Method and device for detecting an evaporator and kitchen appliance

CN116327001BActive Publication Date: 2026-08-11GUANGDONG VANWARD ELECTRIC
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2023-03-24
Publication Date
2026-08-11

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

[0004]本发明提供了一种蒸发器的检测方法、装置及厨房设备,以解决如何提高对蒸发器进行检测的可靠性问题

Benefits of technology

[0019] According to another aspect of the present invention, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, the computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program configured to cause a processor to execute and implement the evaporator detection method according to any embodiment of the present invention.

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Abstract

This invention discloses a method, apparatus, and kitchen equipment for detecting an evaporator. The method includes: upon receiving a cooking command, controlling the evaporator to heat water to generate steam according to the cooking mode corresponding to the cooking command; during the process of the evaporator heating water, accumulating one warning count each time the evaporator stops heating water, until water is injected into the evaporator; setting a warning threshold based on the total water intake and the amount of water evaporated into steam; if the evaporator temperature does not reach the temperature value indicating water shortage, and the number of warnings reaches the warning threshold, determining that the evaporator's temperature sensor is abnormal. By detecting the evaporator using real-time operating parameters such as total water intake and evaporation volume, the impact of detecting the evaporator when the detection circuit fails can be prevented, thereby improving the reliability of evaporator detection and ensuring the safe operation of the evaporator.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of evaporators, and more particularly to a method, apparatus, and kitchen equipment for testing evaporators. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, some kitchen appliances are equipped with evaporators, which generate steam to cook food, such as electric steamers and steam ovens. Some of these kitchen appliances are equipped with detection circuits for the evaporators to monitor various states of the evaporators during cooking.

[0003] However, if abnormalities such as loosening of the detection circuit are not detected in time, it will be difficult to detect the state of the evaporator during cooking, which may easily lead to safety problems and affect the normal use of the cooking function. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention provides a method, apparatus, and kitchen equipment for testing evaporators, in order to solve the problem of how to improve the reliability of evaporator testing.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for detecting an evaporator is provided, comprising:

[0006] If a cooking command is received, the evaporator is controlled to heat the water to generate steam according to the cooking mode corresponding to the cooking command;

[0007] During the process of the evaporator heating water, if the evaporator stops heating water once, an alarm count is accumulated until water is injected into the evaporator.

[0008] A warning threshold is set based on the total inflow of water into the evaporator and the evaporation rate of water converted into steam.

[0009] If the temperature of the evaporator does not reach the temperature value indicating that the evaporator is short of water, and the number of warnings reaches the warning threshold, then the temperature sensor of the evaporator is determined to be abnormal.

[0010] According to another aspect of the present invention, a detection device for an evaporator is provided, comprising:

[0011] The cooking heating module is used to control the evaporator to heat water to generate steam according to the cooking mode corresponding to the cooking command if a cooking command is received.

[0012] The warning count accumulation module is used to accumulate one warning count each time the evaporator stops heating water during the process of the evaporator heating water, until water is injected into the evaporator;

[0013] The warning threshold calculation module is used to set the warning threshold based on the total inflow of water into the evaporator and the evaporation volume of water converted into steam.

[0014] The temperature sensor abnormality determination module is used to determine that the temperature sensor of the evaporator is abnormal if the temperature of the evaporator does not reach the temperature value that indicates that the evaporator is short of water, and the number of warnings reaches the warning threshold.

[0015] According to another aspect of the present invention, a kitchen appliance is provided, the kitchen appliance comprising:

[0016] At least one processor; and

[0017] A memory communicatively connected to the at least one processor; wherein,

[0018] The memory stores a computer program that can be executed by the at least one processor, which enables the at least one processor to perform the evaporator detection method according to any embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] According to another aspect of the present invention, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, the computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program configured to cause a processor to execute and implement the evaporator detection method according to any embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] In this embodiment, if a cooking command is received, the evaporator is controlled to heat water to generate steam according to the cooking mode corresponding to the cooking command. During the process of the evaporator heating water, if the evaporator stops heating water once, an alarm count is accumulated until water is injected into the evaporator. An alarm threshold is set based on the total amount of water injected into the evaporator and the amount of water evaporated to steam. If the temperature of the evaporator does not reach the temperature value indicating water shortage, and the alarm count reaches the alarm threshold, the temperature sensor of the evaporator is determined to be abnormal. This embodiment sets the alarm threshold based on real-time operating parameters of the evaporator, such as the total amount of water injected into the evaporator and the amount of water evaporated to steam, to determine the evaporator's temperature sensor abnormality. This improves the compatibility between the alarm threshold and the evaporator's operating status, and increases the accuracy of evaporator detection. At the same time, detecting the evaporator by using real-time operating parameters such as the total amount of water injected into the evaporator and the amount of water evaporated to steam prevents the impact of detecting the evaporator when the detection circuit fails, meets the detection needs under different conditions, and thus improves the reliability of evaporator detection and ensures the safe operation of the evaporator.

[0021] It should be understood that the description in this section is not intended to identify key or essential features of the embodiments of the present invention, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the invention. Other features of the invention will become readily apparent from the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0023] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of a detection method for an evaporator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an evaporator according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of a detection method for an evaporator according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of an evaporator detection method provided according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of a detection method for an evaporator according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a detection device for an evaporator according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 7 This is a structural schematic diagram of a kitchen device provided in Embodiment Six of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0030] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, the technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0031] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this invention are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of the invention described herein can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.

[0032] Example 1

[0033] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of an evaporator detection method provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The method can be executed by an evaporator detection device, which can be implemented in hardware and / or software. This evaporator detection device can be configured in a kitchen appliance equipped with an evaporator. Figure 1 As shown, the method includes:

[0034] Step 101: If a cooking command is received, control the evaporator to heat the water to generate steam according to the cooking mode corresponding to the cooking command.

[0035] like Figure 2 As shown, the evaporator 200 generally includes a water tank 201, a water inlet pump 202, a temperature sensor 203, a heating element 204, a drain pump 205, a cavity 206, and other structures.

[0036] The water tank 201 is a container for storing water. The inlet pump 202 and the outlet pump 205 are both water pumps. The inlet pump 202 is used to inject water into the cavity 206, and the outlet pump 205 is used to discharge water from the cavity 206. The probe of the temperature sensor 203 is set on the surface of the cavity 206 to detect the temperature inside the evaporator 200. The heating tube 204 is used to heat the water in the cavity 206.

[0037] For the evaporator, the user pours water into the water tank. When cooking begins, the water pump starts and draws the water from the tank into the cavity. The heating element starts and heats the water until it boils, thus generating steam. The steam is then piped out of the kitchen appliance to heat the food. When cooking ends, the drain pump starts and drains the water from the cavity.

[0038] For kitchen equipment, when the equipment is turned on, it performs an initialization test to determine whether the evaporator itself, temperature sensor, water inlet pump, drain pump and other structures are short-circuited or open-circuited. If an abnormal signal is detected, a corresponding alarm signal will be issued to remind the user that the evaporator has malfunctioned.

[0039] If a normal signal is detected, the status of the inlet and outlet pumps is determined. If the inlet and outlet pumps are not turned off, they are turned off to prevent the evaporator from continuously receiving and draining water, which would cause water loss from the tank. This also prepares for accurate control of the water intake when steam is generated later.

[0040] At this point, it determines whether steam is needed. If not, it continuously checks whether the machine needs to be shut down. If the user does not choose to shut down, it will remain in standby mode and re-determine whether steam is needed. If the user chooses to shut down, the drain pump will start and drain the water for a period of time (t6) to remove all water accumulated in the evaporator. The drain pump will then be turned off to prevent the water from becoming foul-smelling in the evaporator due to prolonged disuse of the kitchen equipment, and to prevent the evaporator from oxidizing and rusting, which would affect its lifespan.

[0041] Furthermore, during the first cooking cycle after the evaporator starts, the water pump will activate to draw water from the tank and inject it into the evaporator cavity. If the user cooks again after the first cooking cycle, the water pump will no longer draw water from the tank. The evaporator will detect whether the tank is low on water and decide whether to activate the water pump to draw new water from the tank and inject it into the evaporator cavity.

[0042] Different foods have different cooking requirements, so kitchen equipment generally offers multiple cooking modes. For example, it offers fermentation steaming for yogurt and dough, moist steaming for vegetables, low-temperature steaming for soft-boiled eggs and hot rice, and boiling original flavor steaming for other ingredients. After putting the ingredients into the kitchen equipment, users can select the appropriate cooking mode and trigger the cooking command through the controller, physical buttons, etc. When the kitchen equipment receives the cooking command, it sets the cooking mode for the evaporator, thereby controlling the evaporator to heat the water and provide steam according to the cooking mode.

[0043] The total amount of steam required varies depending on the cooking mode, and correspondingly, the total amount of water required also varies. Considering that the water pump draws water from the water tank and injects water into the evaporator cavity, this operation will be maintained for a second duration t1. When the second duration t1 is reached, the water pump is turned off, and the drawing of water from the water tank and the injection of water into the evaporator cavity stops. With a fixed flow rate of the water pump, the total amount of water injected into the evaporator cavity can be controlled by setting a second duration t1 that is adapted to the cooking mode for different cooking modes.

[0044] Because the amount of water accumulated in the evaporator cavity varies, the time it takes to heat it to the temperature that produces steam (such as 100°C) also varies, and the power consumed also varies. Therefore, accurately controlling the total amount of water injected into the evaporator cavity can accurately control the power consumption, reduce power waste, lower the energy consumption of the evaporator, and save water at the same time.

[0045] The cooking requirements differ in different cooking modes, and the requirements for steam (such as the duration of steam generation and the temperature of steam) also differ. Therefore, the corresponding cooking program can be called according to the cooking mode corresponding to the cooking instruction, and the cooking program can be executed to control the evaporator to heat the water, and steam will be generated after the water is heated.

[0046] Step 102: During the process of heating water in the evaporator, if the evaporator stops heating water once, an alarm count will be accumulated until water is injected into the evaporator.

[0047] In practical applications, the cooking process of different cooking modes is mostly cyclic heating. That is, the water is heated for a period of time, then turned into steam, then the heating is stopped for a period of time and then resumed. This cycle continues until the cooking is complete.

[0048] During the process of the evaporator heating water in the cooking mode, the evaporator is monitored for a number of warnings, n3. Each time the evaporator stops heating water, one warning is accumulated, that is, the number of warnings n3 is incremented by 1 (n3 = n3 + 1). This accumulation process continues until water is refilled into the evaporator.

[0049] Step 103: Set an early warning threshold based on the total amount of water injected into the evaporator and the amount of water evaporated into steam.

[0050] In this embodiment, the total inflow of water into the evaporator and the amount of water evaporated into steam can be analyzed to determine the heating water requirement. Based on this heating water requirement, an appropriate warning threshold N can be set. x This indicates the maximum duration for the evaporator's heating element to heat the water, which is used to detect whether the evaporator's temperature sensor has malfunctioned.

[0051] For example, in the cooking mode, an evaporation time threshold is set, which represents the duration for the evaporator to heat water each time. Then, the total amount of water injected into the evaporator can be obtained based on the flow rate when water is injected into the evaporator and the duration when water is injected into the evaporator. For example, the product between the flow rate when water is injected into the evaporator and the duration when water is injected into the evaporator can be calculated as the total amount of water injected into the evaporator.

[0052] The amount of water converted into steam is obtained based on the evaporation time threshold and the amount of steam generated. For example, the product of the evaporation time threshold and the amount of steam generated during each heating is calculated as the amount of water converted into steam.

[0053] Calculate the ratio between the total inflow and the evaporation, and multiply this ratio by the preset warning error coefficient as the warning threshold.

[0054] In this example, the warning threshold for the evaporator's heating element heating the water is expressed as follows:

[0055]

[0056] Where, N x Here, V is the warning threshold for heating water in the evaporator's heating element, q is the volume of water injected into the evaporator cavity by the inlet pump, t1 is the duration of water injection into the evaporator cavity by the inlet pump, t2 is the evaporation time threshold, and K is the evaporation time threshold. v Z represents the amount of steam generated during each heating cycle (in L / s), and Z is the warning error coefficient (a constant greater than 1, such as 1.2).

[0057] Step 104: If the temperature of the evaporator does not reach the temperature value indicating that the evaporator is short of water, and the number of warnings reaches the warning threshold, then it is determined that the temperature sensor of the evaporator is abnormal.

[0058] When the temperature sensor in the evaporator becomes loose, degrades in performance, or fails, the accuracy of the temperature sensor will decrease. When the number of heating cycles reaches a certain value, the heater in the evaporator will dry out the water in the evaporator cavity. Continuous heating of the evaporator cavity without water inside will cause the temperature inside the evaporator cavity to rise continuously, exceeding the temperature value indicating water shortage in the evaporator (such as 125°C).

[0059] If the temperature inside the evaporator cavity does not reach the temperature value indicating water shortage in the evaporator (e.g., 125°C), and the number of warnings n3 reaches the warning threshold N. xThis indicates that the temperature sensor in the evaporator has malfunctioned. In this case, the evaporator can be stopped, and corresponding prompting operations can be performed by calling a buzzer, indicator light, sending a fault message to the user's control client, etc., to inform the user that the temperature sensor in the evaporator is abnormal.

[0060] In this embodiment, if a cooking command is received, the evaporator is controlled to heat water to generate steam according to the cooking mode corresponding to the cooking command. During the process of the evaporator heating water, if the evaporator stops heating water once, an alarm count is accumulated until water is injected into the evaporator. An alarm threshold is set based on the total amount of water injected into the evaporator and the amount of water evaporated to steam. If the temperature of the evaporator does not reach the temperature value indicating water shortage, and the alarm count reaches the alarm threshold, the temperature sensor of the evaporator is determined to be abnormal. This embodiment sets the alarm threshold based on real-time operating parameters of the evaporator, such as the total amount of water injected into the evaporator and the amount of water evaporated to steam, to determine the evaporator's temperature sensor abnormality. This improves the compatibility between the alarm threshold and the evaporator's operating status, and increases the accuracy of evaporator detection. At the same time, detecting the evaporator by using real-time operating parameters such as the total amount of water injected into the evaporator and the amount of water evaporated to steam prevents the impact of detecting the evaporator when the detection circuit fails, meets the detection needs under different conditions, and thus improves the reliability of evaporator detection and ensures the safe operation of the evaporator.

[0061] Example 2

[0062] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of a detection method for an evaporator provided in Embodiment 2 of the present invention, as follows: Figure 3 As shown, the method includes:

[0063] Step 301: If a cooking command is received, control the evaporator to heat the water to generate steam according to the cooking mode corresponding to the cooking command.

[0064] Step 302: During the process of heating water in the evaporator, if the evaporator stops heating water once, an alarm count will be accumulated until water is injected into the evaporator.

[0065] Step 303: If the current cooking mode is not the first cooking mode after power-on, then calculate the remaining water volume in the evaporator.

[0066] In the aforementioned embodiment, the warning threshold N for the heating element of the evaporator heating the water is... xThe calculation is based on two parameters: the duration t1 during which the water pump injects water into the evaporator cavity and the evaporation time threshold t2. The evaporation time threshold t2 may differ depending on the cooking mode. Therefore, if the cooking mode is changed during the nth (n is a positive integer, n≥2) cooking cycle after the evaporator is powered on and started, the warning threshold N for the evaporator's heating element to heat the water will be recalculated. x This enables real-time dynamic detection of whether the temperature sensor is faulty.

[0067] If the current cooking mode is not the first cooking mode to be used after power-on, the remaining water volume in the evaporator of the previous cooking mode can be calculated based on the operating data of other cooking modes (i.e., the cooking modes that were previously used) that were previously used.

[0068] In the specific implementation, an evaporation time threshold is set in the cooking mode. The evaporation time threshold represents the duration of each heating of water by the evaporator. Then, the historical evaporation amount of water that was converted into steam is obtained by calculating the number of alarms and multiplying the duration of each heating of water by the evaporator in the previous cooking mode with the amount of steam generated during each heating. The remaining water volume in the evaporator is obtained by subtracting the historical evaporation amount from the total water intake.

[0069] Furthermore, in order to improve the accuracy of the total water intake, a water volume error coefficient can be preset, and the total water intake can be multiplied by the water volume error coefficient to correct the total water intake.

[0070] Step 304: Calculate the number of times the remaining water can be reheated based on the current cooking mode.

[0071] In this embodiment, the operating data of the current cooking mode can be recorded, and the number of times the remaining water can be circulated and heated can be calculated using this operating data.

[0072] In practice, the remaining water volume in the evaporator is divided by the product of the evaporation time threshold and the amount of steam generated to obtain the number of times the remaining water volume can be recycled for heating.

[0073] Step 305: Add the number of times that can be cyclically heated to the current number of warnings to obtain a new warning threshold.

[0074] In this embodiment, the number of times the system can be cyclically heated is added to the current number of warnings as a new warning threshold, thereby updating the original warning threshold.

[0075] Therefore, the warning threshold for the evaporator's heating element heating the water is expressed as follows:

[0076]

[0077] Where, Nx The warning threshold for heating water by the heating element of the evaporator is given by n3, the number of warnings is given by q, the flow rate of water injected into the evaporator cavity by the inlet pump is given by t1, the duration of water injection into the evaporator cavity by the inlet pump is given by z, the water volume error coefficient is given by z (a constant greater than 1, such as 1.2), and the evaporation time threshold is given by K. v t'2 represents the amount of steam generated during each heating cycle (in L / s), and t'2 represents the duration for the evaporator's heating element to heat the water during each heating cycle in the pre-cooking mode.

[0078] Step 306: If the temperature of the evaporator does not reach the temperature value indicating that the evaporator is short of water, and the number of warnings reaches the warning threshold, then it is determined that the temperature sensor of the evaporator is abnormal.

[0079] Example 3

[0080] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of a detection method for an evaporator provided in Embodiment 3 of the present invention, as follows: Figure 4 As shown, the method includes:

[0081] Step 401: If a cooking command is received, control the evaporator to heat the water to generate steam according to the cooking mode corresponding to the cooking command.

[0082] Step 402: Set a normal time threshold for heating water to boiling in the evaporator.

[0083] If the heating element of the evaporator malfunctions, such as being damaged or experiencing performance degradation, it may cause the heating time of the water to become longer. In this embodiment, an appropriate normal time threshold T can be set for the situation where the evaporator heats the water to boiling point. This threshold represents the maximum time for the heating element of the evaporator to heat the water to boiling point and generate steam (e.g., 100°C), thereby detecting whether the heating element of the evaporator has malfunctioned.

[0084] The normal time threshold T can be a default value or a value that is dynamically adjusted based on the current situation of the evaporator heating water. This embodiment does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0085] For example, the mass of the water injected into the evaporator is obtained by multiplying the density of the water, the flow rate when the water is injected into the evaporator, and the duration when the water is injected into the evaporator.

[0086] The temperature difference is calculated as the difference between the temperature at which the water boils and the initial temperature at which the water is injected into the evaporator.

[0087] The desired heating time for the water is obtained by dividing the product of the specific heat capacity, mass, and temperature difference of the water by the product of the heating power and thermal efficiency coefficient of the evaporator. A preset time deviation is then added to the desired heating time to obtain the normal time threshold.

[0088] In this example, the process of setting a normal time threshold T for heating water to boiling in an evaporator is represented as follows:

[0089] m = ρV = ρqt1

[0090] Q = cm(T1 - T0) = Ptη

[0091] Where m is the mass of water injected into the evaporator cavity by the inlet pump (in kg), ρ is the density of the water (in kg / L), V is the volume of water injected into the evaporator cavity by the inlet pump (in L), q is the flow rate of water injected into the evaporator cavity by the inlet pump (in L / s), t1 is the duration of water injection into the evaporator cavity by the inlet pump (in s), Q is the amount of heat generated by the heating element of the evaporator (in J), and c is the specific heat capacity of the water (typically 4.2 × 10⁻⁶). 3 J / (kg·℃)), T1 is the boiling temperature of the water (a constant, such as 100℃), T0 is the initial temperature of the water when it is injected into the evaporator cavity, which is detected by the temperature sensor when the water is injected into the evaporator cavity, P is the heating power of the heating tube of the evaporator (in W), t is the expected heating time of the water by the heating tube of the evaporator, and η is the thermal efficiency coefficient of the heating tube of the evaporator (a constant, such as 0.7).

[0092] Combining the two formulas above, we get:

[0093]

[0094] Therefore, the normal time threshold T = t + Δt, where Δt is the time deviation, which is a constant, such as 30s.

[0095] Step 403: If the temperature of the evaporator does not reach the temperature value that indicates the boiling of the water, and the duration of each heating of the water by the evaporator reaches the normal time threshold, then the evaporator is determined to be faulty.

[0096] If the heating element of the evaporator malfunctions, such as being damaged or degraded, it may not only cause the water to take longer to heat, but may also prevent the water from being heated to the temperature value that indicates the water is boiling (such as 100°C).

[0097] Therefore, in this embodiment, on the one hand, the temperature inside the evaporator cavity detected by the temperature sensor is read in real time, and the temperature inside the evaporator cavity is compared with the temperature value representing the boiling of water (such as 100°C). On the other hand, the duration of the heating tube of the evaporator heating the water is counted, and the duration of the heating tube of the evaporator heating the water is compared with the normal time threshold.

[0098] If the temperature inside the evaporator cavity does not reach the boiling point of the water (e.g., 100°C), and at the same time, the heating time of the evaporator's heating element reaches the normal time threshold, then it is determined that the heating element of the evaporator has malfunctioned. The evaporator will stop operating, and corresponding prompting operations will be performed by calling a buzzer, indicator light, sending a fault message to the user's control client, etc., to notify the user that the heating element of the evaporator has malfunctioned.

[0099] Step 404: If the temperature of the evaporator reaches the temperature value that indicates the boiling of the water, then the steam generation time is recorded.

[0100] If the temperature inside the evaporator cavity reaches the boiling point of water (e.g., 100°C), it indicates that the heating element of the evaporator is operating normally. When the temperature inside the evaporator cavity reaches the boiling point of water (e.g., 100°C), the water inside the evaporator cavity begins to convert into steam. At this time, the duration of steam generation inside the evaporator cavity can be counted to obtain the generation time.

[0101] Step 405: If the generation time reaches the evaporation time threshold and the temperature inside the evaporator does not reach the temperature value indicating that the evaporator is short of water, then the evaporator is accumulated one heating count and one warning count.

[0102] In this embodiment, an evaporation time threshold t2 and a heating waiting time t3 are set in the cooking mode. The evaporation time threshold t2 represents the maximum duration for steam to be generated in a single heating cycle, and the heating waiting time t3 represents the maximum duration for steam to be generated when heating stops.

[0103] Generally, the evaporation time threshold t2 and the heating waiting time t3 are constants that can be obtained by technicians through experiments and set in the evaporator before leaving the factory. They can be updated via the cloud later.

[0104] During the operation of the evaporator, the effective heating times n1 and warning times n3 of this operation are recorded for evaporator maintenance.

[0105] The steam generation time is compared with the evaporation time threshold t2. If the steam generation time reaches the evaporation time threshold t2 and the temperature inside the evaporator cavity does not reach the temperature value indicating water shortage in the evaporator (e.g., 125℃), it means that there is still water inside the evaporator cavity and there is no water shortage. At this time, the evaporator is turned off, and the number of heating times n1 and the number of alarms n3 are accumulated respectively. That is, the number of heating times n1 is accumulated by 1 (n1 = n1 + 1) and the number of alarms n3 is accumulated by 1 (n3 = n3 + 1).

[0106] Step 406: Set the cyclic heating threshold for the cooking mode.

[0107] Because of the different cooking modes, an appropriate cycle heating threshold N1 can be set for each cooking mode, which represents the maximum number of times the evaporator heats in one cooking cycle.

[0108] The cyclic heating threshold N1 can be a default value or a value that is dynamically adjusted according to the current cooking mode. This embodiment does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0109] For example, a total cooking time T is set in the cooking mode. x Total cooking time T x It can be the default cooking time in the cooking mode, or the cooking time that the user adjusts in the current cooking mode. This example does not restrict this.

[0110] In this example, the sum of the evaporation time threshold and the heating waiting time is calculated to obtain the single cooking time; the ratio between the total cooking time and the single cooking time is calculated as the cyclic heating threshold for the cooking mode. Therefore, the cyclic heating threshold N1 is expressed as follows:

[0111]

[0112] Step 407: Set an early warning threshold based on the total amount of water injected into the evaporator and the amount of water evaporated into steam.

[0113] Generally, when selecting a cooking mode, the total amount of steam required is fixed, and therefore the total amount of water injected (represented by the circulating heating threshold N1) is also fixed. The actual amount of water injected (represented by the warning threshold N) is determined by the total amount of water required. x The required water volume (represented by the circulating heating threshold N1) needs to be greater than the total water volume required to complete one cooking cycle. Therefore, the circulating heating threshold N1 is less than the warning threshold N. x of.

[0114] Step 408: If the number of heating cycles is less than the cycle heating threshold and the number of warnings is less than the warning threshold, then control the evaporator to stop heating the water until the heating waiting time is reached, and return to step 401.

[0115] In this embodiment, the number of heating cycles n1 is compared with the cyclic heating threshold N1, and the number of warning cycles n3 is compared with the warning threshold N. x Compare them.

[0116] If the number of heating cycles n1 is less than the cyclic heating threshold N1, and the number of warning cycles n3 is less than the warning threshold N... x This indicates that the current cooking mode has not yet ended. At this time, let the evaporator wait, that is, stop controlling the heating element of the evaporator to heat the water until the waiting time is reached.

[0117] Step 409: During the process of heating water in the evaporator, if the temperature of the evaporator is lower than the preset heat preservation threshold, the evaporator is controlled to heat the water in order to maintain the temperature of the evaporator at the heat preservation threshold.

[0118] Step 410: If the number of heating cycles reaches the cyclic heating threshold, the cooking mode is terminated, and the number of heating cycles is reset to zero.

[0119] During the process of controlling the heating element of the evaporator to heat the water, if the temperature inside the evaporator cavity is lower than the preset heat preservation threshold (e.g., 80℃), the heating element of the evaporator is controlled to heat the water to maintain the temperature inside the evaporator cavity at the heat preservation threshold (e.g., 80℃). That is, the temperature inside the evaporator cavity is maintained to fluctuate around the heat preservation threshold, and the difference between the temperature inside the evaporator cavity and the heat preservation threshold is small. This provides a base temperature for the heating element of the evaporator to heat the water and generate steam next time, reducing the time for the next steam generation.

[0120] After the waiting time is over, restart the evaporator's heating element to heat the water, and then let the evaporator wait again, repeating this cycle.

[0121] If the number of heating cycles n1 reaches the cycle heating threshold N1, the cooking mode is determined to end, the number of heating cycles n1 is reset to zero, and the evaporator returns to standby mode. In standby mode, it is determined whether the evaporator should be turned off or enter the next cooking mode.

[0122] In this embodiment, by continuously heating the heating element of the evaporator for a period of time and then stopping the heating and cooling for a period of time, the heating element of the evaporator can be prevented from continuously heating and generating a large amount of steam, thus reducing energy waste. The amount of steam generated can be accurately controlled, ensuring the effect of the cooking mode while reducing energy waste and improving the cooking performance of the evaporator in different cooking modes.

[0123] Example 4

[0124] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of a detection method for an evaporator provided in Embodiment 4 of the present invention, as follows: Figure 5 As shown, the method includes:

[0125] Step 501: If a cooking command is received, control the evaporator to heat the water to generate steam according to the cooking mode corresponding to the cooking command.

[0126] Step 502: If the temperature of the evaporator reaches the temperature value that indicates that the evaporator is short of water, then refill the evaporator with water and set the water filling time according to the cooking mode.

[0127] If the temperature inside the evaporator cavity reaches the value that indicates a water shortage in the evaporator (such as 125°C), it means that the water inside the evaporator cavity may have boiled dry. At this time, start the water pump to draw new water from the water tank and inject new water into the evaporator cavity.

[0128] Different cooking modes have different water requirements. Therefore, a corresponding water injection time t4 can be set for different cooking modes. The water injection time t4 can be used to control the amount of new water injected into the evaporator cavity by the water pump, thereby reducing water waste.

[0129] For example, an evaporation time threshold is set in the cooking mode. The evaporation time threshold represents the duration for the evaporator to heat the water each time. In this example, the remaining heating number is obtained by subtracting the number of times the cyclic heating threshold has been subtracted from the number of times the water has been heated. The cyclic heating threshold is the upper limit of the number of times the evaporator heats the water in the same cooking mode, and the number of heating number is the number of times the evaporator has already heated the water in the same cooking mode.

[0130] The water injection time is obtained by dividing the product of the evaporation time threshold, the amount of steam generated during each heating, and the remaining number of heating cycles by the flow rate when water is re-injected into the evaporator.

[0131] In the example, the process of calculating the water injection time is as follows:

[0132]

[0133] Where t4 is the water injection duration, t2 is the evaporation time threshold, and K v N1 is the amount of steam generated during each heating cycle (in L / s), n1 is the cycle heating threshold, n1 is the number of heating cycles, and q is the flow rate of water injected into the evaporator cavity by the inlet pump.

[0134] Step 503: After the water injection time is reached, wait for the preset judgment time.

[0135] After the water injection time is reached, the water inlet pump is turned off, and the preset judgment time t5 (which is a constant, such as 10s) is waited for the temperature inside the evaporator cavity to drop.

[0136] Step 504: If the temperature of the evaporator is lower than the temperature value indicating the relief of water shortage when the judgment time is reached, it is determined that the water injection into the evaporator is completed, the warning count is cleared to zero, and the process returns to step 501.

[0137] After the waiting time t5 is completed, the temperature sensor is used to detect the temperature inside the evaporator cavity. If the temperature inside the evaporator is lower than the temperature value that indicates the water shortage situation has been resolved (e.g., 60°C), it can be confirmed that the water pump has completed injecting new water into the evaporator. At this time, the warning count n3 is cleared and the process returns to step 501 to continue the process of heating the water.

[0138] Step 505: If the temperature inside the evaporator exceeds the temperature value indicating the relief of water shortage when the judgment time is reached, the number of dry-burning cycles of the evaporator is accumulated. If the number of burns does not reach the preset dry-burning threshold, the process returns to step 502; if the number of burns reaches the preset dry-burning threshold, the process proceeds to step 506.

[0139] Step 507: Determine that the water in the evaporator has boiled dry, and then stop the evaporator from operating.

[0140] If the temperature inside the evaporator exceeds the temperature value that indicates the relief of water shortage (e.g., 60℃), it indicates that the evaporator may be dry-burning (i.e., the water inside the evaporator is burned dry). The cumulative number of dry-burning times n2 is added to the cumulative number of dry-burning times n2 (n2 = n2 + 1).

[0141] The number of dry-burning cycles n2 is compared with the preset dry-burning threshold N2.

[0142] If the number of dry-burning cycles n2 does not reach the dry-burning threshold N2, then the process can return to step 502, where the water pump continues to draw new water from the water tank and continue to inject new water into the evaporator cavity.

[0143] When there is insufficient or no water in the water tank, the water pump injects less or no new water into the evaporator cavity, causing the temperature inside the evaporator cavity to not drop or to drop only slightly.

[0144] If the number of dry-burning cycles n2 reaches the dry-burning threshold N2, it indicates that the water tank is short of water (lacking water). In this case, the evaporator can be stopped, and corresponding prompts can be made by calling a buzzer, indicator light, sending a fault message to the user's control client, etc., to prompt the user to add new water to the water tank.

[0145] Example 5

[0146] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a detection device for an evaporator provided in Embodiment 5 of the present invention. Figure 6 As shown, the device includes:

[0147] The cooking heating module 601 is used to control the evaporator to heat water to generate steam according to the cooking mode corresponding to the cooking command if a cooking command is received.

[0148] The warning count accumulation module 602 is used to accumulate one warning count each time the evaporator stops heating water during the process of the evaporator heating water, until water is injected into the evaporator;

[0149] The warning threshold calculation module 603 is used to set a warning threshold based on the total inflow of water into the evaporator and the evaporation volume of water converted into steam.

[0150] The temperature sensor abnormality determination module 604 is used to determine that the temperature sensor of the evaporator is abnormal if the temperature of the evaporator does not reach the temperature value that indicates that the evaporator is short of water and the number of warnings reaches the warning threshold.

[0151] In one embodiment of the present invention, it further includes:

[0152] The remaining water volume statistics module is used to count the remaining water volume in the evaporator if the current cooking mode is after power-on but not the first cooking mode.

[0153] The cyclic heating count calculation module is used to calculate the number of times the remaining water can be cyclically heated based on the current cooking mode;

[0154] The warning threshold update module is used to add the number of cyclic heating cycles to the current number of warnings to obtain a new warning threshold.

[0155] In one embodiment of the present invention, it further includes:

[0156] The water injection control module is used to refill water into the evaporator if the temperature of the evaporator reaches the temperature value that indicates that the evaporator is short of water, and to set the water injection time according to the cooking mode.

[0157] The judgment duration waiting module is used to wait for a preset judgment duration after the water injection duration has been reached;

[0158] The water injection completion determination module is used to determine that water injection into the evaporator is complete when the judgment time is reached, and if the temperature of the evaporator is lower than the temperature value indicating the relief of water shortage, then the warning count is cleared and the process returns to the execution of the cooking heating module 601.

[0159] In one embodiment of the present invention, it further includes:

[0160] The dry-burning count accumulation module is used to accumulate the number of dry-burning counts of the evaporator when the judgment time is reached, if the temperature inside the evaporator exceeds the temperature value indicating the relief of water shortage; if the number of dry-burning counts does not reach the preset dry-burning threshold, the system returns to the water injection control module; if the number of dry-burning counts reaches the preset dry-burning threshold, the system executes the dry-burning determination module.

[0161] The dry-burning determination module is used to determine when the water in the evaporator has burned out and to stop the operation of the evaporator.

[0162] In one embodiment of the present invention, the cooking mode is provided with an evaporation time threshold and a heating waiting time, and the device further includes:

[0163] The normal time threshold setting module is used to set a normal time threshold for heating water to boiling in the evaporator;

[0164] The first fault determination module is used to determine that the evaporator has malfunctioned if the temperature of the evaporator has not reached the temperature value that indicates the boiling of water, and the duration of each heating of water by the evaporator reaches the normal time threshold.

[0165] The generation time statistics module is used to count the generation time of steam if the temperature of the evaporator reaches the temperature value that represents the boiling of water.

[0166] The heating count accumulation module is used to accumulate one heating count for the evaporator if the generation time reaches the evaporation time threshold and the temperature inside the evaporator does not reach the temperature value indicating that the evaporator is short of water.

[0167] A circulating heating threshold setting module is used to set a circulating heating threshold for the cooking mode;

[0168] The stop heating module is used to control the evaporator to stop heating the water until the heating waiting time is reached if the number of heating cycles is less than the cycle heating threshold and the number of warnings is less than the warning threshold, and then return to the execution of the cooking heating module 601.

[0169] In one embodiment of the present invention, it further includes:

[0170] The heat preservation module is used to control the evaporator to heat the water body during the process of the evaporator heating water body, so as to maintain the temperature of the evaporator at the heat preservation threshold.

[0171] The cooking mode end module is used to determine that the cooking mode ends and reset the heating count to zero if the number of heating cycles reaches the cycle heating threshold.

[0172] In one embodiment of the present invention, the cooking mode is provided with an evaporation time threshold, the evaporation time threshold representing the duration of each heating of water by the evaporator, and the warning threshold calculation module 603 is further used for:

[0173] The total water intake volume into the evaporator is obtained based on the flow rate and duration of water injection into the evaporator.

[0174] The amount of water evaporated and converted into steam is obtained based on the evaporation time threshold and the amount of steam generated during each heating.

[0175] Calculate the ratio between the total inflow and the evaporation, and multiply the ratio by a preset warning error coefficient as the warning threshold.

[0176] In one embodiment of the present invention, the cooking mode is provided with an evaporation time threshold, which represents the duration for which the evaporator heats water each time.

[0177] The remaining water volume statistics module is also used for:

[0178] The historical evaporation amount of water that was previously converted into steam is obtained by multiplying the number of alarms, the duration of each heating of water by the evaporator in the previous cooking mode, and the amount of steam generated during each heating.

[0179] Subtracting the historical evaporation rate from the total influent flow rate yields the remaining water volume in the evaporator.

[0180] The calculation of the number of times the remaining water can be reheated based on the current cooking mode includes:

[0181] The number of times the remaining water in the evaporator can be circulated and heated is obtained by dividing the remaining water volume in the evaporator by the product of the evaporation time threshold and the amount of steam generated.

[0182] In one embodiment of the present invention, the cooking mode is provided with an evaporation time threshold, the evaporation time threshold representing the duration for which the evaporator heats water each time, and the water injection control module is further configured to:

[0183] Subtract the number of heating cycles from the cycle heating threshold to obtain the remaining number of heating cycles. The cycle heating threshold is the upper limit of the number of times the evaporator heats the water in the same cooking mode, and the number of heating cycles is the number of times the evaporator has already heated the water in the same cooking mode.

[0184] The water injection time is obtained by dividing the product of the evaporation time threshold, the amount of steam generated during each heating, and the remaining number of heating cycles by the flow rate when water is re-injected into the evaporator.

[0185] In one embodiment of the present invention, the normal time threshold setting module is further configured to:

[0186] The mass of the water injected into the evaporator is obtained by multiplying the density of the water, the flow rate when the water is injected into the evaporator, and the duration when the water is injected into the evaporator.

[0187] The temperature difference between the boiling point of the water and the initial temperature at which the water is injected into the evaporator is calculated and used as the temperature difference.

[0188] The desired heating time of the water is obtained by dividing the product of the specific heat capacity of the water, the mass, and the temperature difference by the product of the heating power of the evaporator and the thermal efficiency coefficient of the evaporator.

[0189] A preset time deviation is added to the expected duration to obtain the normal time threshold.

[0190] In one embodiment of the present invention, the cooking mode is set with a total cooking time, and the cyclic heating threshold setting module is further used for:

[0191] Calculate the sum between the evaporation time threshold and the heating waiting time to obtain the cooking time for a single cooking session;

[0192] The ratio between the total cooking time and the single cooking time is calculated and used as the cyclic heating threshold of the cooking mode.

[0193] The evaporator detection device provided in this embodiment of the invention can execute the evaporator detection method provided in any embodiment of the invention, and has the corresponding functional modules and beneficial effects for executing the evaporator detection method.

[0194] Example 5

[0195] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of a kitchen appliance 10 that can be used to implement embodiments of the present invention is shown. The components shown herein, their connections and relationships, and their functions are merely examples and are not intended to limit the implementation of the invention described and / or claimed herein.

[0196] like Figure 7As shown, the kitchen appliance 10 includes at least one processor 11 and a memory, such as a read-only memory (ROM) 12 or a random access memory (RAM) 13, communicatively connected to the at least one processor 11. The memory stores computer programs executable by the at least one processor. The processor 11 can perform various appropriate actions and processes based on the computer programs stored in the ROM 12 or loaded from storage unit 18 into the RAM 13. The RAM 13 can also store various programs and data required for the operation of the kitchen appliance 10. The processor 11, ROM 12, and RAM 13 are interconnected via a bus 14. An input / output (I / O) interface 15 is also connected to the bus 14.

[0197] Multiple components in the kitchen appliance 10 are connected to the I / O interface 15, including: an input unit 16, such as a keyboard, mouse, etc.; an output unit 17, such as various types of displays, speakers, etc.; a storage unit 18, such as a disk, optical disk, etc.; and a communication unit 19, such as a network card, modem, wireless transceiver, etc. The communication unit 19 allows the kitchen appliance 10 to exchange information / data with other devices through computer networks such as the Internet and / or various telecommunications networks.

[0198] Processor 11 can be a variety of general-purpose and / or special-purpose processing components with processing and computing capabilities. Some examples of processor 11 include, but are not limited to, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), various special-purpose artificial intelligence (AI) computing chips, various processors running machine learning model algorithms, a digital signal processor (DSP), and any suitable processor, controller, microcontroller, etc. Processor 11 performs the various methods and processes described above, such as the evaporator detection method.

[0199] In some embodiments, the evaporator detection method may be implemented as a computer program tangibly contained in a computer-readable storage medium, such as storage unit 18. In some embodiments, part or all of the computer program may be loaded and / or installed on the kitchen appliance 10 via ROM 12 and / or communication unit 19. When the computer program is loaded into RAM 13 and executed by processor 11, one or more steps of the evaporator detection method described above may be performed. Alternatively, in other embodiments, processor 11 may be configured to perform the evaporator detection method by any other suitable means (e.g., by means of firmware).

[0200] Various embodiments of the systems and techniques described above herein can be implemented in digital electronic circuit systems, integrated circuit systems, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), application-specific standard products (ASSPs), systems-on-a-chip (SoCs), payload-programmable logic devices (CPLDs), computer hardware, firmware, software, and / or combinations thereof. These various embodiments may include implementations in one or more computer programs that can be executed and / or interpreted on a programmable system including at least one programmable processor, which may be a dedicated or general-purpose programmable processor, capable of receiving data and instructions from a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device, and transmitting data and instructions to the storage system, the at least one input device, and the at least one output device.

[0201] Computer programs used to implement the methods of the present invention may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages. These computer programs may be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing device, such that when executed by the processor, the computer programs cause the functions / operations specified in the flowcharts and / or block diagrams to be performed. The computer programs may be executed entirely on a machine, partially on a machine, or as a standalone software package, partially on a machine and partially on a remote machine, or entirely on a remote machine or server.

[0202] In the context of this invention, a computer-readable storage medium can be a tangible medium that may contain or store a computer program for use by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. A computer-readable storage medium may include, but is not limited to, electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems, apparatus, or devices, or any suitable combination thereof. Alternatively, a computer-readable storage medium may be a machine-readable signal medium. More specific examples of machine-readable storage media include electrical connections based on one or more wires, portable computer disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fibers, portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination thereof.

[0203] To provide interaction with the user, the systems and techniques described herein can be implemented on a kitchen appliance having: a display device for displaying information to the user (e.g., a CRT (cathode ray tube) or LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor); and a keyboard and pointing device (e.g., a mouse or trackball) through which the user provides input to the kitchen appliance. Other types of devices can also be used to provide interaction with the user; for example, feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback (e.g., visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback); and input from the user can be received in any form (including sound input, voice input, or tactile input).

[0204] The systems and technologies described herein can be implemented in computing systems that include backend components (e.g., as data servers), or computing systems that include middleware components (e.g., application servers), or computing systems that include frontend components (e.g., user computers with graphical user interfaces or web browsers through which users can interact with implementations of the systems and technologies described herein), or any combination of such backend, middleware, or frontend components. The components of the system can be interconnected via digital data communication of any form or medium (e.g., communication networks). Examples of communication networks include local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), blockchain networks, and the Internet.

[0205] A computing system can include clients and servers. Clients and servers are generally located far apart and typically interact through communication networks. The client-server relationship is created by computer programs running on the respective computers and having a client-server relationship with each other. The server can be a cloud server, also known as a cloud computing server or cloud host, which is a hosting product within the cloud computing service system to address the shortcomings of traditional physical hosts and VPS services, such as high management difficulty and weak business scalability.

[0206] Example 6

[0207] This invention also provides a computer program product, which includes a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the evaporator detection method provided in any embodiment of this invention.

[0208] In implementing the computer program product, computer program code for performing the operations of this invention can be written in one or more programming languages ​​or a combination thereof. Programming languages ​​include object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Java, Smalltalk, and C++, as well as conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as C or similar languages. The program code can be executed entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer, as a standalone software package, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In cases involving remote computers, the remote computer can be connected to the user's computer via any type of network—including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN)—or can be connected to an external computer (e.g., via the Internet using an Internet service provider).

[0209] It should be understood that the various forms of processes shown above can be used, with steps reordered, added, or deleted. For example, the steps described in this invention can be executed in parallel, sequentially, or in different orders, as long as the desired result of the technical solution of this invention can be achieved, and this is not limited herein.

[0210] The specific embodiments described above do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations, and substitutions can be made according to design requirements and other factors. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this invention should be included within the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims

1. A method for detecting an evaporator, characterized in that, include: If a cooking command is received, the evaporator is controlled to heat the water to generate steam according to the cooking mode corresponding to the cooking command; During the process of the evaporator heating water, if the evaporator stops heating water once, an early warning count is accumulated until water is re-injected into the evaporator; A warning threshold is set based on the total inflow of water into the evaporator and the evaporation rate of water converted into steam. If the temperature of the evaporator does not reach the temperature value indicating that the evaporator is short of water, and the number of warnings reaches the warning threshold, then the temperature sensor of the evaporator is determined to be abnormal. The cooking mode includes an evaporation time threshold and a heating waiting time. The method further includes: A normal time threshold is set for heating water to boiling in the evaporator; If the temperature of the evaporator does not reach the temperature value that indicates the boiling of the water, and the duration of the evaporator heating the water reaches the normal time threshold, then the evaporator is determined to have malfunctioned.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: If the current cooking mode is not the first cooking mode after power-on, then the remaining water volume in the evaporator is calculated. Calculate the number of times the remaining water can be reheated based on the current cooking mode; Add the number of cyclic heating cycles to the current number of warnings to obtain a new warning threshold.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: If the temperature of the evaporator reaches the temperature value that indicates that the evaporator is short of water, then water is refilled into the evaporator, and the water filling time is set according to the cooking mode. After the specified water injection time is reached, wait for the preset judgment time; If the temperature of the evaporator is lower than the temperature value indicating the relief of water shortage when the judgment time is reached, it is determined that water has been injected into the evaporator, the number of warnings is cleared, and the process returns to controlling the evaporator to heat the water to generate steam according to the cooking mode corresponding to the cooking command.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The cooking mode includes an evaporation time threshold, which represents the duration for which the evaporator heats water each time. The warning threshold is set based on the total amount of water injected into the evaporator and the amount of water evaporated to form steam, including: The total water intake volume into the evaporator is obtained based on the flow rate and duration of water injection into the evaporator. The amount of water evaporated and converted into steam is obtained based on the evaporation time threshold and the amount of steam generated during each heating. Calculate the ratio between the total inflow and the evaporation, and multiply the ratio by a preset warning error coefficient as the warning threshold.

5. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The cooking mode is set with an evaporation time threshold, which represents the duration of each heating of water by the evaporator. The calculation of the remaining water volume in the evaporator includes: The historical evaporation amount of water that was previously converted into steam is obtained by multiplying the number of warnings, the duration of each heating of water by the evaporator in the previous cooking mode, and the amount of steam generated during each heating. Subtracting the historical evaporation rate from the total influent flow rate yields the remaining water volume in the evaporator. The calculation of the number of times the remaining water can be reheated based on the current cooking mode includes: The number of times the remaining water in the evaporator can be circulated and heated is obtained by dividing the remaining water volume in the evaporator by the product of the evaporation time threshold and the amount of steam generated.

6. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The cooking mode includes an evaporation time threshold, which represents the duration for which the evaporator heats water each time. Setting the water injection time according to the cooking mode includes: Subtract the number of heating cycles from the cycle heating threshold to obtain the remaining number of heating cycles. The cycle heating threshold is the upper limit of the number of times the evaporator heats the water in the same cooking mode, and the number of heating cycles is the number of times the evaporator has already heated the water in the same cooking mode. The water injection time is obtained by dividing the product of the evaporation time threshold, the amount of steam generated during each heating, and the remaining number of heating cycles by the flow rate when water is re-injected into the evaporator.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The setting of a normal time threshold for heating water to boiling in the evaporator includes: The mass of the water injected into the evaporator is obtained by multiplying the density of the water, the flow rate when the water is injected into the evaporator, and the duration when the water is injected into the evaporator. The temperature difference between the boiling point of the water and the initial temperature at which the water is injected into the evaporator is calculated and used as the temperature difference. The desired heating time of the water is obtained by dividing the product of the specific heat capacity of the water, the mass, and the temperature difference by the product of the heating power of the evaporator and the thermal efficiency coefficient of the evaporator. A preset time deviation is added to the expected duration to obtain the normal time threshold.

8. A detection device for an evaporator, characterized in that, include: The cooking heating module is used to control the evaporator to heat water to generate steam according to the cooking mode corresponding to the cooking command if a cooking command is received. The warning count accumulation module is used to accumulate one warning count each time the evaporator stops heating water during the process of the evaporator heating water, until water is injected back into the evaporator; The warning threshold calculation module is used to set the warning threshold based on the total inflow of water into the evaporator and the evaporation volume of water converted into steam. The temperature sensor abnormality determination module is used to determine that the temperature sensor of the evaporator is abnormal if the temperature of the evaporator does not reach the temperature value that indicates that the evaporator is short of water and the number of warnings reaches the warning threshold. The cooking mode includes an evaporation time threshold and a heating waiting time. The device also includes: The normal time threshold setting module is used to set a normal time threshold for heating water to boiling in the evaporator; The first fault determination module is used to determine that the evaporator has malfunctioned if the temperature of the evaporator does not reach the temperature value that indicates the boiling of water, and the duration of each heating of water by the evaporator reaches the normal time threshold.

9. A kitchen appliance, characterized in that, The kitchen equipment includes: At least one processor; and A memory communicatively connected to the at least one processor; wherein, The memory stores a computer program that can be executed by the at least one processor, the computer program being executed by the at least one processor to enable the at least one processor to perform the evaporator detection method according to any one of claims 1-7.

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