Steam cooking apparatus and method
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Solution Overview
Problem
Steam cooking methods face challenges such as nutrient loss, soggy food consistency, and steamed-up viewing windows due to the use of wet steam, which can lead to nutrient destruction and poor taste quality.
Innovation Solution
A cooking apparatus and method utilizing a circulation system to heat water to create dry steam at 100-120 degrees Celsius, which is circulated around the food chamber, maintaining a relatively dry environment with controlled humidity to enhance nutrient retention and prevent condensation, thereby reducing cooking time and improving texture and taste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If wet steam is used for cooking, then cooking time is reduced, but food becomes soggy and nutrients are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter of steam from conventional 100°C to a higher range of 105-120°C. This parameter change transforms the steam characteristics from wet to relatively dry, allowing faster heat transfer and shorter cooking times while preventing the food from becoming soggy and reducing nutrient loss through water leaching.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potentially harmful effect of steam condensation into a beneficial drying function. By using heated steam above 100°C, the condensation that would normally make food soggy instead performs a drying function that prevents sogginess while still enabling efficient heat transfer for rapid cooking.
2Productivity
If steam temperature is increased above 100°C, then cooking speed increases, but food may burn or dry out excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the steam temperature parameter to a specific range of 105-120°C, which is high enough to provide rapid cooking speed but controlled below the threshold that would cause burning or excessive drying. This precise parameter control enables fast cooking while maintaining food quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic action through the circulation system that continuously moves heated steam throughout the cooking chamber, ensuring uniform heat distribution. This periodic circulation prevents localized overheating and burning while maintaining overall cooking speed.
3Loss of substance
If conventional steam cooking is used, then nutrients are retained, but viewing windows become steamed up and food texture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By increasing steam temperature to 105-120°C, the patent changes the humidity characteristics of the cooking environment. The heated steam creates a relatively dry environment that prevents condensation on viewing windows while still enabling nutrient retention through controlled water activity, and improves food texture by preventing waterlogging.
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 achieves shorter cooking times, increased nutrient retention, and improved food texture and taste by using dry steam circulation, while preventing condensation on the viewing window, thus addressing the disadvantages of traditional steam cooking.
Implementation Method 1
the controller is adapted to control the heating arrangement to heat water from the water reservoir to create steam, and to further heat the steam to create heated steam at a temperature in the range 100 to 120 degrees Celsius
Implementation Method 2
to control the circulation system to circulate the heated steam around the food chamber
Implementation Method 3
The condensing of steam on the food is still the main energy transfer mechanism to heat up the food
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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AI summary
A cooking apparatus is for cooking using steam, but which makes use of heated steam above 100 degrees Celsius. This heated steam is circulated around the food chamber.