Dual-Drum Spiral Oven With Curved Plenum Air Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spiral oven systems lack efficiency and compactness in cooking large quantities of meat and chicken products, with limitations in air circulation and heating distribution.
Innovation Solution
A dual spiral oven design featuring two rotating drums with helically wrapped conveyor belts and a curved plenum system for tangential air circulation, utilizing transversely arranged hollow tubes as heat exchangers to efficiently heat and distribute air for optimized cooking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single spiral conveyor is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the productivity and cooking efficiency are insufficient for high volumes of meat and chicken products
Solution Approach 1:
The oven is divided into multiple heating zones (upper and lower zones) along the spiral conveyor path, with each zone having independent ventilation and heating devices. This segmentation allows simultaneous cooking of large volumes of products while maintaining manageable complexity in each zone
Solution Approach 2:
Two rotating drums with spiral conveyors are merged into a single dual-drum system within one oven chamber, allowing products to be cooked on both drums simultaneously. This merging doubles the cooking capacity while sharing common housing and control systems
2Temperature
If heating elements are arranged as helical electrical coils or overhead air ducts, then the manufacturing is simplified, but the heating distribution efficiency and air circulation are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger is designed as a curved plenum that follows the helical path of the spiral conveyor, with transversely arranged hollow tubes curving concentrically with the drum. This curved configuration optimizes heat distribution along the entire cooking path while maintaining efficient air circulation patterns
Solution Approach 2:
A fluid-based heat exchange system using hollow tubes carrying thermal fluid replaces direct electrical heating elements. This allows efficient heat transfer through the plenum walls to the circulating air, improving heating efficiency while enabling flexible plenum configuration
3Productivity
If the conveyor belt is made long (120 meter) to handle high volumes, then the productivity increases, but the belt tension and drive complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The auxiliary drive provides just enough pull on the belt to maintain tight contact with the drum and set belt speed, rather than providing the full driving force. This partial action keeps belt tension low while still achieving the necessary belt-drum engagement for long conveyor operation
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating drum acts as an intermediary between the drive mechanism and the conveyor belt, using friction from the drum surface to drive the belt. This intermediary approach allows the long belt to be driven efficiently without requiring high tension throughout the entire belt length
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 dual spiral oven design enables efficient and compact cooking of high volumes of meat and chicken products by ensuring consistent air circulation and heating distribution, maintaining controlled cooking temperatures and conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a ventilator for forcing air in a tangential direction with regard to the drum through the plenum, through a heat exchanger configured to curve with the curve of the plenum
Implementation Method 2
a heat exchanger configured to curve with the curve of the plenum. The heat exchanger preferably comprises transversely arranged hollow tubes that contain a circulating thermal fluid that is heated outside of the oven
Implementation Method 3
During the belt's helical travel, its edge is held in tight contact with the drum, so that the friction created by the wraps of the belt around the drum is sufficient to drive the belt through the system
Data Source
AI summary
In one aspect, an oven is provided and includes a drum oriented with a vertical axis and a motor for rotating the drum about the axis, a conveyor belt having a length helically surrounding the drum, and having an infeed end and outlet end, a chamber defined by walls surrounding the drum and the length of the conveyor belt, and a plenum within the chamber and being curved substantially concentrically with the drum. The plenum forms a substantially closed air pathway having an inlet at one end and an outlet at an opposite end passing air into the chamber. The oven also includes a fan arranged to circulate air within the chamber and force air into the plenum inlet, through the plenum and out of the plenum outlet, and a heat exchanger arranged in the plenum.