Continuously operating filtering apparatus
A deep fat fryer with continuous oil filtering and purging of sediments therefrom during uninterrupted fryer operation is provided. The filter includes a cylindrical hollow housing with a first end and a second end and a hollow cylindrical screen with a longitudinal axis and first and second ends. The screen is disposed coaxially within the hollow housing to define an annulus therebetween. A piston mounted within the screen and reciprocatingly movable along the longitudinal axis between the first and second ends of the screen. A pump, seal, and associate motor are provided to provide continuous oil flow through the filter and the remainder of the fryer. A heat exchanger is provided downstream of the pump to transfer heat from the fryer to the oil flowing through the heat exchanger.
1. A method of removing particulate matter from liquid in a cooking appliance, comprising the steps of:
receiving liquid with particulate matter from a retention volume within the cooking appliance;
filtering the liquid with a cylindrical screen disposed within a primary filter;
automatically scraping particulate matter from an inner surface of the cylindrical screen;
receiving scraped particulate matter within a debris extraction mechanism;
compressing the particulate matter within the debris extraction mechanism; and
automatically removing the particulate matter from the debris extraction mechanism.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of pumping filtered liquid passing through the cylindrical screen through a heat exchanger and then to the retention volume.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of mechanically agitating the debris compressed within the debris extraction mechanism to urge the debris to be removed from the debris extraction mechanism.