The thermal cutoff in a rice cooker is a safety feature designed to prevent overheating and potential hazards. It works by monitoring the temperature inside the rice cooker and disconnecting the power supply if the temperature exceeds a certain preset limit. Here's how the thermal cutoff works in a rice cooker:

Temperature Sensing: Inside the rice cooker, there is a temperature-sensitive component, often called a thermal sensor or thermal fuse. This component is typically located near the heating element or in a position where it can detect the temperature of the internal cooking environment.

Preset Temperature Limit: The thermal cutoff is set to a specific temperature limit during manufacturing. This temperature limit is chosen to be well below the temperature at which the rice cooker or its components might become a fire hazard.

Normal Operation: During normal operation, as the rice cooker heats up to cook the rice, the temperature inside gradually rises. The thermal sensor constantly monitors this temperature.

Activation: If, for any reason, the temperature inside the rice cooker exceeds the preset temperature limit, the thermal sensor detects this rise in temperature.

Power Disconnection: Once the thermal sensor detects that the temperature has surpassed the safety threshold, it triggers a mechanism to disconnect the power supply to the heating element and any other electrical components. This effectively shuts down the rice cooker's heating element and prevents it from getting any hotter.

Cooling Period: After the thermal cutoff is activated, the rice cooker enters a cooling phase. The heating element remains off until the temperature drops below the preset limit.

Reset: In some rice cookers, the thermal cutoff may automatically reset itself once the temperature returns to a safe level. In others, it may require manual intervention to reset and resume cooking.

The thermal cutoff serves as a crucial safety mechanism, especially in situations where the rice cooker experiences a malfunction, overheats due to a lack of liquid, or encounters other issues that could potentially lead to a fire or damage to the appliance. By disconnecting power when temperatures become unsafe, it helps prevent accidents and ensures user safety. Users should never bypass or disable this safety feature, as it is a critical component of a rice cooker's safety system.