Cooking system temperature management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Countertop cooking systems occupy significant counter space when not in use, making them inconvenient for users with limited kitchen space, as they need to be stored elsewhere, reducing accessibility and ease of use.
Innovation Solution
A cooking system with an alternating current bus, heating elements, and a controller that uses zero-crossing circuitry and modulation schedules to efficiently manage energy distribution, allowing the system to be compactly designed for storage while maintaining ease of use by optimizing power usage and reducing visible flickering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the countertop cooking system is designed to be compact for storage, then space utilization is improved, but heating performance and temperature consistency may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The heating system is divided into multiple independent heating zones with separate heating elements, allowing each zone to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall compactness. This segmentation enables efficient space utilization without compromising heating performance in any particular area.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs periodic heating cycles with modulation schedules that alternately activate different heating elements. This periodic action allows the compact system to achieve consistent temperature distribution over time by cycling through different heating configurations, maintaining heating performance despite reduced size.
2Speed
If the system uses high power heating elements, then heating speed is improved, but energy consumption and electrical load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic heating cycles with modulation schedules that control when different heating elements are activated. This allows the system to achieve fast heating when needed while reducing overall energy consumption through strategic cycling of high-power elements, balancing heating speed with energy efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts heating parameters including power levels, cycle durations, and element activation sequences. By changing these parameters based on cooking requirements, the system optimizes the balance between heating speed and energy consumption, using high power only when necessary.
3Loss of time
If the system activates heating elements at random phases, then response time is improved, but electrical flickering and instability increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs periodic heating cycles synchronized with the AC power frequency, activating heating elements at specific phases of the electrical cycle. This periodic action eliminates random phase activation, preventing electrical flickering and instability while maintaining predictable response times through controlled cycling.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses zero-crossing detection circuitry to monitor the AC power phase and provides feedback to the control logic. This feedback mechanism ensures heating elements are activated only at appropriate phases of the electrical cycle, eliminating random activation and preventing electrical flickering while maintaining system stability.
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 system achieves efficient temperature management and compact design, allowing for easy storage and retrieval, ensuring consistent heating performance while adhering to electrical power ratings, thus enhancing user convenience and space utilization.
Implementation Method 1
zero-crossing circuitry cooperating with the alternating current bus configured to output a zero-crossing indication based on the cycles
Implementation Method 2
heating elements comprising a first heating element disposed in the heating compartment and associated with the alternating current bus to conduct alternating current through the first heating element
Data Source
AI summary
According to one or more implementations, a method is disclosed for operating heating elements disposed in a heating compartment of a cooking system. The method includes receiving a zero-crossing indication based on an alternating current and defined by zero-crossing circuitry. The method includes energizing a first heating element of the heating elements with the alternating current based on the zero-crossing indication and according to a modulation schedule.