Frying

Evaluate New Equipment Designs

Manufacturer Concern: Original deep fryer worked well, but manufacuturer believed that design elements from another fryer could be incorporated to improve product uniformity and quality. When design modifications were made, the manufacturer was suprised to find that the modifications--instead of improving product quality--reduce product quality. Numerical model and testing was used to identify the problem and design required modifications.

Analysis: A numerical model of the cooking process is used in conjunction with on-site testing. The model includes steam release from the food, condensation effects, wall heat transfer, and incoming and extraction air flows.

Study Result: The analysis indicates a problem with the air and steam flow distributions which contribute to poor product quality. Design changes are evaluated to regain product quality as well as minimize energy consumption. A final solution is obtained to implement in the actual hardware.