Continuous Fryer Oil Flow Control for Uniform Dwell Time
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Solution Overview
Problem
Continuous fryers face issues with inconsistent frying due to high dwell time deviations, leading to quality reduction, shape distortion, increased acrylamide content, and oil quality problems, along with longer cleaning times.
Innovation Solution
A continuous fryer design featuring a vessel with a flow control device to reduce turbulence, a paddle system with adjustable speed paddles, and temperature sensors to control oil flow and product movement, ensuring laminar and homogeneous oil flow, which aids in uniform product frying and reducing acrylamide production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional continuous fryers are used with high oil flow velocity, then productivity is improved, but dwell time deviations increase leading to inconsistent frying quality
Solution Approach 1:
The fryer is divided into multiple zones (heating zone, frying zone, draining zone) with different flow control characteristics. Each zone has independently controllable flow rates, allowing the product to experience different oil flow velocities at different stages of frying. This segmentation enables high overall productivity while maintaining consistent dwell time control in each zone, resolving the contradiction between throughput and frying consistency.
2Productivity
If high oil flow velocity is used to increase productivity, then cleaning time increases due to more dispersed small product parts
Solution Approach 1:
A pre-frying zone is introduced where product is gently introduced to the oil stream at low velocity before entering the main frying zone. This preliminary action allows product to be gradually accelerated into the high-velocity flow, preventing immediate dispersion and reducing the formation of small parts that would require extensive cleaning. The gradual acceleration maintains productivity while minimizing cleaning requirements.
3Productivity
If turbulent oil flow is present to maintain high productivity, then acrylamide content increases and product quality degrades
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the flow regime parameter from turbulent to laminar flow by controlling oil velocity and using flow straightening elements. This parameter change reduces acrylamide formation and improves product quality while maintaining productivity through optimized zone-specific flow rates. The heating zone uses lower velocities for laminar flow, while the draining zone uses higher velocities for efficient drainage, resolving the contradiction between productivity and harmful factor reduction.
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 solution achieves consistent product quality by minimizing dwell time deviations, preventing over-frying, and maintaining oil quality, while reducing cleaning times and acrylamide formation.
Implementation Method 1
a flow control device, through which the oil flows to be delivered to said upstream end, to reduce turbulence in the oil in the vessel
Implementation Method 2
ensuring laminar and homogeneous oil flow
Implementation Method 3
a pump to circulate the oil so that the oil flows through the cavity in a predetermined direction from an upstream end to a downstream end of the cavity
Implementation Method 4
a product moving device including a plurality of spaced plates that engages the oil, with the plates moved in said direction to aid in moving the product in said direction
Implementation Method 5
said device includes at least one temperature sensor downstream of said device, a controller that receives a signal from each sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A continuous fryer that includes a vessel (kettle) (11) through which oil (13) flows in a predetermined direction (12). An upstream end of the kettle (11) is a flow control device (34) that at least aids in maintaining linear flow through the vessel (11) is said predetermined direction (12).