Control method of steam cooking appliance

Abstract

The present invention discloses a control method for a steam cooking appliance, which belongs to the field of kitchen appliances. The steam cooking appliance includes a steam generator and a water pump for supplying water to the steam generator. The control method includes the following steps: the steam cooking appliance is provided with a flow calibration program, in which a flow calibration factor N is obtained according to a change in the flow of the water pump during the process of the steam generator reaching a preset temperature condition; when the steam cooking appliance is working normally, a preset working flow F1 of the water pump is determined according to the heating power of the steam generator, the preset working flow F1 is calibrated according to the preset flow calibration factor N, a calibration flow F2 is obtained, and the water pump is controlled to supply water to the steam generator at the calibration flow F2. According to the control method, as long as the water pump can work normally, even if the flow deviation is large, it can be used on the steam cooking appliance through calibration, which reduces the screening work of the water pump manufacturer and the whole machine assembly plant, and reduces the manpower and time costs.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The invention relates to the field of kitchen appliances, and in particular to a control method for a steam cooking appliance. [Background technology]

[0002] There are two main heating methods for existing kitchen cooking utensils: one is to heat the container through a heating plate or an electromagnetic wire coil. This heating method is prone to problems such as local high temperature and sticking of the pot, and cannot achieve true three-dimensional heating; the other is steam heating. In comparison, steam heating has better heating uniformity and can solve the problems existing in traditional electric heating. Therefore, steam heating has gradually gained attention in the industry in recent years.

[0003] Taking the steam rice cooker as an example, it is provided with a steam generator and a water pump. When cooking, water is supplied to the steam generator through the water pump, and the steam generator heats the water to generate steam. The steam is passed into the container for food to directly heat the food, or the steam heats the container for food and then indirectly heats the food. To ensure the cooking effect of steam heating, different cooking functions or different heating stages in the same cooking function need to match the corresponding steam output and steam temperature. Among them, the control of the output steam temperature involves the matching problem of the heating power of the steam generator and the water pump flow. The change of the water pump flow under the same heating power conditions will cause the temperature of the output steam to fluctuate. Therefore, the consistency of the water pump flow is required to be high. Due to the flow deviation problem of the water pump, the water pump needs to be screened during the production process of the whole machine to eliminate the water pumps with large flow deviations, and at the same time ensure that the flow deviations of the screened water pumps are within the allowable range of the product. The actual operation requires manpower and time costs. [Summary of the invention]

[0004] The object of the present invention is to provide a control method for a steam cooking appliance, which can at least partially solve the above-mentioned technical problems.

[0005] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0006] A control method for a steam cooking appliance, the steam cooking appliance comprising a steam generator and a water pump for supplying water to the steam generator, the control method comprising the following steps:

[0007] The steam cooking appliance is provided with a flow calibration procedure, in which a flow calibration factor N is obtained according to a change in water pump flow rate during a process in which the steam generator reaches a preset temperature condition;

[0008] When the steam cooking appliance is working normally, the preset working flow F1 of the water pump is determined according to the heating power of the steam generator, the preset working flow F1 is calibrated according to the preset flow calibration factor N to obtain the calibration flow F2, and the water pump is controlled to supply water to the steam generator at the calibration flow F2.

[0009] In the above-mentioned control method of the steam cooking appliance, the flow calibration procedure comprises the following steps:

[0010] S1, the steam generator works at the set heating power, and the water pump supplies water to the steam generator at the corresponding initial flow rate F3;

[0011] S2. When the temperature of the steam generator is stable, determine whether the steady-state temperature of the steam generator reaches a preset temperature condition. If so, execute step S4; otherwise, execute step S3;

[0012] S3, adjusting the water pump flow rate until the steady-state temperature of the steam generator reaches the preset temperature condition, recording the water pump flow rate F4 when the preset temperature condition is reached, and obtaining the flow calibration factor N=F4 / F3;

[0013] S4. The water pump is determined to be qualified and no calibration is required.

[0014] In the above-mentioned control method of the steam cooking appliance, the preset temperature condition is a preset temperature T or a preset temperature range Tmin-Tmax.

[0015] In the control method of the steam cooking appliance, in step S3, the preset temperature condition is taken as the target, when the steady-state temperature is greater than the preset temperature condition, the water pump flow is increased; when the steady-state temperature is less than the preset temperature condition, the water pump flow is reduced.

[0016] In the control method of the steam cooking appliance, the steam cooking appliance executes the flow calibration procedure when it leaves the factory, and stores the obtained flow calibration factor N in a storage module of the steam cooking appliance.

[0017] In the above-mentioned control method of the steam cooking appliance, the steam cooking appliance controls the flow rate of the water pump by adjusting the working voltage of the water pump.

[0018] In the control method of the steam cooking appliance, the steam cooking appliance has a preset voltage threshold, and when the working voltage of the water pump reaches the voltage threshold, it is determined that the steam generator is blocked.

[0019] In the control method of the steam cooking appliance, the steam cooking appliance performs a scale cleaning program before or after cooking to clean scale in the steam generator.

[0020] In the control method of the steam cooking appliance, the steam cooking appliance executes the flow calibration procedure after the scale cleaning procedure to determine the cleaning degree of the steam generator and give a prompt.

[0021] In the above-mentioned control method of the steam cooking appliance, judging the cleaning degree of the steam generator comprises the following steps:

[0022] Execute the flow calibration procedure to obtain a new flow calibration factor N1;

[0023] Compare the flow calibration factor N1 with the flow calibration factor N;

[0024] The cleaning degree of the steam generator is determined based on the comparison results.

[0025] Beneficial effects of the present invention:

[0026] The flow rate of the water pump is affected by many factors and produces deviations. The flow rate deviations between different water pumps are also different. The flow rate deviation cannot be detected by current technical means, but it can be reflected in the change of the steam temperature output by the steam generator. In view of this, the steam cooking appliance of the present invention is provided with a flow calibration program. In the flow calibration program, the flow calibration factor N is obtained according to the change of the water pump flow rate during the process of the steam generator reaching the preset temperature condition. When the steam cooking appliance is working normally, the water pump flow rate is calibrated by the flow calibration factor N, so that the heating power of the steam generator is matched to the accurate water pump flow rate. As long as the water pump can work normally, even if the flow rate deviation is large, it can be used on the steam cooking appliance through calibration, which reduces the screening work of the water pump manufacturer and the whole machine assembly plant, and reduces the manpower and time costs.

[0027] Furthermore, the steam cooking appliance executes the flow calibration procedure when it leaves the factory, and stores the obtained flow calibration factor N in the storage module of the steam cooking appliance. The flow calibration factor N is set when the steam cooking appliance leaves the factory, and can be called up at any time when used, eliminating the trouble of users setting it by themselves.

[0028] Furthermore, the steam cooking appliance has a preset voltage threshold, and when the working voltage of the water pump reaches the voltage threshold, it is determined that the steam generator is clogged. The steam generator will produce scale when heated with non-pure water, and the scale inside the steam generator will reduce the heating efficiency of the internal heating device, and in severe cases, the heating device will overheat and burn out, causing safety hazards; the present invention determines the degree of blockage of the steam generator by detecting the working voltage of the water pump, does not need to add additional detection devices, has low detection cost, and is easy to implement.

[0029] In this solution, the water pump flow is controlled by adjusting the water pump working voltage. Based on the calibration of the water pump flow of the present invention, this solution can accurately determine the blockage degree of the steam generator and reduce misjudgment of blockage.

[0030] Furthermore, the steam cooking appliance performs a scale cleaning procedure before or after cooking to clean the scale in the steam generator, thereby reducing the influence of scale on the heating performance of the steam generator, making the steam generator work safely and effectively, and extending the service life of the steam generator.

[0031] Furthermore, the steam cooking appliance executes the flow calibration procedure after the scale cleaning procedure to determine the degree of cleaning of the steam generator and to give a prompt. Usually, the user cannot see the internal structure of the steam generator and cannot determine whether the scale cleaning procedure has effectively removed the scale in the steam generator. In the case of severe scale, even if the scale cleaning procedure is executed, the scale cannot be effectively removed. In this solution, the steam cooking appliance determines the degree of cleaning of the steam generator based on the flow calibration procedure and prompts the user accordingly, such as prompting the user to increase the number / intensity of scale cleaning, or prompting the user that the steam generator is seriously clogged and needs to be repaired or replaced, etc., to bring a better user experience to the user.

[0032] These features and advantages of the present invention will be disclosed in detail in the following specific embodiments and drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0033] The present invention will be further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings:

[0034] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a steam cooking device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 2 A flow chart of a control method in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 3 FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a flow calibration procedure in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Reference numerals:

[0038] 100 bases;

[0039] 200 machine head;

[0040] 300 cooking containers;

[0041] 400 water pump

[0042] 500 steam generator;

[0043] 600 steam output channel;

[0044] 700 air intake duct. [Specific implementation method]

[0045] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention are explained and described below in conjunction with the drawings of the embodiments of the present invention, but the following embodiments are only preferred embodiments of the present invention, not all. Based on the embodiments in the implementation mode, other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work are all within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0046] The words such as "exemplary" and "some embodiments" appearing below mean "used as examples, embodiments or illustrations", and any embodiment described as "exemplary" is not necessarily interpreted as being superior or better than other embodiments. In order to better illustrate the present invention, many specific details are given in the following specific embodiments, and those skilled in the art should understand that the present disclosure can also be implemented without certain specific details.

[0047] In one embodiment of the present invention, a steam cooking device is provided, which generates steam for cooking food by heating water. Figure 1 As an exemplary model, the steam cooking appliance includes a body and a cooking container 300. The body includes a base 100 and a head 200 connected to the upper part of the base 100. An open space is formed between the base 100 and the head 200. The cooking container 300 can be placed in the open space and bears the weight on the base 100. The base 100 has a built-in water pump 400, a steam generator 500 and a steam output channel 600. The cover of the cooking container 300 is provided with an air intake channel 700. When the cooking container 300 is placed in the open space, the steam output channel 600 is connected to the air intake channel 700; when cooking, the water pump 400 supplies water to the steam generator 500, and the steam generated by the steam generator 500 heating the water is passed into the container body through the steam output channel 600 and the air intake channel 700 to heat the food.

[0048] The steam generator 500 described in this embodiment is an instant boiler, which includes a boiler and a heating tube. The heating tube is spirally die-cast on the boiler wall. A water inlet is provided at one end of the boiler and a steam outlet is provided at the other end. The water inlet is connected to the water pump 400. Water is passed into the inner cavity of the boiler. The boiler is heated by the electric heating tube, so that the water in the inner cavity of the boiler evaporates quickly to generate steam. Since the inner cavity of the boiler has a small space, the water passed into the inner cavity of the boiler can be heated and vaporized to form steam in a short time, accelerating steam production, and outputting superheated steam above 100°C, thereby meeting the steam temperature required for more cooking functions. Of course, according to the heating requirements of the steam cooking appliance, the steam generator 500 can also select a water storage boiler or other known equipment that can generate steam by heating water.

[0049] The water pump 400 described in this embodiment is an electromagnetic pump. The working principle of the electromagnetic pump is similar to that of an ordinary solenoid valve. It uses alternating current as its working power. The current forms an alternating magnetic field through the electromagnetic winding, which interacts with the movable pump body and drives the pump body to vibrate, thereby promoting liquid output.

[0050] Combination Figure 2 To explain the control method of the steam cooking appliance of this embodiment, the constant temperature control principle of the steam cooking appliance must be explained first. According to the above-mentioned steam cooking appliance, the water pump 400 and the steam generator 500 constitute a steam generation system, which is controlled by the control unit of the steam cooking appliance. The control unit includes a first thyristor drive module for adjusting the water pump flow (the amount of water delivered by the water pump 400 to the steam generator 500 per unit time) and a second thyristor drive module for adjusting the heating power of the steam generator 500, wherein the first thyristor drive module adjusts the power of the water pump 400 by changing the conduction angle of the power supply voltage of the water pump 400, thereby achieving the purpose of adjusting the water pump flow. Of course, in the case of selection, the present invention does not exclude the use of other existing known technical means to adjust the heating power and water pump flow.

[0051] As mentioned above, to maintain a constant temperature output of steam, a target value of the steam temperature is first set, and the heating power of the steam generator 500 and the water pump flow rate are adjusted to effectively control the temperature of the output steam. Exemplary: first, power regulation is performed under the condition of a constant flow of the water pump 400, and the basic power of the steam generator 500 system is determined according to the temperature of the steam output by the current steam generator 500, and then power compensation is achieved by determining the temperature compensation power according to the temperature change trend of the steam output by the steam generator 500, so that the steam generator 500 system can enter a steady state faster; if the power regulation does not reach the expected target temperature, the water pump flow is adjusted according to the difference from the target temperature. The change in the water pump flow destroys the previous steady state, causing the temperature of the steam output by the steam generator 500 to change, and the steam generator 500 system returns to the power regulation stage again, and the basic power is re-determined according to the changed steam temperature, and then the temperature compensation power is determined and power compensation is performed, so that the steam generator 500 system enters a steady state again, that is, the power regulation stage and the flow regulation stage are cycled until the actual temperature of the steam output by the steam generator 500 reaches the target temperature. When the heating power of the steam generator 500 and the water pump flow remain unchanged, the steam generator 500 system can continuously and stably output steam at the target temperature.

[0052] It should be noted that the temperature of the steam generator 500 described in this embodiment may be the temperature of the steam generator 500 body, from which the temperature of the steam output by the steam generator 500 is inferred, or may be the steam temperature detected by directly sensing the steam.

[0053] Combination Figure 2 The control method of the steam cooking appliance proposed in this embodiment includes the following steps:

[0054] The steam cooking appliance is provided with a flow calibration procedure, in which a flow calibration factor N is obtained according to a change in water pump flow during the process of the steam generator 500 reaching a preset temperature condition;

[0055] When the steam cooking appliance is working normally, the preset working flow F1 of the water pump 400 is determined according to the heating power of the steam generator 500, the preset working flow F1 is calibrated according to the preset flow calibration factor N to obtain the calibrated flow F2, and the water pump 400 is controlled to supply water to the steam generator 500 at the calibrated flow F2.

[0056] The flow rate of the water pump 400 is affected by many factors and produces deviations, and the flow rate deviations between multiple water pumps 400 are also different. However, for a single water pump 400, its flow rate deviation is an inherent property and usually does not change with the use status of the water pump 400. For example, a water pump 400 with a flow rate deviation of +10% also basically maintains a flow rate deviation of +10% during use. The present embodiment sets a flow calibration procedure accordingly. In the flow calibration procedure, a flow calibration factor N is obtained according to the change in the water pump flow rate during the process of the steam generator 500 reaching the preset temperature condition. When the steam cooking appliance is working normally, the water pump flow rate is calibrated by the flow calibration factor N, so that the heating power of the steam generator 500 is matched to the accurate water pump flow rate. As long as the water pump 400 can work normally, even if the flow rate deviation is large, it can be used on the steam cooking appliance through calibration, which reduces the screening work of the water pump 400 manufacturer and the whole machine assembly plant, and reduces manpower and time costs.

[0057] Combination Figure 3 , the specific steps of the flow calibration procedure are given below:

[0058] The flow calibration procedure includes:

[0059] S1, the steam generator 500 operates at a set heating power, and the water pump 400 supplies water to the steam generator 500 at a corresponding initial flow rate F3;

[0060] S2. When the temperature of the steam generator 500 is stable, determine whether the steady-state temperature of the steam generator 500 reaches a preset temperature condition. If so, execute step S4; otherwise, execute step S3;

[0061] S3, adjusting the water pump flow until the steady-state temperature of the steam generator 500 reaches a preset temperature condition, recording the water pump flow F4 when the preset temperature condition is reached, and obtaining a flow calibration factor N=F4 / F3;

[0062] S4. The water pump 400 is determined to be qualified and no calibration is required.

[0063] The flow calibration procedure is performed to simulate the normal operation of the steam cooking appliance. According to the above steps, the control unit of the steam cooking appliance automatically matches the corresponding target temperature (steam generator 500 temperature) according to the cooking function and / or cooking program to be executed, and the heating power of the steam generator 500 and the initial flow F3 of the water pump 400 are constants matching the target temperature; when the detected temperature of the steam generator 500 reaches stability, it is determined whether the steady-state temperature reaches the preset temperature condition. According to the above-mentioned constant temperature control principle, if the steady-state temperature exceeds the preset temperature condition, in order to achieve constant temperature control, the water pump flow rate must be increased. If the steady-state temperature exceeds the preset temperature condition, the water pump flow rate must be increased. When the temperature is lower than the preset temperature condition, in order to achieve constant temperature control, the water pump flow rate must be reduced; the water pump flow rate is adjusted until the steady-state temperature of the steam generator 500 reaches the preset temperature condition, and the water pump flow rate F4 when the preset temperature condition is reached is recorded. The change from the initial flow rate F3 to the water pump flow rate F4 is based on the preset temperature condition. The flow adjustment is performed due to the water pump flow deviation. The flow calibration factor N is obtained by the ratio of the water pump flow rate F4 to the initial flow rate F3. Since the flow deviation is an inherent property and does not change with the use status of the water pump 400, the water pump flow rate can be calibrated by the flow calibration factor N when the steam cooking appliance is working normally.

[0064] In the above-mentioned flow calibration procedure, the preset temperature condition is the preset temperature range Tmin~Tmax, for example, the preset temperature condition is 80℃±5℃. In the flow calibration procedure, when the steady-state temperature of the steam generator 500 enters 75℃~85℃, it can be considered that the steady-state temperature of the steam generator 500 reaches the preset temperature condition, allowing the flow calibration to have a certain tolerance range, and the flow calibration factor obtained within the tolerance range can be ignored when actually calibrating the water pump flow, thereby reducing the calibration accuracy requirements of the water pump 400.

[0065] In other embodiments of the present invention, the preset temperature condition can also be set to a preset temperature T. For example, the preset temperature condition is 80°C. In the flow calibration procedure, when the steady-state temperature of the steam generator 500 is 80°C, it can be considered that the steady-state temperature of the steam generator 500 reaches the preset temperature condition. The flow calibration factor N obtained in this way can more accurately reflect the water pump flow deviation, and the flow consistency of multiple water pumps 400 is better, thereby improving the product performance stability of the steam cooking appliance.

[0066] In this embodiment, the steam cooking appliance executes a flow calibration procedure when leaving the factory, and stores the obtained flow calibration factor N in a storage module (such as PROM, EEPROM, etc.) of the steam cooking appliance, which can be retrieved at any time when used, eliminating the trouble of users setting it themselves.

[0067] In one embodiment of the present invention, based on the control method of the above embodiment, the steam cooking appliance presets a voltage threshold, and when the working voltage of the water pump 400 reaches the voltage threshold, it is determined that the steam generator 500 is blocked. No additional detection device is required, the detection cost is low, and it is easy to implement.

[0068] According to the thermostatic control principle of the above-mentioned embodiment, when the temperature of the steam generator 500 exceeds the target value, in order to achieve thermostatic control, the water pump flow rate must be increased, and when the temperature of the steam generator 500 is lower than the target value, in order to achieve thermostatic control, the water pump flow rate must be reduced. Due to the heat insulation effect of scale, the temperature of the steam generator 500 will increase with the increase of scale. The more scale there is in the steam generator 500, the greater the water pump flow rate. Therefore, the scale amount of the steam generator 500 can be judged according to the water pump flow rate. The steam cooking appliance controls the water pump flow rate by adjusting the working voltage of the water pump 400. Therefore, the corresponding relationship between the working voltage of the water pump 400, the water pump flow rate, and the amount of scale can be obtained, and then the working voltage of the water pump 400 can be used to judge whether the steam generator 500 is blocked. For example, the rated voltage of the water pump 400 is 18V, and the set voltage threshold is 15V. Usually, the water pump 400 can meet the requirements under an operating voltage of 6V to 12V. When it is detected that the operating voltage of the water pump 400 reaches 15V, it is determined that the steam generator 500 is blocked.

[0069] According to the above-mentioned steam generator 500 blockage judgment mechanism, the flow deviation of the water pump 400 may lead to misjudgment of blockage. There are two main cases of misjudgment:

[0070] 1. Use a water pump 400 with a low flow rate. In unit time, the flow rate of this water pump 400 is smaller than that of a normal water pump 400. According to the aforementioned constant temperature control principle, the water pump 400 with a low flow rate needs to increase the flow rate. For example, the original 12V working voltage is raised to 15V. The flow rate of the water pump 400 with a low flow rate at a working voltage of 15V reaches the flow rate of the normal water pump 400 at a working voltage of 12V. Since 15V is the set voltage threshold, the water pump 400 with a low flow rate triggers the steam generator 500 blockage alarm earlier and more frequently than the normal water pump 400, which can easily cause users to doubt the product quality.

[0071] 2. Use a water pump 400 with an upward flow rate. In unit time, the flow rate of this water pump 400 is greater than that of a normal water pump 400. According to the aforementioned constant temperature control principle, the water pump 400 with an upward flow rate must reduce the flow rate, such as reducing the original 12V working voltage to 8V. Since 15V is the set voltage threshold, the water pump 400 with an upward flow rate triggers the steam generator 500 blockage alarm later than the normal water pump 400. When the steam cooking appliance determines that the steam generator 500 is blocked, the actual blockage situation is already more serious, requiring more intensive cleaning and descaling or even scrapping and replacement.

[0072] By calibrating the water pump flow rate, the steam cooking appliance can accurately determine the blockage degree of the steam generator 500. For the water pump 400 with a downward flow rate, the number of misjudgments can be reduced. For the water pump 400 with an upward flow rate, serious blockage of the steam generator 500 can be avoided, thereby extending the service life of the steam generator 500.

[0073] In one embodiment of the present invention, based on the control method of the above-mentioned embodiment, the steam cooking appliance performs a scale cleaning procedure before or after cooking to clean the scale in the steam generator 500. The influence of scale on the heating performance of the steam generator 500 is reduced, the steam generator 500 works safely and effectively, and the service life of the steam generator 500 is extended. For the specific scale cleaning procedure, reference may be made to the invention patent with publication number "CN111297210A" and titled "Scale Cleaning Method for Steam Heating Cooking Appliance", or the existing conventional scale cleaning method.

[0074] Usually, the user cannot see the internal structure of the steam generator 500 and cannot judge whether the scale cleaning program effectively removes the scale in the steam generator 500. In the case of severe scale, even if the scale cleaning program is executed, the scale cannot be effectively removed, and the number of cleanings needs to be increased or the steam generator 500 needs to be replaced. In this embodiment, the steam cooking appliance executes a flow calibration program after the scale cleaning program to determine the cleaning degree of the steam generator 500 and give prompts, such as prompting the user to increase the number / intensity of scale cleaning, or prompting that the steam generator 500 is seriously clogged and needs to be repaired or replaced, etc., to bring a better user experience to the user.

[0075] Determining the cleaning degree of the steam generator 500 includes the following steps:

[0076] Execute the flow calibration procedure to obtain a new flow calibration factor N1;

[0077] Compare the flow calibration factor N1 with the flow calibration factor N;

[0078] The cleaning degree of the steam generator 500 is determined according to the comparison result.

[0079] The specific steps of the flow calibration procedure refer to the above-mentioned embodiment and will not be repeated here. According to the specific steps of the flow calibration procedure, if the scale cleaning of the steam generator 500 is not thorough, there will be a significant difference between the flow calibration factor N1 and the flow calibration factor N. The first difference threshold and the second difference threshold can be set for specific judgment, and the second difference threshold is greater than the first difference threshold. If the difference between the flow calibration factor N1 and the flow calibration factor N is less than the first difference threshold, it is determined that the steam generator 500 has been cleaned; if the difference between the flow calibration factor N1 and the flow calibration factor N is equal to or greater than the first difference threshold and less than the second difference threshold, it is determined that the steam generator 500 has not been cleaned and the scale cleaning procedure needs to be executed again for cleaning. If the difference between the flow calibration factor N1 and the flow calibration factor N is equal to or greater than the second difference threshold, it is determined that the steam generator 500 is blocked and needs to be repaired and replaced.

[0080] The steam cooking appliance of the present invention is not limited to the structures shown in the above embodiments and drawings. The control method described in the embodiments of the present invention is also applicable to other existing known steam cooking appliances, which will not be listed one by one here.

[0081] Although specific values ​​of physical quantities such as temperature and voltage are given in the above embodiments, these values ​​are only for the convenience of describing and explaining the essence and technical effects of the embodiments of the present invention. It is contrary to the spirit of the present invention to interpret them as any additional restrictions. In practical applications, the various physical quantities described in this embodiment include but are not limited to the various values ​​given in the text.

[0082] The above is only a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the protection scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention includes but is not limited to the contents described in the drawings and the above specific embodiments. Any modification that does not deviate from the functional and structural principles of the present invention will be included in the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a steam cooking appliance, the steam cooking appliance comprising a steam generator and a water pump for supplying water to the steam generator, characterized in that: The control method comprises the following steps: The steam cooking appliance is provided with a flow calibration procedure, in which a flow calibration factor N is obtained according to a change in water pump flow rate during a process in which the steam generator reaches a preset temperature condition; When the steam cooking appliance is working normally, a preset working flow rate F1 of the water pump is determined according to the heating power of the steam generator, the preset working flow rate F1 is calibrated according to a preset flow calibration factor N to obtain a calibration flow rate F2, and the water pump is controlled to supply water to the steam generator at the calibration flow rate F2; The flow calibration procedure includes the following steps: S1, the steam generator works at the set heating power, and the water pump supplies water to the steam generator at the corresponding initial flow rate F3; S2. When the temperature of the steam generator is stable, determine whether the steady-state temperature of the steam generator reaches a preset temperature condition. If so, execute step S4; otherwise, execute step S3; S3, adjusting the water pump flow rate until the steady-state temperature of the steam generator reaches the preset temperature condition, recording the water pump flow rate F4 when the preset temperature condition is reached, and obtaining the flow calibration factor N=F4 / F3; S4. The water pump is determined to be qualified and no calibration is required.

2. The control method of the steam cooking appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that: The preset temperature condition is a preset temperature T or a preset temperature range Tmin-Tmax.

3. The control method of the steam cooking appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the step S3, the preset temperature condition is taken as the target. When the steady-state temperature is greater than the preset temperature condition, the water pump flow rate is increased; when the steady-state temperature is less than the preset temperature condition, the water pump flow rate is reduced.

4. The control method of the steam cooking appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that: The steam cooking appliance executes the flow calibration procedure when it leaves the factory, and stores the obtained flow calibration factor N in a storage module of the steam cooking appliance.

5. The control method of the steam cooking appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that: The steam cooking appliance controls the flow rate of the water pump by adjusting the working voltage of the water pump.

6. The control method of the steam cooking appliance according to claim 5, characterized in that: The steam cooking appliance has a preset voltage threshold, and when the working voltage of the water pump reaches the voltage threshold, it is determined that the steam generator is blocked.

7. The control method of a steam cooking appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The steam cooking appliance performs a scale cleaning procedure before or after cooking to clean scale in the steam generator.

8. The method for controlling a steam cooking appliance according to claim 7, characterized in that: The steam cooking appliance executes the flow calibration procedure after the scale cleaning procedure to determine the cleaning degree of the steam generator and give a prompt.

9. The method for controlling a steam cooking appliance according to claim 8, characterized in that: Determining the degree of cleaning of the steam generator includes the following steps: Execute the flow calibration procedure to obtain a new flow calibration factor N1; Compare the flow calibration factor N1 with the flow calibration factor N; The cleaning degree of the steam generator is determined based on the comparison results.

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