Systems, apparatus and methods are described herein for dispensing a carbonated beverage. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a first cylinder that defines an interior region that can contain a volume of carbonated water and a first piston separating the interior region. A second cylinder is coupled to the first cylinder and defines an interior region and a second piston separating the interior region and operatively coupled to the first piston. The interior region of the second cylinder can contain a volume of beverage concentrate. A flywheel assembly is operatively coupled to the first cylinder and to the first piston and can control a predetermined ratio of a volume of carbonated water from the first cylinder and a volume of beverage concentrate from the second cylinder to be dispensed when a force is exerted on the piston by a flow of carbonated water through the first cylinder.

A multi-reservoir feeding/dosing apparatus for the delivery of at least two substances in discrete form includes first and second conveying elements in which the discharge end thereof are a close fit in a discharge bushing thereby to ensure that the correct dosage of each substance is discharged on a consistent basis. Each conveying element is in its respective reservoir. At least one motor drives both conveying elements, with each rotational direction of the motor actuating a corresponding one of the conveying elements.

A multi-component fluid delivery system includes a first fluid pump and a second fluid pump. The first and the second fluid pumps are not mechanically coupled to each other. The multi-component fluid delivery system further includes a control system comprising a processor configured to derive a slip ratio for the first fluid pump and the second fluid pump. The processor is additionally configured to apply a master-slave motor control to deliver a specified fluid ratio via the first and the second fluid pumps based on the slip ratio.

Method for adjusting the volumetric flow ratio of at least two different fluids (F1, F2) with a control-device. The control-device comprises a first chamber with a chamber-volume (V.sub.C1) for the first fluid (F1) and an inlet-element and an outlet-element for the first fluid (F1) and at least one rotating or nutating element. The control-device further comprises at least one second chamber with a chamber-volume (V.sub.C2) for the second fluid (F2), wherein the second chamber has an inlet-element and an outlet-element for the second fluid (F2) and at least one rotating or nutating element. The rotating or nutating elements are coupled so as to rotate or nutate at a defined rotational or nutational frequency ratio and are driven by the fluids (F1, F2). The chamber volume ratio (V.sub.C1:V.sub.C2) and the rotational or nutational frequency ratio are selected such that the fluids (F1, F2) flowing out of the outlet-elements have a predefined volumetric flow ratio. The input resistor (R.sub.i) of the respective inlet-element and the output resistor (R.sub.o) of the respective outlet-element of the first chamber and/or the second chamber are chosen so as to satisfy the equation: (I), wherein ?.sub.F is the viscosity of the respective fluid (F1, F2) and Cn designates the respective chamber.

The control device is used to control delivery of fluids from a multi-fluid delivery system during a medical injection procedure. The fluid delivery system includes an injector used to deliver injection fluids to a patient. The control device is operatively associated with the injector for controlling discrete flow rates of injection fluids delivered to the patient. The control device includes first and second actuators associated with the manual control device, and an electronic substrate disposed within the manual control device and having a conductive pattern. The first actuator is operatively associated with the conductive pattern. The conductive pattern includes a plurality of predetermined digital values corresponding to discrete flow rates of injection fluids to be delivered by the injector. The second actuator is operatively associated with the electronic substrate and initiates output signals to the injector corresponding to desired mixture ratios of the injection fluids to be delivered by the injector.

Method for monitoring a liquid culture, wherein the monitoring comprises inline dilution of a flow of the liquid culture, comprising: providing a device (100) for inline mixing of two or more liquid flows, wherein each liquid flow is induced by a separate pump (202, 204), the device (100) comprising a liquid culture inlet flow channel (112) for conducting the liquid culture flow from a separate pump (202); and a diluent inlet flow channel (114) for conducting a diluent flow from a separate pump (204); a mixer (120) into which liquid from the inlet flow channels (112, 114) enters and is mixed, wherein passage of liquid flow through each inlet flow channel (112, 114) effects a reduction in periodic variability in liquid flow rate, diluting the liquid culture flow with the diluent flow using the device (100), thereby obtaining an inline diluted liquid culture, monitoring, from the diluted liquid culture, the liquid culture.

The control device is used to control delivery of fluids from a multi-fluid delivery system during a medical injection procedure. The fluid delivery system includes an injector used to deliver injection fluids to a patient. The control device is operatively associated with the injector for controlling discrete flow rates of injection fluids delivered to the patient. The control device includes a housing, first and second actuators associated with the housing, and an electronic substrate disposed within the housing and having a conductive pattern. The first actuator is operatively associated with the conductive pattern. The conductive pattern includes a plurality of predetermined digital values corresponding to discrete flow rates of injection fluids to be delivered by the injector. The second actuator is operatively associated with the electronic substrate and initiates output signals to the injector corresponding to desired mixture ratios of the injection fluids to be delivered by the injector.

A plural component pump system is provided for delivering plural liquid components at a selected ratio. The pump system includes a first brushless DC motor configured to drive a first pump that pumps a first liquid component to an output and a second brushless DC motor configured to drive a second pump that pumps a second liquid component to the output. The pump system includes a first controller configured to control the first motor and a second controller configured to control the second motor. The pump system also includes a communication interface between the first controller and the second controller. The first controller is configured to send a signal to the second controller using the communication interface and the second controller is configured to control the second motor based on the signal to deliver the first and second liquid components to the output at the selected ratio.