Air pollution control system for food processing apparatus

Claim 2

In a food processing apparatus having a cooking chamber and means providing a source of heat for cooking a food product contained in said chamber, a closed air treatment system which is independent of outside air temperature and humidity conditions, comprising means for withdrawing air from said chamber during the cooking of said food product, means for cooling the withdrawn air to a temperature below the dew point thereof to condense moisture therefrom and to thereby lower the humidity thereof, and means for recycling said cooled and conditioned air directly to said processing chamber for reheating therein.

Claim 3

An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said air cooling means comprises shower means for subjecting said withdrawn air to a fine spray of cool water, means for collecting water sprayed by said shower means, and means for recirculating said water to said shower means.

Claim 4

An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said cooling means includes a conditioning tower having an air inlet, an air outlet, nozzle means arranged in said tower between said inlet and outlet, and pump means for supplying water to said nozzle means.

Claim 5

An apparatus as defined in claim 3, including reservoir means for collecting water emitted by said nozzle means, means connecting said reservoir means to said pump means, means supplying fresh water to said reservoir means, and control valve means for selective supply of fresh water to said reservoir means in response to predetermined water temperature conditions in said reservoir means.

Claim 6

An apparatus as defined in claim 3, including control means coupled to said pump means and operable in response to predetermined variations in wet bulb air temperature in said processing chamber for selectively actuating said pump means.

Claim 7

An enclosed system for cooking and removing moisture from a food product which is high in moisture content, which system is independent of outside air temperature and humidity conditions, comprising a processing chamber adapted to receive a quantity of the food product to be treated, means for cooking said food product and driving moisture therefrom into the air within the chamber, means for discharging moist exhaust air from the processing chamber, conditioning means connected to said air discharge means for cooling said exhaust air and condensing moisture therefrom, means connected to said air cooling means for recycling said conditioned air into said processing chamber, whereby said conditioned air is reheated for absorbing additional moisture from said food product.

Claim 8

An enclosed system for cooking and removing moisture from a food product which is high in moisture content, which system is independent of outside air temperature and humidity conditions, comprising a processing chamber adapted to receive a quantity of the food product to be treated, means for cooking said food product and driving moisture therefrom into the air within the chamber, means for discharging moist exhaust air from the processing chamber, conditioning means connected to said air discharge means for cooling said exhaust air and condensing moisture therefrom, means connected to said air cooling means for recycling said conditioned air into said processing chamber, whereby said conditioned air is reheated for absorbing additional moisture from said food product.

Claim 9

A system as defined in claim 6, wherein said air discharge means includes an airflow control means connected for regulating the flow of air.

Claim 10

In a food cooking apparatus, wherein a pretreated moist food product is heated in a processing chamber having a source of heat therefor, the improvement comprising a closed system for conditioning and recycling air discharged from the processing chamber, which system is independent of outside air temperature and humidity conditions, said system having means for removing contaminated air from said chamber, means for conditioning said air to condense moisture therefrom, means for returning the conditioned air to said processing chamber, and control means for modulating the flow of air through said system in accordance with preselected variations in the humidity of air within said processing chamber.

Claim 11

In a food cooking apparatus, wherein a pretreated moist food product is heated in a processing chamber having a source of heat therefor, the improvement comprising a closed system for conditioning and recycling air discharged from the processing chamber, which system is independent of outside air temperature and humidity conditions, said system having means for removing contaminated air from said chamber, means for conditioning said air to condense moisture therefrom, means for returning the conditioned air to said processing chamber, and control means for modulating the flow of air through said system in accordance with preselected variations in the humidity of air within said processing chamber.

Claim 12

An enclosed food cooking apparatus, comprising a food processing chamber adapted to receive a quantity of food product infused with liquid additives, means for supplying heat to cook said food product driving moisture therefrom into the air contained within said chamber, and a closed air treatment system which is independent of outside air temperature and humidity conditions, including adjustable means connected to said chamber for selectively withdrawing moist air therefrom, means for chilling the withdrawn air to reduce the capacity of the air for holding moisture, means for returning the chilled air to said processing chamber for reheating the air to absorb additional moisture driven from said food product, and control means for selective operation of said treatment system until a substantial portion of the infused liquid has been removed from the food product.

Claim 13

An enclosed food cooking apparatus, comprising a food processing chamber adapted to receive a quantity of food product infused with liquid additives, means for supplying heat to cook said food product driving moisture therefrom into the air contained within said chamber, and a closed air treatment system which is independent of outside air temperature and humidity conditions, including adjustable means connected to said chamber for selectively withdrawing moist air therefrom, means for chilling the withdrawn air to reduce the capacity of the air for holding moisture, means for returning the chilled air to said processing chamber for reheating the air to absorb additional moisture driven from said food product, and control means for selective operation of said treatment system until a substantial portion of the infused liquid has been removed from the food product.

Claim 14

An enclosed food cooking system which is independent of ambient air temperature and humidity conditions, comprising a processing chamber in which food products are cooked and smoked, said chamber having an inlet and an outlet, a source of heat for said chamber, means coupled to said chamber outlet for treating gases emitted therefrom including a water shower condenser for cooling said gases to a temperature below the dew point thereof, means connecting said condenser to said processing chamber for returning said treated gases thereto, a closed smoke generator interconnected within said system for direct supply of smoke into said processing chamber for at least a portion of the cooking cycle, and means for circulating a portion of the gases in said closed system through said smoke generator.

Claim 15

An enclosed food cooking system which is independent of ambient air temperature and humidity conditions, comprising a processing chamber in which food products are cooked and smoked, said chamber having an inlet and an outlet, a source of heat for said chamber, means coupled to said chamber outlet for treating gases emitted therefrom including a water shower condenser for cooling said gases to a temperature below the dew point thereof, means connecting said condenser to said processing chamber for returning said treated gases thereto, a closed smoke generator interconnected within said system for direct supply of smoke into said processing chamber for at least a portion of the cooking cycle, and means for circulating a portion of the gases in said closed system through said smoke generator.