Filter screen modification to improve filtration performance
A fryer apparatus includes a cooking chamber to hold cooking medium and cook food products within, a filter pan removably attached to the cooking chamber, a tube connecting the filter pan to the cooking chamber, and a pump configured to circulate cooking medium. The filter pan has a bottom wall surrounded by four side walls and an inlet passage configured to receive cooking medium into the filter pan. A filter element is removably attached to the bottom wall of filter pan and extends in a lateral direction along a length of the fryer apparatus and may have two bends spaced laterally from each other. A plug may be attached to the filter element and an outlet passage attached to the plug and configured to discharge the cooking medium.
1. A fryer apparatus, comprising:
a cooking chamber configured to store cooking medium therein and to cook food products therein;
a filter pan removably attached to the cooking chamber, the filter pan comprising:
a bottom wall surrounded by four side walls;
an inlet passage configured to receive a cooking medium;
a filter element configured to filter the cooking medium before it is discharged, wherein the filter element is configured to be removably attached to the bottom wall and extends in a lateral direction along a length of the filter pan;
a plug attached to the filter element, wherein the filter element is configured to create an air gap between the bottom wall and the filter element, wherein the air gap is lateral to the plug; and
an outlet passage attached to the plug and configured to discharge the cooking medium; and
a pump configured to circulate the cooking medium in the fryer apparatus between the filter pan and the cooking chamber,
wherein the filter element comprises:
a first end;
a second end opposite the first end, wherein the second end is spaced apart from the first end by a distance along the lateral direction;
a center located between the first and second ends, wherein the plug is attached to the filter element at the center;
a first bend formed in the filter element between the first end and the center; and
a second bend formed in the filter element between the second end and the center, wherein the filter element defines portions on opposite sides of the first and second bends that are oriented at a non-zero angle from a plane parallel to the bottom wall of the filter pan such that the portions of the filter element extend away from and towards the bottom wall on opposite sides of each of the first and second bends, thereby generating the air gap so as to be defined by a larger spacing of the filter element from the bottom wall adjacent the first and second bends as compared to a spacing between the filter element and the bottom wall adjacent the first and second ends.
2. The fryer apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plug is centered on the filter element.
3. The fryer apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the filter element comprises a woven metal screen.
4. The fryer apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the screen is configured to be placed inside a paper filter.
5. The fryer apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a basket inserted in the filter pan, wherein the basket is configured to catch large crumbs.
6. The fryer apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a lid configured to cover the filter pan, wherein the inlet passage is formed in the lid.
7. The fryer apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the filter element comprises a teepee shape.
8. The fryer apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plug is welded to the filter element.