Importance

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Abstract

Shrimp and other food products carried on a plastic modular conveyor belt are efficiently cooked at atmospheric pressure in the presence of saturated steam protected by a confining receptacle from dilution by insulating air. The steam condenses by transfer of cooking energy, the condensate dropping downwardly in the receptacle by gravity. By passing products through the constant 212 degree F. saturated steam zone residing at the upper portion of the cooking receptacle, the belt speed and distance through a modular cooking compartment control the cooking time for uniform production. The steam is replenished through a proportional flow valve to replace only that amount of steam expended in cooking. Thus, temperature is sensed at a cooler position under the saturated steam cooking zone where temperature is typically 190-200 degrees to detect variations of the amount of steam condensed in exchange of heat in cooking the product, and to proportionately control the flow of replacement saturated steam. Critical control of cooking receptacle rejection of contaminating air maintains a substantially static pure saturated steam layer in the upper portion. The lower portion contains lower temperature air/vapor mixture. This permits simplified fully automatic steam replenishment as a function of sensed temperature and thus produces efficient cooking without losses of energy from either excessive steam flow or dilution of saturated steam cooking efficiency from air or fluid vapors admitted into the cooking receptacle.

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First Claim