Pump for carbonated liquids

[NZastrow]

Hi everybody! I would like to pump carbonated beverages. Things like beer and soda, namely. I've been trying to figure out what kind of pump I need to pull this off without spinning all the carbonation out and making my beer/soda flat and cavitating my pump. I'm looking at a rotary vane stainless steel pump from Procon (Procon 3 series) at about 0.8 GPM. Does anybody have any experience with this? Is this the best kind of pump for this application, or is there something else I should look at? Also, I'm hoping that since the pump is stainless steel it will be safe to drink the fluid after it goes through the pump?

Thanks!

 

[hydtools]

http://www.truetex.com/carbonation.htm

Procon pump:

http://www.proconpumps.com/

Ted

 

[Compositepro]

Since carbonated fluids are always in pressurized vessels it is usual to use the gas pressure to push the fluid from vessel to vessel. This avoids the cost, maintenance, and cleaning of a pump, and is low turbulence.

 

[NZastrow]

Thanks for the quick replies! I am looking at pumping carbonated beverages in an open-loop system with the ultimate goal of creating a "beer fountain" for social gatherings and things. I realize that pumping carbonated beverages in a non-pressurized loop will cause them to go flat sooner or later, I'm basically looking for a pump that will minimize the amount of carbonation lost. Because what I'm looking at doing is a recirculating, open-loop system I can't just use CO2 to push the fluid around, hence the need for a pump. I tried to contact Procon to ask them if this is an application their pumps would be suited for, but I never got a reply. I could just give it a shot and see what happens, but it looks like I'd be spending around 250 bucks to get a pump and motor setup with the procon 3 series pump - hence why I'm looking for advise before dropping the money.

 

[bimr]

As soon as your carbonated beer hits the bottom of the fountain, it will be non carbonated. The fountain is a natural oxygenation device as well as an efficient decarbonator.

It really won't make much of a difference what type of pump that you employ when you pump out of the fountain sump. The beer is already decarbonated.

If you want to pump pure beer, you do need a PD type of pump:

http://blog.coleparmer.com/2010/04/12/how-to-pump-beer-wine-soup-yogurt-or-boneless-chicken-meat/

One would think that the problems of sanitation would be such an issue that constructing a beer fountain will be an exercise in futility.

I understand that there is a beer fountain one day each year in Munich for some April beer festival. I am not familiar with any other beer fountains.

What you are trying to do seems to be unworkable. Perhaps you can recirculate and make a fountain using the water that is used to cool the beer.

http://www.ehow.com/video_4790886_beer-tap-work_.html

http://www.foodservicewarehouse.com...program-in-your-bar-or-restaurant/c27453.aspx

 

[EdStainless]

If you 'fountain' has little turbulence then this can work. I have seen it done with champagne. Like these:

http://www.restaurantsource.com/catering-equipment/beverage-and-champagne-fountains/ProdList.aspx

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Plymouth Tube

 

[77JQX]

Have you looked at peristaltic pumps too?

 

[Compositepro]

I would suggest that one of the most important factors to making a beer fountain that works reasonably well is to keep the beer temperature as cold as possible without freezing.