Steam generator and control device and method

Abstract

The invention relates to a steam generator and a control device and method, and relates to the field of kitchen ware. Comprising a water inlet, a steam outlet, a vaporizing chamber and an overheating chamber, the water inlet is communicated with the vaporizing chamber, the water inlet is downwards connected to the first end of the vaporizing chamber at the bottom, the second end of the vaporizing chamber is upwards connected with the overheating chamber, the overheating chamber is used for condensing water steam with low temperature, and the steam outlet is formed in the tail end of the overheating chamber. A first heating mechanism and a first sensor are arranged on one side of the vaporization cavity, and a second heating mechanism and a second sensor are arranged on one side of the overheating cavity. A stepped path for steam flowing is formed through the arrangement of the overheating cavity, water drops which are not completely vaporized in the vaporization process and condensate water in steam conveying can be effectively intercepted and prevented from being directly mixed into output steam or flowing back to the vaporization cavity to interfere initial vaporization, invalid loss of a water body is reduced, and the utilization rate is increased; the water content of output steam is more stable, the steam quality is improved, and the requirements of different cooking scenes are met.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of steam generators, and more specifically, to a steam generator, control device, and method. Background Technology

[0002] In modern kitchen appliances such as microwave-steam-grill combos, the steam generator precisely generates and sprays high-temperature steam. The steam generator can lock in the moisture and nutrients of food, improve heating uniformity, prevent food from drying out, and expand various cooking scenarios such as steaming, tender roasting, and baking. This is the core value that distinguishes it from traditional kitchen appliances.

[0003] However, existing steam generators still suffer from low steam generation efficiency and insufficient overheat control precision, which have become key bottlenecks restricting the cooking effect, energy efficiency and functional expansion of kitchen equipment. There is an urgent need for a new type of steam generator device that can achieve rapid vaporization and precise overheat control. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention provides a steam generator, a control device, and a method.

[0005] The technical solution of this invention is as follows:

[0006] To achieve one of the above objectives, the first technical solution of the present invention is as follows: a steam generator, comprising a water inlet, a steam outlet, a vaporization chamber, and a superheated chamber, wherein the water inlet is connected to the vaporization chamber, the water inlet is downwardly connected to a first end of the bottom of the vaporization chamber, the second end of the vaporization chamber is upwardly connected to the superheated chamber, the superheated chamber is used to condense water vapor at a lower temperature, the steam outlet is provided at the end of the superheated chamber, a first heating mechanism and a first sensor are provided on one side of the vaporization chamber, and a second heating mechanism and a second sensor are provided on one side of the superheated chamber.

[0007] This invention creates a stepped steam flow path through a superheated chamber, effectively intercepting incompletely vaporized water droplets and condensate during steam transport. This prevents water droplets from directly mixing into the output steam or flowing back into the vaporization chamber, interfering with initial vaporization and reducing ineffective water loss to improve utilization. Simultaneously, it stabilizes the water content of the output steam, enhancing steam quality. An independent second heating mechanism on one side of the superheated chamber, together with the corresponding first heating mechanism in the vaporization chamber, forms a zoned control unit. This unit precisely controls the secondary heating intensity of the superheated chamber, achieving a stepped increase in steam temperature. Combined with the first heating mechanism's control over vaporization, it dynamically balances steam generation and superheat, providing hardware support for the selective output of wet and dry steam to meet the needs of different cooking scenarios.

[0008] Specifically, the vaporization chamber and the superheating chamber can be flexibly arranged vertically or horizontally. When arranged horizontally, by controlling the height difference between the chambers or the inner walls, it can prevent water from flowing directly into the superheating chamber during the water intake stage, ensuring that the vaporization chamber completes the initial vaporization first and guaranteeing the orderliness of the process.

[0009] As a preferred technical measure, a flow channel chamber is provided between the vaporization chamber and the superheated chamber. The vaporization chamber, the flow channel chamber, and the superheated chamber form an S-shaped steam channel from bottom to top. The vaporization chamber includes a heating zone, and a first sensor is installed outside the heating zone. A second sensor is installed in the middle of the flow channel chamber. In this invention, the S-shaped steam channel design further extends the steam flow path, allowing the steam generated in the vaporization chamber to undergo pre-separation and initial heating in the flow channel chamber before entering the superheated chamber. On the one hand, the S-shaped path can enhance the interception effect of incompletely vaporized water droplets through the deflection and buffering effect; on the other hand, the extended flow path increases the contact time and heating area between the steam and the chamber wall, allowing the flow channel chamber to perform preliminary secondary heating of the steam, forming a stepped heating layout with the second heating mechanism of the superheated chamber.

[0010] As a preferred technical measure, the vaporization chamber includes a water inlet area and a heating area. The water inlet area has a water inlet on one side and connects to the heating area on the other side. A first protrusion is provided inside both the water inlet area and the heating area. The first protrusion includes a heating plane and a protrusion on the heating plane. The water inlet area and the superheated chamber are separated. In this invention, the protrusion can be a regular polyhedral structure or an irregular protrusion. The protrusion increases the heating area and contact area, realizing the condensation and reflux of unsaturated steam, improving steam quality. Furthermore, the irregular protrusion can control the reflux direction of condensate and accelerate the condensation effect. The irregular protruding surface often easily disrupts the surface tension of water droplets, thereby reducing the suspension time and volume of condensate droplets on the irregular protrusion.

[0011] As a preferred technical measure, a second heating mechanism is provided along one side of the main body of the superheated chamber, and the second heating mechanism extends and is distributed on one side of the water inlet area.

[0012] As a preferred technical measure, the protrusions include a rhomboid structure, and several protrusions are arranged in a rectangular pattern.

[0013] As a preferred technical measure, the steam generator is provided with a first partition plate and a second partition plate. The first partition plate is L-shaped, and the water inlet area and the heating area are arranged sequentially on both sides of the outside of the L-shape. The two sides of the second partition plate are used to set up the flow channel chamber and the superheated chamber.

[0014] As a preferred technical measure, a second boss matching the second heating mechanism is provided in the superheated chamber. The second boss includes a heating arc surface and first separation plates spaced apart from the heating arc surface. The height of the first separation plate is less than that of the first and second spacers. The first separation plate is a plate structure that is thin and low in the middle and thick and high on both sides. The first separation plate is arranged in the flow channel chamber and the superheated chamber along the length direction of the second heating mechanism.

[0015] Furthermore, two adjacent first separation plates are arranged in parallel or staggered positions. The parallel first separation plates further increase the condensation and heating area by forming a condensation tank structure on one side. In order to achieve better condensation effect, in the second staggered arrangement: in the vaporization chamber, flow channel chamber and superheated chamber that are as a whole in an S-shape, a small S-shaped condensation structure is further formed by the staggered arrangement of the first separation plates. By using a staggered first separation plate, a continuous small S-shaped steam flow channel is formed between adjacent separation plates. On the one hand, this extends the flow path of unsaturated steam within the flow channel chamber, increasing the contact time and area between the steam and the first separation plate and the chamber wall. This allows for more efficient interception of incompletely vaporized water droplets, significantly improving condensation interception efficiency and reducing the direct entry of wet steam into the superheated chamber. On the other hand, the small S-shaped condensation structure forces the unsaturated steam to turn multiple times, forming a local condensation cycle. This promotes the accumulation, reflux, and secondary vaporization of water droplets on the separation plate surface, reducing ineffective water loss and improving steam generation utilization. Simultaneously, the multiple turning flow process enhances the uniformity of heat exchange between the steam and the second heating mechanism, ensuring more thorough heating of the steam within the superheated chamber. This further improves the dryness and temperature stability of the output steam, precisely adapting to the differentiated steam quality requirements of various cooking scenarios such as steaming, roasting, and baking. Especially in scenarios requiring high-dryness steam, it effectively avoids the deterioration of food texture due to excessive steam moisture content, providing a better solution for steam quality optimization from a hardware structure perspective.

[0016] As a preferred technical measure, a temperature protection device is also provided on one side of the steam generator, and the control device is also connected to the temperature protection device.

[0017] As a preferred technical measure, the water inlet is provided on the side of the device near the first partition plate, and the steam outlet is provided on the side of the device above the second partition plate.

[0018] As a preferred technical measure, a temperature protection device is also provided on one side of the steam generator, and the control device is also connected to the temperature protection device. This invention provides a second layer of safety protection for the generator, enabling the following: when the temperature protection device can monitor the extreme temperature around the steam generator in real time, it can directly send a trigger signal to the control device when the detected temperature exceeds a preset safety threshold; upon receiving the signal, the control device can immediately cut off the power to the first and second heating mechanisms or reduce their power to a safe range, and simultaneously control the water inlet mechanism to stop water supply, thus preventing the escalation of danger from both the heat source and water source perspectives.

[0019] To achieve one of the above objectives, the second technical solution of the present invention is: a control device, including the steam generator, with a water inlet mechanism connected to the water inlet side, the control device being connected to a first heating mechanism and a first sensor, for controlling the heating power of the first heating mechanism and acquiring temperature information in the vaporization chamber, the control device also being connected to a second heating mechanism and a second sensor, for controlling the heating power of the second heating mechanism and acquiring temperature information in the superheated chamber.

[0020] This invention uses a first sensor to collect the temperature of the vaporization chamber in real time and a second sensor to collect the temperature of the superheated chamber in real time, providing accurate temperature feedback data for the control device. Based on this temperature information, the control device dynamically adjusts the power of the first and second heating mechanisms. The power adjustment of the first heating mechanism can precisely control the vaporization efficiency of the vaporization chamber, and together with the water inlet mechanism, it directly affects the amount of steam generated. The power adjustment of the second heating mechanism specifically controls the secondary heating intensity of the superheated chamber, determining the temperature rise and humidity level of the steam. This effectively solves the problems of large temperature fluctuations and insufficient temperature control accuracy in traditional steam generators, ensuring stable and controllable steam temperature and humidity, and improving energy utilization efficiency and consistency of cooking results.

[0021] Specifically, the control device can increase the power of the second heating mechanism to raise the temperature of the superheated chamber in order to reduce the steam humidity and output high-temperature dry steam; or it can increase the steam moisture content by reducing the power of the second heating mechanism and increasing the power of the first heating mechanism to output wet steam, thereby achieving flexible switching of steam parameters under different cooking scenarios.

[0022] To achieve one of the above objectives, the third technical solution of the present invention is as follows:

[0023] A steam control method, applied in the control device, includes:

[0024] Initialize the control parameters of the control device and the first sensor, second sensor and water inlet mechanism;

[0025] Real-time temperature acquisition of the vaporization chamber and superheated chamber.

[0026] A preset PID control algorithm is used to perform closed-loop regulation of the power of the first heating mechanism or the second heating mechanism respectively, so that the temperature of the vaporization chamber is maintained within the saturated steam temperature range and the temperature of the superheated chamber reaches the target steam temperature. The preset PID control algorithm includes: calculating a proportional term based on the deviation between the target steam temperature and the real-time steam temperature, calculating an integral term based on the cumulative deviation, and calculating a derivative term based on the real-time temperature change rate. The power control signal of the heating module is output through the coordinated operation of the proportional term, integral term, and derivative term.

[0027] The water flow rate of the water inlet mechanism is dynamically adjusted based on the deviation between the real-time temperature of the vaporization chamber and the saturated steam temperature. At the same time, the real-time temperature of the flow channel chamber is obtained through the temperature detection module. If the temperature of the flow channel chamber is lower than the preset threshold of the saturated steam temperature, the water flow rate is reduced and the power of the first heating mechanism and the second heating mechanism is increased to prevent condensation and water accumulation in the chamber.

[0028] As a preferred method, an anti-saturation treatment method for the integral term is also included: limiting the value of the integral term within the power output range to prevent excessive accumulation of the integral term from causing the power of the heating module to exceed the control range.

[0029] As a preferred method, the water flow rate of the water inlet mechanism is dynamically adjusted based on the deviation between the real-time temperature of the vaporization chamber and the saturated steam temperature, specifically including:

[0030] If the real-time temperature of the vaporization chamber is lower than the first preset value of the saturated steam temperature, the water flow rate is increased; if the temperature of the vaporization chamber is higher than the second preset value of the saturated steam temperature, the water flow rate is decreased. The adjustment of the water flow rate is always limited to the preset minimum water flow rate and the maximum water flow rate.

[0031] As a preferred method, self-cleaning methods are also included, including:

[0032] Before the steam generator stops producing steam, the temperature change rate of the vaporization chamber and the superheated chamber is monitored by the first and second sensors. The residual water in each chamber is determined based on the temperature change rate, and then the working power and shutdown delay of the heating module are adjusted to vaporize the residual water in the chamber and keep the chamber in a dry state.

[0033] The residual water volume is determined based on the rate of temperature change. Specifically, the more residual water in the chamber, the slower the rate of temperature change; the less residual water, the faster the rate of temperature change. The residual water volume level is matched based on a preset temperature change rate threshold, thereby adapting the power adjustment range and delay time of the heating module. Attached Figure Description

[0034] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 2 This is a second perspective structural view of the hidden portion housing of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 3 This is a top view of the concealed housing of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 4 This is a second perspective structural view of the hidden portion housing of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 5 This is a front view of the first arrangement of the concealed housing of the present invention; the arrows indicate the direction of steam flow.

[0039] Figure 6 This is a front view of a second arrangement of the concealed housing of the present invention; the arrows indicate the direction of steam flow.

[0040] Figure 7 This is a partial circuit diagram of the control device of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 8 This is the control timing diagram for the present invention;

[0042] Figure 9 This is a control flowchart of the present invention;

[0043] In the diagram,

[0044] 100. Shell; 110. Vaporization chamber; 111. Water inlet area; 112. Heating area; 1121. Heating plane; 1122. Rhomboid protrusion; 120. Flow channel chamber; 121. Second boss; 122. First separation plate; 123. Second separation plate; 130. Superheated chamber; 140. Water inlet; 150. Steam outlet;

[0045] 210. First partition plate; 211. Vertical section; 212. Horizontal section; 220. Second partition plate; 230. Connecting opening;

[0046] 310. First heating mechanism; 311. First sensor; 320. Second heating mechanism; 321. Second sensor; 330. Temperature protection device. Detailed Implementation

[0047] To better understand the purpose, technical solution, and technical effects of this invention, the invention will be further explained and described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the following drawings indicate similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent drawings. It is also stated that the embodiments described below are only for explaining this invention and are not intended to limit this invention.

[0048] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on the other component or there may be an intermediate component. When a component is referred to as "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or there may be an intermediate component.

[0049] The indicated orientation or positional relationship is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship in which the product is usually placed when in use, or the orientation or positional relationship in which a person skilled in the art would normally understand it, or the orientation or positional relationship in which the product is usually placed when in use. It is only for the purpose of facilitating the description of this application and simplifying the description, and is not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0050] Example 1

[0051] like Figures 1-5 As shown, this invention discloses a steam generator with a housing 100 as its basic structure.

[0052] The shell 100 has a water inlet 140 on one side and a steam outlet 150 on the other side. The interior of the shell 100 is divided by a first partition plate 210 and a second partition plate 220 arranged in an L-shape to form a vaporization chamber 110, a flow channel chamber 120 and a superheated chamber 130 connected in sequence. The three are connected by an internal channel to form an S-shaped steam channel from bottom to top.

[0053] The first partition plate 210 includes a vertical section 211 and a horizontal section 212. The vertical section 211 and the inner wall of the shell 100 together form the side wall of the vaporization chamber 110, and the horizontal section 212 extends into the shell 100. The second partition plate 220 is located above the first partition plate 210. One end is connected to the top inner wall of the shell 100, and the other end has a gap with the vertical section 211 of the first partition plate 210 to form a communication port 230. The communication port 230 enables the flow channel chamber 120 to communicate with the superheated chamber 130.

[0054] The water inlet 140 is located near the vertical section 211 of the first partition plate 210, and is connected to an external water source through a pipe. Its outlet is directly opposite the water inlet area 111 of the vaporization chamber 110. The steam outlet 150 is located above the second partition plate 220 and is connected to the end of the superheated chamber 130. The vaporization chamber 110 includes the water inlet area 111 located above and the heating area 112 located below. A gap is formed between the side wall of the water inlet area 111 and the superheated chamber 130 to avoid the condensation of water vapor in the water inlet area 111 from affecting the heating effect of the superheated chamber 130. The S-shaped channel, through path extension and turning buffer, not only intercepts incompletely vaporized water droplets, but also increases the contact between steam and the heating surface of the chamber wall, providing a structural basis for stepped heating and water vapor separation.

[0055] Both the vaporization chamber 110 and the superheated chamber 130 have functional protrusions on their inner sides. The heating zone 112 of the vaporization chamber 110 includes a heating plane 1121 that basically covers the first heating mechanism 310. The heating plane 1121 has matching first protrusions on its inner sidewall. The first protrusions include several rhomboid protrusions 1122 evenly distributed on the heating plane 1121. The height of the rhomboid protrusions 1122 is 1 / 8 to 1 / 10 of the height of the first partition plate 210. By increasing the heat transfer area, the vaporization of water is accelerated. At the same time, the discontinuous bending surface is used to break the surface tension of the condensed water droplets, reduce the suspension time and volume of the water droplets, and promote the return of water droplets. To reduce water loss, the superheated chamber 130 has a second protrusion 121 on its inner wall that matches the second heating mechanism 320. The second protrusion 121 includes a heating arc surface that fits with the second heating mechanism 320, and first separation plates 122 arranged at intervals on the heating arc surface. The height of the first separation plate 122 is 3 / 4-5 / 6 of the height of the second separation plate 220, which can block condensate droplets without affecting the steam flow. Furthermore, the side of the second protrusion 121 near the steam outlet 150 has a second separation plate 123 with a height greater than the first separation plate 122, which further enhances the condensate interception effect and ensures stable steam moisture content.

[0056] A first heating mechanism 310 is installed on the outer wall of the heating zone 112 of the vaporization chamber 110. The first heating mechanism 310 is an electric heating column. A second heating mechanism 320 is installed on the outer wall of the superheated chamber 130. The second heating mechanism 320 is also an electric heating tube and is arranged parallel to the first heating mechanism 310. The second heating mechanism 320 extends to the side of the water inlet zone 111 of the vaporization chamber 110 to achieve zoned heating control. A first sensor 311 is provided in the heating zone 112 of the vaporization chamber 110. The first sensor 311 can be an NTC temperature sensor for real-time monitoring of the temperature inside the vaporization chamber 110. A second sensor 321 is provided in the middle of the flow channel chamber 120 for synchronously collecting the temperature around the flow channel chamber 120 and the superheated chamber 130. Two temperature protection devices 330 are also installed on the outer wall of the shell 100 for obtaining temperature information around the steam generator.

[0057] Example 2

[0058] Based on the main structure of Embodiment 1, Embodiment 2 provides a second arrangement of the first separation plate 122 on one side of the second heating mechanism 320 and within the flow channel chamber 120.

[0059] refer to Figure 6The first separation plates 122, spaced apart on the heating arc surface, further include: adjacent first separation plates 122 are staggered, forming small S-shaped condensation structures on the S-shaped vaporization chamber 110, flow channel chamber 120, and superheated chamber 130. The staggered arrangement of the first separation plates 122 creates continuous small S-shaped steam flow channels between adjacent plates, extending the flow path of unsaturated steam within the flow channel chamber 120 and increasing the contact time and area between the steam and the first separation plates 122 and the chamber walls. This more efficiently intercepts incompletely vaporized water droplets, significantly improving condensation interception efficiency and reducing the direct entry of wet steam into the superheater. Regarding the situation in chamber 130; on the other hand, the small S-shaped condensation structure forces the unsaturated steam to turn multiple times, forming a local condensation cycle, promoting the accumulation, reflux and secondary vaporization of water droplets on the surface of the separation plate, reducing ineffective water loss and improving the utilization rate of steam generation; at the same time, the flow process of multiple turns enhances the uniformity of heat exchange between steam and the second heating mechanism 320, making the steam more fully heated in the superheated chamber 130, further improving the dryness and temperature stability of the output steam, which can accurately adapt to the differentiated requirements of steam quality for different cooking scenarios such as steaming, tender roasting and baking. Especially in scenarios that require high dryness steam, it can effectively avoid the problem of food deterioration due to excessive steam moisture content.

[0060] Example 3

[0061] Based on the steam generators of Embodiments 1 and 2, Embodiment 3 provides a corresponding control device:

[0062] One end of the control device is connected to the housing 100 of the steam generator, and the other end is connected to the water inlet mechanism on the side of the water inlet 140. Simultaneously, it establishes signal connections with the first heating mechanism 310, the first sensor 311, the second heating mechanism 320, the second sensor 321, and two temperature protection devices 330, forming a multi-module collaborative control architecture. Regarding temperature and steam parameter control, the control device collects real-time temperature data of the vaporization chamber 110 through the first sensor 311, dynamically adjusting the power of the first heating mechanism 310 to control the water vaporization efficiency. This, combined with the flow rate control of the water inlet mechanism, directly affects the amount of steam generated. The second sensor 321 collects temperature data of the flow channel chamber 120 and the superheated chamber 130, adjusting the power of the second heating mechanism 320 to control the secondary heating intensity. This can be achieved by increasing the power of the second heating mechanism 320 to raise the temperature of the superheated chamber 130, outputting high-temperature dry steam; or by decreasing the power of the second heating mechanism 320 and increasing the power of the first heating mechanism 310 to increase the steam water content and output wet steam, thus enabling the switching of steam parameters for different cooking scenarios. In terms of safety redundancy, the control device receives temperature signals from two temperature protection devices 330, forming a dual safety monitoring system.

[0063] Example 4

[0064] Based on the steam generator in Embodiments 1 and 2 and the control device in Embodiment 3, this embodiment provides a specific steam quality control method. The system initialization steps include configuring the core parameters of the control device, including PID controller parameters, target steam temperature, and initial water flow rate, and completing the hardware initialization of the first sensor 311, the second sensor 321, the water inlet mechanism, the first heating mechanism 310, and the second heating mechanism 320 to ensure signal communication between modules and initial state stability.

[0065] PID closed-loop temperature control: The control device acquires the temperature of the vaporization chamber 110 collected by the first sensor 311 and the temperatures of the flow channel chamber 120 and the superheated chamber 130 collected by the second sensor 321 in real time, and adjusts the power of the first heating mechanism 310 and the second heating mechanism 320 respectively based on the preset PID algorithm.

[0066] A proportional term is calculated based on the deviation between the target temperature and the real-time temperature to quickly respond to the current error.

[0067] The integral term is calculated by accumulating the deviation to eliminate steady-state error, and includes anti-saturation processing to limit the integral term within the power output range of the heating mechanism;

[0068] The differential term is calculated by real-time temperature change rate to suppress temperature overshoot, and finally the power signal is output in coordination to keep the temperature of vaporization chamber 110 in the saturated steam temperature range and the temperature of superheated chamber 130 reaches the target steam temperature.

[0069] The method also includes dynamic coordinated adjustment of water flow rate. The control device adjusts the water flow rate of the water inlet mechanism according to the deviation between the real-time temperature of the vaporization chamber 110 and the saturation temperature fed back by the first sensor 311: if the temperature is lower than the preset threshold, the water flow rate is increased; if the temperature is higher than the preset threshold, the water flow rate is decreased, and the water flow rate is always limited between the preset minimum water flow rate and the preset maximum water flow rate. At the same time, according to the temperature of the flow channel chamber 120 collected by the second sensor 321, if the temperature is lower than the preset threshold of saturated steam temperature, it is determined that there may be condensed water in the flow channel. At this time, the water flow rate is reduced and the power of the first heating mechanism 310 and the second heating mechanism 320 is increased in conjunction to accelerate the vaporization of the accumulated water by increasing the heat input, so as to avoid affecting the steam quality.

[0070] The method further includes:

[0071] Self-cleaning function: Before the steam generator stops producing steam, the control device monitors the temperature change rate of the vaporization chamber 110 and the superheated chamber 130 through the first sensor 311 and the second sensor 321, respectively. Based on the thermophysical law that the more residual water, the slower the temperature change rate, the control device matches the residual water level of each chamber. For example, a low temperature change rate corresponds to a large amount of residual water, and a high rate corresponds to a small amount of residual water. The control device then adjusts the working power and shutdown delay of the first heating mechanism 310 and the second heating mechanism 320 accordingly. If there is a large amount of residual water, the power of the heating mechanism is increased and the shutdown delay is extended. If there is a small amount of residual water, the current heating power is maintained and the shutdown delay is shortened to ensure that the residual water in the chamber is completely vaporized, keeping the vaporization chamber 110, the flow channel chamber 120, and the superheated chamber 130 dry and preventing scale buildup or bacterial growth.

[0072] Safety protection function: Two temperature protection devices 330 on the outer wall of the housing 100 monitor the temperature around the steam generator in real time. When the temperature exceeds the preset safety threshold, a trigger signal is immediately sent to the control device. After receiving the signal, the control device quickly cuts off the power to the first heating mechanism 310 and the second heating mechanism 320 or reduces their power to a safe range. At the same time, it links the water inlet mechanism to stop water supply, thus blocking the escalation of danger from both the heat source and the water source, forming a double safety guarantee.

[0073] For details, please refer to Figures 7-9 ,

[0074] Sequential Startup and Initialization: After the user triggers the steam function, the main controller first executes a self-test program. Once the self-test passes, it controls the water pump to start pre-filling water, for example, for 2 seconds. Then, it activates the first heating mechanism 310 (50% power), entering a cycle of temperature monitoring, PID calculation, and power adjustment, as shown in the sequence. Figure 5 As shown; simultaneously, the control device completes the initialization of core parameters, including the PID parameters (P=8.0, I=0.05, D=2.0) of the vaporization chamber (hereinafter referred to as the primary vaporization chamber), the PID parameters (P=6.0, I=0.03, D=4.0) of the superheated chamber (hereinafter referred to as the secondary superheated chamber), the target steam temperature and the initial water flow rate, and completes the hardware initialization of the first sensor 311, the second sensor 321, the water inlet mechanism and the heating mechanism to ensure the signal communication between each module and the stability of the initial state; where P is the proportional term, I is the integral term and D is the deviation term.

[0075] The control device executes the process cyclically as follows: reading sensors → system status check → PID calculation → executing control, as shown in the process flow. Figure 7As shown: First, the temperature (T1) of the vaporization chamber 110 collected by the first sensor 311 and the temperatures (T2, Tx) of the flow channel chamber 120 and the superheated chamber 130 collected by the second sensor 321 are acquired in real time. Then, the system status is checked. If the status is abnormal, a safety protocol is executed, such as triggering the temperature protection device 330. If the status is normal, the saturation temperature is calculated, and PID control is performed on the primary vaporization chamber and the secondary superheated chamber respectively. The PID control of the primary vaporization chamber adjusts the power of the first heating mechanism 310 to maintain the temperature of the vaporization chamber 110 within the saturated steam temperature range to prevent water accumulation. The PID control of the secondary superheated chamber adjusts the power of the second heating mechanism 320 to achieve smooth steam temperature control and avoid temperature overshoot. Finally, the water pump flow rate and the power of the heating mechanism are adjusted according to the PID calculation results. After the regulation is completed, the system status is updated and the system waits for the next control cycle.

[0076] The PID algorithm calculates the proportional term by the deviation between the target temperature and the real-time temperature, calculates the integral term by accumulating the deviation, and calculates the derivative term by the real-time temperature change rate.

[0077] The PID parameters of the primary vaporization chamber and the secondary superheating chamber are tuned as follows: For the primary vaporization chamber, the second heating mechanism 320 needs to be turned off, a fixed water flow rate (e.g., 60 ml / min) is set, P is adjusted to bring the system to near the saturation temperature, I is increased to eliminate steady-state error, and D is added to suppress oscillation. For the secondary superheating chamber, the power of the first heating mechanism 310 needs to be fixed (e.g., 70%), the target superheating temperature is set, P is gradually increased from a low value, D is added to suppress overshoot, and finally a small I is added to eliminate residual error.

[0078] Meanwhile, the control device adjusts the flow rate of the water inlet mechanism according to the deviation between the real-time temperature of the vaporization chamber 110 and the saturation temperature: if the temperature is below the threshold, the flow rate is increased; if the temperature is above the threshold, the flow rate is reduced, and the flow rate is limited to a preset range. If the temperature of the flow channel chamber 120 is lower than the preset threshold of the saturated steam temperature, it is determined that there is condensed water accumulation, and the water flow rate is reduced and the power of the first and second heating mechanisms is increased to accelerate the vaporization of the accumulated water.

[0079] Example 5

[0080] Based on the control method in Embodiment 4, the present invention also includes a specific PID algorithm execution method. The core PID control algorithm is implemented through the following code to accurately calculate the output power of the heating mechanism:

[0081] void PID_Update(PIDController pid,float setpoint,float input,floatdt){

[0082] / / Calculation error

[0083] float error=setpoint-input;

[0084] / / Proportional term (fast response to current error)

[0085] float P = pid->Kp * error;

[0086] / / Integral term (with anti-saturation treatment to eliminate steady-state error)

[0087] pid->integral+=error*dt;

[0088] if(pid->integral>pid->output_max)pid->integral=pid->output_max;

[0089] if(pid->integral <pid->output_min)pid->integral=pid->output_min; floatI=pid->Ki*pid->integral;

[0090] / / Differential term (differentiating the measured value to avoid overshoot caused by sudden changes in the setpoint)

[0091] float D=pid->Kd*(input-pid->prev_input) / dt;

[0092] / / Calculate the output (negative sign for the differential term to suppress overshoot)

[0093] pid->output = P + ID;

[0094] / / Output limiting (limited to the power range of the heating mechanism)

[0095] if(pid->output>pid->output_max)pid->output=pid->output_max;

[0096] if(pid->output <pid->output_min)pid->output=pid->output_min;

[0097] / / Save the state for the next calculation

[0098] pid->prev_error = error;

[0099] pid->prev_input = input;

[0100] }

[0101] In the above code, the input parameter corresponds to the temperature (T1) of the vaporization chamber 110 collected by the first sensor 311 or the temperature (Tx) of the superheated chamber 130 collected by the second sensor 321, the setpoint corresponds to the saturated steam temperature or the target steam temperature, and dt is the control period (set to 0.1 seconds in this embodiment). Through the coordinated calculation of the proportional term (P), integral term (I), and derivative term (D), the power adjustment signal of the first heating mechanism 310 or the second heating mechanism 320 is output.

[0102] Multi-level coordinated control and algorithm implementation: Based on PID control, the system achieves coordinated regulation of the vaporization chamber, superheating chamber, and water flow through a multi-level coordinated control algorithm. The code is as follows:

[0103] void SteamGenerator_Control(SteamGeneratorState*state,PIDController*pid_evap,

[0104] PIDController*pid_superheat,float dt){

[0105] float sat_temp = calculate_saturation_temp(); / / Calculate saturation temperature based on current pressure PID_Update(pid_evap, sat_temp, state->T1, dt); / / state->T1 corresponds to the value collected by the first sensor 311 / / 2. Secondary superheating chamber control (achieving the target steam temperature through pid_superheat)

[0106] PID_Update(pid_superheat,state->setpoint,state->Tx,dt);

[0107] / / state->Tx corresponds to the value collected by the second sensor 321

[0108] / / 3. Water flow control - dynamically adjust based on vaporization chamber temperature (T1) if(state->T1) <sat_temp-5){

[0109] / / If the temperature is too low, increase the water flow rate at the inlet by 140 (increase by 0.5 ml / s each time, not exceeding the maximum value).

[0110] state->water_flow=min(state->water_flow+0.5,MAX_WATER_FLOW);

[0111] }else if(state->T1>sat_temp+2){

[0112] / / If the temperature is too high, reduce the water flow rate (reducing it by 0.3 ml / s each time, but not below the minimum value).

[0113] state->water_flow=max(state->water_flow-0.3,MIN_WATER_FLOW);

[0114] }

[0115] / / 4. Temperature monitoring of the flow channel chamber at 120°C (T2) - to prevent condensation and water accumulation.

[0116] if(state->T2 <sat_temp-10){

[0117] / / The flow channel temperature is too low, indicating the presence of condensation.

[0118] / / Reduce water flow by 70% and increase the power of the first heating unit 310 by 20% (not exceeding the maximum value).

[0119] state->water_flow*=0.7;

[0120] pid_evap->output=min(pid_evap->output*1.2, pid_evap->output_max);

[0121] }

[0122] / / 5. Application control output to actuator

[0123] set_heater_power(HEATER_EVAP,pid_evap->output); / / Control the power of the first heating mechanism 310

[0124] set_heater_power(HEATER_SUPERHEAT,pid_superheat->output); / / Controls the power of the second heating mechanism (320V).

[0125] set_water_pump(state->water_flow); / / Control the flow rate of the water inlet mechanism

[0126] }

[0127] In the above code, state->T1 corresponds to the temperature collected by the first sensor 311 in the vaporization chamber 110, state->T2 corresponds to the temperature in the flow channel chamber 120, and HEATER_EVAP and HEATER_SUPERHEAT correspond to the first heating mechanism 310 and the second heating mechanism 320, respectively. Through multi-level logic judgment, the coordinated control of "temperature-heating-water flow" is realized to ensure the stability of steam parameters.

[0128] This invention, through the coordinated design of multi-chamber graded processing and zoned control, not only ensures steam generation efficiency but also achieves precise temperature and humidity control. At the same time, it improves the reliability of equipment operation through multiple safety mechanisms and can be widely used in kitchen appliances such as microwave-steam-grill combos.

[0129] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0130] The above embodiments merely illustrate several implementation methods of the present invention, and their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, but they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of this invention patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A steam generator, characterized in that, It includes a water inlet, a steam outlet, a vaporization chamber, and a superheated chamber. The water inlet is connected to the vaporization chamber and is downwardly connected to the first end of the bottom vaporization chamber. The second end of the vaporization chamber is upwardly connected to the superheated chamber. The superheated chamber is used to condense water vapor at a lower temperature. The steam outlet is provided at the end of the superheated chamber. A first heating mechanism and a first sensor are provided on one side of the vaporization chamber, and a second heating mechanism and a second sensor are provided on one side of the superheated chamber.

2. A steam generator according to claim 1, characterized in that, A flow channel chamber is provided between the vaporization chamber and the superheated chamber. The vaporization chamber, the flow channel chamber and the superheated chamber form an S-shaped steam channel from bottom to top. The vaporization chamber includes a heating zone. A first sensor is provided outside the heating zone, and a second sensor is provided in the middle of the flow channel chamber.

3. A steam generator according to claim 2, characterized in that, The vaporization chamber includes a water inlet area and a heating area. The water inlet area has a water inlet on one side and is connected to the heating area on the other side. The water inlet area and the heating area are provided with a first protrusion. The first protrusion includes a heating plane and a protrusion on the heating plane.

4. A steam generator according to claim 2, characterized in that, A second heating mechanism is provided along one side of the main body of the superheated chamber, and the second heating mechanism extends and is distributed on one side of the water inlet area.

5. A steam generator according to claim 3, characterized in that, The protrusions include rhomboid structures, and several protrusions are arranged in a rectangular pattern.

6. A steam generator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The superheated chamber is provided with a second boss that matches the second heating mechanism. The second boss includes a heating arc surface and a first separation plate spaced apart from the heating arc surface.

7. A control device, characterized in that, The device includes the steam generator as described in claim 1, wherein a water inlet mechanism is connected to one side of the water inlet, and a control device is connected to a first heating mechanism and a first sensor for controlling the heating power of the first heating mechanism and acquiring temperature information in the vaporization chamber. The control device is also connected to a second heating mechanism and a second sensor for controlling the heating power of the second heating mechanism and acquiring temperature information in the superheated chamber.

8. A steam control method, characterized in that, Applied in the control device as described in claim 7, comprising: Initialize the control parameters of the control device and the first sensor, second sensor and water inlet mechanism; Real-time temperature acquisition of the vaporization chamber and superheated chamber. A preset PID control algorithm is used to perform closed-loop regulation of the power of the first heating mechanism or the second heating mechanism respectively, so that the temperature of the vaporization chamber is maintained within the saturated steam temperature range and the temperature of the superheated chamber reaches the target steam temperature. The preset PID control algorithm includes: calculating a proportional term based on the deviation between the target steam temperature and the real-time steam temperature, calculating an integral term based on the cumulative deviation, and calculating a derivative term based on the real-time temperature change rate. The heating module power control signal is output through the coordinated operation of the proportional term, integral term, and derivative term. The water flow rate of the water inlet mechanism is dynamically adjusted based on the deviation between the real-time temperature of the vaporization chamber and the saturated steam temperature. At the same time, the real-time temperature of the flow channel chamber is obtained through the temperature detection module. If the temperature of the flow channel chamber is lower than the preset threshold of the saturated steam temperature, the water flow rate is reduced and the power of the first heating mechanism and / or the second heating mechanism is increased to prevent condensation and water accumulation in the chamber.

9. A steam control method according to claim 8, characterized in that, It also includes a method for preventing saturation of the integral term: limiting the value of the integral term to the power output range to avoid excessive accumulation of the integral term causing the heating module power to exceed the control range.

10. A steam control method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The water flow rate of the water inlet mechanism is dynamically adjusted based on the deviation between the real-time temperature of the vaporization chamber and the saturated steam temperature, specifically including: If the real-time temperature of the vaporization chamber is lower than the first preset value of the saturated steam temperature, the water flow rate is increased; if the temperature of the vaporization chamber is higher than the second preset value of the saturated steam temperature, the water flow rate is decreased. The adjustment of the water flow rate is always limited to the preset minimum water flow rate and the maximum water flow rate.

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