Cooking Chamber Floor Preheating to Prevent Hot Milk Scorching

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Solution Overview

Problem

In commercial kitchens, preparing hot milk is challenging due to the risk of burning, as existing solutions like milk boilers are not suitable for canteen kitchens and automatic stirrers are unreliable, leading to soiling and increased cleaning efforts.

Innovation Solution

A method involving uniform heating of the cooking chamber floor to above 100°C, followed by a small amount of water evaporation to cool the surface, then pouring in milk to prevent scorching, utilizing the stored heat energy for even heating and mixing, ensuring the surface temperature remains below 100°C to prevent burning.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the cooking chamber floor is heated to high temperatures (above 100°C) to efficiently heat milk, then heating efficiency is improved, but the risk of milk burning increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheating efficiencyVSAvoidmilk burning risk
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cooking chamber floor is preheated to a controlled temperature range (80-100°C) before milk is added. This preliminary heating action prepares the surface to be warm enough for efficient heat transfer but not so hot as to cause immediate burning, resolving the contradiction between heating efficiency and burning risk

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The method controls and maintains the cooking chamber floor temperature within a specific parameter range (80-100°C) rather than using higher temperatures. By changing the temperature parameter to this optimal range, the system achieves sufficient heating efficiency while preventing the harmful effect of milk burning

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the milk is heated slowly and gently to prevent burning, then the risk of milk burning is reduced, but the preparation time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemilk burning riskVSAvoidpreparation time
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The cooking chamber floor is preheated before milk addition, creating a warm surface that facilitates immediate and efficient heat transfer to the milk. This preliminary action eliminates the need for slow, gradual heating, allowing fast heating without burning risk

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The method enables the system to skip the slow heating phase by utilizing the preheated surface. The milk is rapidly heated from the start because the cooking chamber floor is already at the optimal temperature, thus rushing through the heating process without causing burning

Inventive Principle:
Principle #21Skipping (Rushing through)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If a separate water chamber is added to prevent direct contact between milk and hot surfaces, then milk burning is prevented, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemilk burning preventionVSAvoidappliance structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and eliminates the need for a separate water chamber by directly controlling the temperature of the cooking chamber floor. Instead of adding a complex intermediate water layer system, the solution removes the burning risk through temperature control of the existing heating surface

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The cooking chamber floor serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, enables efficient heat transfer to milk, and prevents burning through controlled temperature maintenance. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate protective chambers while achieving burning prevention

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Adaptability or versatility

If the cooking chamber floor is used for high-temperature cooking applications, then versatility is improved, but the risk of milk burning increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooking application rangeVSAvoidmilk burning risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the temperature of the cooking chamber floor based on the cooking application. For milk heating, the temperature is controlled at 80-100°C to prevent burning, while for other high-temperature applications, the temperature can be increased. This dynamic temperature control enables versatility without compromising milk safety

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The temperature parameter of the cooking chamber floor is changed and optimized specifically for milk heating applications (80-100°C), while maintaining the capability to operate at higher temperatures for other cooking tasks. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction between versatility and burning prevention

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 method effectively prevents milk from burning and reduces cleaning efforts by ensuring uniform heat distribution and continuous mixing, allowing for the preparation of hot milk dishes without scorching, even in high-volume settings.

Implementation Method 1

The cooking chamber floor (11) is heated uniformly to a temperature of at least 100°C

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 2

providing a large amount of heat energy, preferably by means of a heat energy storage element

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal energy storage: Thermal Energy Storage

Implementation Method 3

a small amount of water is poured into the cooking chamber (10), the water evaporating up to a maximum to a remainder that just covers the floor of the cooking space

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Implementation Method 4

the water evaporating up to a maximum to a remainder that just covers the floor of the cooking space, thus cooling the surface of the cooking chamber floor

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCooling: Cooling

Implementation Method 5

heating the milk to the desired temperature, with the large amount of heat energy provided avoiding a significant cooling of the heatable floor of the cooking space

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 6

heat transfer to the milk above this chamber takes place with a low loss

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Heat Exchanger

Implementation Method 7

heating the milk to the desired temperature, with the large amount of heat energy provided avoiding a significant cooling of the heatable floor of the cooking space

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentEP2698085B1Method for preparing hot milk in a cooking chamber and cooking appliance for carrying out the method
Publication Date: 2014.06.04 MKN MASCHINENFABRIK KURT NEUBAUER GMBH & CO KG
  • EP2698085B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2698085B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The method involves preheating the cooking chamber by the heatable cooking chamber floor (11). A small quantity of water (W) in comparison to the quantity of milk (M) to be prepared is filled in the preheated cooking chamber, such that the water is evaporated. The milk to be prepared is subsequently filled before the water previously filled is completely evaporated and the milk is heated to the desired temperature. An independent claim is included for a cooking device for preparing hot milk.