Investigation into Safe Kitchen Utensil Design through Conductive and Convective Heat Transfer

Abstract

This study investigates the thermal performance of common kitchen utensils, focusing on conduction based heat transfer,  cooling rates, and insulation effectiveness. This is in order to investigate how the various properties impact the safety aspects  of kitchen utensils on its users. Three experiments were conducted to assess the influence and thermal conductivity of 
material type, surface area, and insulation. Using a thermal imaging camera, transient temperature changes and temperature 
gradients were able to be recorded. Further analysis applied Fourier’s Law and surface area-to-volume ratios to explain 
differences in heat transfer and cooling performance. Results showed how he increase in temperature increases the maximum 
temperature of the handle. However, made safe due to timbers exhibiting minimal heat conduction, meaning that heat does 
not travel up the handle presenting a hazard. Conversely, metal utensils demonstrated significantly higher heat transfer 
however, insulated variants reduce this significantly with the increase in surface area increases heat transfer. As a result, 
presenting their importance in safe utensil design. Procedural inconsistencies such as camera positioning, utensil placement, 
and environmental reflections were identified as key sources of error, obscuring precision and hindering repeatability. 
Recommendations for improved experimental setup are also discussed to increase data reliability in future studies.