Infrared Sensor Control for Cooking Appliance Oil Temperature
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooking technologies face challenges in controlling oil temperatures during frying, leading to oil degradation and production of harmful substances, posing health risks and requiring constant human intervention, while also being hazardous due to the risk of burns and fires.
Innovation Solution
A control device equipped with infrared temperature sensors above the hotplate, a control unit, and an automatic heating power control system that maintains the oil temperature below a specific value, using user-adjustable settings and thermal inertia calculations to prevent overheating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If constant human intervention is used to control oil temperature, then temperature control may be achieved, but user safety deteriorates due to risk of burns and fires
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses an infrared sensor to automatically detect and measure the temperature of the oil in the frying pan without requiring human intervention. The microcontroller continuously monitors the temperature readings and automatically adjusts the heating power to maintain safe operating temperatures, eliminating the need for constant manual checking and control by the user.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a closed-loop feedback mechanism where the infrared sensor continuously measures the oil temperature, the microcontroller compares the measured temperature with the desired temperature setpoint, and automatically adjusts the heating power accordingly. This feedback control ensures the oil temperature remains within safe limits without requiring human intervention.
2Productivity
If high temperature is used for adequate frying, then cooking quality improves, but oil degradation worsens producing harmful substances
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the heating power parameter based on real-time temperature measurements to maintain the oil temperature within an optimal range. By precisely controlling the temperature parameter and preventing it from exceeding degradation thresholds, the system achieves adequate frying results while avoiding oil degradation and harmful substance production.
3Loss of information
If manual temperature monitoring is used, then some temperature awareness is achieved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to inability to measure liquid temperature accurately
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual temperature monitoring methods with an infrared temperature sensor that non-contactly measures the temperature of the oil's surface or vapor. This optical measurement method provides precise temperature data without requiring physical contact with the hot liquid, overcoming the limitations of manual monitoring and enabling accurate real-time temperature control.
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
Ensures safe and precise temperature control, preventing the production of unhealthy substances and reducing energy consumption by allowing frying at lower temperatures, thus enhancing user safety and health benefits.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor module for detecting a temperature of an interior of a frying pan placed on the hotplate by means of infrared rays
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a control device for cooking appliances and to a cooking appliance which is equipped with said device. The inventive device comprises: an infrared temperature sensor which is positioned above the cooking station and which can sense infrared radiation originating from the area above the cooking station, which, when in use, corresponds to the inner area of a frying implement located on the work station; a control unit which receives the signal from the temperature sensor and which compares same with a set temperature value; and an automatic system for controlling the heating power transmitted through the cooking station. The aforementioned control unit is equipped with means for generating orders for the automatic system that is used to control the transmitted heating power, which ensure that any contents located in the area above the cooking station do not exceed the set temperature value.