Indoor Smoker Smoke Assembly With Closed-Loop Smoldering Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pellet smokers lack control over the smoldering temperature of fuel, resulting in poor quality and unpredictable smoke generation, and do not effectively manage the rate of energy and smoke production from pellets.
Innovation Solution
A smoke generating assembly with a smoke barrel, an auger, a smoldering heater, a temperature sensor, and a controller that regulates the smoldering temperature to a target temperature, ensuring controlled smoke generation and improved temperature management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional pellet smokers use open-loop crucible heating without temperature control, then the system is simpler to manufacture, but the smoke quality becomes poor and unpredictable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a closed-loop control system where a temperature sensor continuously monitors the smoldering temperature of the fuel and feeds this information back to a controller. The controller adjusts the heating element accordingly to maintain the temperature within the optimal range (300-500°C), ensuring consistent smoke quality. This feedback mechanism directly resolves the contradiction by providing reliable smoke quality through active temperature regulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operating temperature parameter of the fuel from uncontrolled combustion to controlled smoldering within a specific range (300-500°C). By maintaining the temperature within this optimized parameter range, the system produces high-quality smoke while using a relatively simple control approach, thus improving smoke quality consistency without excessive system complexity.
2Productivity
If conventional pellet smokers dump pellets into a heated open-loop crucible, then the device complexity is reduced, but the control over energy and smoke production rate is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a closed-loop control mechanism where the controller receives temperature feedback from the sensor and adjusts both the heating element and pellet feed rate accordingly. This dual control allows precise management of energy input and smoke production rate, resolving the contradiction by providing productivity control through an integrated but manageable system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs an auger mechanism that pre-feeds pellets into the combustion chamber at controlled rates before combustion occurs. This preliminary action of controlled pellet delivery, combined with pre-heating, allows the system to maintain optimal smoke production rates without requiring complex real-time adjustments during combustion.
3Reliability
If the smoldering temperature is not controlled, then the system is easier to operate, but the smoke generation becomes difficult to predict and control
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-regulating temperature control where the controller automatically adjusts the heating element based on feedback from the temperature sensor. The system monitors and adjusts its own operating parameters without user intervention, making smoke generation predictable while keeping operation simple. The user only needs to set the desired smoke level, and the system handles the temperature regulation automatically.
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 solution provides improved control over smoke generation, resulting in higher quality smoke with predictable intensity, and allows for precise management of energy and smoke production from pellets.
Implementation Method 1
a smoldering heater positioned adjacent the smoke barrel for smoldering the combustible material
Implementation Method 2
a temperature sensor in thermal communication with the smoldering heater for measuring a smoldering temperature
Data Source
AI summary
A smoke generating assembly includes a smoke barrel defining a smoldering chamber, an auger positioned within the smoke barrel and being rotatable to urge combustible material through the smoldering chamber, a smoldering heater positioned adjacent the smoke barrel for smoldering the combustible material as the auger advances the combustible material past the smoldering heater, a temperature sensor in thermal communication with the smoldering heater for measuring a smoldering temperature, and a controller configured to operate the smoldering heater to regulate the smoldering temperature to a target smoldering temperature.