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Introduction
This article takes an in-depth look at industrial ovens
You will learn more about topics such as:
What Is An Industrial Oven?
How Industrial Ovens Work
The Parts of Industrial Ovens
Types Of Industrial Ovens
And much more…
Chapter 1: What Is An Industrial Oven?
Industrial ovens are thermal processing machines used as heating chambers for drying, curing, and baking of foods, parts, and components. The main industries that use industrial ovens are chemical and food processing and electronics manufacturing. The label given to the heat treatment process describes the kind of property changes desired in a product when it is heated - dried, baked, or dehydrated. Industrial ovens can activate adhesives, fuse materials, heat set and shrink, preheat, sinter, melt, laminate, and thermal bond materials.
Industrial ovens can produce a wide range of temperatures. Higher temperature ovens are used for drying materials and are called kilns though they do not reach temperatures as high as the traditional ceramic kiln. Lower temperature industrial ovens do baking or curing and are found in factories or bakeries.
Industrial ovens come in many shapes and sizes. Some are similar to a home oven, while others are large enough to walk in. Some large versions have conveyors running through them to heat mass quantities of items in a short time. Larger industrial ovens can have many shelves and be used for baking several items such as loaves of bread. Portable industrial ovens can be installed in trucks or carts.
All industrial ovens have precise temperature controls. Drying ones remove moisture, while curing ovens cause chemical reactions between a coating and a product. Like a typical household appliance, some industrial ovens are designed for food preparation. Food production industrial ovens are larger and can reach higher temperatures than the common domestic oven.
Chapter 2: How Does An Industrial Oven Work?
Originally, industrial ovens, also known as commercial ovens, were designed for two functions: baking large amounts of food or curing industrial products. Through technological advances and manufacturer innovations, industrial ovens have been repurposed for multiple functions from laboratory and R and D testing to annealing to eliminate stress in a material.
There are several varieties of industrial ovens with the two main types being electrical and gas. When people think of an oven for industrial use, they envision the gas type where gas is ignited in the burner and a fan or blower distributes hot air around a load. This form of oven can reach temperatures close to 1000° F but traditionally operates at between 180° F to 500 o F. Gas heated ovens use convection to distribute heat and heat up quickly. They are good for heating irregular products. The force of the fan and blower causes heat to be lost due to the full saturation of the oven. Some users consider the process to be inefficient and costly.
Ovens fired by gas are available in direct and indirect configurations and can use propane or natural gas. They are more expensive than electrical types that have lower running costs. In a direct fired oven, heat transfer is done by radiation from flames. Indirect ovens use a heat exchanger to transfer heat to the load.
In hot water ovens or steam ovens, water passes through radiator coils to emit energy. They are the preferred choice for applications that require lower temperatures where quick heating time is not necessary. Before being turned on, a reservoir for water needs to be filled either manually or automatically. Since water boils at 212° F, a hot water oven is limited in its range of temperatures.
Electric ovens do not have any fans, blowers, or other moving parts. Heat is created by a resistor where resistance from electric current generates thermal energy. By controlling the flow of electricity, the temperature in the oven is easily managed. For many, electric ovens are a less expensive solution and do not produce pollutants or other negative emissions.
Chapter 3: What Are The Parts Of An Industrial Oven?
Every industrial oven is different and has terminology that applies specifically to the manufacturer‘s design. Regardless of the terms used to describe them, there are basic features that are found on the majority of industrial ovens. In general, every industrial oven includes a motor, exhaust system, a duct network, flame or temperature control, and some type of burner or heating element. Each of the various parts are described below.
Every industrial oven has a different motor depending on its application. The basic motor drives the oven‘s systems and provides energy for temperature control, fans, and heating coil. In most cases, the motor activates the heating process and controls all oven functions.
A key part of any type of heating process is the exhaust and recirculation systems. Industrial ovens require this part of the system to be well designed since it can serve the purpose of maintaining constant heat and make the oven energy saving. In convection, electric, and gas ovens, air circulation is essential for the oven‘s efficient operation.
The critical importance of the duct distribution network is to maintain constant air flow for venting. All industrial ovens depend on a well-designed ducting system to keep the oven in working order. The type of system varies between manufacturers and depends on the type of heating application.
For every industrial oven, purging is required prior to the oven being heated. It is part of the function of the recirculation system and removes flammable vapors or gases that may have entered the oven while it was not in use. It is essential that purging be completed prior to engaging the motor or activating the burner.
Flame safety and spark ignition controller manage the ignition and startup of the oven. It sends a high voltage signal to the ignition system, which opens a gas valve to the pilot. Once the pilot flame is detected, the voltage shuts down and the main gas valve opens. If the flame is not detected, the system closes. This form of control is found on gas ovens. Electrical ovens have temperature controls to monitor the heat of the resistor coil.
The type of burner varies between the types of ovens with direct fired types being supported by an electric motor, while others use radiant tube burners. Direct burners do not use a heat exchanger. The burner fired air is circulated directly into the oven. With a semi-indirect oven the burner is in a separate firing chamber with a blower system to direct the heat. The major emphasis with a burner is safety. Stipulations regarding the standards and specifications are supplied by manufacturers in compliance with federal regulations. Highly efficient burners produce very low nitrogen oxide waste.
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Chapter 4: Types Of Industrial Ovens
Though the initial industrial ovens had only two varieties, over the years, they have progressed into variations to fit the purposes of several industries from auto manufacturers to part molding and extrusion companies. While curing ovens cause a chemical reaction to bake a powder onto a surface, batch ovens are huge and can handle large numbers of products. Below is a list and description of each type of industrial oven including how they are used and operate.
Annealing Ovens
Annealing refers to the heating of a metal or other material and letting it cool very slowly. Its purpose is to soften the material, enhance its ductility, and make it possible to cold work the material. In some instances, annealing may be needed to make the material more malleable, provide stress relief, or create a new microstructure.
Gas burner systems, electric heaters, and radiant panels are used to heat annealing ovens. They can have a full inert gas system including seal welded interior panels, gas piping, control valves, and flow meters. Air in the oven can flow vertically in a top-down or bottom-up arrangement, horizontally in a cross flow or have combination of each.
Ovens can be equipped with differential airflow switches and have a conveying system, product tray, floor tracks, product carts, and floor designs. Optional features include welded structural steel framework, heavy gauge aluminized or stainless steel interior sheeting, an air distribution system, hinged access doors, modular build, high-density insulation, digital controls, and remote access controls. All annealing manufacturers conform to the codes established by the NFPA, IRI, FM, OSHA, JIC, NEC, UL and CE.
Baking Ovens
Baking ovens are thermal processing machinery designed for industrial and commercial baking. They combine curing and drying to provide a dry heating environment and are the most widely used for those purposes. They can be used to cure paint on parts to remove moisture from the air leaving a nice dry finish speeding up the drying process and improving productivity. The uniform heat of the oven ensures a flawless finish.
The food supply industry and packaged food industry use large industrial baking ovens such as batch ovens used for large quantities of food and conveyor ovens where products pass on a conveyor through a heating chamber. Art studios and university art programs make use of kilns, which are ovens used to harden sculpted clay projects. Forced convection ovens use a fan to circulate hot air evenly and are made for baking on a large scale. Infrared ovens provide evenness and efficiency in baking by transferring heat directly to the product.
Batch Ovens
Batch ovens heat items to a specific temperature and make it possible to process large quantities of items all at one time. They are used to pre-heating components prior to coating or finishing and used for drying, curing, and out gassing finished products. Materials for processing are placed in a static position for heat treatment and can be unusually shaped and loaded in different positions in the oven. Batch ovens are widely used for their inert atmosphere, cleanroom applications, thermal control, and tightly sealed processing.
The cost of batch ovens is higher than other forms of ovens but far less than conveyor ovens. The wide assortment of sizes, shapes, capacities, weights, and thermal requirements makes it possible to have a batch oven for any sized industry.
The operator of a batch oven uses a control unit to manage the heating of the oven, which can include a built-in vacuum system, air circulation system, and other options. The type of options depend on the industry where the oven is used. The sizes of batch ovens vary from bench top models to walk-in models. As with the sizes of batch ovens, heat sources vary from electrical elements, direct heating, and indirect burners. A common feature of batch ovens is outgassing, which is the releasing of trapped gasses from a product to prevent product deterioration.
Brazing Ovens
Brazing ovens braze two or more metals together by melting a filler metal into the joint between two metals, which have a higher melting point than the filler. When done in an oven, it is called "furnace brazing." Brazing ovens are widely used for industrial brazing because they include mass production and are easily operated by unskilled labor.
Furnace brazing is the best brazing method for mass production. Brazing ovens produce large numbers of small parts that are self-locating or easily jigged. Their controlled heat cycle makes it possible to heat parts that would be distorted under localized heating, eliminating the need for post brazing cleaning, and provides protection against oxidation. The advantages of using a brazing oven are low unit cost, close temperature control, and the ability to braze multiple joints at once. They are heated with gas, electricity or oil, depending on their application and type.
There are four standard types of brazing ovens: batch, continuous, retort with controlled atmosphere, and vacuum. Batch brazing ovens have low start-up costs and heat each part load separately. Continuous brazing ovens have a steady flow of similarly sized parts fed through the oven‘s hot zone by a conveyor belt. Retort ovens have a sealed lining called a "retort", which is sealed with a gasket or welded shut They are made of heat and oxidation resistant alloys. Vacuum brazing ovens are an economical method of oxide prevention and are used to braze materials with stable oxides that cannot be brazed in atmosphere ovens.
Conveyor Ovens
Conveyor or continuous ovens are used for mass production consumer products. A conveyor belt moves through an open oven. Ovens are available in different sizes depending on production needs and have a maximum temperature that is stabilized by a set of insulated steel walls. Conveyor or continuous ovens include a cooling zone, multiple heat zones, and exhaust hood. They minimize labor cost by the automation of the production process. This type of oven is used as a drying oven in most industries.
Continuous ovens are used in the food service industry. They require a lot of heat for baking food items such as sandwiches and pizza. The food that is produced maintains its flavor and taste because of the oven‘s moisture retention capabilities.
Electric Ovens
Electric ovens are powered by electricity that is forced into the oven chamber by convection. They are the most popular type of industrial oven due to their ability to heat up quickly and their longevity. The heating process is relatively inexpensive and does not produce any pollutants. Electric ovens can be plugged into any outlet, take up very little space, and have fans that distribute the heat. Heating is precision controlled for rapid heating of the oven chamber.
There are two effects that electric ovens produce in products, which are physical effects and chemical effects. Physical effects include heating a product and melting materials. Chemical effects are reduction without melting, synthesis, and calcination.
Although it may be assumed that gas ovens are less expensive, electric ovens can be cheaper and more efficient. A very popular and exceptionally efficient electric oven uses invisible electricity or infrared energy, which eliminates the need to heat the whole oven and has no fans or moving parts. Infrared energy happens in the electromagnetic spectrum, and heats products using the absorption of light.
Traditional electric ovens have resistive elements that heat up quickly, are robust, have precision temperature control, and cost less. They are ideal for dealing with products that are combustible or can be discolored by gas fire.
Quartz Infrared Ovens
Quartz infrared ovens are energy efficient ovens that instantly supply heat at the speed of light. They produce high frequency heat waves that move through the air without heating the air to objects that need heating. The molecules of materials being heated are excited by the heat energy and vibrate to raise the temperature of the materials being contacted. Ceramic has been used for years to manufacture infrared ovens and is used to isolate the heating elements and is able to withstand the extremely high temperatures. The problem with ceramics is the amount of heat that it absorbs, which is not the problem with quartz.
Replacing ceramics with quartz has radically enhanced the performance of industrial infrared ovens. Quartz has the same insulation properties and temperature resistance as ceramics with the additional benefit of being transparent to infrared energy. The heat energy that is generated by the heating element passes through the quartz material without being absorbed.
The process of a quartz infrared oven uses electromagnetic radiation to transfer heat to an object or material. The radiation is directly transferred by a beam projected from an electrically heated filament made of coiled tungsten wire or gas. Long wave infrared waves are used for heating industrial quartz infrared ovens due to their effectiveness.
Heat Treating Ovens
Heat treating ovens are a type of industrial oven, which are heated chambers used for industrial applications, including drying, curing or baking parts and final products. Heat treating ovens are used to alter the chemical and physical properties of metal or glass, including their hardness, tensile strength and toughness, through a three-step process of heating, cooling and reheating.
Heat treating ovens can generally be split into two groups: batch ovens and continuous ovens. Batch ovens are usually loaded and unloaded manually. Continuous ovens, on the other hand, have an automatic conveying system that provides a constant load into the oven chamber. Industries in which heat treating ovens are employed include: aerospace, automotive, composite and specialty materials, medical, dental and military and defense.
Forced Convection Ovens
Forced convection ovens use heated air that is circulated by a fan. They are used in production processes that require quick heat recovery with uniform heat distribution. Forced convection ovens have over temperature protection and adjustable intake and exhaust vents. Their operating temperatures are between 200°C and 300°C (392°F and 572°F) and are suitable for production applications that require tremendous heat.
The main benefit of forced convection ovens is their distribution and circulation of hot air to every part of the interior of the oven. The constant flow prevents cooler air from building up on the surface of the items being heated. The heating elements for a forced convection oven are located in a separate casing where a fan blows across the heating elements to flow hot air horizontally or vertically into the oven chamber.
The key advantage of forced convection ovens is their even and uniform distribution of heat to treat and dry samples quickly. This is an important factor in manufacturing environments that process and produce products rapidly. The second factor that is essential to the performance of a forced convection oven is the placement of samples such that the air flow is not restricted or reduced to certain areas. Additionally, every part of a forced convection oven, especially the fan, must be regularly checked to ensure everything is in peak running condition for optimum performance.
Laboratory Ovens
Laboratory ovens are thermal processing machines used in lab work and testing applications. In addition to manufacturing R&D applications, lab ovens are used in the healthcare industry as sterilization tools and in a number of research applications. A few of these applications include bio-chemical research, drug metabolism research, protein and starch digestion research and moisture content analysis.
While the applications of lab ovens are diverse and often specialized, the basic concept of an oven is not. An oven is an insulated, enclosed space that is heated in order to treat a product. From there the variations begin, but even specialized lab ovens exist to serve the purpose of thermal processing. Since all varieties of ovens originated in R&D departments, all varieties of ovens exist in lab settings.
Powder Coating Ovens
Powder coating ovens are thermal processing ovens that are used to dry finishes on metals, wood, ceramics and plastic products. Dry finishing and powder coating refer to the process of spraying a surface with a substance and fusing it to the surface with heat. Powder coating ovens improve adherence of powders to materials to increase product durability and corrosion and abrasion resistance and the integrity of the surfaces of products.
The process of powder coating involves the use of a thermoset or thermoplastic that has been granulated and formed into a powder, which is sprayed onto the surface of the object to be coated using an electric charge. Once the spray is applied, it could be assumed that the process is complete. In actuality, for the coating to securely adhere to the surface of an object, it has to be cured for a long period of time at 232°C (450°F) in an oven that is large enough to fit the volume of items to be powder coated.
The curing process adheres the coating firmly to the surface of the coated object. During the heating process, the coating becomes smooth and even, taking on the appearance of being applied with a paint brush. The types of temperatures required, the length of the heating, and types of coatings necessitate the use of a specialized oven to achieve high quality results. Direct heating is not possible and heating elements must be kept away from the objects being treated.
Natural Convection Ovens
Natural convection ovens, also known as gravity convection ovens, transfer heat from the heat source to the product through a mild airflow. They are used for baking, conditioning, sterilizing, curing, preheating, and aging, applications that do not require strict drying times or rates per application. Natural convection ovens must be carefully watched since they have a tendency to overheat.
The process of natural convection happens when thermal expansion occurs when heat is provided from a heat source. As molecules are heated, they move faster and collide, which gradually spreads until heat touches all parts of the oven chamber. Natural convection ovens use the natural movement of air to heat the interior of the oven. The natural air flow assists in providing a stable flow of air that reaches every corner and space.
Natural convection ovens are a less expensive alternative to curing and drying processes. They provide extremely high temperatures between 300°C to 700°C (572°F up to 1292°F) and have low turbulence for gentler drying cycles. Natural convection ovens come in various designs with some versions having precision controls and electronic monitoring accessories. The main attraction of natural convection ovens is their stability and reproducibility for all applications that require efficiency, safety, and ease of use.
Curing Ovens
Curing ovens cause chemical reactions in a product and are used to harden products made from rubber, plastics, and metals. They are used in manufacturing and are available in many varieties for numerous applications. Curing ovens are built with steel insulated panels, steel frames, and a heating element that is powered by electricity or natural gas.
The purpose of curing ovens is to induce the formation of bonds between monomers, which are created in the high temperature environment of a curing oven. The term curing oven is a generic term that covers a wide range of ovens that are used for the curing process. The variations between the different types of curing ovens is due to the conditions, requirements, and complexity of the monomers that are being treated, since each type presents a different set of temperatures and heating environments. The purpose of curing, much like that of coating, is to enhance the durability of a product and the product’s strength.
The purchase of a curing oven requires the examination of several factors since every curing process has to be adapted to fit the requirements of the material being cured. Although expense is normally the guiding principle for the purchase of most industrial equipment, it does not apply to curing ovens, which have to be specifically focused to the needs of the product.
Drying Ovens
Drying ovens are used to remove moisture and as a heat treatment method as part of the extrusion process for the sterilization of medical equipment. Air circulation for a drying oven can be natural or forced convection depending on the type and brand of oven. Vacuum drying ovens are used for powders, granular products, and electronic components. The determination of the temperature of a drying oven is based on the moisture content of the items to be dried, which is carefully measured before placing items in the oven.
The different varieties of drying ovens are used to perform a wide range of tasks beyond drying and sterilization. Some of the challenging functions drying ovens perform include
bonding of adhesives to substrate, preserving flowers, and dehydrating foods to increase their shelf life. Drying ovens vary in the technology they use to complete the different drying processes using an assortment of heating mechanisms for a variety of volume capacities. The major types of drying ovens are convection, rotary, conveyor, vacuum, and vertical with each type capable of performing the drying process to meet the needs of a specific application.
The variations in drying ovens include small and large batch drying ovens for industrial use. The food industry, pharmacology, agriculture, textile production, and R and D depend on drying ovens to test products, complete production, and ensure product quality.
Infrared Ovens
Infrared ovens are thermal processing ovens that transfer heat directly and are rapidly becoming the standard for industrial ovens. Heat from infrared ovens is more efficiently distributed to applications involving the drying or curing of complex components. Infrared ovens quickly preheat coated products in the initial curing stages. Hybrid industrial ovens use a combination of convection and infrared heating. Conveyor ovens rely on infrared heating elements as a cost effective and energy efficient heating method for maintaining oven temperatures evenly throughout the zones of the conveyor.
The heat source for an infrared oven is electromagnetic radiation that emits wavelengths of heat that are invisible to the human eye. The radiant heat is produced or converted from electrical or gas energy, which is heated by shields and reflectors and absorbed by the items being heated that are in direct line with the infrared beams that heat items that can absorb light.
The wide use of infrared ovens is due to how quickly they reach their set temperature and their low cost. The wavelengths of an infrared oven differ in accordance with the temperature being produced with longer wavelengths for low temperatures and shorter wavelengths for higher temperatures. The two factors that determine the temperature setting for an infrared oven are the material being processed and its thickness since every material has its own absorption curve.
Rotary Ovens
Rotary ovens are used to raise the temperature of materials in a continuous, indexed or manual cycle. Typical applications for a rotary oven include annealing, lean or cell based manufacturing, pre-heating, shrink fitting, and stress relieving. Rotary ovens rotate the material in a heated chamber through single or multiple heat zones. They can include recirculation fans, inert atmospheres, thermal and regenerative oxidizers, remote capabilities, UL or CE certified panels, PE certifications, and programmable controls with HMI technology. Rotary ovens produce heat using electricity, liquefied petroleum gas, natural gas, fuel oil, and steam.
The central component of rotary industrial ovens is a turntable that rotates in the oven chamber. Rotary ovens can have a single oven chamber in which the turntable rotates or multiple heat zones with loading and unloading occurring at a single zone for both types. The rotation of the turntable makes it possible for the items being heated to be exposed to heat from multiple angles for even and complete heating, which helps avoid certain portions of components from being overheated or having hotspots. The rotary design makes it possible to treat large volumes of components in a shorter amount of time.
The wide use of rotary ovens is due to their efficient heating process and ability to adapt to a wide range of materials and components. The speed at which items are processed makes rotary ovens a valuable tool for use in production facilities that have restrictive time schedules.
Tunnel Ovens
Tunnel ovens have a series of open-ended baking chambers connected with a metal belt with a baking platform carried on the belt. Products baked using a tunnel oven can either be baked directly on the hearth or a pan. Tunnel ovens come in two categories: direct gas fired and indirect gas fired. Direct gas fired bake products using air turbulence where baking happens in less time. They use a set of thermocouple sensors to provide zoned temperature controls and regulate the baking chambers. With flame above and below the baking material, products are very evenly heated.
Indirect gas fired tunnel ovens use oil, propane, or gas. Burners fire into a combustion chamber that supplies the heat for the baking chamber. The product bakes by heated ambient air. They have a mesh hearth allowing air to circulate in the chamber to uniformly bake the bottom of the product as it moves across the conveyor.
Tunnel ovens come in a variety of types and designs depending on how they will be used. They require little turnaround time between batches and operate on a continuous cycle. Food production and the automotive industry are major users of tunnel ovens.
Vacuum Ovens
Vacuum ovens control the atmospheric pressure in the heating chamber in order to remove contaminants, chemicals, and moisture from products. The main reason for the use of vacuum ovens is their ability to remove oxygen that can cause oxidation. Vacuum ovens control of the surface reaction of materials through use of sophisticated control systems that control the conditions in the heating chamber. For drying operations, vacuum ovens are able to dry items at a very low temperature, which makes the ovens ideal for drying sensitive materials.
As with other forms of industrial ovens, there are several different designs, configurations, and types of vacuum ovens all sharing the same function. The operating temperature of vacuum ovens is between 200°C up to 250°C (392°F up to 482°F). Modern designs of vacuum ovens have rugged high pressure chambers, precision analog or digital controls, a stainless steel structure, and sealing gaskets designed to withstand high pressure.
The main functions of a vacuum oven are moisture removal, off gassing, chemical reaction prevention, and bake out, a form of rapid off gassing. Vacuum ovens are ideal for removing moisture, especially for items that are fragile, delicate, or sensitive. Off gassing or out gassing removes liquid materials such as lubricants or sealants that may interfere with the performance of a product. Vacuums created in vacuum ovens makes it possible to remove chemicals from a product that could have a negative and potentially dangerous reaction.
Portable Oven
A special form of industrial oven is the portable variety. They function in the same way as other industrial ovens but are limited in capacity and size. The food service and production industries use portable ovens for the same purposes as traditional, larger industrial ovens. They are lighter and have wheels or handles for ease of mobility and are designed to heat much lower product volumes but have shorter preheating times. Since portable ovens are small, they can be stacked or set on a counter and have a maximum heating temperature of 1000° F. The majority of portable ovens are small batch designs and use the same fuels as other industrial ovens.
The size of portable ovens makes them ideal for use in laboratory ovens for R and D testing and the sterilization of medical tools. A few of their applications include bio-chemical research, drug metabolism research, protein and starch digestion research, and moisture analysis. Portable ovens provide a testing ground for new ideas and concepts in a controlled and enclosed environment.
Continuous Ovens
Continuous process ovens are ovens that repetitively operate to process products that travel through them. In many ways, they are similar to an assembly line in that products to be heat treated pass through continuous process ovens to have one or more heat treatments performed on various types of items. Continuous process ovens are capable of producing high volumes of goods using uniform and consistent heat regulated temperatures as the goods pass through the different chambers or zones of the oven.
The choice of a continuous oven is based on what results are required from the oven, the materials that will be treated, and how the oven fits the structure of the manufacturing process. Once these factors have been determined the oven design, temperature requirements, and belt material can be decided. The processes performed by a continuous oven include tempering, annealing, curing, pre-heating, drying, heat shrinking, and heat forming.
Continuous ovens are used in several industries including aerospace, defense, fiber optics, wood and metal finishing, plastics, rubber, industrial processing, pharmaceutical, electronics, printing, and automotive. The strength of continuous ovens is due to their welded steel structure and heavy gauge interiors capable of producing operating temperatures up to 676°C (1250°F). The structure of different continuous ovens includes flat conveyor belts, chain conveyors, ferris wheels, carousels, overhead trolleys, chain-on-edge conveyors, spindles, slats, strip cure, print plate, pusher ovens, dog beams, and wash draws.
Gas Ovens
The use of gas power for industrial ovens is due to gas power costing less than electricity. Gas powered ovens heat up quickly, maintain temperatures, and are capable of consistent operation over extended periods of time, which makes gas ovens ideal for products that require a long dwelling time. The types of gas used in a gas oven are propane and natural gas. The robust nature of gas powered ovens makes them more expensive to build and manufacture.
Of the two types of fuel, natural gas is less expensive than propane. In order for natural gas to be used as a source of power, gas lines must be accessible at a manufacturing facility. The expenses related to the construction of a gas oven and the plumbing of gas lines is amortized over time due to the longevity of gas industrial ovens.
Although propane is more expensive than natural gas for the operation of a gas industrial oven, propane is exceptionally energy efficient and produces 2.5 times the energy of natural gas. Propane is delivered in tanks, which eliminates the need to have gas lines plumbed to the oven.
Gas industrial ovens have the same performance capabilities as ovens powered by other sources of energy and include all of the different types. The three main types of gas industrial ovens are batch, conveyor, and vertical ovens, each of which perform drying, curing, sterilizing, annealing, tempering, and all of the normal applications of standard industrial ovens. Certain types of industrial applications are better performed using a gas powered oven, such as the manufacture of brake pads, linings, and the curing of coatings.
Conclusion
Industrial ovens are thermal processing machines used as heating chambers for drying, curing, and baking of foods, parts, and components
There are several varieties of industrial ovens with the two main types being electrical and gas.
Although the initial industrial ovens had only two varieties, over the years, they have progressed into variations to fit the purposes of several industries from auto manufacturers to part molding and extrusion companies.
Industrial ovens can produce a wide range of temperatures. Higher temperature ovens are used for drying materials and are called kilns though they do not reach temperatures as high as the traditional ceramic kiln. Lower temperature industrial ovens do baking or curing and are found in factories or bakeries.
Every industrial oven is different and has terminology that applies specifically to the manufacturer’s design. Regardless of the terms used to describe them, there are basic features that are found on the majority of industrial ovens.
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