Staged fryer heating system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fryers often experience temperature overshoot and undershoot due to inadequate control systems, leading to inconsistent cooking conditions.
Innovation Solution
A fryer system with a controller that adjusts the heat based on a setpoint temperature, using an idle timer, multiple heating elements, and a power switch configuration to maintain consistent temperature, anticipating cooking loads and activating elements in a sequence to minimize temperature drops and overshoots.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a simple on/off heater control is used, then the device complexity is low, but the temperature control precision deteriorates causing overshoot and undershoot
Solution Approach 1:
The controller anticipates the need for heating by activating the heater before the temperature actually drops below the setpoint. When the temperature reaches a threshold slightly below the setpoint, the controller predicts future temperature decline and activates the heater in advance, preventing temperature undershoot while maintaining simple on/off control logic.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the heater is activated continuously to maintain temperature, then the temperature consistency improves, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller uses periodic temperature monitoring and predictive activation rather than continuous heating. By checking temperature at intervals and activating the heater only when predicted temperature drop is anticipated, the system maintains temperature consistency while minimizing energy consumption through intermittent rather than continuous operation.
3Speed
If multiple heating elements are activated simultaneously, then the heating speed improves, but the temperature uniformity deteriorates causing hot spots
Solution Approach 1:
The heating system is divided into multiple independent heating elements positioned at different locations. The controller activates elements sequentially or selectively based on which regions need heating, rather than activating all elements simultaneously. This segmented approach maintains heating speed by engaging multiple elements while preserving temperature uniformity by controlling which specific elements operate at any given time.
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 provides more consistent cooking temperatures, reducing temperature recovery time and improving product quality by anticipating cooking loads and managing heating element activation effectively.
Implementation Method 1
Heat is provided to the cooking medium using a heater, which typically includes an electrical heating element submerged in the cooking medium
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and computer program products for controlling a heating system in a fryer. At startup, a setpoint temperature for a cooking medium is set to a melt temperature. While in melt mode, each of a plurality of heating elements each located in a different region of a fry pot is sequentially activated to control an amount of heat provided to the cooking medium. Once the cooking medium has reached the melt temperature, the setpoint temperature is increased to a target cooking temperature. While in cooking mode, if an order to cook a food product is not received within a predetermined time period, the setpoint temperature is set to an idle temperature which is below the target setpoint temperature and above the melt temperature. The target cooking temperature is adjusted using a set of setpoint bias temperatures that is selected based on a cooking load.