Flame Focusing Ring and Wok Support for Centered Burner Heat
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional stovetop gas burners are inefficient in providing the high heat required for wok cooking, as they spread flames outwardly, and existing wok supports are unstable and deliver heat unevenly, making it difficult to achieve the desired 'Wok Hay' on domestic gas stoves.
Innovation Solution
A combination of a flame focusing ring with inwardly curved walls and a wok support that straddles the stovetop grate, redirecting the flame upwardly and inwardly to focus on the wok's bottom center, along with break-away tabs for stability and roller bearings for easy manipulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a conventional stovetop gas burner is used, then the flame spreads outwardly to cover a large area, but the heat concentration at the center is insufficient for wok cooking
Solution Approach 1:
A flame focusing ring is introduced as an intermediary device between the gas burner and the wok. This ring redirects the outward-spreading flame to concentrate heat at the center, enabling high-temperature wok cooking while maintaining compatibility with standard burners that produce widely dispersed flames
2Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed wok support structure is used, then the wok is stable on the stovetop, but it cannot adapt to different grate configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The wok support incorporates break-away tabs that allow the structure to be dynamically adjusted. Users can remove specific tabs to adapt the support to different grate configurations, while the remaining structure maintains stability. This dynamic modification enables universal compatibility without sacrificing structural integrity
3Productivity
If the flame is directed upwardly and inwardly through the flame focusing ring, then heat output efficiency increases by 50%, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flame focusing ring is designed with multi-functionality to justify its addition: it concentrates heat for efficient cooking, provides structural support for the wok, and incorporates air inlet vents for proper combustion. By combining multiple functions in a single component, the overall device complexity is minimized while achieving 50% heat output efficiency
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 setup increases heat output by 50% without additional gas, provides stable and even heating, and allows for efficient stir-frying by focusing the flame on the wok's center, enhancing cooking performance.
Implementation Method 1
directing the flames upwardly and inwardly to the focus on the bottom center of a wok
Implementation Method 2
focuses the flame on the wok's center, enhancing cooking performance
Implementation Method 3
air inlet vents at its base for encircling a gas burner and directing the flames upwardly and inwardly
Data Source
AI summary
A flame concentrating ring with an inwardly curved upper wall portion and air inlet vents at its base for encircling a gas burner and directing the flames upwardly and inwardly to focus on the bottom center of a wok A wok support ring straddles a stovetop grate. The wok support ring comprises a truncated conical base having a narrow opening at the top for supporting the bottom of a wok, a wide opening at the bottom thereof which rests on a stove grate, and a plurality of customizable break-away tabs of which a user breaks a plurality out to form stove grate-engaging notches The wok support ring incorporates a plurality of ball bearings to cradle bottom of wok to allow freedom of movement and manipulating of wok.