Fluid convection fryer and fluid convection method
AssigneePitco Frialator, Inc.
InventorsSteven Savage, Steven J. Cyr, Michael McGinnis, Charles E. Pierce, Karl M. Searl
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A substantially closed loop filtration and convection system is configured to move fluid/oil volume within a fryer vat. The vat has a flow directed inlet, which directs flow of cooking fluid in a direction across the bottom of the vat directing the flow of oil and crumbs/debris across the vat, up and across a flow separation portion toward and into a cleaning zone portion of the vat. A crumb tray or crumb/debris catch system is disposed in the cleaning zone adjacent to the vat.
Claims20
A deep fryer system, comprising:
- a cooking vat including a cooking portion, and a cleaning zone portion;
- a flow separation portion disposed within the cooking vat, substantially separating the cooking portion and the cleaning zone portion of the cooking vat, the flow separation portion having a gap at a top portion thereof to permit cooking fluid to flow between the gap from the cooking portion of the vat to the cleaning zone portion of the vat;
- an inlet introducing cooking fluid into the cooking vat, the inlet directing a flow of cooking fluid in a downward direction into the cooking vat to direct the flow of cooking fluid from the cooking portion of the vat to the cleaning zone portion of the vat;
- a cleaning tray disposed in the cleaning zone portion of the vat, the cleaning tray having a perforated portion receiving the flow of cooking fluid and filtering debris from a volume of the flow of cooking fluid passing over the cleaning tray.
A cooking system, comprising:
- a cooking vat including a cooking portion, and a cleaning zone portion;
- a flow separation portion disposed within the cooking vat, substantially separating the cooking portion and the cleaning zone portion of the cooking vat;
- an inlet introducing a flow of cooking fluid into the cooking vat, and directing the flow of cooking fluid from the cooking portion of the vat to the cleaning zone portion of the vat;
- a cleaning mechanism disposed in the cleaning zone portion of the vat, the cleaning mechanism receiving the flow of cooking fluid and filtering debris from a volume of the flow of cooking fluid passing over the cleaning mechanism.
A method of implementing closed-loop cooking fluid flow in a cooking system, the method comprising the steps of:
- pumping cooking fluid into a burner and heat exchange heating assembly and heating the cooking fluid to a cooking temperature;
- directing a flow of the cooking fluid into a cooking portion of a cooking vat at one or more inlets at an end of the cooking vat and directing the flow of cooking fluid toward a cleaning zone portion of the cooking system;
- cleaning an amount of crumbs and food debris from the cooking fluid in the cleaning zone portion of the cooking system;
- and
- receiving the cooking fluid from the cleaning zone portion of the cooking system and pumping the cooking fluid into the burner and heat exchange heating assembly and heating the cooking fluid to the cooking temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.