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).

Disclosed are cooling devices for beverage dispensing systems. The devices include and utilize a slurry of granules and a liquid in order to facilitate heat transfer in the cooling device.

A dispenser system for providing variable carbonation can include a carbonated water source in communication with a carbonated water valve for controlling flow of carbonated water through the dispenser system; a still water source in communication with a still water valve for controlling flow of still water through the dispenser system; a nozzle in fluid communication with the carbonated water source and still water source; a processing device adapted to modulate the carbonated water and still water valves within a modulate cycle to achieve a ratio of carbonated to non-carbonated water; and a pour mechanism adapted to provide an input to the processing device to dispense the beverage.

The invention relates to a device for providing a treated fluid, in particular of drinking water, comprising a treatment device with at least one treatment container for treating the fluid and a temperature control device for controlling the temperature of the fluid in the at least one treatment container, preferably for cooling it, wherein at least one pre-temperature control device is provided with at least one container for the temperature control of the untreated fluid, wherein the container has an inlet for non-temperature-controlled, untreated fluid and an outlet where temperature-controlled, untreated fluid can be supplied, and that the temperature control device is designed such that a) the temperature-controlled, untreated fluid in the direction of flow prior to treatment by the treatment device can be temperature-controlled by the temperature control device for the treatment device, or b) the untreated fluid can be temperature-controlled by the temperature control device before and/or during treatment in the treatment device and/or when the treated fluid is withdrawn from the treatment device.

A dispenser system for providing variable carbonation can include a carbonated water source in communication with a carbonated water valve for controlling flow of carbonated water through the dispenser system; a still water source in communication with a still water valve for controlling flow of still water through the dispenser system; a nozzle in fluid communication with the carbonated water source and still water source; a processing device adapted to modulate the carbonated water and still water valves within a modulate cycle to achieve a ratio of carbonated to non-carbonated water; and a pour mechanism adapted to provide an input to the processing device to dispense the beverage.

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).