A dispensing apparatus (20; 300; 400) comprises: a freezing cylinder (40); a water flowpath (526); a first controllable valve (130) along the water flowpath; a syrup flowpath (528), merging with the water flowpath and proceeding as a water/syrup flowpath (552) to the freezing cylinder; and a second controllable valve (132) along the syrup flowpath. The first controllable valve and the second controllable valve each comprise: a valve body (144; 432) having a cartridge compartment (164,166), an inlet (176) to the cartridge compartment, and an outlet (178) from the cartridge compartment; and a valve cartridge (162). The valve cartridge comprises: a cartridge body (200) mounted in the cartridge compartment; a valve element (222) carried by the cartridge body and shiftable between a first condition permitting communication between the inlet and the outlet and a second condition blocking communication between the inlet and the outlet; and a solenoid (224) carried by the cartridge body and coupled to the valve element to drive movement of the valve element.

A dispensing apparatus (20; 300; 400) comprises: a freezing cylinder (40); a water flowpath (526); a first controllable valve (130) along the water flowpath; a syrup flowpath (528), merging with the water flowpath and proceeding as a water/syrup flowpath (552) to the freezing cylinder; and a second controllable valve (132) along the syrup flowpath. The first controllable valve and the second controllable valve each comprise: a valve body (144; 432) having a cartridge compartment (164,166), an inlet (176) to the cartridge compartment, and an outlet (178) from the cartridge compartment; and a valve cartridge (162). The valve cartridge comprises: a cartridge body (200) mounted in the cartridge compartment; a valve element (222) carried by the cartridge body and shiftable between a first condition permitting communication between the inlet and the outlet and a second condition blocking communication between the inlet and the outlet; and a solenoid (224) carried by the cartridge body and coupled to the valve element to drive movement of the valve element.

The present disclosure relates generally to a beverage nucleator system that can initiate ice crystal nucleation by application of a directed flow of pressurized gas to the exterior of the fluid container containing a supercooled beverage. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a beverage nucleator system for a supercooled beverage container which may include a frame having a beverage container aperture for receiving a beverage container therein and a gas outlet positioned within the beverage container aperture for directing a flow of pressurized gas at a beverage container received therein.

The present disclosure relates generally to a beverage nucleator system that can initiate ice crystal nucleation by application of a directed flow of pressurized gas to the exterior of the fluid container containing a supercooled beverage. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a beverage nucleator system for a supercooled beverage container which may include a frame having a beverage container aperture for receiving a beverage container therein and a gas outlet positioned within the beverage container aperture for directing a flow of pressurized gas at a beverage container received therein.

In one embodiment, a method of forming frozen ice cream pellets includes supplying an ice cream premix into a loading vessel; loading a loading cylinder with the ice cream premix from the loading vessel, the loading cylinder being connected to the loading vessel; applying a machine-controllable force to expel the ice cream premix from the loading cylinder as ice cream premix pellets; and exposing the ice cream premix pellets to a cryogenic fluid, thereby at least partially freezing the ice cream premix pellets.

In one embodiment, a method of forming frozen ice cream pellets includes supplying an ice cream premix into a loading vessel; loading a loading cylinder with the ice cream premix from the loading vessel, the loading cylinder being connected to the loading vessel; applying a machine-controllable force to expel the ice cream premix from the loading cylinder as ice cream premix pellets; and exposing the ice cream premix pellets to a cryogenic fluid, thereby at least partially freezing the ice cream premix pellets.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for making a frozen beverage are disclosed. In the systems, a mixing stage mixes water and syrup to form a mixture. An ingredient flow path upstream the mixing stage feeds the water and syrup to the mixing stage. The ingredient flow path includes at least one ingredient sensor and an adjustable liquid flow control device. A mixture flow path receives the mixture downstream the mixing stage and includes a mixture sensor. An electronic control system is in connected communication with the ingredient sensor, mixture sensor, and adjustable flow control device, stores a target value associated with a brix, and is configured to achieve the target value by adjusting liquid flow through the liquid flow control device based on flow detected by the ingredient and mixture sensors. A freezing stage downstream the mixture flow path at least partially freezes the mixture.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for making a frozen beverage are disclosed. In the systems, a mixing stage mixes water and syrup to form a mixture. An ingredient flow path upstream the mixing stage feeds the water and syrup to the mixing stage. The ingredient flow path includes at least one ingredient sensor and an adjustable liquid flow control device. A mixture flow path receives the mixture downstream the mixing stage and includes a mixture sensor. An electronic control system is in connected communication with the ingredient sensor, mixture sensor, and adjustable flow control device, stores a target value associated with a brix, and is configured to achieve the target value by adjusting liquid flow through the liquid flow control device based on flow detected by the ingredient and mixture sensors. A freezing stage downstream the mixture flow path at least partially freezes the mixture.

A thermodynamic system for cooling/heating a container containing food products of the liquid or semi-liquid type, includes a circuit employing a heat exchanger fluid, preferably transcritical, having at least: a compressor with a first inlet and first outlet for the fluid and a second inlet and second outlet for the fluid; a first heat exchanger including an inlet for the fluid, connected to the second outlet, and an outlet for the fluid, the first heat exchanger further including an inlet and an outlet for a service fluid; a second heat exchanger for the container; an inlet branch for the fluid, extending from the first heat exchanger outlet for the heat exchanger fluid to an inlet of the second heat exchanger; an outlet branch for the heat exchanger fluid, extending from the outlet of the second heat exchanger to the first inlet of the compressor; a control and drive unit.

The application discloses a detachable dispensing device for cold drink and a cold drink machine. The dispensing device for cold drink comprises a dispensing tray, a housing, and a handle; the housing is provided with a first dispensing outlet, the dispensing tray is provided with a second dispensing outlet, the dispensing tray is detachably mounted on the outer side of the first dispensing outlet of the housing, the first dispensing outlet is connected to the second dispensing outlet, and the dispensing tray is configured to seal the first dispensing outlet. In this application, the dispensing tray can be replaced or cleaned separately, which reduces the difficulty of replacing the dispensing tray and solves the problem of difficulty in cleaning the equipment due to the traditional dispensing tray being difficult to disassemble.