A SYSTEM HAVING A COOKING DEVICE

Abstract

A system including at least one cooking device having a connection for connecting the cooking device to a electrical grid and a connection for connecting the cooking device to an energy storage device, has a control unit which is set up to regulate a power draw from the electrical grid and/or from the energy storage device during operation of the at least one cooking device based on a heating requirement of the cooking device such that the power draw from the electrical grid does not exceed a defined threshold value (L.sub.Max).

Claims

1. A system comprising at least one cooking device having a connection for connecting the cooking device to a electrical grid and a connection for connecting the cooking device to an energy storage device, and comprising a control unit which is set up to regulate a power draw from the electrical grid and/or from the energy storage device during operation of the at least one cooking device based on a heating requirement of the cooking device such that the power draw from the electrical grid does not exceed a defined threshold value (L.sub.Max).

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is set up to regulate the power draw from the electrical grid and/or from the energy storage device based on a current heating requirement and/or based on an expected heating requirement.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is set up to operate the cooking device such that a power draw takes place simultaneously from the electrical grid and the energy storage device to cover demand peaks during a cooking process.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is set up to operate the cooking device such that during a preheating phase, a power draw takes place simultaneously from the electrical grid and the energy storage device.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is set up to regulate a power draw from the energy storage device such that the power draw from the energy storage device takes place over a period of no more than 15 minutes at a time.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system includes a kitchen management computer readable program code which includes computer readable program steps to control the course of various cooking processes, the control unit being connected to the kitchen management computer readable program code such that the control unit can receive information from the kitchen management computer readable program code about current and/or planned cooking processes, in particular information about a heating requirement of the cooking processes.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is set up to operate the cooking device such that, in the event of a failure of the electricity supply by the electrical grid, the cooking device can be operated by the energy storage device alone.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is set up to control a charging process for charging the energy storage device.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the control unit is set up to charge the energy storage device using renewable energies, in particular with the use of photovoltaics or wind energy, and/or of night current.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the control unit is set up to operate the cooking device such that a power draw takes place exclusively from the energy storage device when the latter has been charged with renewable energies.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the system includes at least one energy storage device to which the cooking device is connected.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the energy storage device is arranged separately from the cooking device.

Description

[0029] FIG. 1 shows a system according to the invention with several cooking devices,

[0030] FIG. 2 shows a diagram illustrating a heating requirement of a cooking device during a first cooking process,

[0031] FIG. 3 shows a diagram illustrating a cooking process during which a malfunction occurs,

[0032] FIG. 4 shows a diagram illustrating a further cooking process,

[0033] FIG. 5 shows a diagram illustrating yet a further cooking process, and

[0034] FIG. 6 shows a diagram illustrating the power draw of a cooking device during multiple cooking processes.

[0035] FIG. 1 shows a system 10 comprising two energy storage devices 12 and a plurality of cooking devices 14, each having a connection 16 for connecting the cooking device 14 to an electrical grid 18 and a connection 20 formed separately from the connection 16 for connecting the cooking device 14 to the energy storage device 12. In addition, the cooking devices 14 each have a control unit 22. In the illustrated example embodiment, the control units 22 are each integrated into the cooking devices 14. However, it is also possible that the control units 22 are integrated in the energy storage devices 12.

[0036] The cooking devices 14 are each connected to the electrical grid 18 and to an energy storage device 12, so that a power demand of the cooking devices 14 can be served by both the energy storage device 12 and the electrical grid 18.

[0037] In particular, the cooking devices 14 are multifunctional cooking devices such as a combi steamer.

[0038] The energy storage devices 12 also have a connection 24 to the electrical grid 18 to allow charging of the energy storage devices 12.

[0039] Alternatively or additionally, the energy storage devices 12 may be connected to a photovoltaic system 23 or to a wind energy system 25.

[0040] Provided that no energy is required to charge the energy storage devices 12, the energy generated from the photovoltaic system 23 or the wind energy system 25 can be fed into the electrical grid 18.

[0041] The energy storage devices 12 are each formed separately from the cooking devices 14. One of the energy storage devices 12 is arranged directly adjacent to a cooking device 14 and connected thereto, while the other energy storage device 12 is free-standing, i.e., spaced apart from the cooking devices 14. Two cooking devices 14 are connected to the free-standing energy storage device 12. It is also conceivable to integrate the energy storage device 12 into a cooking device 14, but this would make it more difficult to replace the energy storage devices 12. In addition, this would greatly increase the weight of the cooking device 14, making a transport difficult.

[0042] The control of the electricity supply or the power draw from the electrical grid 18 and from the energy storage device 12 is performed for each cooking device 14 by means of the control unit 22, which is set up to regulate a power draw from the electrical grid 18 and/or from an energy storage device 12 during operation of the cooking devices 14, more specifically based on a heating requirement of the cooking devices 14. In other words, the control unit 22 regulates the electricity supply of the respective cooking device 14.

[0043] More specifically, each control unit 22 is set up to regulate a power draw from the electrical grid 18 and/or from the energy storage device 12 based on a current heating requirement and/or based on an expected heating requirement.

[0044] The power draw from the electrical grid 18 is not to exceed a defined threshold value L.sub.Max.

[0045] For this purpose, the control unit 22 is set up to regulate the power draw from the electrical grid 18 such that the threshold value L.sub.Max is not exceeded. In addition, the control unit 22 regulates the power draw from the energy storage device 12 such that the total power demand of the cooking device 14 is covered.

[0046] Scenarios may also occur, for example during preheating or heating, in which the total power demand of the cooking device 14 is greater than a total connected load of the cooking device 14. In this case, the control unit 22 regulates the power draw from the energy storage device 12 such that the difference between the total connected load and the maximum connected load to the electrical grid is compensated by the energy storage device 12.

[0047] The control units 22 may be configured to communicate with each other. One of the control units 22 may act as a master for the remaining control units 22.

[0048] When the system 10 includes a plurality of cooking devices 14 as in the illustrated example embodiment, a total power draw from the electrical grid 18 to operate all of the cooking devices 14 should not exceed the defined threshold value L.sub.Max.

[0049] FIGS. 2 to 4 and FIG. 6 illustrate the power draw of a cooking device 14 during a cooking process or during several cooking processes for various scenarios, the power draw being plotted in a diagram against the duration of the cooking process. FIG. 5 illustrates a cooking process using a temperature profile.

[0050] In the scenario illustrated in FIG. 2, two demand peaks occur during the cooking process, during which the power draw of the cooking device is particularly high and the power exceeds the defined threshold value L.sub.Max. The first demand peak occurs during a preheating phase and the second demand peak during a cooking phase in which the cooking chamber is loaded with food to be cooked.

[0051] To cover the power demand during the demand peaks, the control unit 22 regulates an electricity supply of the cooking device 14 during the duration of the exceeding of the defined threshold value L.sub.Max such that the power demand is met both from the electrical grid 18 and from the energy storage device 12. In other words, for the duration that the defined threshold value L.sub.Max is exceeded, power is drawn simultaneously from the electrical grid 18 and from the energy storage device.

[0052] However, the power draw from the energy storage device preferably takes place over a period of no more than 15 minutes at a time.

[0053] FIG. 3 illustrates a scenario in which a power failure occurs during a cooking process.

[0054] In this scenario, a power demand is initially covered exclusively by a power draw from the electrical grid 18, which is illustrated in FIG. 3 by a continuous curve.

[0055] From a time t.sub.failure onward, when a power failure occurs, the control unit 22 regulates a power draw from the electrical grid 18 and the energy storage device 12 such that the power demand of the cooking device 14 is covered exclusively by a power draw from the energy storage device 12, which is illustrated in FIG. 3 by a dashed curve. In this way, a cooking process can be completed as planned, and it is prevented that the food cooked in the cooking chamber becomes unusable or that a cooking result is not optimal. Such a control of the power draw is particularly advantageous in those regions where electricity supply disturbances occur frequently.

[0056] If, in the scenario shown in FIG. 3, demand peaks occur before the time t.sub.failure, these can also be covered by drawing power from the energy storage device 12.

[0057] FIG. 4 illustrates a scenario in which a power demand of the cooking device can basically be covered from the electrical grid 18 without exceeding a defined threshold value L.sub.Max. This is illustrated in FIG. 4 by means of a first, continuous power curve.

[0058] However, the control unit 22 is set up to operate the cooking device 14 such that power is additionally drawn from the energy storage device 12 during a preheating phase. In this way, the preheating phase can be shortened, which shortens the overall cooking process. During a preheating phase, for example, a cooking chamber of the cooking device 14 can be brought to a defined temperature or water can be brought to a boil. For comparison, a power curve of such a shortened cooking process is shown in a dashed line in FIG. 4.

[0059] FIG. 5 illustrates a scenario in which a cooking process takes place over a longer period of time, for example over eight hours. In particular, the cooking process takes place overnight. In the diagram illustrated in FIG. 5, a cooking chamber temperature TG is plotted against time.

[0060] After a heating phase, the cooking chamber temperature TG is kept as constant as possible, e.g. at at least 63? C. This ensures a reliable, continuous cooking process. In particular, it is to be prevented that food to be cooked cools to a temperature below 63? during the cooking process before the food to be cooked is fully cooked. It is thus ensured that the quality of the food to be cooked is not degraded.

[0061] In the scenario illustrated in FIG. 5, a failure of the electricity supply by the electrical grid 18 occurs during the cooking process between a time t1 and a time t2. During this period, the control unit 22 controls a power supply of the cooking device 14 such that the cooking device 14 is operated solely by means of the energy storage device 12.

[0062] As soon as the electricity supply by the electrical grid 18 is possible again, in particular from time t2, the cooking device 14 is operated again by means of electricity from the electrical grid 18. The energy storage device 12 can be recharged from time t2.

[0063] FIG. 6 illustrates a scenario in which several cooking processes are carried out in the course of a day, in the example embodiment three cooking processes.

[0064] For example, at least during the first cooking process, the cooking device 14 is operated exclusively by means of the energy storage device 12, provided that the energy storage device 12 has been charged by means of renewable energies. In this way, the use of fossil fuels or nuclear energy to operate the cooking device 14 can be reduced. Only when the energy storage device 12 has been discharged to a defined state of charge or has been completely discharged, the cooking device 14 is again operated with electricity from the electrical grid 18, for example during the third cooking process. Preferably, the energy storage device 12 is not completely discharged during the first cooking processes, so that the energy storage device 12 can still be switched on during the third cooking process to cover peak demand.

[0065] Subsequently, the energy storage device 12 can be recharged, for example by means of electricity generated from renewable energies and/or by means of night current.

[0066] In particular, the control unit 22 is set up to control a charging process for charging the energy storage device 12. For example, the control unit 22 controls the charging process of the energy storage device 12 such that the charging process starts when an expected heating requirement is low over the duration of the charging process. A power demand for the period in which the charging process takes place can thus preferably be covered entirely from the electrical grid 18.

[0067] The system 10 further includes a kitchen management means 26 which controls the course of various cooking processes.

[0068] The control units 22 are connected to the kitchen management means 26 such that the control units 22 can receive information from the kitchen management means 26 about current and/or planned cooking processes, in particular information about a heating requirement of the cooking processes.

[0069] For this purpose, the control units 22 are communicatively connected to the kitchen management means 26 either wirelessly or via electrical lines.

[0070] Based on the information received from the kitchen management means 26 about a heating requirement of the cooking processes, the control units 22 can regulate a power draw from the electrical grid 18 and/or from the energy storage devices 12.

[0071] For example, the control unit 22 is set up to charge the energy storage device 12 by means of renewable energies, in particular by means of photovoltaics or wind energy, and/or by means of night current.