Chain Grate Oven Layout for Fast, Clean Food Heat Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ovens for heat-treating food pieces, such as French fried potatoes, face issues with high temperatures leading to the disintegration of vaporized substances, resulting in malodorous and unhealthy compounds, costly and complex structures, slow heat treatment processes, labor-intensive operation, limited capacity, and large space requirements.
Innovation Solution
The oven features a chain grate system with a large, curved upper chain part that moves between upper and lower supports, allowing for efficient heat treatment and rapid discharge of food pieces, along with a large discharge opening and forced air flow for oxidation and gas removal, using quartz lamps for heat treatment and an air exhauster for enhanced airflow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a drum grid is used for heat treatment, then the structure is compact, but the temperature becomes too high causing vaporized substances to disintegrate and form malodorous compounds
Solution Approach 1:
The grid is segmented into an endless chain grate with multiple sections that can move through different zones. This allows the food to be treated in stages - first in a heat treatment zone, then transported to a discharge zone - preventing excessive temperature accumulation and vapor disintegration that occurs in enclosed drum designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The chain grate is designed to be movable rather than stationary, allowing dynamic control of the heat treatment process. The chain can be adjusted in speed and position to optimize heat exposure time, preventing overheating and vapor disintegration while maintaining compact dimensions.
2Productivity
If a rotateable drum is used, then heat treatment can be performed, but the discharging operation is time-consuming and frequently not complete
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge function is extracted from the heat treatment process. The chain grate continuously moves food through the heat treatment zone and then automatically transports it to a discharge position, separating these operations. This eliminates the need to stop and manually open the drum for discharge, reducing time loss and ensuring complete emptying.
Solution Approach 2:
The endless chain grate provides continuous movement and processing, eliminating idle time between heat treatment and discharge operations. The continuous circulation ensures that heat treatment and discharge occur in an uninterrupted sequence, maximizing productivity and eliminating the time losses associated with batch drum operations.
3Device complexity
If a small discharge opening is used, then the drum structure is simple, but the discharging operation requires time and is not complete
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge opening is extended in the longitudinal dimension along the chain grate's path. Instead of a small circular opening in a drum, the chain grate provides a continuous linear discharge path that accommodates large volumes of food, dramatically increasing discharge speed without adding mechanical complexity.
4Volume of stationary object
If the chain grate area is limited, then the oven size is small, but the heat treatment process is slow
Solution Approach 1:
The chain grate provides dynamic movement through the heat treatment zone, continuously bringing fresh food surfaces into contact with the heat source. This dynamic exposure maximizes the effective heat treatment area within the compact oven volume, significantly increasing processing speed compared to static configurations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enables quick, efficient, and economical heat treatment of food pieces with a simple and durable structure, preventing the disintegration of vaporized substances, achieving uniform heating, and allowing for high-capacity operation with minimal space, suitable for both individual and large-scale food preparation.
Implementation Method 1
the food pieces are exposed to heat radiation from quartz lamps
Implementation Method 2
an air exhauster for enhanced airflow
Data Source
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AI summary
An oven serves for heat-treating food pieces laid upon a grid (13) in a cabinet (1) by means of a heat source (34). The grid consists of an upper part (13) of an endless chain running around a number of chain supports ( 4, 5, 6; 42, 43, 44) of which a lower and upper support (4, 5; 42, 43) is defining a lower and upper end of said upper chain part. Portions of food pieces can by means of the oven quickly and easily and in a simple and economical manner be heat-treated in rapid succession.