensor for sensing the current flow through the solenoid coil and producing an output of the sensed current flow, and a control logic subsystem for controlling the flow of fluids through the solenoid pump by commanding the PWM controller and for monitoring the current through the solenoid pump by receiving the output from the current sensor, wherein the control logic subsystem uses the measured current flow through the solenoid coil to determine whether the stroke of the solenoid pump is functional.

Disclosed are various embodiments for dispensing and tracking beverages. An identifier associated with a user can be read by an identification device. Beverage availability information for the user can be determined. The beverage availability information can specify categories of beverages that the user is authorized to dispense. Valves can be selected that correspond to the authorized beverage categories. The valves can be enabled to allow the user to dispense beverages from the authorized beverage categories. The quantity of beverages dispensed can be tracked.

A water dispenser and a method of controlling a water dispenser are provided. The water dispenser may control power output of an induction heater having a hot water module based on changes in flow rate of water supplied or a temperature of water discharged.