Flavored Wood Pellets Using Wood Oil Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for producing flavored wood pellets face challenges such as high shipping costs and complex quality control due to the use of solid flavor wood, which is costly and difficult to mix accurately in solid form.
Innovation Solution
The production of wood pellets using a mixture of base wood particles, lubricant, and wood oil, where the mixture is heated and formed into pellets, eliminating the need for solid flavor wood and simplifying the manufacturing process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If solid flavor wood is used to manufacture flavored wood pellets, then wood flavor is imparted to food, but shipping costs increase and quality control becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential flavoring function from solid flavor wood by using wood oil, which contains the flavor compounds without requiring the bulk solid wood material. This allows the flavoring agent to be shipped in a concentrated liquid form, dramatically reducing shipping costs and simplifying quality control while maintaining the wood flavor quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state of the flavoring material from solid to liquid (wood oil), which fundamentally alters how the material is handled, shipped, and mixed. This parameter change enables the flavoring to be transported in a concentrated form and easily incorporated into pellets without the logistical complexities of shipping and inspecting solid wood.
2Reliability
If solid flavor wood is used to manufacture flavored wood pellets, then wood flavor is imparted to food, but mixing accuracy becomes difficult and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses wood oil as an intermediary substance that facilitates accurate mixing. The liquid oil form allows for precise measurement and uniform distribution of flavor compounds throughout the pellet batch, eliminating the difficulties of measuring and mixing solid wood chips while ensuring consistent flavor results.
3Reliability
If solid flavor wood is used to manufacture flavored wood pellets, then wood flavor is imparted to food, but quality control measures become onerous
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the flavoring function from solid wood, eliminating the need for complex quality control measures related to pest inspection and rot detection that are necessary when handling solid flavor wood. The liquid wood oil form requires simpler quality control focused on chemical composition rather than physical inspection.
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 approach reduces shipping costs and simplifies the manufacturing process while providing a wide range of smoked wood flavors to food, enhancing the cooking experience without the need for solid flavor wood.
Implementation Method 1
heating the mixture
Implementation Method 2
lubricant
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to flavored wood pellets and a method of making flavored wood pellets. The wood pellets of this invention include wood particles, lubricant, and wood oil. Another aspect of the invention is a method that includes mixing wood particles with lubricant and wood oil, heating the mixture, and forming the mixture into pellets.