‘Self-chilling’ drinks can launched, cooled by CO2

US technology firm the Joseph Company International has unveiled an energy drink in what it claims is the worlds first self-chilling can, featuring a heat exchanger and cooled using carbon dioxide. West Coast Chill is a new drink devised to be sold in a can which uses Joseph’s ChillCan technology, whereby a refrigerant is released from a separate compartment in the can at the press of a button.

The ChillCan concept was originaly released to rave reviews almost 20 years ago, using R134a as its refrigerant. Although it won a number of awards, including one from the US army, the ChillCan was eventually withdrawn on the verge of a supply deal with Pepsi, because of concerns at the HFC content. Now almost a decade of R&D later, Joseph says it has completed the approvals necessary for using the natural refrigerant.

Although the firm is keeping the precise technology under wraps, its patents are believed to include a novel heat exchanger and the vortex dissipation of the gas, which is kept under pressure in a compartment at the bottom of the can.