Oven with improved drag

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11589593-B2
Application number	US-201615775071-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2016
Priority date	Nov 17, 2015
Publication date	Feb 28, 2023
Grant date	Feb 28, 2023

Abstract

The present invention relates to an oven comprising: —a first chamber and a second chambers, which are separated by separation means—conveyor means for guiding products from the inlet through these chambers to the outlet, —temperature control means for controlling the temperature and/or humidity in each chamber individually using a fluid, respectively, and—a passage in the separation means through which the conveyor means are directed from the first chamber to the second chamber.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for operating an oven comprising a first chamber and a second chamber, the method comprising:
cooking a product in the first chamber and in the second chamber with a heated fluid,
transporting the product with a conveyor means in a transporting direction, from an inlet of the oven, through the first chamber and the second chamber, to an outlet of the oven, the conveyor means are at least partially arranged in a helical path,
wherein the oven comprises a separation means to separate the first chamber and the second chamber, the conveyor means pass through the separation means,
wherein the method comprises establishing a pressure difference or establishing and reducing the pressure difference between the heated fluid in the first chamber and the heated fluid in the second chamber in a region of the separation means,
wherein the method comprises adjusting a dewpoint of the heated fluid in the first chamber and in the second chamber by adjusting a recirculation rate of the heated fluid in the first chamber and in the second chamber,
wherein the dewpoint of the heated fluid is lower in the first chamber than in the second chamber, and the first chamber has a higher recirculation rate than the second chamber, and
wherein the first chamber is located further downstream than the second chamber, relative to the transporting direction of the product through the oven.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the separation means comprises a passage, and the pressure difference is established between both sides of the passage in the separation means.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein one circulation means is provided in each of the first chamber and the second chamber, which recirculates the heated fluid in each of the first chamber and the second chamber at a flow rate, and
wherein the flow rate is at least temporarily different in at least one of the first chamber and the second chamber to establish or reduce the pressure difference between the first chamber and the second chamber.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method comprises:
i) forming the heated fluid by injecting a fluid into at least one of the first chamber and the second chamber and then heating the fluid, and/or
ii) forming the heated fluid by sucking the fluid into at least one of the first chamber and the second chamber, and then heating the fluid, and/or
iii) establishing a density difference between the heated fluid in the first chamber and the second chamber, and/or
iv) sucking an exhaust-gas out of at least one of the first chamber and the second chamber to establish or reduce the pressure difference between the first chamber and the second chamber.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a drag is induced between the first chamber and the second chamber, and
wherein an amount of the drag is controlled by the pressure difference.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein air is dragged into one of the first chamber and the second chamber.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the air is dragged into the first chamber which has the higher recirculation rate than the second chamber, and an amount of the air is adjusted by adjusting a difference between the recirculation rate in the first chamber and the second chamber.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a drag is in counter-flow to the transporting direction of the product.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the oven comprises an exhaust fluid stream.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the exhaust fluid stream is utilized to pre-heat the product.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method comprises inducing the heated fluid to flow between the second chamber and the first chamber by creating the pressure difference between the second chamber and the first chamber.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the method comprises drawing air into the second chamber.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the method is free of any steps of drawing air into the first chamber.

14. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the method comprises creating the pressure difference between the first chamber and the second chamber by: forming the heated fluid by injecting a fluid into at least one of the first chamber and the second chamber and then heating the injected fluid; sucking an exhaust gas steam out of at least one of the first chamber and the second chamber; creating a density difference of the heated fluid in at least one of the first chamber and the second chamber; changing the recirculation rate of the heated fluid in at least one of the first chamber and the second chamber; or a combination thereof.

15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method comprises sucking the heated fluid from inside the first chamber and/or inside the second chamber by recirculating means and then forcing the heated fluid back into the same first chamber and/or the second chamber.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein prior to the step of forcing the heated fluid back into the same first chamber and/or the second chamber, the method comprises distributing the heated fluid according to a pattern by distributing means.

17. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the separation means is a metal wall, and
wherein the method comprises reintroducing the heated fluid into the first chamber or into the second chamber, and prior to the reintroducing step, the method comprises: distributing the heated fluid according to a pattern by a distribution means, wherein the distribution means comprises a plate with holes; and wherein the pressure of the heated fluid upstream from the distribution means is higher than the pressure of the heated fluid downstream of the distribution means.

18. A method for controlling an oven comprising a first chamber and a second chamber, the method comprising:
cooking a product in the first chamber and in the second chamber with a heated fluid,
transporting the product with a conveyor means in a transporting direction, from an inlet of the oven, through the first chamber and the second chamber, to an outlet of the oven, the conveyor means are at least partially arranged in a helical path,
wherein the oven comprises a separation means to separate the first chamber and the second chamber, the conveyor means pass through the separation means,
wherein a pressure difference between the heated fluid in the first chamber and the heated fluid in the second chamber in a vicinity of the separation means is controlled,
wherein the method comprises adjusting a dewpoint of the heated fluid in the first chamber and in the second chamber by adjusting a recirculation rate of the heated fluid in the first chamber and in the second chamber, and
wherein the first chamber has a higher recirculation rate than the second chamber and is located further downstream than the second chamber, relative to the transporting direction of the product through the oven.

19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein a recirculation rate of gas in one of the first chamber and the second chamber is controlled.

20. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the heated fluid flows from the second chamber to the first chamber due to the pressure difference between the heated fluid in the first chamber and the heated fluid in the second chamber.

21. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the separation means is a metal wall, and
wherein the method compris

Assignees

• Gea Food Solutions Bakel Bv

Inventors

• Kop Ben
• Verbruggen Paul

Classifications

• F27B9/40

  Arrangements of controlling or monitoring devices · CPC title

• A21B1/48 Primary

  with surfaces in the form of an endless band · CPC title

• A23L5/17

  in a gaseous atmosphere with forced air or gas circulation, in vacuum or under pressure · CPC title

• F27B9/3005

  arrangements for circulating gases · CPC title

• A21B1/42 Primary

  characterised by the baking surfaces moving during the baking · CPC title