Coaxial Gas Burner Flow Control for Accurate Low-Temperature Cooking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas cooktop appliances face challenges with long-term drift and limited accuracy in temperature control, especially at low flow rates used for simmering functions, and are often expensive, requiring precise metering devices, which limits their general applicability.
Innovation Solution
A cooktop appliance design featuring a manifold with multiple burner supply lines, including primary, secondary, and sum lines, where the secondary line has a valve controlled by a control system, allowing for precise temperature regulation in automatic mode, and manual adjustment in manual mode, enabling precise temperature control without the need for expensive metering devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If precision flow control valves are used for temperature control, then temperature regulation accuracy is improved, but system cost increases and long-term drift occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The gas flow control system is divided into multiple independent pathways: a primary flow path with a first valve for main flow regulation, and a secondary flow path with a second valve for precision flow modulation. This segmentation allows each valve to operate in its optimal range, with the second valve handling only the differential flow needed for precise temperature control, thereby improving accuracy while reducing drift through distributed control functions.
Solution Approach 2:
A flow sensor is introduced as an intermediary element between the valves and the burner. The sensor provides real-time feedback on actual gas flow rates, enabling the control system to compensate for drift and maintain accuracy. This intermediary measurement capability allows the system to detect and correct deviations without requiring overly precise mechanical valves, thus improving reliability while maintaining temperature control accuracy.
2Measurement precision
If precision flow control valves are used for temperature control, then temperature regulation accuracy is improved, but system cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gas flow control system is divided into multiple independent pathways: a primary flow path with a first valve for main flow regulation, and a secondary flow path with a second valve for precision flow modulation. This segmentation allows each valve to operate in its optimal range, with the second valve handling only the differential flow needed for precise temperature control, thereby improving accuracy while reducing drift through distributed control functions.
Solution Approach 2:
A flow sensor is introduced as an intermediary element between the valves and the burner. The sensor provides real-time feedback on actual gas flow rates, enabling the control system to compensate for drift and maintain accuracy. This intermediary measurement capability allows the system to detect and correct deviations without requiring overly precise mechanical valves, thus improving reliability while maintaining temperature control accuracy.
3Measurement precision
If precise metering devices are used for low flow rates, then simmering accuracy is improved, but system cost increases and applicability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The gas flow control system is divided into multiple independent pathways: a primary flow path with a first valve for main flow regulation, and a secondary flow path with a second valve for precision flow modulation. This segmentation allows each valve to operate in its optimal range, with the second valve handling only the differential flow needed for precise temperature control, thereby improving accuracy while reducing drift through distributed control functions.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a single high-precision valve for the entire flow range, the system uses a second valve that only controls a portion of the total flow (the differential through the secondary path). This partial action approach allows the use of simpler, less expensive valves that are optimized for their specific flow range, making the system more cost-effective and broadly applicable while maintaining simmering accuracy.
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
The design provides accurate and stable temperature control across a range of settings, including low temperatures, reducing operational costs and improving usability for cooking applications like sous vide, while being adaptable to different fuel types without complex adjustments.
Implementation Method 1
the secondary line of the second burner comprises a third valve, and wherein gas flow through the third valve is determined by the control system when the cooktop appliance is operating in an automatic mode
Implementation Method 2
the sum line providing a combined flow of gas from the primary line and the secondary line to the second burner
Data Source
AI summary
Cooktop appliances are provided. A cooktop appliance can include a manifold having a gas input; a first burner in fluid communication with the manifold through a first burner supply line having a first valve; and a second burner in fluid communication with the manifold through a second burner supply line having a second valve, the second burner arranged coaxially with respect to the first burner, wherein the second burner supply line comprises a primary line, a secondary line, and a sum line, the sum line providing a combined flow of gas from the primary line and the secondary line to the second burner, wherein the secondary line of the second burner comprises a third valve.