Overflow Plenum Oil Removal System for Continuous Fryer Vat Filtration
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Solution Overview
Problem
In commercial cooking systems like deep fat fryers, food particles and crumbs often fall into the cooking liquid, leading to the accumulation of foreign matter which can degrade the quality of the oil and affect food quality.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a housing with a front, side, and bottom wall forming a plenum for receiving oil, a fluid connection for allowing oil flow, and a valve to control the flow, along with an overflow plenum that collects oil and foreign matter from the cooking vat, facilitating filtration and maintaining oil quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If food particles and crumbs are allowed to accumulate in the cooking liquid, then the system operates continuously without interruption, but the quality of the oil degrades and food quality is affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts harmful food particles and crumbs from the cooking liquid by introducing an oil removal system that continuously or periodically removes contaminated oil from the vat, separates it from food particles, and returns cleaned oil to the cooking liquid. This extraction process eliminates the accumulation of foreign matter while maintaining continuous cooking operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary oil removal and filtration system between the cooking liquid and the accumulated debris. This intermediary system includes components such as oil skimmers, filters, or separation chambers that intercept food particles and crumbs before they can significantly degrade the oil quality, allowing continuous cooking to proceed without direct contamination.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If frequent oil filtration is performed to maintain oil quality, then the quality of cooked food is maintained, but the cooking operation is interrupted and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous oil filtration and removal mechanisms that operate simultaneously with the cooking process. Oil is continuously skimmed from the surface or circulated through filtration systems, ensuring that useful cooking operations proceed without interruption while oil quality is maintained through ongoing removal of food particles and debris.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary filtration and oil treatment actions before significant degradation occurs. By continuously removing oil and particles in advance, the system prevents the need for disruptive full filtration operations, maintaining both food quality and operational continuity through proactive oil management.
3Device complexity
If a simple vat design is used for cooking, then the device complexity is low, but foreign matter accumulates and requires frequent manual intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates self-service oil removal and particle separation mechanisms within the vat system. Automatic oil skimmers, continuous circulation filters, or self-draining separation chambers enable the system to remove foreign matter autonomously without requiring frequent manual intervention, maintaining simple overall design while improving ease of operation.
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 effectively removes foreign matter from cooking oil, preventing its degradation and maintaining the quality of the oil and cooked food, while also reducing the need for frequent oil filtration and extending the oil's lifespan.
Implementation Method 1
the overflow plenum is fixed to the vat such that a transition from the vat to the overflow plenum is at a height that is vertically lower than the nominal top surface of the oil within the vat to allow oil to flow from the vat and into the overflow plenum
Data Source
AI summary
An oil receiving system is provided and includes a housing with front, side, and a bottom wall, the front wall configured to be connectable to an outer edge of a vat, the combined front, side, and bottom walls form a plenum for receipt of oil therein. A fluid connection is disposed in either the side wall or the bottom wall, the fluid connection vertically disposed below a top edge of the front wall. A piped system allows flow from within the plenum through the fluid connection. A valve is disposed at or proximate to the fluid connection and operable to either allow flow from the plenum through the fluid connection or prevent flow from the plenum through the fluid connection. The oil receiving system can be provided with a vat for frying foods or as a separate item that is attached to a vat after the vat has been installed.