Fryer Heat Exchanger Layout for Low-Oil High-Volume Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large-scale food processing frying systems require significant volumes of expensive cooking oil, necessitating a solution that balances high-volume processing demands with low oil volume requirements.
Innovation Solution
A frying system with a housing and endless conveyor system that includes a heat exchanger with elliptical conduits and baffles for efficient fluid flow and heat transfer, minimizing oil usage, combined with a PLC-controlled system for temperature management and oil filtration, allowing for partial extraction of the conveyor system from the oil bath for maintenance and oil conservation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the size of frying systems is increased to process greater volumes of food product, then productivity is improved, but the volume of cooking oil required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor system is divided into multiple independent sections (feed conveyor, main conveyor, discharge conveyor) that can operate at different depths in the oil bath. This segmentation allows each section to be optimized for its specific function while minimizing overall oil volume requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from traditional horizontal conveyor arrangements to a vertical arrangement where conveyors move through the oil bath in a vertical dimension. This dimensional change allows for more efficient space utilization and reduced oil volume while maintaining processing capacity.
2Temperature
If conventional heating methods are used in large frying systems, then heating capacity is sufficient, but heat transfer efficiency decreases and oil volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating element is designed with an elliptical curved shape that follows the contour of the conveyor path through the oil. This curvature ensures uniform heat distribution across the entire heating surface and maximizes thermal contact with the cooking oil, improving heat transfer efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a heat exchanger as an intermediary component that transfers heat from a separate heating fluid to the cooking oil. This indirect heating method provides more efficient and controlled heat transfer compared to direct heating elements in the oil.
3Ease of repair
If the conveyor system is completely removed from the bath for maintenance, then ease of repair is improved, but oil spills and operational downtime increase
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor system is segmented into multiple independent sections that can be accessed and maintained separately. This allows maintenance workers to service specific components without removing the entire conveyor system from the oil bath, reducing downtime and preventing oil spills.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating element is designed as a separate, extractable component that can be removed independently from the conveyor system. This allows maintenance on heating components without disrupting conveyor operation or requiring complete system removal from the oil bath.
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 heat transfer and reduced oil consumption, with a 9-29% improvement in heat transfer rate compared to prior art designs, while maintaining product cooking quality and extending oil longevity through optimized fluid flow and temperature control.
Implementation Method 1
The heat exchanger is operable to heat the bath of cooking fluid... circulating heated fluid through the heat exchanger
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of elliptical shaped heating conduits... for circulating heated fluid through the heat exchanger to accomplish heating of the hot cooking fluid bath
Implementation Method 3
The baffle may operate as a fluid flow optimization member for redirecting the flow of fluid. The redirection of heating fluid may be in a helical path. The orifices and vanes, either together or separably, operate to create an internal swept surface heat transfer condition within the conduit channel
Data Source
AI summary
A frying system for frying a food product is disclosed having an endless conveyor system for cooking product in a bath of hot cooking oil. The endless conveyor system includes a submerging conveyor, a main conveyor, and a sediment conveyor, permanently, successively linked to one another. The endless conveyor system is also permanently linked to a hood portion of the housing. The sediment conveyor includes a heat exchanger constantly connected thereto for heating the bath of hot cooking oil. The heat exchanger includes a plurality of elongated elliptical shaped conduits and further may include a baffle that may operate as an elongated fluid flow optimization member to re-direct the flow of fluid. The hood portion of the housing of the frying system is capable of being raised and lowered from a closed, operative position to an open, inoperative position, and to intermediate positions therebetween. Since the components of the conveyor system are permanently successively linked together and to hood, as the hood is raised, the components of the conveyor system may be removed from the bath or, alternatively, may remain in the bath while other portions are removed.