Deep Fryer Oil Auto Top-Off Using Temperature-Triggered Filling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Deep fryers in the food service industry face challenges in maintaining optimal cooking oil volume and temperature levels, leading to oil degradation and reduced effective life, as operators often overlook these parameters during the cooking process without an automatic system for monitoring and intervention.
Innovation Solution
A deep fryer system equipped with temperature sensors and solenoid valves that automatically fill and maintain the cooking oil volume in response to detected temperature levels, using separate piping for new and used oil to prevent contamination and overflow, and featuring a dual-pump system for efficient oil management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual monitoring of oil volume and temperature is used, then the system is simple, but oil degradation occurs and effective oil life is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The fryer system performs self-monitoring and self-filling of oil through automated sensors and pumps, eliminating the need for manual operator intervention to maintain optimal oil levels and temperature, thereby extending oil life without requiring additional complex external systems
Solution Approach 2:
Temperature sensors and oil level sensors continuously monitor the cooking environment and provide feedback to the control system, which automatically adjusts heating and oil filling operations to maintain optimal conditions for extending oil life
2Duration of action of stationary object
If automatic temperature monitoring and filling system is implemented, then oil life is extended, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically monitors oil temperature and volume through integrated sensors and performs self-filling operations without requiring complex external control systems or manual intervention, extending oil life through automated self-management
Solution Approach 2:
The control system integrates multiple functions including temperature monitoring, oil level monitoring, automated filling control, and heating regulation into a single unified system, extending oil life through comprehensive management without proportionally increasing overall system complexity
3Reliability
If separate piping for new and used oil is used, then oil contamination is minimized, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The oil management system is divided into separate pathways for new oil and used oil, with dedicated piping and pumps for each stream, preventing contamination between fresh and used oil while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular segmentation
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 ensures consistent oil volume and temperature, extending the life of the cooking oil by automating the filling process, minimizing operator intervention, and preventing contamination, thus enhancing operational efficiency and oil longevity.
Implementation Method 1
a temperature sensor in a particular pot... a temperature sensor associated with the fryer pot detects a predetermined high temperature of cooking oil
Implementation Method 2
provides a heating element in a fryer pot having a temperature sensor connected thereto
Implementation Method 3
a pump and a solenoid valve associated with a particular fryer pot to fill and maintain the volume of cooking oil
Implementation Method 4
activates a pump and a solenoid valve associated with a particular fryer pot to fill and maintain the volume of cooking oil
Data Source
AI summary
A system for automatically filling and maintaining fryer pots with oil in a deep fryer having a deep fryer and a plurality of fryer pots disposed within the deep fryer. Each of the plurality of fryer pots contains a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor. The second temperature sensor is enabled to commence a filling cycle of a fryer pot in response to said first temperature sensor when said first temperature sensor senses a first predetermined temperature.