Air flow management for cooking system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cooking systems require expensive and time-consuming maintenance due to grease and particulate deposits in ventilation systems, and recirculating byproducts into the cooking environment is undesirable.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a recirculating ventilation system with features like removable components, UV treatment, ozone control, and cyclonic filtration systems to improve accessibility and efficiency in cleaning and removing grease and particulates, while preventing the recirculation of cooking byproducts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a ventilation system vents to exterior to avoid recirculating byproducts, then cooking byproducts are removed effectively, but installation cost and structural modification requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a recirculation system with intermediate treatment components (filters, UV lamps, ozone generators) that process cooking byproducts before re-introducing them into the cooking environment. This mediator approach allows byproducts to be treated and reused rather than requiring expensive exterior venting infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system treats and recirculates cooking byproducts within the same cooking environment, making the environment self-sufficient rather than dependent on exterior venting. The recirculation system handles byproduct management internally through filtration and treatment components.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional ventilation systems are used, then cooking byproducts are removed, but maintenance cost and time due to grease and particulate deposits increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary treatment to cooking byproducts through filtration and UV/Ozone treatment before they can accumulate as heavy grease and particulate deposits. This preliminary action prevents the formation of maintenance-intensive deposits that would require time-consuming cleaning.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical collection methods (that accumulate grease requiring manual cleaning) with UV light and ozone chemical treatment methods that break down and eliminate deposits in-place, eliminating the need for time-consuming mechanical maintenance.
3Ease of manufacture
If recirculating ventilation is implemented, then installation cost is reduced, but effectiveness of byproduct removal may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the state of cooking byproducts through UV irradiation and ozone treatment, transforming them from harmful contaminants into acceptable air quality. This parameter change (chemical transformation) maintains byproduct removal effectiveness while enabling cost-effective recirculation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple treatment mechanisms (filtration, UV light, ozone generation) into a composite treatment system that addresses different aspects of byproduct removal, achieving effective byproduct elimination through the synergistic combination of multiple methods rather than relying on a single approach.
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 reduces maintenance costs and time, effectively removes grease and particulates, and ensures that cooking byproducts are not vented back into the occupied cooking environment, enhancing cleanliness and safety.
Implementation Method 1
a cyclonic filtration system
Implementation Method 2
a cyclonic filtration system comprising a canister comprising a water bath
Implementation Method 3
UV treatment
Implementation Method 4
UV treatment
Implementation Method 5
an ozone generation system positioned within the ventilation duct
Implementation Method 6
ozone control
Implementation Method 7
One or more cold catalysts are positioned downstream of the particulate removal system. The one or more cold catalysts are configured to catalytically decompose at least some residual ozone.
Data Source
AI summary
Examples are disclosed that relate to cooking systems with internal ventilation systems. One example provides a cooking system comprising a ventilation duct. The ventilation duct comprises an inlet aperture configured to receive cooking exhaust. An ozone generator is configured to dispense ozone gas into the ventilation duct. The cooking system further comprises a fan disposed within the ventilation duct, the fan being configured to pull the cooking exhaust and the ozone through the inlet aperture and the ventilation duct. The cooking system further comprises a particulate removal system positioned within the ventilation duct between the inlet aperture and the fan. One or more cold catalysts are positioned downstream of the particulate removal system. The one or more cold catalysts are configured to catalytically decompose at least some residual ozone.