System, Method, and Conversion Kit for Controlling Smoke during Air Frying in a Range or Oven

Abstract

Embodiments of this disclosure reduce an oven's emission of volatile organic compounds when air frying. The catalyst does not require a self-contained heating assembly but instead is adapted for connection to at least one of a suction side and a discharge side of the circulation fan. The catalyst may be in the form of a screen or a foil bundle and have a mass loading of 10 g to 75 g per cubic foot of catalyst volume. The screen is sized for connection to the circulation fan and includes a corrugated pattern and coated with the catalyst on at least half of the screen. The foil bundle has a cell density in a range of 20 cells to 50 cells per square inch and is sized for location in a corner of the heating elements. The foil bundle can include a slew or herringbone cell pattern.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A catalyst for use in cooking chamber of an oven having an air frying mode and including a circulation fan and heating elements and a baffle cover plate in proximity to the circulation fan, the catalyst adapted for connection to at least one of a suction side and a discharge side of the circulation fan, the catalyst comprising:
 at least one precious metal selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, and a mixture of platinum group metals, a mass loading of the at least one precious metal is in a range of 10 g to 75 g per cubic foot of catalyst volume;   wherein, without the catalyst installed the oven emits a first amount of volatile organic compounds when cooking a predetermined food in air fry mode under predetermined conditions;   wherein, with the catalyst installed the oven emits a second amount of volatile organic compounds at least 95% lower than the first amount of volatile organic compounds when cooking the predetermined food in the air fry mode under the predetermined conditions.   
     
     
         2 . The catalyst of  claim 1 , further comprising a screen including a corrugated pattern and coated with the catalyst on at least half of the screen. 
     
     
         3 . The catalyst of  claim 2 , wherein 75% to 100% of the screen is coated. 
     
     
         4 . The catalyst of  claim 2 , further comprising a rim surrounding the screen, the rim including locations for attachment to the at least one of a suction side and a discharge side of the circulation fan. 
     
     
         5 . The catalyst of  claim 2 , wherein the screen is a 30-mesh woven wire cloth. 
     
     
         6 . The catalyst of  claim 1 , further comprising a foil bundle having a cell density in a range of 20 cells to 50 cells per square inch, the foil bundle located in a corner of the heating elements. 
     
     
         7 . The catalyst of  claim 6 , further comprising a cell pattern selected from the group consisting of skew and herringbone. 
     
     
         8 . The catalyst of  claim 6 , further comprising another foil bundle located in another corner of the heating elements. 
     
     
         9 . The catalyst of  claim 1 , wherein emissions containing the volatile organic compounds is recycled through the catalyst prior to being exhausted by the oven. 
     
     
         10 . A method for treating emissions of an oven when air frying, the oven including a circulation fan and heating elements and a baffle cover plate in proximity to the circulation fan, the method comprising:
 treating air frying emissions by passing the air frying emissions through a catalyst adapted for connection to at least one of a suction side and a discharge side of the circulation fan, the catalyst comprising:   at least one precious metal selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, and a mixture of platinum group metals, a mass loading of the at least one precious metal is in a range of 10 g to 75 g per cubic foot of catalyst volume;   wherein, without the catalyst installed the oven emits a first amount of volatile organic compounds when cooking a predetermined food in air fry mode under predetermined conditions;   wherein, with the catalyst installed the oven emits a second amount of volatile organic compounds at least 95% lower than the first amount of volatile organic compounds when cooking the predetermined food in the air fry mode under the predetermined conditions.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the catalyst comprises a screen including a corrugated pattern and coated with the catalyst on at least half of the screen. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein 75% to 100% of the screen is coated. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the catalyst includes a rim surrounding the screen, the rim including locations for attachment to the at least one of a suction side and a discharge side of the circulation fan. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the screen is a 30-mesh woven wire cloth. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the catalyst includes a foil bundle having a cell density in a range of 20 cells to 50 cells per square inch, the foil bundle is located in a corner of the heating elements. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the foil bundle includes a cell pattern selected from the group consisting of skew and herringbone. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein another foil bundle is located in another corner of the heating elements. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein emissions containing the volatile organic compounds is recycled through the catalyst prior to being exhausted by the oven. 
     
     
         19 . A conversion kit for an oven including an air fry mode and having a circulation fan and heating elements and a baffle cover plate in proximity to the circulation fan, the conversion kit comprising:
 a catalyst adapted for connection to at least one of a suction side and a discharge side of the circulation fan, the catalyst comprising:
 at least one precious metal selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, and a mixture of platinum group metals, a mass loading of the at least one precious metal is in a range of 10 g to 75 g per cubic foot of catalyst volume; 
   the catalyst further including at least one of a screen and a foil bundle, the screen sized for connection to the circulation fan and including a corrugated pattern and coated with the catalyst on at least half of the screen, the foil bundle having a cell density in a range of 20 cells to 50 cells per square inch and sized for location in a corner of the heating elements, the foil bundle further including a cell pattern selected from the group consisting of a skew pattern and a herringbone pattern; and   a set of instructions for installing the catalyst in the oven.   
     
     
         20 . The conversion kit of  claim 19 , wherein the mass loading is in a range of 20 g to 50 g per cubic foot of catalyst volume.