Elimination of cooking odors

Claim 2

In cooking apparatus including means for cooking a product having a relatively high moisture content in excess of 50 percent by weight and combustion means for supplying heat to said cooking means whereby an appreciable portion of the moisture of the product being cooked is released therefrom during cooking and passes from said cooking means in a mixture with odor laden fumes produced by said cooking, the improvement comprising: a. means for collecting the mixture of moisture and odor laden fumes generated by said cooking apparatus as a product is cooked thereby together with ambient air entrained therewith, b. means positioned downstream of said collecting means for removing a substantial portion of said moisture frOm said fumes whereby a relatively dry, odor laden mass of fumes is produced, and c. means for directing said relatively dry, odor laden fumes to said combustion means for incineration thereof by said combustion means to supply heat to said cooking means while simultaneously disposing of said odor laden fumes.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: a. means for maintaining the volume of said mixture no greater than the volume necessary to support combustion in said combustion means.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: a. means for supplying additional combustion air to said combustion means.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: a. said moisture removing means comprises condenser means.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein: a. said condensor means comprises a plurality of serially related condensers.

Claim 7

Cooking apparatus comprising: a. a cooking vat for deep fat frying a food product, b. a burner for heating frying fat for said vat, c. means for circulating frying fat between said vat and said burner, d. a collection hood overlying said vat and collecting a mixture of moisture and odor laden fumes emanating from said vat and ambient air entrained therewith, e. a first condenser communicating with and receiving from said hood said mixture collected thereby, f. a second water cooled condenser communicating with said first condenser and receiving said mixture therefrom, g. a cooler communicating with said second condensor and receiving said mixture therefrom, h. means for introducing cooling water to said cooler, i. means for conveying cooling water from said cooler to said second condenser, j. means for conveying cooling water and condensate from said second condenser to said first condenser, k. first duct means for conveying said mixture from said cooler to said burner for incineration thereby, l. means for supplying additional combustion air to said burner, and m. means for maintaining the volume of said mixture collected no greater than the amount necessary to support combustion in said burner.

Claim 8

Cooking apparatus comprising: a. a cooking vat for deep fat frying a food product, b. a burner for heating frying fat for said vat, c. means for circulating frying fat between said vat and said burner, d. a collection hood overlying said vat and collecting a mixture of moisture and odor laden fumes emanating from said vat and ambient air entrained therewith, e. a first condenser communicating with and receiving from said hood said mixture collected thereby, f. a second water cooled condenser communicating with said first condenser and receiving said mixture therefrom, g. a cooler communicating with said second condensor and receiving said mixture therefrom, h. means for introducing cooling water to said cooler, i. means for conveying cooling water from said cooler to said second condenser, j. means for conveying cooling water and condensate from said second condenser to said first condenser, k. first duct means for conveying said mixture from said cooler to said burner for incineration thereby, l. means for supplying additional combustion air to said burner, and m. means for maintaining the volume of said mixture collected no greater than the amount necessary to support combustion in said burner.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said maintaining means comprises: a. second duct means providing said communication between said first condenser and said hood, and b. fan means in said second duct means.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said maintaining means comprises: a. second duct means providing said communication between said first condenser and said hood, and b. damper means in said second duct means.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said maintaining means further comprises: a. damper means in said second duct means.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein: a. said first duct means for conveying said mixture from said cooler to said burner includes first and second ducts, and b. said means for supplying additional air to said burner includes: i. an enlargement at a downstream end of said first duct, and ii. an upstream end of said second duct being received in said enlargement in spaced relationship thereto.

Claim 13

Cooking apparatus comprising: a. cooking means for cooking a food product, b. a burner for heating said cooking means, c. a collection hood overlying said cooking means and collecting a mixture of moisture and odor laden fumes emanating therefrom and ambient air entrained therewith, d. a first condenser communicating with and receiving from said hood said mixture collected thereby, e. a second water cooled condenser communicating with said first condenser and receiving said mixture therefrom, f. a cooker communicating with said second condenser and receiving said mixture therefrom, g. means for introducing cooling water to said cooler, h. means for conveying cooling water from said cooler to said second condenser, i. means for conveying cooling water and condensate from said second condenser to said first condenser, j. first duct means for conveying said mixture from said cooler to said burner for incineration thereby, k. means for supplying additional combustion air to said burner, and l. means for maintaining the volume of said mixture collected no greater than the amount necessary to support combustion in said burner.

Claim 14

Cooking apparatus comprising: a. cooking means for cooking a food product, b. a burner for heating said cooking means, c. a collection hood overlying said cooking means and collecting a mixture of moisture and odor laden fumes emanating therefrom and ambient air entrained therewith, d. a first condenser communicating with and receiving from said hood said mixture collected thereby, e. a second water cooled condenser communicating with said first condenser and receiving said mixture therefrom, f. a cooker communicating with said second condenser and receiving said mixture therefrom, g. means for introducing cooling water to said cooler, h. means for conveying cooling water from said cooler to said second condenser, i. means for conveying cooling water and condensate from said second condenser to said first condenser, j. first duct means for conveying said mixture from said cooler to said burner for incineration thereby, k. means for supplying additional combustion air to said burner, and l. means for maintaining the volume of said mixture collected no greater than the amount necessary to support combustion in said burner.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said maintaining means comprises: a. second duct means providing said communication between said first condenser and said hood, and b. fan means in said second duct means.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said maintaining means comprises: a. second duct means providing said communication between said first condenser and said hood, and b. damper means in said second duct means.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said maintaining means further comprises: a. damper means in said second duct means.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein: a. said first duct means for conveying said mixture from said cooler to said burner includes first and second ducts, and b. said means for supplying additional air to said burner includes: i. an enlargement at a downstream end of said first duct, and ii. an upstream end of said second duct being received in said enlargement in spaced relationship thereto.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said maintaining means comprises: a. fan means in said directing means intermediate said collecting means and said combustion means.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said maintaining means comprises: a. damper means in said direction means intermediate said collection means and said combustion means.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said maintaining means further comprises: a. damper means in said directing means intermediate said collection means and said combustion means.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said means for supplying additional combustion air to said combustion means comprises: a. first and second ducts comprising said directing means, b. an enlargement on a downstream end of said first duct, and c. an upstream end of said second duct being received in said enlargement in spaced relationship thereto.