Solid-fuel oven

Abstract

 The present invention refers to a solid-fuel oven provided with means for controlling the temperature in the cooking cavity. A solid-fuel oven according to the invention includes a combustion chamber (1), a cooking cavity (2), a first open-loop aeraulic circuit suitable for transferring heat from the combustion chamber (1) to the cooking cavity (2), a flue gas exhaust conduit (4), and a thermostatic device (10) for controlling the temperature T inside the cooking cavity (2), said device (10) including air pumping means (15, 215). The oven according to the invention is characterized in that said pumping means (15, 215) are in fluid communication with a second open-loop aeraulic circuit that extends, at least for one portion upstream of said exhaust conduit (4), parallel to said first aeraulic circuit and includes conveying means (16) arranged in a region (18) provided with walls (7) that separate the combustion chamber (1) from said cooking cavity (2).
Also claimed is a method for controlling the temperature T inside the cooking cavity (2).

Description

[0001] The present invention refers to a solid-fuel oven provided with means for controlling the temperature in the cooking cavity and to the relative method for controlling said temperature.

[0002] A solid-fuel oven of known type, schematically illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, generally comprises a combustion chamber 1 in which is placed the solid fuel needed for combustion and a cooking cavity 2, separate from the combustion chamber 1, wherein the food to be cooked is placed. The cooking cavity 2, accessed by opening a door 8, is heated by the combustion chamber 1 through a plurality of ducts 3 located in the peripheral regions of the cooking cavity 2 that are separated from the latter by walls 7 made of a suitable heat transferring material. As shown by the arrows in Figure 1, inside the ducts 3 are conveyed the gases from combustion before they are evacuated outside the oven through an exhaust conduit 4 connected, if necessary, to a smoke flue not shown in the figures. A fan 5, housed in the back wall of the cooking cavity 2, creates a convective effect that makes the temperature within the cooking cavity 2 uniform and allows the air circulating inside the cooking cavity 2 to flow oven the ducts 3 and thereby become heated. One or more shelves 6 are located within the cooking cavity 2 to support the food to be cooked. A suitably insulated holding structure 9 encloses all the operative components of the oven.

[0003] One drawback of the prior art ovens described above consists of the fact that they are not provided with any means for adjusting the temperature within the cooking cavity 2. Essentially, the operation of such ovens provides that the user feeds in a certain quantity of solid fuel, typically firewood, within the combustion chamber 1, ignites the fuel, and waits for the heat generated by the flames to be transferred to the cooking cavity 2 through the combustion gases circulating in the ducts 3. The trend of the temperature in time within the cooking cavity 2 is shown by the curve A in the graph of Figure 9 beginning with the ignition of the solid fuel, which is supplied in a 3 kg charge into the combustion chamber 1. As is shown by curve A, the temperature rises rapidly to a maximum value approaching 300°C, and then falls at a much slower rate until it reaches a value between 230°C and 250°C at the instant in time of t_R (typically after 2 to 2.5 hours). Since a food being cooked inside the oven requires a maximum temperature of 200 to 250°C, it can be seen that the user will have to wait for a relatively long time before being able to place the food into the cooking cavity 2 to avoid running the risk of subjecting it to an excessively high temperature and thus burning it. Moreover, disadvantageously, the user has no possibility of modifying the temperature within the cooking cavity 2 by any means other than acting on the quantity of solid fuel charged into the combustion chamber 1. The effect that the quantity of fuel charged into the combustion chamber has on the temperature trend inside the cooking cavity is, however, difficult to estimate by the user both when first charging the oven and when the combustion chamber must be recharged after a first quantity of fuel has run out. In these conditions, the risk of compromising the cooking of the food contained in the cooking cavity 2 is rather high.

[0004] US patent 4,287,870 discloses a solid-fuel barbecue for indoor uses provided with a cover equipped with openable ports that is located above the combustion chamber to define a cooking cavity heated by the gases from combustion. A forced-air injection circuit includes a fan and a selector to control the direction of the jet of air so as to inject air into particular regions of the barbecue according to the preferred type of cooking (grill or oven) or in the starting phase of the cooking apparatus. The fan, and consequently the air injection into the cooking cavity, is controlled by an electric circuit that detects the temperature inside the cooking cavity through a sensor. If the temperature inside the cooking cavity exceeds a preset value, the circuit controls the start of the fan, and a jet of air at ambient temperature is sent into the cooking cavity to lower the temperature inside the chamber.

[0005] A cooking apparatus such as the one disclosed in US Patent 4,287,870 has the considerable disadvantage that the air at ambient temperature suddenly fed into the cooking cavity upon a signal from the electric circuit may determine an equally sudden and rapid temperature drop, with irreparable consequences for the cooking of some types of edible products, such as for example leavening products. The solution disclosed in US 4,287,870 remains, therefore, applicable only for the grill cooking of products that are not particularly delicate and for which sudden rises and drops of the temperature inside the cooking cavity are tolerable.

[0006] Also known are solid-fuel ovens comprising a cooking cavity that is separate from the combustion chamber and is heated by the latter via an air space that surrounds it and through which the flue gases are circulated. A thermostatic device detects the temperature inside the cooking cavity and, based on the temperature set on a thermostat, controls the movement of a gate valve that opens/closes an opening feeding ambient air into the air space. In this manner, the temperature inside the cooking cavity can be controlled. An oven provided with such a temperature control device is described in GB 2 102 940.

[0007] This type of oven has some shortcomings. One of them lies in the fact that the size of the opening for feeding the air into the air space surrounding the cooking cavity could be inadequate to achieve a temperature control sufficiently close to a preset value. This is due to the fact that the temperature trend in the cooking cavity depends, among various factors, also on the quantity of solid fuel that a user charges into the combustion chamber. Since said fuel quantity cannot be defined a priori with any precision, the inflow of air at ambient temperature into the air space, even if at its maximum intensity, could be insufficient or result in an undesirably slow temperature decline.

[0008] A further shortcoming of an oven of the type described in GB 2 102 940 lies in the fact that the inflow of ambient air inside the air space surrounding the cooking cavity through an opening is not homogeneous, resulting in considerable temperature differences between the different regions of the cooking cavity. All this can disadvantageously determine an undesirable lack of homogeneity in the food being cooked.

[0009] Other factors that cannot be disregarded are the slow action of a temperature adjusting device of the type described in GB 2 102 940, and the problems of reliability of said device, connected with the fact that the gate valve is in contact with the gases from the combustion of a solid fuel, which, after a certain period of operation of the oven, could partly or completely compromise the operation.

[0010] The objective of the present invention is to provide a solid-fuel oven and the relative temperature control method that can overcome the limitations and disadvantages of the ovens and of the control procedures of known type.

[0011] In the scope of the above-mentioned objective one purpose of the present invention is to achieve a solid-fuel oven that ensures the maintenance of a constant temperature in the cooking cavity for a time sufficient for cooking a food product.

[0012] Another purpose of the invention is to provide a solid-fuel oven in which the temperature variation in the cooking cavity can be achieved without compromising the cooking quality.

[0013] A further purpose of the present invention is to provide a solid-fuel oven and the relative process for controlling the temperature inside the cooking cavity that reduce the waiting time for reaching and maintaining a cooking temperature preset by the operator.

[0014] Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a solid-fuel oven that allows the temperature to be adjusted inside the cooking cavity without requiring the intervention of the user.

[0015] Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a solid-fuel oven in which the temperature within the cooking cavity is homogeneous even during the temperature adjustment phases.

[0016] A further objective of the present invention is to provide a solid-fuel oven, and the relative method for controlling the temperature within the cooking cavity, that make it possible to reliably adjust said temperature, and in particular without being negatively affected by the soiling caused by the gases from the combustion of a solid fuel.

[0017] One still further objective of the present invention is to provide a solid-fuel oven that makes it possible to maintain a preset temperature in the cooking cavity if an excessive quantity of solid fuel is charged into the combustion chamber.

[0018] One not less important objective of the invention is to provide a method for controlling the temperature within the cooking cavity that simplifies the structural apparatus and the assembling of the oven.

[0019] The objective and the purposes disclosed above are achieved by a solid-fuel oven, and the relative process for controlling the temperature inside the cooking cavity of said oven, having the characteristics stated in the attached claims. Characteristics and advantages of the invention will become evident from the description which follows, by way of example but not of limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

• Figure 1 is a schematic front view of an oven according to the prior art;
• Figure 2 is a schematic top view of the oven of Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is a schematic front view of a first embodiment of the oven according to the present invention;
• Figure 4 is a schematic top view of the oven of Figure 3 according to a first variant embodiment;
• Figure 5 is a schematic top view of the oven of Figure 3 realized in a second variant embodiment;
• Figure 6 is a schematic front view of a second embodiment of the oven according to the present invention;
• Figure 7 is a schematic top view of the oven of Figure 6 according to a third variant embodiment;
• Figure 8 is a schematic top view of the oven of Figure 6 according to a fourth variant embodiment;
• Figure 9 is a graph illustrating the trend in time of the temperature T [°C] inside the cooking cavity of an oven made according to the prior art (curve A) and in an oven according to the invention (curve B).

[0020] In the following description and in the accompanying drawings the corresponding elements will be indicated with corresponding numerical references.

[0021] With reference to Figure 3 an oven according to the present invention includes a combustion chamber 1 wherein can be placed a solid fuel, for example firewood, needed for combustion. A cooking cavity 2, separate from the combustion chamber 1, is provided to receive the food to be cooked. The cooking cavity 2 can be accessed by opening a door 8 and is heated by the combustion chamber 1 through conveying means 13 comprising a plurality of ducts 3 that are located in a region 18, which externally surrounds the cooking cavity 2 and is separated from the latter by means of walls 7 made up of a suitable heat transmitting material. The ducts 3 comprise an inflow section located at the combustion chamber 1 to receive therein the gases generated by combustion and an outflow section in fluid communication with the exhaust conduit 4 that may be connected to a smoke flue, not shown in the figures. The combustion chamber 1, the conveying means 13 and the exhaust conduit 4 form an open-loop aeraulic system used to heat the cooking cavity 2. The combustion gases circulating within said heating aeraulic system do not access the inside of the cooking cavity 2.

[0022] The arrows shown in Figure 3 inside the ducts 3 indicate the path of the combustion gases from the chamber 1 to the exhaust conduit 4. A fan 5, housed in the back wall of the cooking cavity 2, creates a convective effect that makes the temperature uniform within the cooking cavity 2 and allows the air circulating within the cooking cavity 2 to flow around the conveying means 13 and become heated thereby. One or more shelves 6 are located within the cooking cavity 2 to support the food to be cooked. A suitably insulated holding structure 9 encloses all the operative components of the oven.

[0023] A device 10 for thermostatically controlling the temperature T within the cooking cavity 2 includes a temperature sensor 11 housed in the cooking cavity 2 and a thermostat 12 through which the user can set and maintain the desired temperature in the cooking cavity 2. The control device 10 includes a central processing unit (CPU) connected through a signal line S1 to the temperature sensor 11 and the thermostat 12 in which the CPU is preferably incorporated. An additional signal line S2 connects the CPU to an electric motor 17 that drives the opening/closing movement of a valve 20 provided to adjust the gas flow in the exhaust tube 4. According to the invention, the device 10 for controlling the temperature T in the cooking cavity 2 includes conveying means 16, preferably including ducts 14, that are located near the ducts 3 used to heat the cooking cavity 2 in the region 18 surrounding said cavity. The conveying means 16 are used to convey a flow of air, preferably drawn in from the environment surrounding the oven, by means of pumping means 15 (Figure 4), preferably consisting of a fan, for the purpose of cooling the cooking cavity 2. The cooling air is then discharged outside the oven, for example through an exhaust conduit 4. The ambient air flowing into the cooling conveying means 16 is controlled in its quantity, duration and intake start instant by the control device 10 by the central processing unit (CPU). The pumping means 15 and the conveying means 16 and the exhaust conduit 4 form an open-loop aeraulic system for cooling the cooking cavity 2. Further, the two aeraulic systems for heating and cooling the cooking cavity 2 extend in parallel to each other, for at least one section upstream of the exhaust conduit 4, and therefore they can be activated either separately from each other or simultaneously, that is the flow rate, duration and starting instant of the flue gases and the cooling air flowing into the relative circuits can be set independently from each other.

[0024] Figure 4 illustrates, in a schematic top view, the oven of Figure 3 according to a first variant embodiment of the present invention. The fluid conveying means 13 and 16, respectively for heating and cooling the cooking cavity 2, are located in a region 18 separated from the cooking cavity 2 by means of walls 7. In this variant embodiment, the aeraulic systems for heating and cooling the cooking cavity 2 are separate from each other, that is, there is no mixing of the combustion gases flowing in the conveying means 13 and the air flowing in the conveying means 16, at least until the two fluids are discharged outside the oven through the exhaust conduit 4 to which the conveying means 13 and 16 are connected by means of suitable outflow sections.

[0025] The device 10 for controlling the temperature T, in addition to the signal lines S1 and S2 described with reference to Figure 3, includes a signal line S3 that connects the central processing unit (CPU) to an electric motor 19 that drives the opening/closing of a valve 21 located in the aeraulic circuit used to cool the cooking cavity 2 downstream of the pumping means 15 which draw in air, preferably from the environment surrounding the oven, typically at a temperature from 15°C to 25°C. A further signal line S4 connects the CPU to pumping means 15 to cause their activation and deactivation.

[0026] With reference to the curve "B" shown in Figure 9, herein is described the mode of operation of the oven, and in particular the process for controlling the temperature T inside the cooking cavity 2 that is actuated by the thermostatic control device 10.

[0027] When the oven is activated, a user first charges a quantity of solid fuel, for example firewood, into the combustion chamber 1, sets in the thermostat 12 a desired cooking temperature T_SET, and ignites the fuel. In the lighting up step, the powered valve 20 in the exhaust conduit 4 is completely open to guarantee the discharge of the combustion gases through the exhaust conduit 4. In the instants of time following ignition, the temperature detected by the sensor 11 located inside the cooking cavity 2 will rise progressively because the gases circulating in the conveying means 13 heat the air circulating within the cooking cavity 2 through the fan 5. At the instant of time t_i, the sensor 11, in signal communication with the central processing unit through the signal line S1, communicates that the cooking cavity has reached and exceeded the temperature T_SET preset by the user. At the same instant of time t_i there is the intervention of the control device 10 which, through the central processing unit, starts the cooling of the cooking cavity 2, whose temperature otherwise would continue to rise, according to the curve "A" of Figure 9.

[0028] While the combustion in the combustion chamber 1 is active, the control device 10 operates both via the signal line S4 that controls the activation of the pumping means 15 at a constant rpm and via the signal line S3 to adjust the flow rate of the cooling air drawn in from the surrounding environment and fed by the pumping means 15 into the ducts 14 or into the aeraulic system for cooling the cooking cavity 2. Preferably, the control device 10 also operates through the signal line S2 that drives the electric motor 17 to choke the opening of the valve 20 so as to limit the gases discharged through the exhaust conduit 4, thus determining a slowing, but not the extinguishment, of the combustion in the combustion chamber 1 and favouring the cooling down of the chamber. The adjustment of the flow rate, controlled through the signal line S3, is achieved by means of the electric motor 21 that operates on the valve 19 and varies the valve opening according to the difference between the temperature detected by the sensor 11 and the preset temperature T_SET. Therefore, after the instant t_i of intervention of the control device 10, the temperature T in the cooking cavity 2 will continue to rise by thermal inertia but with a progressively slower rising rate, until the cooling of the cooking cavity 2, effected by the ducts 14, prevails over the heating provided by the ducts 3, determining a slow and progressive drop of the temperature T. As the sensor 11 detects temperature values nearer and nearer to the T_SET temperature preset by the user, the cooling aeraulic circuit will be increasingly choked by closing progressively but not completely the valve 21 by means of the electric motor 19.

[0029] At the instant in time t_s, the temperature inside the cooking cavity has reached the temperature T_SET preset by the user and dropped below it, and the cooling effect must be limited or even stopped. For this reason, with appropriate signals sent by the CPU through the signal lines S3 and S4, the valve 21 will be nearly completely closed, preventing the air flow inside the ducts 14, and the pumping means 15 will be stopped. In the instants after t_s, the temperature inside the cooking cavity 2 will continue to drop by thermal inertia until the heating effect offered by the ducts 3 becomes prevalent, preferably favoured by a slight increase in the opening angle of the valve 20 to revive the combustion in the combustion chamber 1.

[0030] The control device 10, by cyclically activating/adjusting the action of the cooling aeraulic circuit through the air flow-rate adjusting means 15, 19, 21, and preferably by also adjusting the action of the heating aeraulic system by means of the powered valve 20, will make it possible to keep the temperature T in the cooking cavity 2 substantially constant, or oscillating around the preset T_SET value.

[0031] The control device 10, through the central processing unit (CPU), can bring about a reduction in the temperature T of the cooking cavity 2, since its increase is provided uniquely by the thermal power supplied by combustion. Thus, when the instant in time t_R is reached, the fuel in the combustion chamber 1 will have exhausted its capacity to provide thermal energy and it will be necessary again for the user to charge the combustion chamber 1 with more solid fuel. If the combustion chamber 1 is not charged again, the temperature will progressively decline, as shown by curve "B" in Figure 9.

[0032] When designing the oven, the time t_R for recharging the combustion chamber 1 can be planned to be sufficiently long so that the difference (t_R - t_s), corresponding to the time needed to cook the food placed in the trays 6 of the cooking cavity 2, is about 1-1.5 hours.

[0033] Figure 5 schematically illustrates a top view of a second variant embodiment of the oven according to the invention.

[0034] Compared with the variant embodiment previously described with reference to Figure 4, the second variant differs in the type of means used to adjust the flow-rate of the air circulating in the cooling aeraulic circuit of the cooking cavity 2, that is, the conveying means 16. The elements common to the two variant embodiments shown in Figures 4 and 5 are indicated with the same reference numbers, and for their description refer to what was already described with reference to the first variant embodiment. In this case, the pumping means 215, preferably consisting of a fan, include a performance adjustment system 222, as for example a speed regulator, an air flow regulator located upstream of the pumping means 215 or a blade position regulator for a fan of the pumping means 215. The performance adjusting system 222 for the pumping means 215 substitutes the presence of the motor-driven valve 21 of the first variant embodiment. The signal line S4 is connected to the performance adjusting system 222 so that the flow rate of the air circulating in the cooling aeraulic circuit can be adjusted according to the difference between the temperature detected by the sensor 11 and the T_SET temperature preset by the user.

[0035] The control of the temperature inside the cooking cavity 2 is operated by means of the control device 10 in the same manner already described with reference to the first embodiment, and therefore that description will not be repeated here.

[0036] Figure 6 is a schematic front view of a second embodiment of the oven according to the present invention.

[0037] Compared with the first embodiment described previously with reference to Figure 3, the second embodiment is different in that the aeraulic circuits for heating and cooling the cooking cavity 2 include conveying means 13 and 16 in reciprocal fluid communication. This fluid communication is preferably achieved through duct portions 24 common to the two aeraulic circuits, that is, duct portions 24 within which flow both the combustion gases from the combustion chamber 1 and air drawn in from the surrounding environment upon a signal from the device 10 controlling the temperature within the cooking cavity 2. In this manner, it is possible to lower the thermal inertia that delays the reversal of the temperature trend (Curve B in Figure 9) whenever the temperature control device 10 is operated to cool the cooking cavity 2. With this device, it is possible to achieve both a considerable structural simplification of the oven, and an oscillation of the temperature in the cooking cavity 2 around a more limited range of the preset value T_SET. In this second embodiment of the oven too, the two aeraulic circuits for heating and cooling the cooking cavity 2 extend, at least for one portion upstream of the exhaust conduit 4, in parallel to each other and therefore they can be activated either separately from each other or simultaneously, that is, the flow rates, duration and starting instant of the gases from combustion and the cooling air circulating within the relative circuits can be regulated, independently of each other.

[0038] The elements common to the two embodiments illustrated in Figures 3 and 6 have been indicated with the same reference numerals, and what was already said with reference to the first embodiment applies for their description.

[0039] Figure 7 is a schematic view from above of the oven of Figure 6 configured according to a third variant embodiment. Similarly to what was already described with reference to the first variant embodiment illustrated in Figure 4, the third variant embodiment of the oven according to the present invention is provided with means for adjusting the flow rate of ambient air to cool the cooking cavity 2 which include constant delivery pumping means 15 controlled via a signal line S4 and a valve 21 that is opened/closed by an electric motor 19 according to the signals supplied by the central processing unit of the control device 10 through the signal line S3.

[0040] For what concerns the manner of operation of the oven and in particular the control device 10 for the temperature inside the cooking cavity 2, reference is made to the description already provided with reference to the curve "B" shown in Figure 9.

[0041] Figure 8 is a schematic view from above of the oven of Figure 6 configured according to a fourth variant embodiment. Similarly to what was already described with reference to the second variant embodiment shown in Figure 5, the fourth variant embodiment of the oven according to the present invention is provided with means for regulating the flow rate of ambient air to cool the cooking cavity 2 which include pumping means 215, preferably consisting of a fan, and are provided with a performance adjusting system 222, such as for example a speed regulator, an air flow regulator located upstream of the pumping means 215 or a regulator of the position of the blades of a fan used as pumping means 215. The performance adjusting system 222 of the pumping means 215 substitutes the presence of the powered valve 21 of the third variant embodiment. The signal line S4 is connected to the performance adjustment system 222 so that the flow rate of the air sent to the portions of ducts 24 common to the aeraulic circuits for heating and cooling the cooking cavity 2 may be regulated according to the difference between the temperature detected by the sensor 11 and the temperature T_SET preset by the user. The elements common to the second and third variant embodiments are indicated in Figure 8 with identical numerical references, and the description of these elements will not be repeated here.

[0042] In this case too, for what concerns the manner of operation of the oven and in particular the control device 10 for the temperature within the cooking cavity 2, refer to the description provided with reference to curve "B" shown in Figure 9.

[0043] Thus, it has been established that the invention achieved the predetermined objective and purposes, as a solid-fuel oven has been provided making it possible to achieve an effective maintenance of a temperature set by the user. The oven according to the invention is also reliable for products that require a particularly careful cooking, such as for example leavening products. The oven according to the invention makes it possible to reach the preset temperature and to maintain it substantially constant in a brief time after the start of combustion in the combustion chamber. In addition, the temperature desired within the cooking cavity is maintained for a sufficient time to cook the food. The conveying means 13, 16 that effect the heating and cooling of the oven cooking cavity 2 are configured and arranged so as to ensure an even distribution of the temperature in the region 18 surrounding the cooking cavity 2, and consequently, thanks also to a fan 5, also inside the cooking cavity 2; in this manner, the risk of negatively affecting the cooking of the food is avoided.

[0044] Naturally, the materials as well as the dimensions of the individual components of the invention can be the most suitable, depending on the particular requirements.

Claims

1. Solid-fuel oven comprising a combustion chamber (1), a cooking cavity (2), a first open-loop aeraulic circuit adapted to transfer heat from the combustion chamber (1) to the cooking cavity (2), an exhaust conduit (4) to let out flue gases, and a thermostatic control device (10) controlling temperature T existing inside the cooking cavity (2), said device (10) comprising air pumping means (15, 215), characterized in that said air pumping means (15, 215) are in fluid communication with a second open-loop aeraulic circuit that extends, at least for a length upstream to said exhaust conduit (4), in parallel to said first aeraulic circuit and comprises conveying means (16) located in a region (18) provided with walls (7) separating the combustion chamber (1) from said cooking cavity (2).

2. Solid-fuel oven according to claim 1, wherein the first aeraulic circuit comprises further conveying means (13) located within said region (18), said conveying means (13, 16) of said first and said second aeraulic circuits comprising a plurality of first and second conduits (3, 14), respectively.

3. Solid-fuel oven according to claim 2, wherein said first conduits (3) comprise a first inflow section located at said combustion chamber (1) so as to receive the flue gases therefrom, and said second conduits (14) comprise a second inflow section associated to said air pumping means (15, 215) so as to receive air flowing in from the place where the oven is installed, said first and second conduits (3, 14) further comprising first and second outflow sections in fluid communication with the flue exhaust conduits (4).

4. Solid-fuel oven according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said first and second open-loop aeraulic circuits comprise portions (24) in fluid communication with each other upstream to the flue exhaust conduit (4).

5. Solid-fuel oven according to any of the claims 1 to 3, wherein said first and second aeraulic circuits are separated upstream to said flue exhaust conduit (4).

6. Solid-fuel oven according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said thermostatic control device (10) comprises air flow-rate adjustment means (15, 19, 21; 215, 222) for adjusting the flow-rate of the air flowing in said second conveying means (16).

7. Solid-fuel oven according to claim 6, wherein said flow-rate adjustment means (15, 19, 21; 215, 222) comprise a performance regulation arrangement (222) for said air pumping means (215).

8. Solid-fuel oven according to claim 6, wherein said flow-rate adjustment means (15, 19, 21; 215, 222) comprise a valve (21) that is driven into opening and closing by a motor (19) and is located downstream from constant flow-rate air pumping means (15).

9. Solid-fuel oven according to any of the claims 6 to 8, wherein said thermostatic control device (10) comprises a central processing unit (CPU) in signal communication with a temperature sensor (11) located within the cooking cavity (2) via a signal line (S1), and in signal communication with said air flow-rate adjustment means (15, 19, 21; 215, 222) via one or more signal lines (S3, S4).

10. Solid-fuel oven according to claim 9, wherein said central processing unit (CPU) is in signal communication with a motor-actuated valve (20) located within said flue exhaust conduit (4) via a further signal line (S2).

11. Method for controlling temperature T within a cooking cavity (2) of a solid-fuel oven according to any of the claims 1 to 10, characterized by comprising the following steps:

a. setting a desired cooking temperature T_SET and starting combustion of a solid fuel within a combustion chamber (1) conveying a flow of flue gases generated by said combustion towards the cooking cavity (2) via a first aeraulic circuit;

b. detecting temperature T within said cooking cavity (2);

c. upon reaching the condition T > TSET, and while keeping a solid-fuel burning, actuating pumping means (15, 215) so as to convey a flow of cooling air towards said cooking cavity (2) via a second aeraulic circuit, and adjusting the rate of said flow according to the difference between said temperature T detected in step b) and the temperature TSET;

d. upon reaching the condition T < TSET, switching off said pumping means (15,215).

12. Method for controlling temperature T according to claim 11, wherein step c) further comprises throttling a flow of the flue gases generated by the combustion in step a), and wherein step d) comprise increasing said flow of flue gases.

Drawing