Radial jet air impingement nozzle, oven and method

Abstract

An oven that generates impingement air with a jet nozzle that includes a nozzle insert that provides a slot-shaped orifice through which the air flows toward a product to be heated or cooled. In particular, an oven for cooking a food product is disclosed in which a plurality of the jet nozzles produces an overall turbulence and a homogeneous heat transfer at a surface of the food product.

1 . An oven comprising:
 an oven chamber and a blower that is disposed to circulate air through said oven chamber;   an air impingement plate that is disposed in said circulating air and that is located to provide impingement air toward a product in said oven chamber, and   at least one jet nozzle that is disposed in said impingement plate and a nozzle insert disposed in relation to said jet nozzle to form about said nozzle insert a slot-shaped orifice through which said impingement air flows.   
     
     
         2 . The oven of  claim 1 , wherein a shape of said slot-shaped orifice is selected from the group consisting of: curvilinear, ring, annular, polygonal, square, rectangular, elliptical, multi-point, jack and cruciform. 
     
     
         3 . The oven of  claim 1 , wherein a shape of said nozzle insert is selected from the group consisting of: bell, goblet, cone, margarita glass, upside down filled wine glass, pedestal, maraca, mirrored pedestal, and filled wide bell. 
     
     
         4 . The oven of  claim 1 , wherein said slot-shaped orifice has a thickness that produces an overall flow pattern at the surface of said product that enhances heat transfer to said product and a homogeneous heat transfer at a surface of said product. 
     
     
         5 . The oven of  claim 1 , wherein said nozzle insert is selected from the group consisting of: solid and hollow. 
     
     
         6 . The oven of  claim 1 , wherein a shape of said jet nozzle is selected from the group consisting of: a match with a shape of said nozzle insert and a non-match of a shape of said nozzle insert. 
     
     
         7 . The oven of  claim 1 , wherein said jet nozzle is one of a plurality of jet nozzles that each have an associated nozzle insert in relation to said jet nozzle to form about said nozzle insert a slot-shaped orifice through which said impingement air flows, and wherein said plurality of jet nozzles collectively provide a homogeneous and high heat transfer distribution at said product. 
     
     
         8 . The oven of  claim 1 , wherein a temperature of said air is controlled by a unit selected from the group consisting of: heating and cooling. 
     
     
         9 . The oven of  claim 1 , further comprising a fastener that fastens said nozzle insert to said impingement plate to vary an axial position of said nozzle insert relative to said impingement plate. 
     
     
         10 . The oven of  claim 1 , further comprising a heater disposed to heat said circulating air, and wherein said product is a food product. 
     
     
         11 . A method of operating an oven comprising:
 circulating air in an oven chamber;   providing an impingement plate in said circulating air to provide impingement air toward a product in said oven chamber; and   shaping said impingement air with a slot-shaped orifice through which said impingement air flows.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein a shape of said slot-shaped orifice is selected from the group consisting of: curvilinear, ring, annular, polygonal, square, rectangular, elliptical, multi-point, jack and cruciform. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein a temperature of said air is controlled by a unit selected from the group consisting of: heating and cooling. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising a heater disposed to heat said circulating air, and wherein said product is a food product. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein at least one jet nozzle is disposed in said impingement plate and a nozzle insert is disposed in relation to said jet nozzle to form about said nozzle insert said slot-shaped orifice through which said impingement air flows. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein a shape of said nozzle insert is selected from the group consisting of: bell, goblet, cone, margarita glass, upside down filled wine glass, pedestal, maraca, mirrored pedestal, and filled wide bell. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said slot-shaped orifice has a thickness that produces an overall flow pattern at the surface of said product that enhances heat transfer to said product and a homogeneous heat transfer at a surface of said product. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said insert is selected from the group consisting of: solid and hollow. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein a shape of said jet nozzle is selected from the group consisting of: a match with a shape of said nozzle insert and a non-match of a shape of said nozzle insert. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said jet nozzle is one of a plurality of jet nozzles that each have an associated nozzle insert in relation to said jet nozzle to form about said nozzle insert a slot-shaped orifice through which said impingement air flows, and wherein said plurality of jet nozzles collectively provide a homogeneous and high heat transfer distribution at said product. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising a fastener that fastens said nozzle insert to said impingement plate to vary an axial position of said nozzle insert relative to said impingement plate. 
     
     
         22 . A jet nozzle that is disposed in an air impingement plate and at least one nozzle insert disposed in relation to said jet nozzle to form about said nozzle insert a slot-shaped orifice through which impingement air flows. 
     
     
         23 . The jet nozzle of  claim 22 , wherein a shape of said slot-shaped orifice is selected from the group consisting of: curvilinear, ring, annular, polygonal, square, rectangular, elliptical, multi-point, jack and cruciform. 
     
     
         24 . The jet nozzle of  claim 23 , wherein a shape of said nozzle insert is selected from the group consisting of: bell, goblet, cone, margarita glass, upside down filled wine glass, pedestal, maraca, mirrored pedestal, and filled wide bell. 
     
     
         25 . The jet nozzle of  claim 24 , wherein a shape of said jet nozzle is selected from the group consisting of: a match with a shape of said nozzle insert and a non-match of a shape of said nozzle insert. 
     
     
         26 . The jet nozzle of  claim 22 , wherein said nozzle insert is selected from the group consisting of: solid and hollow. 
     
     
         27 . The jet nozzle of  claim 22 , further comprising a fastener that fastens said nozzle insert to said impingement plate to vary an axial position of said nozzle insert relative to said impingement plate.