Electrolyzer Cooking Surface for Portable Indoor Barbeque Heat
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooking appliances, such as indoor barbeques, face challenges with gas connectivity issues, noise from exhaust systems, and limited portability, while hydrogen gas canisters offer low power density and limited supply, and existing cooking methods do not effectively simulate barbequed food.
Innovation Solution
A cooking appliance that combines electrical contact heating with convective cooking and uses hydrogen as a combustible fuel, producing it through an electrolyzer and storing it for later use, allowing for portable and indoor use without exhaust gases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If natural gas or propane is used for indoor barbeque, then cooking heat is provided, but gas connectivity issues and exhaust system noise occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the combustion process from the indoor cooking environment by using an electrolyzer to generate hydrogen on-site from water, eliminating the need for external gas supply connections and exhaust systems. The hydrogen is combusted in a controlled manner to provide cooking heat without requiring traditional gas infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system generates its own fuel (hydrogen) on-demand through electrolysis of water stored in the appliance, making it self-sufficient without external gas connections. The electrolyzer continuously produces hydrogen that is stored in a tank and used for combustion, creating a self-contained cooking system.
2Weight of moving object
If hydrogen is stored in a canister for portability, then the appliance becomes portable, but power density is low and supply is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by storing water (the source of hydrogen) in a reservoir within the portable appliance. The electrolyzer converts this stored water into hydrogen on-demand, ensuring a continuous supply without being limited by the weight or volume of hydrogen storage alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the state of hydrogen storage from compressed gas in traditional canisters to on-demand generation through electrolysis. This parameter change allows the system to carry water (which has higher density and is less restrictive for portable storage) and convert it to hydrogen as needed, effectively increasing the available fuel supply.
3Ease of manufacture
If food is placed directly on heated surface, then barbeque simulation is improved, but fat collection channels are needed reducing simplicity
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of creating grooves or channels in the cooking surface to collect fat (as in traditional electric grills), this patent inverts the approach by using a smooth heated surface that allows fat to drip down through the grill grates themselves. The combustion of hydrogen provides the heating function while the grill structure handles the fat drainage, eliminating the need for additional fat collection channels.
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
Enables efficient and portable cooking that simulates barbequed food indoors, using hydrogen produced on demand and stored for later use, reducing noise and connectivity issues, and providing a compact cooking solution.
Implementation Method 1
an electrolyzer which produces a combustible gas
Implementation Method 2
combustible gas produced with an electrolyzer
Implementation Method 3
electrical contact heating
Data Source
AI summary
A cooking appliance comprising an electrolyzer which produces a combustible fuel, a burner downstream from the electrolyzer, and, an electrically heatable cooking surface on which food is receivable for cooking, the electrically heatable cooking surface being operable simultaneously with the electrolyzer.