Predictive Sous Vide Cooking System for Faster Temperature Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional cooking methods, such as oven or pan cooking, have a narrow window for achieving evenly cooked food, risking over- or undercooking due to heat distribution issues, whereas sous vide cooking is time-consuming and lacks efficient temperature control.
Innovation Solution
A predictive cooking system that uses processors to estimate unknown cooking environment constants, optimize heater set points, and adjust power input to rapidly cook food to a desired temperature while maintaining an acceptable temperature gradient, allowing for temporary heating above the usual sous vide temperature and subsequent cooling to achieve faster cooking times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If traditional cooking methods (oven or pan) are used, then cooking speed is faster, but temperature control precision deteriorates causing over- or undercooking
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically changes the water temperature parameter during cooking. It starts with a higher temperature to rapidly heat the food core, then transitions to a lower temperature to maintain the desired final temperature. This parameter change allows the system to achieve both fast cooking speed and precise temperature control, resolving the contradiction between speed and precision.
2Manufacturing precision
If sous vide cooking is used, then temperature control precision is improved, but cooking time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary heating by raising the water temperature above the final desired temperature before adding the food. This preliminary action stores thermal energy in the water, which then rapidly transfers to the food core, significantly reducing the overall cooking time while maintaining precise temperature control throughout the process.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the water temperature during cooking rather than maintaining a static temperature. It uses real-time feedback from temperature sensors to modify the heating power, transitioning from high-temperature rapid heating to low-temperature maintenance. This dynamic approach resolves the contradiction by adapting the temperature profile to match the cooking stage, achieving both speed and precision.
3Speed
If water temperature is increased to cook food faster, then cooking speed is improved, but temperature gradient across food increases causing uneven cooking
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic heating cycles where the heater is turned on and off in controlled intervals. During the on-phase, temperature rises to cook the food core quickly; during the off-phase, temperature stabilizes to maintain uniformity. This periodic action allows the system to achieve fast cooking while preventing excessive temperature gradients, resolving the contradiction between speed and uniformity.
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 approach significantly reduces cooking time by leveraging hotter water to heat food faster and maintains precise temperature control, ensuring the food is cooked evenly and efficiently without overcooking, as demonstrated by temperature and power input graphs showing traditional vs. predictive cooking methods.
Implementation Method 1
sending instructions for controlling a heater, including information related to a heater set point temperature... The heater set point temperature can be greater than the desired food temperature
Implementation Method 2
the fluid cooling to the desired food temperature
Implementation Method 3
sous vide cooking is a method of cooking where the food is sealed in a plastic bag and then placed in a hot water bath
Data Source
AI summary
Predictive cooking systems and methods. A representative system can include a cooking device submergible in a container of fluid and a memory device storing instructions for causing a processor to receive information and determine heater set point temperature and on time. The processor can receive information indicative of one or more characteristics of a food item to be cooked in the fluid and a desired food temperature. The processor can perform a control process that can include sending instructions for controlling a heater, obtaining a temperature measurement of the fluid from a temperature sensor, determining a measurement of power delivered to the heater, determining constants related to corresponding physical characteristics of the fluid and/or the container based on at least one of the temperature measurement and the measurement of power, and determining a food temperature of the food item.