Oven Hood Condenser Layout for Even Steam Condensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hoods for commercial ovens, particularly combination steam-convection ovens, face issues with uneven airflow through heat exchangers due to vertically or horizontally arranged pipes, leading to inefficient steam condensation.
Innovation Solution
A hood with a radial fan surrounded by a coiled, externally finned heat exchanger, where the radial fan blows cooling air radially onto the heat exchanger, and the external fins enhance the heat exchange surface, ensuring even airflow and direct drainage of condensate, with a collector system preventing steam backflow and expelling uncondensed steam externally.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If pipes are arranged vertically or horizontally in the heat exchanger, then the structure is simple, but the airflow becomes uneven and condensation efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a spiral coil configuration instead of straight vertical or horizontal pipes. The curved spiral path of the coil ensures that cooling air flows evenly along the entire length of the heat exchanger, preventing dead zones and improving condensation efficiency while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from one-dimensional straight pipe arrangements to a three-dimensional spiral coil structure. This dimensional change allows the heat exchanger to occupy space more efficiently and distribute airflow more uniformly across all sections, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and condensation efficiency.
2Productivity
If a radial fan is surrounded by a coiled heat exchanger, then airflow becomes even and condensation efficiency increases, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the radial fan and the spiral coil heat exchanger into a single integrated unit, with the coil surrounding the fan. This merging eliminates the need for separate components and connections, reducing overall device complexity while achieving even airflow distribution and high condensation efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The spiral coil surrounding the radial fan serves multiple functions: it acts as the heat exchanger surface, guides the airflow radially outward, and provides structural support. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining high productivity.
3Productivity
If external fins are added to the coil, then heat exchange surface area increases and condensation efficiency improves, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The external fins are formed as a continuous helical surface wrapping around the coil, following the spiral geometry. This curved fin design increases the heat exchange surface area while maintaining a simple manufacturing process, as the fins can be formed in a single piece or by simple wrapping, avoiding complex assembly operations.
4Productivity
If the coil is positioned to surround the fan, then airflow is evenly distributed, but the fan may overheat without proper protection
Solution Approach 1:
The spiral coil heat exchanger surrounding the fan serves a dual function: it distributes airflow evenly across the heat exchange surface while simultaneously acting as a protective barrier that shields the fan from direct exposure to high-temperature steam and hot gases. The coil structure allows the fan to benefit from the cooling effect of the passing air without being directly exposed to harmful thermal conditions.
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 configuration provides even airflow, increased heat exchange efficiency, stable steam condensation, and cost-effective manufacturing while maintaining high condensation efficiency, protecting the fan from overheating and ensuring effective drainage of condensate.
Implementation Method 1
a radial fan which blows cooling air radially onto at least one coil surrounding the fan
Implementation Method 2
a steam condenser in the form of a heat exchanger with a coil having at least one inlet opening for supplying steam from the inside of a commercial oven to the coil
Implementation Method 3
at least one outlet opening for draining the condensate coming out of the coil
Implementation Method 4
the at least one coil surrounding the fan having an external finning
Implementation Method 5
the external fins increase the heat exchange surface and ensure a more stable air flow
Implementation Method 6
the inlet opening being located in the upper part of the heat exchanger above the outlet opening for the gravitational condensate flow
Data Source
AI summary
The subject of present invention is a hood with a condenser for a commercial oven, particularly a combination steam-convection oven, comprising a housing, an air inlet for supplying cooling air from the outside, a fan drawing in the cooling air through the air inlet, a cooling air outlet for expelling the air drawn in by the fan, a steam condenser in the form of a heat exchanger with a coil having at least one inlet opening for supplying steam from the inside of a commercial oven to the coil and at least one outlet opening for draining the condensate coming out of the coil, characterised in that it comprises a radial fan (3) that blows cooling air radially onto the at least one coil (5) surrounding the fan (3), wherein the at least one coil (5) surrounding the fan having an external finning (6).