A carbonated water dispenser comprises a carbonator with a water inlet and a carbonated water outlet. A backflow preventer module is fluidically coupled to the water inlet and comprises a check valve and a thermal mass flow meter. The thermal mass flow meter is configured to communicate a first signal based on a measured amount of heat transferred from a heater to a temperature sensor by a flow of a fluid through the backflow preventer module. A shut-off valve is fluidically coupled between the carbonated water outlet and a nozzle. The shut-off valve is configured to allow or prevent fluid flow from the carbonated water outlet to the nozzle base on a control signal. A controller is configured to detect a backflow condition based on the first signal and generate the control signal to configure the shut-off valve to prevent dispensing carbonated water upon detection of the backflow condition.

System for dispensing a beverage into a container (18) comprising at least one dispenser unit (10). The dispenser unit (10) comprises at least one beverage outlet port and a movable seal member (34) which is configured to form a sealing barrier between at least a portion of the container (18) and the dispenser head. In this way the container is pressurised before filling, so as to avoid excessive foaming.

A pressure relief blow-out plug includes a body including an inboard end and an outboard end, and an inboard flange extending radially outwardly from the inboard end of the body. A package includes a container including a wall having interior and exterior surfaces, and a pressure relief passage extending along a longitudinal passage axis and having a circumferential passage surface extending through the wall between the interior and exterior surfaces, wherein the pressure relief blow-out plug is carried in the pressure relief passage.

The apparatus includes a reservoir (2), a liquid source (1), a carbon dioxide source (12), a non-return valve (8), a carbonating vessel (7) to receive liquid from the reservoir (2) via the non-return valve (8), a gas inlet (15) to receive carbon dioxide from the carbon dioxide source (12), and a dip tube (16) to withdraw carbonated liquid from the carbonating vessel. A pressure relief valve (20) vents gas from the carbonating vessel (7), and a dispense valve (18) controls the supply of carbonated liquid from the dip tube (16) to a dispense outlet (17). A charge control valve (14) controls the supply of carbon dioxide to the carbonating vessel (7). The apparatus has the following modes of operation-charge: the dispense valve (18) is held closed while the charge control valve (14) is opened to admit a charge of carbon dioxide into the carbonating vessel (7); dispense/refill: the dispense valve (18) is opened to dispense carbonated liquid while liquid flows into the carbonating vessel from the reservoir (2) via the non-return valve (8). The carbonated beverage can

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A closure (12) for a beverage keg (10) for the pressurised delivery of a beverage, the closure comprising: a valve housing (38) comprising a valve housing wall (32) and an inlet and configured to house a valve (26) for controlling a flow of pressurised gas through the inlet into a headspace of the beverage keg (10); a venting aperture (27) in the valve housing wall, separate from the inlet and arranged to vent the headspace of the beverage keg; and a barrier (29), integrally formed with the valve housing wall and arranged to seal the venting aperture (27) such that the closure (12) is able to retain the pressurised gas within the keg when the closure is arranged in an unvented configuration, the barrier (29) being configured to rupture due to internal pressure from within the keg in order to switch the closure into a vented configuration in which the venting aperture (27) is no longer sealed by the barrier, wherein the barrier is formed as a geometrical shape having a barrier diameter or a barrier width in the range of 7 mm to 12 mm and wherein, in at least a part of the barrier, a barrier thickness is lower than a thickness of the valve housing in the immediate surroundings of the venting aperture and in the range of 0.02 mm to 0.5 mm.

A stirrer includes a stirring shaft; a plurality of mixing wings extending from the lower end of the stirring shaft and spaced from each other around the stirring shaft; and a conical hub connecting the lower ends of the mixing wings.

A pressure relief blow-out plug includes a body including an inboard end and an outboard end, and an inboard flange extending radially outwardly from the inboard end of the body. A package includes a container including a wall having interior and exterior surfaces, and a pressure relief passage extending along a longitudinal passage axis and having a circumferential passage surface extending through the wall between the interior and exterior surfaces, wherein the pressure relief blow-out plug is carried in the pressure relief passage.

A carbonated water dispenser comprises a carbonator with a water inlet and a carbonated water outlet. A backflow preventer module is fluidically coupled to the water inlet and comprises a check valve and a thermal mass flow meter. The thermal mass flow meter is configured to communicate a first signal based on a measured amount of heat transferred from a heater to a temperature sensor by a flow of a fluid through the backflow preventer module. A shut-off valve is fluidically coupled between the carbonated water outlet and a nozzle. The shut-off valve is configured to allow or prevent fluid flow from the carbonated water outlet to the nozzle base on a control signal. A controller is configured to detect a backflow condition based on the first signal and generate the control signal to configure the shut-off valve to prevent dispensing carbonated water upon detection of the backflow condition.

The present invention relates to a container assembly for accommodating a beverage. The container assembly comprises a collapsible beverage container having a body part for accommodating the beverage and a cylindrical neck part defining a gas-filled headspace. The container assembly further comprises a closure sealing off an opening of the cylindrical neck part. The closure comprises a closure disc, an inner cylindrical part and an outer cylindrical part. The closure disc comprises a beverage outlet for extracting the beverage. The closure further comprises a pressure-relief device located at the closure disc or the inner cylindrical part. The pressure-relief device is capable of establishing a permanent or reclosable opening through the closure or between the closure and the neck part for allowing a flow of fluid from the headspace to an external space when a pressure difference exceeds a predetermined pressure value being lower than the burst pressure of the container.

A closure for a beverage keg is provided, comprising an outer housing wall defining at least a portion of a valve housing and an inner duct that is located within the outer housing wall. The inner duct extends through at least a portion of the valve housing to define a flow path through the closure. The outer housing wall and the inner duct are integrally formed together as part of a single housing component.