Cooking oil filtration transport apparatus with oil quality sensor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Commercial fryers face inefficiencies due to degraded cooking oil, which is difficult to assess and manage effectively, leading to a need for accurate oil quality monitoring and efficient disposal or recycling systems.
Innovation Solution
A portable oil caddy system with onboard sensors for measuring total polar materials (TPMs) in cooking oil, integrated with a pump and optional oil filter, allows for the transportation and evaluation of oil quality, enabling strategic recycling or disposal based on predetermined set points.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional subjective evaluation methods (color, smell, taste) are used to assess oil quality, then the testing process is simple and quick, but the results are unreliable and unpredictable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces subjective human sensory evaluation (color, smell, taste) with an automated capacitance measurement system. The oil quality sensor objectively measures the dielectric constant of the oil, which correlates with Total Polar Materials content, eliminating human subjectivity and providing consistent, reliable measurements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediate measurement parameter (capacitance/dielectric constant) that serves as a reliable proxy for oil quality. This intermediate metric provides an objective bridge between simple measurement and accurate quality assessment, allowing automated decision-making without direct subjective evaluation.
2Measurement precision
If oil quality sensors are installed throughout the oil circulating loop, then the most accurate and efficient transport of oil is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The portable oil caddy is designed to perform multiple functions: it serves as a transport container for used oil, houses the oil quality sensor, contains the pump for oil transfer, and provides a platform for decision-making about oil disposal or recycling. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the oil quality measurement function from the fixed fryer system and places it in a portable caddy that can be positioned at various locations in the oil circulating loop. This allows accurate measurement without requiring complex integrated sensor systems throughout the entire loop.
3Productivity
If degraded oil is not removed timely from the fryer, then the complexity of the disposal system is reduced, but the cooking efficiency and effectiveness decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary assessment of oil quality using the sensor before disposal decisions are made. By measuring capacitance and comparing it to predetermined thresholds, the system proactively identifies when oil needs removal, preventing degradation from affecting cooking efficiency while avoiding premature disposal.
Solution Approach 2:
The oil quality sensor provides continuous feedback about the oil's condition to the control system. This feedback loop enables automated decision-making about when to remove or recycle oil, maintaining cooking efficiency without requiring complex manual monitoring and intervention systems.
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 enables efficient and accurate assessment of oil quality, facilitating timely recycling or disposal, thereby maintaining cooking efficiency and reducing waste, while allowing for the reuse of suitable oil.
Implementation Method 1
One particularly useful means of measuring oil quality degradation is to measure the approximate capacitance of the oil, specifically measured by the impurities generated during operation of the fryer.
Implementation Method 2
These substances are able to be measured and classified according to the increased polarity and dielectric constant when compared to that of the original triglycerides in the oil.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for transporting and measuring the quality of cooking oil exiting a fryer unit using a portable oil transport apparatus. The portable oil transport apparatus has at least one sensor for measuring the quality of oil passing through the system. The portable apparatus may be connected to a storage receptacle for disposing of spent cooking oil, or may be connected back to the fryer unit to reuse the oil, based upon the measured quality of the oil. The portable oil transport apparatus may have an oil filter for filtering out unwanted components contained in the cooking oil. The oil quality sensor is capable of measuring the electrical properties of the oil to determine whether the oil should be reused or disposed of.