Hydraulic unit for a carbonation apparatus (2) having a carbonator (3) and a pump (10). The hydraulic unit (1) has a body made of polymeric material (20) defining a plurality of ducts (21-26), which comprise a duct (21) to convey water to the carbonator (3), a duct (22) to add a gas to the carbonator (3), and at least one duct to draw water (24, 25, 26) from the carbonator (3). The body made of polymeric material (20) can also define a fluidic connection interface (30), configured for mounting the body made of polymeric material (20) at at least one upper end (3 a) of the carbonator (3). The body made of polymeric material body (20) can also define at least one inlet (23.sub.IN) and at least one outlet (26.sub.OUT) configured for connection to an outlet (11b) and an inlet (11a), respectively, of the pump (10) of the carbonation device (2).

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.

A system and method for dispensing fluids is introduced. A preferred embodiment comprises a sealed tank, a bag containing fluid inside the sealed tank, an outlet for dispensing the liquid in the bag, and a pressure generating device to create pressure in the sealed tank.

The current invention teaches a universal manifold for delivering chemical liquids to a storage container. The universal manifold contains a universal mating system that enables a single manifold to attach to a number of variously sized storage containers that include a number of variously sized fill apertures. This enables the use of the same universal manifold for the delivery and collection of liquid chemical to the storage container at different times.

An embodiment system and method for dispensing multiple dairy products includes a dispenser which houses two or more dairy product bases with different formulations, which may be combined with or without water to create a multitude of homogenous dairy beverages. The two or more dairy product bases may be mixed together first and then separately mixed with water, mixed together simultaneously with water, or mixed together without adding water. They may be mixed together with or without additional flavoring, ingredients, mineral or nutritional additives. The dispenser comprises a pump with a quick-release mechanism to allow for quick and clean maintenance of the system.

A valve assembly and fluid arrangement for continuous delivery of volumetrically proportioned gases or like fluids includes a valve assembly and a volumetric fluid storage bank, which has first and second sets of fluid storage chambers. The valve assembly alternately supplies a consumer with a blend of gases from the first set of fluid storage chambers while charging the second set of fluid storage chambers from pressurized gas sources, and, upon a threshold depletion of gases from the first set of chambers, supply the consumer with a blend of gases from the second set of fluid storage chambers while charging the first set of fluid storage chambers from the gas sources. Upon the threshold depletion of gases from the second set of chambers, the valve assembly again supplies mixed gases from the first set of chambers while charging the second set of chambers, and the process repeats.

A fluid integrating system (10) includes an integrating manifold (30) having two or more input fluid inlets (132) disposed at oblique angles relative to a center axis of the integrating manifold (30). The two or more input fluid inlets (132) intersect in the integrating manifold (30) to define an integrating chamber (112). The fluid integrating system also includes a pressure sensor (110) fluidly connected to the integrating chamber (112) that is operable to send a pressure signal indicative of the pressure of the fluid in the integrating chamber (112). A integrating controller (22) is operatively coupled to the two or more valves (60) and to the pressure sensor (110) and is operable to selectively control the flow of input fluids into the integrating chamber (112) by actuating the two or more valves (60) based on the pressure signal received from the pressure sensor (110).

In certain examples, a beverage dispenser includes a gas system configured to collect ambient air, pressurize the ambient air, and dispense the pressurized ambient air, a valve configured to dispense a base fluid, and a concentrate system configured to dispense a concentrate. A manifold is configured to form a gas-injected mixed beverage comprising the base fluid, the concentrate, and the pressurized ambient air, and a nozzle is configured to apply a back-pressure upstream on the gas-injected mixed beverage and dispense the gas-injected mixed beverage.

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 cooling system for a dispensing station includes a modular manifold that incorporates into the dispensing station. The modular manifold includes a recirculation block, an interface block, one or more expander blocks, and one or more spacer blocks that interconnect to produce the modular manifold. The modular manifold includes a recirculation line that couples at an inlet with a cooling fluid system to receive a cooling fluid therein and at an outlet with the cooling fluid system to deliver the cooling fluid from the modular manifold to the cooling fluid system. The modular manifold couples with a drink source and with a drink outlet of the dispensing station such that a drink flowing through the modular manifold from the drink source transfers heat to the cooling fluid circulating through the recirculation line resulting in a chilling of the drink prior to a dispensing thereof from the drink outlet.