Reducing pre-heat time in an oven
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorNatarajan Venkatakrishnan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A heating assembly is provided to reduce the pre-heat time of an oven. The heating assembly vaporizes a phase change fluid in an evaporator, allows the phase change fluid vapor to travel to a reactor in thermal communication with a cooking chamber of an oven appliance. In the reactor, the phase change fluid combines with a reaction substance and condenses, releasing latent heat and providing heat to the cooking chamber of the oven appliance.
Claims18
An oven appliance, comprising:
- a cooking chamber;
- and
- a heating assembly, comprising
- an evaporator,
- a reactor in thermal communication with said cooking chamber and in fluid communication with said evaporator,
- a phase change fluid contained within said evaporator, said reactor, or both,
- a reaction substance located within said reactor and configured for dissolving in the phase change fluid when present in the reactor;
- a valve in fluid communication with said evaporator and said reactor, said valve selectively positionable between an open position and a closed position whereby the flow of phase change fluid between said reactor and said evaporator may be selectively controlled.
A method for providing heat to a cooking chamber of an oven appliance, the appliance having a reactor in thermal communication with the cooking chamber, an evaporator, and a valve in fluid communication with the reactor and the evaporator, the method comprising the steps of:
- moving the valve to an open position;
- vaporizing a portion of a phase change fluid contained within the evaporator such that it travels through the valve to the reactor;
- dissolving at least a portion of a reaction substance in the phase change fluid to form a solution in the reactor;
- condensing at least a portion of the solution in the reactor;
- and
- transferring heat to the cooking chamber of the oven from the reactor during said step of condensing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.