The invention includes components and methodology for fixed and semi-fixed systems for extinguishing fire in large industrial flammable liquid storage tanks, including aerated foam projecting nozzles discharging substantially focused streams together with aeration chambers and risers and the formation of wand heads and wands.

Carbonation duct (1) for blending a gas and a beverage. The carbonation duct (1) includes a tubular structure (12) surrounding a compression structure (13), the compression structure (13) longitudinally positioned inside the tubular structure (12) and setting a pathway (14) for the flowing of the beverage along the carbonation duct (1). The compression structure (13) includes external diameters (P,C,G) sequentially defining a convergence path (8), a mixture path (19) and a slowdown path (20) along the carbonation duct (1), wherein, in the convergence path (8), the carbonation duct (1) includes a gas entry portion (9) for gas injection in the pathway (14), and the tubular structure (12) defines a turbilionating projection (10) establishing a carbonation duct (1) mixture diameter (F).

A gas liquid absorption device (GLAD), featuring a gas inlet manifold, a liquid inlet manifold and a gas/liquid mixing foamer. The gas inlet manifold has a gas inlet configured to receive and provide an inlet gas, and also has a gas foamer cavity formed therein and coupled fluidically to the gas inlet to receive the inlet gas. The liquid inlet manifold has a liquid inlet configured to receive and provide a non-infused liquid, and also has a liquid foamer cavity formed therein and coupled fluidically to the liquid inlet to receive the non-infused liquid. The gas/liquid mixing foamer is configured between the gas inlet manifold and the liquid inlet manifold and arranged in the gas foamer cavity and the liquid foamer cavity. The gas/liquid mixing foamer has a gas foamer wall configured to form a gas receiving foamer chamber that is fluidically coupled to the gas foamer cavity. The gas foamer wall has gas provisioning holes formed therein to provide dispersed inlet gas from the gas receiving foamer chamber. The gas/liquid mixing foamer has a liquid foamer wall configured to form a liquid receiving foamer chamber that is fluidically coupled to the liquid foamer cavity. The liquid foamer wall having liquid provisioning holes formed therein to provide dispersed non-infused liquid from the liquid receiving foamer chamber. The mixing chamber is configured to receive the dispersed inlet gas and the dispersed non-infused liquid, infuse the dispersed inlet gas and the dispersed non-infused liquid, and provide a foamed gas/liquid mixture from the mixing chamber.

A method of producing a carbonated beverage comprising a blend of water and syrup having a predetermined final carbonation level. The method includes the steps of: introducing CO.sub.2 into a flowing stream of a product blend comprising water, syrup and dissolved oxygen, such that CO.sub.2 is dissolved in the product blend; deaerating the CO.sub.2-containing product blend by introducing the blend into a vented atmospheric vessel, the interior of which is at ambient pressure with a headspace maintained above the surface of the liquid within the vessel, whereby dissolved oxygen is released from the product blend and vented from the vessel; pumping the deaerated product blend from the vessel, wherein the deaerated blend includes dissolved CO.sub.2 at an intermediate carbonation level less than the final carbonation level; and carbonating the deaerated product blend to the final carbonation level downstream of the vented vessel to produce a carbonated beverage for subsequent packaging. A system for performing the method is also provided, as well as a method of producing a beverage using nitrogen deaeration.

A chilling reservoir for providing in-line carbonation in a beverage dispenser includes a housing having a first beverage material pathway extending therethrough. The first beverage material pathway may have a flow inlet arrangement and a flow outlet arrangement. The chilling reservoir also includes a heat exchanger arrangement that is positioned and configured to be selectively operated to chill beverage material passing through the first beverage material pathway. The chilling reservoir also includes a carbonation chamber operably positioned in the first beverage material pathway of the housing. The carbonation chamber may be configured to removably receive therein a carbonator.

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.

The invention includes components and methodology for fixed and semi-fixed systems for extinguishing fire in large industrial flammable liquid storage tanks, including aerated foam projecting nozzles discharging substantially focused streams together with aeration chambers and risers.

A system for gas impregnation of a liquid includes a container for holding a product ingredient, a first still liquid conduit for conveying a still product including the ingredient, a gas cylinder providing a gas conduit with a compressed gas such as Nitrogen. The system includes two or more pressure chambers each having a corresponding liquid fill valve to control the flow of a still product filling the pressure chamber, and a gas diffuser for diffusing the compressed gas into the still product to produce a gas infused product. A multi-way valve in fluid communication with each of the pressure chambers directs the gas infused product from a selected one of the pressure chambers to a first charged product conduit for supplying a charged liquid dispenser, and blocks fluid from flowing from other, non-selected, ones of the pressure chambers. A method for using the subject system is also provided.

A beverage maker is provided having a filtered water system for processing pressurized potable water, a flavor infusion system, and a beverage discharge. Purified filtered water is thereby directed alternately directly to a beverage discharge, or through the flavor infusion system to the beverage discharge. An additional water carbonation system may be incorporated between the filtered water and the flavor infusion system such that carbonated, filtered water may be directed alternately directly to a beverage discharge, or through the flavor infusion system to the beverage discharge. The beverage maker is capable of alternately dispensing filtered, flavored, carbonated or noncarbonated water based beverages.

A method of producing a carbonated beverage comprising a blend of water and syrup having a predetermined final carbonation level. The method includes the steps of: introducing CO.sub.2 into a flowing stream of a product blend comprising water, syrup and dissolved oxygen, such that CO.sub.2 is dissolved in the product blend; deaerating the CO.sub.2-containing product blend by introducing the blend into a vented atmospheric vessel, the interior of which is at ambient pressure with a headspace maintained above the surface of the liquid within the vessel, whereby dissolved oxygen is released from the product blend and vented from the vessel; pumping the deaerated product blend from the vessel, wherein the deaerated blend includes dissolved CO.sub.2 at an intermediate carbonation level less than the final carbonation level; and carbonating the deaerated product blend to the final carbonation level downstream of the vented vessel to produce a carbonated beverage for subsequent packaging. A system for performing the method is also provided, as well as a method of producing a beverage using nitrogen deaeration.