You will doubtless be familiar with the traditional (usually blue) coolers called things varying from 'ice pack' to 'freeze board' to whatever else: a plastic board filled with some liquid that stays cold reasonably well, and can be kept in a lunch box to help refridgerate food and drinks.

This invention is made of similar materials, but rather than being a solid block, it is instead a hollow chamber with bars inside, the walls and bars being filled with the chillable liquid in the same way as the 'ice pack' we know and are reasonably fond of. There are screwcaps on opposite ends of the cooler, giving it two methods of operation: both can be opened and a drink can be poured straight through, the arrangement of bars forcing it to flow past enough to chill it to some extent, or the drink can be poured into the cooler, shaken and poured out again for greater cooling effect.
-- dbmag9, Aug 31 2011

Ravi Instant Wine Chiller http://www.amazon.c...iller/dp/B002H3GBXS
One among a number of such devices on the market. [8th of 7, Aug 31 2011]

What as good idea. What a shame it already exists <link>.

[marked-for-removal] redundant.
-- 8th of 7, Aug 31 2011


The link you've posted doesn't seem designed to be portable beyond the dining room, although I guess the concept is roughly the same (I can't tell from the description whether it has a coolant liquid or if it's just the cold steel that does the cooling). And the second usage in my text can't be done with it.
-- dbmag9, Aug 31 2011


Welcome back.
-- rcarty, Sep 01 2011


A curly straw embedded in ice (or more of that blue gel-pack stuff) might provide a similar action - and I've seen great ice sculptures in which they've carved a shoot so that when vodka/champagne/other is poured at the top (into the maiden/dolphin/other's mouth) it flows down and into an awaiting recipient arranged at the other end.
-- zen_tom, Sep 01 2011


In defence of the 'not-yet-baked' party, the wine cooler in question loses several marks for chilling red wine.
-- TomP, Sep 01 2011


In all fairness, it might be Beaujolais.
-- mouseposture, Sep 01 2011


Or a Lambrusco… some of the Charmant red Lambruscos can be drunk chilled.
-- 8th of 7, Sep 01 2011


Any red wine can be drunk chilled, it all depends on how hot it is outside. Given a hot enough day, a glass of red wine, condensation rolling down its side, can be a wonderfull experience, ice isn't a bad thing either, under such circumstances.
-- zen_tom, Sep 01 2011


Thanks, [rcarty].

It's been a while since I've looked at any heat capacity-related physics, but I have a feeling the smaller "chiller tube" won't stay cool for as long as something larger; to my eyes it looked like it was designed to be used on removal from the freezer and returned at the end of the meal. That was what I meant about portability.

And as for the red wine issue, I thought I'd be charitable and assume they had left it out in the sun or something. In most situations personal preference trumps convention though, and I suppose red looks nicer for the photo. They even make sparkling red nowadays, which is truly strange.
-- dbmag9, Sep 01 2011


If the cooling surface is too cold, ice will start to form. This insulates the cold surface and actually reduces the cooling effect. So it isn't effective to just "make it colder".

For optimal flow-cooling the surface is going to need to be large, "non-stick", actively cooled and thermostatically controlled to provide the desired temperature drop without ice formation.
-- 8th of 7, Sep 01 2011



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