Induction Cooktop Coil Sensing for Targeted Multi-Zone Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing induction heating cooking apparatuses consume excessive power when multiple inverters operate simultaneously, making it difficult to efficiently identify and heat containers on a cooking apparatus with multiple inductors.
Innovation Solution
A cooking apparatus with a low power sensing circuit and control algorithm that uses a grid configuration of heating and sensing coils, where the processor determines the location and size of the container based on power output, applying driving power only to the corresponding heating coils and adjusting power distribution for efficient heating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple inverters operate simultaneously to heat containers on a cooking apparatus with multiple inductors, then heating capability is improved, but power consumption increases excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The cooking apparatus divides the heating area into multiple independent inductor regions, each with its own inverter. The system activates only the inverters corresponding to regions where containers are detected, rather than operating all inverters simultaneously. This segmentation allows the system to maintain heating capability across multiple zones while consuming power only where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies power locally to specific inductor regions based on container detection results. Each inductor region operates independently with its own power control, allowing the apparatus to provide heating capability where containers are present while leaving other regions inactive to reduce overall power consumption.
2Productivity
If a sensing circuit is used to identify container location and size, then heating efficiency is improved, but power consumption increases when multiple inverters remain operating during sensing
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs container detection using the sensing circuit periodically or before activating heating, rather than continuously operating sensing and heating inverters simultaneously. The inverter operates in different modes (sensing mode and heating mode) at different times, allowing the system to maintain heating efficiency through accurate container identification while reducing power consumption by not having all inverters operate continuously.
3Use of energy by moving object
If the processor controls the inverter to block driving power when no container is detected, then power consumption is reduced, but heating response time may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary container detection using the sensing circuit before activating the heating inverter. This preliminary action identifies container location and size in advance, allowing the processor to immediately activate the appropriate inverter region when a container is present, thus reducing power consumption during non-heating periods while maintaining rapid heating response when needed.
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 solution reduces power consumption by accurately identifying container location and size, optimizing heating efficiency and energy use, while maintaining rapid heating capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
an induction heating (IH) method is a method of heating a metal using an electron induction phenomenon of the Faraday, wherein an object to be heated, which is a metal material, generates an eddy current by an organic electromotive force
Implementation Method 2
the eddy current flowing inside a conductor is converted into thermal energy by Joule's law by generating eddy current loss due to a resistance of a surface part
Implementation Method 3
the eddy current flowing inside a conductor is converted into thermal energy by Joule's law by generating eddy current loss due to a resistance of a surface part
Implementation Method 4
a cooking apparatus including a sensing coil and a sensing circuit
Data Source
Figure 1~2a
Figure 2b~2c
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A cooking apparatus and a method for controlling the same. The cooking apparatus may include a heating coil operable by an induction heating method, an inverter configured to provide a driving power to the heating coil, a sensing coil positioned at an upper portion or a lower portion of the heating coil, a sensing circuit configured to provide a test power to an end of the sensing coil and sense a magnitude of power that is output at other end of the sensing coil, and a processor configured to identify whether an object to be heated is disposed at an upper portion of the sensing coil based on the magnitude of power sensed by the sensing circuit, and based on the disposition of the object to be heated being identified, control the inverter to apply the driving power to the heating coil.