Cooking Chamber Venting With a Pressure-Neutral Vapor Outlet
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooking appliances face challenges in efficiently controlling humidity levels within the cooking chamber, affecting energy consumption and appliance lifespan, as current methods for vapor removal are either inefficient or require additional actuators and complex systems.
Innovation Solution
A cooking appliance design featuring a short-circuit device that creates a pressure-neutral area for vapor removal, allowing for efficient vapor escape without forcing fresh air intake, and integrates with the ventilation system for cooling and discharge, using a two-channel ventilation system with a partition structure and adjustable short-circuit airflow to manage humidity levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If vapor is actively pulled out of the cooking chamber using cooling air flow, then humidity control is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional actuators
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the fan's own operation to create the pressure differential that drives vapor removal. The fan generates both the cooling air flow and the pressure gradient simultaneously, eliminating the need for separate actuators. The pressure-neutral area self-regulates vapor extraction based on fan operation intensity.
Solution Approach 2:
The fan serves multiple functions: it cools the cooking chamber wall, generates the pressure differential for vapor removal, and creates the short-circuit air flow. The pressure-neutral area acts as both a vapor outlet and a pressure equalization zone, reducing the need for separate components.
2Productivity
If a large cross-section is used for vapor outlet, then vapor removal efficiency is improved, but pressure control becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The ventilation system is divided into three distinct pressure zones: negative pressure area for cooling air intake, pressure-neutral area for vapor outlet, and positive pressure area for exhaust. The partition structure segments these zones to maintain independent pressure control while allowing large cross-section vapor outlet.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressure-neutral area acts as an intermediary zone between the negative pressure cooling air intake and the positive pressure exhaust. This intermediate zone allows large cross-section vapor outlet without compromising pressure control in the other areas, as it serves as a buffer that equalizes pressure transitions.
3Reliability
If fresh air is forced into the cooking chamber for vapor removal, then humidity control is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system converts the waste heat from the cooking process into a beneficial pressure differential. The hot vapor exiting the cooking chamber creates a natural convection current that, when combined with the fan-induced pressure gradient, drives vapor removal without requiring additional energy for forced air intake.
4Speed
If vapor is removed actively with negative pressure, then vapor removal speed is improved, but appliance lifespan decreases due to excessive humidity fluctuations
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the balance between active vapor removal and humidity maintenance through the pressure-neutral area. The fan speed and pressure differential can be modulated to match cooking conditions, removing vapor quickly when needed while maintaining stable humidity levels during prolonged operation, thereby extending appliance lifespan.
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 design enables efficient vapor removal, reduces energy consumption, and extends appliance lifespan by allowing large vapor amounts to escape freely while minimizing fresh air usage, with adjustable settings for varying humidity conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a fan for generating a cooling air flow for cooling an outside of the cooking chamber wall, with the result that a suction area in which there is a negative pressure compared to the environment, and a blow-out area is created in which there is an overpressure compared to the environment
Implementation Method 2
a short-circuit device for generating a short-circuit air flow between the blow-out and the intake area and thereby creating a pressure-neutral area
Implementation Method 3
a vapor outlet in the cooking chamber wall for removing vapor from the cooking chamber into the pressure-neutral area provided
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a cooking device (1) comprising: a cooking chamber (2) for receiving food to be cooked, which cooking chamber is at least partially delimited by a cooking chamber wall (3); a fan (10) for generating a cooling air stream for cooling an outer side (4) of the cooking chamber wall (3) with the result that an intake region (p-), in which there is a negative pressure in relation to the surrounding area (U), and a blow-out region (p+), in which there is excess pressure in relation to the surrounding area (U), are produced; a short-circuit device (23) for generating a short-circuit air flow (24) between the blow-out and intake region (p+, p-) and in this way generating a pressure-neutral region (pn); and a vapour outlet (16) in the cooking chamber wall (3) for discharging vapours (17) from the cooking chamber (2) into the pressure-neutral region (pn).