An apparatus such as a domestic oven incorporates an induction motor which drives a fan. The temperature of the circulating gas and the slip of the rotor, coupled to the fan, are used to determine the humidity of gas within the oven. The temperature of the stator coil is also taken into account. The fan is driven with relatively high torque to maximize the signal to noise ratio. The fan may be provided as the main fan or as a secondary fan dedicated to humidity measurement. In either case the fan has a long operational lifetime.

There is provided a cooking appliance having an oven cavity, a fan, a heater, and a convection shroud. The fan is configured to circulate air heated by the heater to redistribute the air throughout the oven cavity. The heater configured both to heat the expelled by the fan and to generate steam from water in which the heater is immersed within a water reservoir. In described embodiments, the water reservoir is part of the convection shroud and is formed or attached together with a fan cover thereof.

There is provided a cooking appliance having an oven cavity, a fan, a heater, and a convection shroud. The fan is configured to circulate air heated by the heater to redistribute the air throughout the oven cavity. The heater configured both to heat the expelled by the fan and to generate steam from water in which the heater is immersed within a water reservoir. In described embodiments, the water reservoir is part of the convection shroud and is formed or attached together with a fan cover thereof.

A method of cooling a heating apparatus includes a heating chamber. The method includes accumulating condensate in the heating chamber, monitoring a pressure in the heating chamber, and controlling the pressure in the heating chamber by venting the heating chamber to thereby controllably permit vaporisation of the condensate that cools the heating chamber. The pressure is controlled to maintain a rate of cooling of the heating chamber within a predetermined range. A heating installation is configured to perform the method. A cooling unit may be connected to a heating apparatus to cool the heating apparatus using the method. A method may be used for retrofitting the cooling unit to a heating apparatus to form the heating installation.

An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a toaster oven including: a cooking chamber; an air passage; and a fan. The cooking chamber includes a side wall and a top wall. One of the side wall and the top wall is provided with an air inlet in communication with a cooking space of the cooking chamber. The other of the side wall and the top wall is provided with an air outlet in communication with the cooking space. The air passage between the air inlet and the air outlet is disposed outside the cooking chamber. The fan blows air from the air inlet to the air outlet through the air passage.

An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a toaster oven including: a cooking chamber; an air passage; and a fan. The cooking chamber includes a side wall and a top wall. One of the side wall and the top wall is provided with an air inlet in communication with a cooking space of the cooking chamber. The other of the side wall and the top wall is provided with an air outlet in communication with the cooking space. The air passage between the air inlet and the air outlet is disposed outside the cooking chamber. The fan blows air from the air inlet to the air outlet through the air passage.

A steam generator and a cooking apparatus having a steam generator are provided. The steam generator may include a steam generation tube; an inflow tube configured to provide a passage so that water is introduced into the steam generation tube; at least one heater disposed on an outer surface of the steam generation tube to heat the water and generate steam; a discharge tube disposed above the steam generation tube to provide a passage so that the steam is discharged; and an adaptor unit configured to branch discharge water and the steam discharged from the discharge tube. The discharge tube may have an inner diameter that gradually increases in an upward direction.

An oven appliance includes a cabinet extending vertically between a top portion and a bottom portion. The cabinet defines a cooking chamber configured for receipt of food items for cooking. The oven appliance also includes a combustion heating assembly. The combustion heating assembly includes a tubular combustion chamber extending from an inlet to an outlet. The outlet of the tubular combustion chamber is in thermal communication with the cooking chamber to provide combustion gas from the tubular combustion chamber to the cooking chamber. The combustion heating assembly also includes a burner in fluid communication with the tubular combustion chamber via the inlet of the tubular combustion chamber. Combustion products from the burner mix with secondary air within the tubular combustion chamber to produce the combustion gas.

An oven appliance includes a cabinet extending vertically between a top portion and a bottom portion. The cabinet defines a cooking chamber configured for receipt of food items for cooking. The oven appliance also includes a combustion heating assembly. The combustion heating assembly includes a tubular combustion chamber extending from an inlet to an outlet. The outlet of the tubular combustion chamber is in thermal communication with the cooking chamber to provide combustion gas from the tubular combustion chamber to the cooking chamber. The combustion heating assembly also includes a burner in fluid communication with the tubular combustion chamber via the inlet of the tubular combustion chamber. Combustion products from the burner mix with secondary air within the tubular combustion chamber to produce the combustion gas.

A catering box with active climate control is configured to transport “delicate” foods, such as grilled cheese sandwiches, hot dogs, and hamburgers, without inducing substantial sogginess in the bread of those food items. The catering box includes a heat mass configured to retain heat generated by a hot plate and to then radiate that heat, during transport, after the hot plate has been disconnected from a power source. In addition, the catering box includes an exhaust fan that actively controls internal specific humidity levels in order to prevent moisture from settling within the bread of stored food items. A microcontroller within the catering box monitors temperature and absolute humidity levels, computes the current specific humidity level, and then selectively engages or disengages the exhaust fan in response. With his approach, the catering box may limit the degree to which humidity settles within the bread of delicate food items stored within.