Griddle Heating Block and Heat Distributor for Uniform Cooking Temperature
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Griddle cooking systems face challenges in maintaining uniform temperature across the cooking surface due to temperature variances caused by multiple heating elements, which can lead to hot and cold spots, especially as the heating elements age or become inefficient due to structural changes or debris accumulation.
Innovation Solution
A griddle cooking system featuring a heating block with a heat plenum and heat release chambers, a heat distributor with perforated wall structures and heat diffusers, and temperature-sensitive elements to ensure even heat distribution and control, including an optional perforated panel for enhanced heat distribution and temperature monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If multiple heating elements are used to heat the cooking surface, then the heating coverage area is increased, but temperature uniformity deteriorates due to hot and cold spots
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple heating elements are merged into a single heating block with a common heat plenum chamber. The individual heating elements (burners) feed into the shared plenum, which distributes heat uniformly through its walls to the cooking surface, eliminating the hot and cold spots caused by separate heating zones.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat plenum chamber serves as an intermediary between the heating elements and the cooking surface. It receives heat from multiple burners and redistributes it uniformly through its walls, acting as a heat buffer and distribution medium that ensures even temperature across the entire cooking surface.
2Temperature
If serpentine heating elements are used to distribute heat across the cooking surface, then heat distribution is improved, but temperature uniformity deteriorates over time due to aging and efficiency loss in different sections
Solution Approach 1:
The heating system is segmented into multiple independent heating elements (burners) that all feed into a common heat plenum. This segmentation allows each burner to operate independently while the plenum ensures uniform distribution, preventing the aging-related uniformity problems of serpentine elements where different sections degrade at different rates.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat plenum chamber serves multiple functions: it collects heat from multiple independent burners, stores thermal energy, and distributes heat uniformly to the cooking surface. This multi-functionality ensures reliable temperature uniformity over time regardless of individual burner performance variations.
3Temperature
If a single heating element is used to maintain temperature uniformity, then temperature variance is reduced, but the heating coverage area is limited
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple heating elements are combined into a single integrated heating block with a common plenum chamber. This merging allows the system to achieve both the large heating coverage area of multiple elements and the temperature uniformity of a single element by distributing heat through the plenum's walls across the entire cooking surface.
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 a uniform temperature across the cooking surface, maintaining a temperature variant of no more than plus or minus 15 degrees across a 48″×30″ surface, effectively reducing hot and cold spots and ensuring consistent cooking conditions.
Implementation Method 1
A heat distributor is disposed between the under surface and the heating block. The heat distributor includes a plurality of heat diffusers, each disposed over one of the chamber openings
Implementation Method 2
Each heat deflector positioned at an angle relative to the under surface
Implementation Method 3
The perforated panel may aid in more evenly distributing heat across the under surface by forming a heating cavity between the perforated panel and the undersurface of the griddle
Implementation Method 4
temperature sensitive elements may be embedded within the griddle. Placement of such temperature sensitive elements aid the operator in keeping the cooking surface at a desired cooking temperature
Data Source
AI summary
A griddle cooking system is disclosed. A heating block includes a heat plenum and a plurality of heat release chambers fluidically coupled to the heat plenum. Each of the heat release chambers includes a chamber opening onto a first side of the heating block. A griddle is disposed opposite the first side of the heating block and includes a cooking surface opposite an under surface. A heat distributor is disposed between the under surface and the heating block. The heat distributor includes a plurality of heat diffusers, each being disposed over one of the chamber openings, a plurality of heat deflectors disposed about each heat diffuser, each heat deflector being positioned at an angle relative to the under surface, and an exhaust port.