Beverage dispenser with enhanced cooling efficiency

Abstract

A beverage dispenser includes a product source, a housing that defines a cooling chamber and has dispensing valves mounted thereon, helically-shaped product lines for communicating product from the product source to the dispensing valves, a water line positioned in the bottom of the cooling chamber for communicating water to the dispensing valves, a refrigeration unit mounted over the cooling chamber that includes an evaporator coil extending into the cooling chamber, and an agitator mounted over the cooling chamber for circulating unfrozen cooling fluid along a circuitous path about the cooling chamber. The cooling chamber contains a cooling fluid, a portion of which freezes about the evaporator coil during the operation of the refrigeration unit to form a frozen cooling fluid slab. The agitator drives unfrozen cooling fluid circuitously about the exterior surface of the slab and through a channel, formed by the interior surface of the slab, to facilitate heat exchange. Furthermore, the helical configuration of the product line provides for the unobstructed circuitous flow of cooling fluid about the cooling chamber and directs the flow of cooling fluid between a series of coils as well as about an exterior portion and through a passageway, all of which define the helically-shaped product line, and, thus, providing maximum contact and maximum heat transfer between the unfrozen cooling fluid and the helically-shaped product line.