How Pressure Cooker Works Principle

Pressure cookers have been around for generations, but despite their popularity in the kitchen, many still don’t realize how they actually work. In this article, we’ll discuss the science behind pressure cooking, examine what makes pressure cookers so successful, and address common questions like “why do pressure cookers explode” and “pressure cooker burst.”

A pressure cooker is a closed pot that cooks food faster than normal cooking by using the increase of steam and pressure. That holds in steam, producing a high-pressure environment that cooks food faster than boiling or baking. The basic principle is the relationship between temp and pressure: As the pressure increases, the boiling point of the water gets higher, which enables the food to cook at higher temps.

This concept isn’t new. The dynamic pot has reinvented cooking in thousands of homes over the decades Pressure cooker was first invented by the French-born physicist Denis Papin in 17th century. Nonetheless, modern pressure cookers had safety mechanisms in place and are now a regular feature in kitchens around the globe.

So let’s take a closer look at the mechanics of why a pressure cooker can cook food so quickly.

After adding food and liquid to the pressure cooker and closing its lid, the pot is locked tight. When a pot he is boiling water on heats up the water, a transformation occurs. The steam is contained in the sealed cooker, which raises the pressure within. That pressurization pushes the steam and heat into the food, allowing it to cook more quickly than it would in an open pot.

Water, or any liquid that you’re using inside the pressure cooker, is essential because that’s what creates the steam that creates pressure. At sea level, water boils perfectly fine at 100°C (212°F) under normal conditions. But in a pressure cooker, the pressure builds, and the temperature increases. The boiling point of water can be elevated up to 120 °C (250 °F) or even more depending upon the design of cooker which dramatically reduces cooking time.

The next generation of pressure cookers have multiple fail-safes built in to help avoid disasters. These include:

These elements allow the pressure to remain at a healthy level, ensuring that cooking is fast, but also safe.

In areas of high altitude with lower atmospheric pressure, water boils below 100°C, this can delay cooking times. But a pressure cooker counterbalances that by lowering the pressure to artificially raise it, increasing the internal boiling point and enabling them to cook food quicker even in high altitudes​​.

Today, pressure cookers have many safety mechanisms (like locking lids and pressure release valves) that ensure you cannot open the lid while it is under pressure, and can safely release excess steam. Such features minimize the hazards of earlier designs and prevent pressure cooker explosions

Pressure cookers provide a lot more than quick cooking. They’re energy-efficient, preserve more nutrients and flavors in food, and can be used to cook a wide range of things — from stews and soups to grains and desserts.

How a Pressure Cooker WorksPrinciples of Pressure Cooker: Based on the principles of thermodynamics and gas laws with consideration of the relationship between pressure, temperature and boiling point. Thermodynamic principles of pressure cookers. Under normal cooking conditions, water boils at 100°C (212°F) at sea level; when you raise the pressure, the boiling point increases. That’s why the water in a pressure cooker can go above 100 degrees Celsius (212 degrees Fahrenheit), cooking food more quickly.

The trick to this is the Ideal Gas Law (PV=nRT) which describe how pressure will go up as the temperature rises in the enclosure. When you heat water in a pressure cooker, it turns into steam, and the pressure builds up inside the sealed container. Because of the heat in the cooker, steam molecules inside collide more times with the walls of the cooker, thus increasing pressure and raising cooking temperatures.

Steam is better than air at transferring heat to food, which is why food cooks faster and more evenly. In a sealed environment, the cooker traps moisture, preventing the food from drying out.

Today’s pressure cookers have safety valves that vent excess pressure so that they do not explode. These mechanisms help make sure that you are cooking your food while preventing any accidents, and they are one of many reasons why people use pressure cookers to make food super fast while also keeping those nutrients and flavors in.

There are all kinds of myths around pressure cookers that can cause confusion — or much worse. Let’s straighten out some of the most common of those:

Owing to all the advancement in pressure cooking, those things are relics of the past, modern pressure cookers comes with lot of features, pressure release valves, locking systems, automatic shut off. They are very safe if used properly.

Although that is true — when a pressure cooker is improperly used accidents do occur — a pressure cooker itself is meant to hold in high pressures and not explode. So long as you’re adhering to the manufacturer’s instructions and the cooker is maintained, there’s little chance that it’ll explode.

Pressure cookers are not one-size-fits-all. Stovetop models and electric models, and they have different features or ways to cook. Electric pressure cookers—the Instant Pot is the most common of the category—tend to be easier for novices to use because these devices have extra safety features; you won’t have to worry as much about managing pressure levels.

Knowing how a pressure cooker works and the principles behind its design helps you better utilize this time-saving kitchen gadget. Knowing the science behind steam, pressure and temperature will put the cooking of food into your hands, too, making it more efficient and safe. So make sure, as always, to observe safety guidelines to prevent common problems, including over-pressurization or misuse. Your pressure cooker will be a trusty kitchen sidekick for many years, if you give it a little love.

So next time you’re whipping up a hearty stew or some tender beans, you’ll appreciate a little more the simple yet brilliant mechanics at play in your pressure cooker! Happy cooking!