Patent ID: 8646382

Claim:
A convection recirculating food product fryer comprising: a fry tank having an interior, a plurality of side walls and a bottom for receiving a fluid; a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the tank interior of the fry tank for heating the fluid as the fluid passes through the heat exchanger; a magnetic pump having an inlet in fluid communication with the tank interior and an outlet in fluid communication with the heat exchanger, the magnetic pump comprising: (i) a cylindrical driving magnet assembly having a circumference, wherein the cylindrical driving magnet assembly includes a plurality of driving magnets positioned in a spaced-apart manner around the circumference of the cylindrical driving magnet assembly, wherein the plurality of driving magnets are separated by a plurality of axially-aligned voids positioned therebetween around the circumference of the cylindrical driving magnet assembly; and (ii) an impeller magnet housing encasing at least one driven magnet, wherein the impeller magnet housing is concentric with and receivable by the cylindrical driving magnet assembly; and (iii) an impeller that rotates about a stationary ceramic shaft extending through the impeller when pumping the fluid, wherein the plurality of driving magnets and the at least one driven magnet samarium cobalt material that maintains magnetic properties when exposed to the fluid at temperatures in excess of 350° F., and wherein the magnetic pump is positioned in a substantially vertical orientation such that the inlet is positioned above the impeller; an electric motor mechanically coupled to the magnetic pump and operative to drive the impeller such that the fluid from the interior of the fry tank enters the inlet of the magnetic pump, is imparted with velocity by the impeller, is directed to the heat exchanger, is heated in the heat exchanger, and then is provided back to the interior of the fry tank.