Steampunk Cold Brew Coffee Machine

Cold brew coffee is an emerging trend due to its comparably less bitter and acidic taste. Typically, cold brew coffee is made by immersing ground coffee beans in water and steeping them at or below room temperature for 12-36 hours.Team 18102’s design employs chemical engineering fundamentals to optimize extraction, filtration and chilling of the coffee. The machine reduces the steeping period, and adds some whimsy for users and onlookers. The machine is styled in the steampunk motif – a form of historical science fiction where fantastical machinery is powered by clockwork and steam – and features characteristics such as tarnished metal, glass and gauges. The team evaluated methods such as agitation in a stirred tank reactor, agitation by bubbler, gravity drip through a bed of coffee grounds, and steeping in a pressurized vessel. Filtration methods included mesh and paper, vacuum, and French press filtering techniques. Gel, ice and commercial refrigerants were explored for cooling media.