System and method for controlling the salinity of water in a culinary application
US9993104B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 22, 2016 |
| Grant date | Jun 12, 2018 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 8, 2037 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC02F2307/12
- WIPO fieldEnvironmental technology
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A system to control the salinity of an industrial pasta cooker. The system uses a model predictive estimator to estimate the state of the salt content, and predict an amount of salt to add to the system, in order to reach and maintain the target salinity. Salt may be added in short bursts, or gradually and continually to maintain the proper salt levels. Rather than use a human to taste, the system employs at least one sensor (conductivity, temperature and potentially a water level sensor) and a-priori knowledge of the system dynamics to estimate the system state using a state-estimating filter, such as a Kalman filter. This allows the system to reject noise from the sensor, and distinguish between NaCl and other compounds added to the water that effect the conductivity.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.