BAKING OVEN WITH A CONVECTION FAN

Abstract

A baking oven for producing baked, preferably edible products, includes a plurality of openable and closable baking tongs provided along an endless conveyor, disposed consecutively in a row and passing through a baking mass application zone for application of a baking mass to an opened baking tong, a closing zone for closing the baking tongs, a baking chamber for baking the baked products in the closed baking tongs in which at least one heating configuration for heating the baking tongs located in the baking chamber is provided, an opening zone for opening the baking tongs and a baked product removal zone for removing the baked products from the opened baking tongs. At least one convection fan is provided which opens into the baking chamber at a distance from an extractor.

Claims

1-16. (canceled)

17. A baking oven for producing baked or baked and edible products, the baking oven comprising: an endless conveyor; a plurality of openable and closable baking tongs disposed in a row along said endless conveyor and consecutively passing through: a baking mass application zone for application of a baking mass to an opened baking tong; a closing zone for closing said baking tongs; a baking chamber for baking the baked products in said closed baking tongs, said baking chamber including a region having at least one heating configuration disposed in said baking chamber for heating said baking tongs; an opening zone for opening said baking tongs; and a baked product removal zone for removing the baked products from said opened baking tongs; a pre-head; a rear deflection point disposed in said baking chamber and a front deflection point disposed at a distance from said baking chamber in said pre-head, said endless conveyor and said baking tongs being deflected at said rear and front deflection points; said baking chamber being substantially closed and having a thermal insulation, an inlet opening for entry of said baking tongs, an outlet opening for exit of said baking tongs and an extractor for extracting baking chamber gases; at least one convection fan being at least one air blower opening into said baking chamber at a distance from said extractor, said at least one convection fan introducing or being configured to introduce secondary air into said baking chamber in an open-loop or closed-loop controlled manner to produce artificial convection; and said at least one convection fan producing a convection flow initially through an opening of said convection fan into said baking chamber, then through said region of said baking chamber having said at least one heating configuration and then through said extractor.

18. The baking oven according to claim 17, wherein said air blower of said at least one convection fan introduces or is configured to introduce only secondary air into said baking chamber in a closed-loop or open-loop manner to produce artificial convection.

19. The baking oven according to claim 17, wherein: said at least one convection fan causes said convection flow to open into said baking chamber in a vicinity of said rear deflection point or through a rear end wall of said baking chamber; or said at least one convection fan causes said convection flow to flow initially through said opening of said at least one convection fan into said baking chamber, then through said region of said baking chamber having said at least one heating configuration and then through said extractor; and a convection zone is provided in which no heating configuration is provided between said region of said baking chamber having said at least one heating configuration and said extractor.

20. The baking oven according to claim 17, wherein said baking tongs move in a main direction of movement, and said convection flow in said baking chamber runs at least one of along said main direction of movement or substantially horizontally before exiting from said extractor.

21. The baking oven according to claim 17, wherein: said baking tongs move in a main direction of movement; said baking chamber has a side opposite said rear deflection point; and said extractor opens into said baking chamber at a distance from said rear deflection point along said main direction of movement at least one of at said opposite side of said baking chamber or in a vicinity of said pre-head.

22. The baking oven according to claim 17, wherein said at least one heating configuration contains or is a radiant heating device or a wire mesh burner or a porous burner.

23. The baking oven according to claim 17, wherein said at least one heating configuration contains or is a radiant heating device or a wire mesh burner or a porous burner including a combustion zone for combustion of a pre-mixed air-fuel mixture including air being primary air for a combustion of fuel.

24. The baking oven according to claim 17, which further comprises an extraction fan for extracting the baking chamber gases through said extractor.

25. The baking oven according to claim 17, wherein said at least one convection fan includes two or more convection fans opening into said baking chamber separately from one another at different locations.

26. The baking oven according to claim 17, wherein: said at least one convection fan includes two or more convection fans opening into said baking chamber separately from one another at different locations and opening into said baking chamber in a vicinity of said rear deflection point or through a rear end wall of said baking chamber; or said at least one convection fan causes said convection flow to flow initially through openings of said at least one convection fan into said baking chamber, then through said region of said baking chamber having said at least one heating configuration and then through said extractor; and a convection zone having no heating configuration is provided between said region of said baking chamber having said at least one heating configuration and said extractor.

27. The baking oven according to claim 17, which further comprises an air preparation configuration including at least one of an air pre-heating system, an air filtering system, an air humidifying system or an air dehumidifying system.

28. The baking oven according to claim 17, which further comprises a configuration for closed-loop control of at least one of a temperature of supplied air, a temperature of removed baking chamber gases, a baking chamber humidity or a baking chamber temperature.

29. The baking oven according to claim 17, which further comprises a configuration for closed-loop or open-loop control of a volume flow of said at least one convection fan.

30. The baking oven according to claim 17, which further comprises a configuration for closed-loop or open-loop control of a heating power of said at least one heating configuration.

31. The baking oven according to claim 17, which further comprises a closed-loop control configuration including at least one sensor.

32. The baking oven according to claim 31, wherein said at least one sensor is at least one of a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a moisture sensor or a sensor for determining a volume of said convection flow of said at least one convection fan.

33. The baking oven according to claim 17, wherein said at least one convection fan includes two or more convection fans opening into said baking chamber separately from one another at different locations, said convection fans being configured to be open-loop or closed loop controlled separately.

Description

[0044] Subsequently the invention is further described by means of the figures.

[0045] FIG. 1 shows a schematic cutaway side view of an embodiment of a baking oven according to the invention.

[0046] FIG. 2 shows a schematic cutaway side view of another embodiment of a baking oven according to the invention.

[0047] Unless specified otherwise, the reference numbers correspond to the following components:

[0048] endless conveyor 1, baking tong 2, baking mass application zone 3, closing zone 4, baking chamber 5, opening zone 6, baked product removal zone 7, heating arrangement 8, rear deflection point 9, front deflection point 10, pre-head 11, thermal insulation 12, inlet opening 13, outlet opening 14, extractor 15, convection fan 16, convection flow 17, main direction of movement (of the baking tongs) 18, extractor fan 19, air preparation arrangement 20, sensor 21.

[0049] FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of an embodiment of a baking oven according to the invention. An endless conveyor 1 with baking tongs 2 is preferably moved continuously through a baking chamber 5 and through a pre-head 11. The baking tongs 2 which are fixed or can be fixed on the endless conveyor 1 are configured to be openable and closable. A baking mould in which the baking mass is baked in the baking chamber is formed between the two baking plates of a baking tong.

[0050] After passing through the baking chamber, the baking tong is conveyed into the pre-head 11 where it is opened in a first step in an opening region 6. In the following product removal zone 7 the baked product is removed from the opened baking tong 2 and transported away. In the following baking mass application zone 3 the baking tong 2 is again loaded with a baking mass. In the following closing zone 4 the baking tong 2 is again closed and conveyed in this closed position through the baking chamber 5. Optionally in all embodiments a locking device can be provided for locking the baking tongs. In particular for wafer products having a crispy-brittle consistency which are baked at high pressure and high temperature, such a locking device is necessary.

[0051] After closure of the baking tong 2, the baking tong 2 is conveyed along the endless conveyor 1 through an inlet opening 13 into the baking chamber 5. Directly after entry of the baking tong 2 into the baking chamber 5, the baking tong 2 passes through an evaporation zone. In this evaporation zone large parts of the volatile components of the baking mass are evaporated, with the result that a high gaseous volume flow emerges from the baking tong in this region. Preferably in all embodiments the extractor 15 opens into this evaporation zone of the baking chamber 5 so that the volatile components emerging from the baking tong 2 can be removed immediately by the extractor 15. In particular the extractor 15 comprises an extractor fan 19 which can extract the hot baking chamber gas from the baking chamber 5.

[0052] The baking chamber 5 is preferably provided with a thermal insulation 12. This thermal insulation 12 can in all embodiments substantially completely surround the baking chamber so that the effect of the thermal insulation 12 is optimized. The baking chamber walls and in particular the thermal insulation 12 however comprise inlet and outlet openings to the necessary extent. In particular, the baking tongs 2 must emerge through the outlet opening 14 and can enter through the inlet opening 13. The output of the convection fan 16 also enters through the wall of the baking chamber and therefore also through the thermal insulation 12 into the baking chamber 5.

[0053] Optionally further openings are provided in order to supply the heating arrangement 8 with fuel. The heating arrangements 8 can in all embodiments preferably comprise or be radiant heating devices such as, for example, wire mesh burners or porous burners. Optionally conventional burners are combined with radiant heating devices. Optionally only radiant heating devices are provided. These radiant heating devices are preferably operated with a pre-mixed gas-air mixture. This gas-air mixture is preferably burnt in a porous body such as, for example, in a metal foam, a ceramic foam or in a wire mesh. In all embodiments the heating arrangement 8 can be provided between the extractor 15 and the rear deflection point 9 of the endless conveyor. For example, the heating arrangement 8 can be arranged in the rear third of the baking chamber 5, in the rear half of the baking chamber 5 or in a large part of the baking chamber 5. In all embodiments in a baking oven that part located in the area of the rear deflection point 9 is designated as rear. The front region of the baking oven is in particular the region of the pre-head 11 and optionally the region in which the front deflection point 10 is also arranged.

[0054] The front deflection point 10 and the rear deflection point 9 correspond to those regions of the endless conveyor in which it is deflected. The deflection takes place, for example, via wheels, rotary frames, rollers or similar.

[0055] According to the invention, a convection fan 16 is provided. This convection fan 16 is in particular configured as an air blower and through the introduction of air produces an artificial convection flow 17 which flows through the baking chamber 5.

[0056] According to FIG. 1, the convection fan 16 opens through the rear end wall of the baking chamber 5 or the baking oven and in particular in the region of the rear deflection point 9 into the baking chamber 5. In all embodiments the convection flow 17 can substantially follow the main direction of movement 18 of the baking tongs 2, wherein optionally the baking tongs are moved against the convection flow 17 or with the convection flow 17. In particular, the convection flow 17 runs substantially horizontally through the baking chamber 5. In order to achieve a complete and uniform flow through the baking chamber 5, the extractor 15 is preferably arranged on one side of the baking chamber 5 and the opening of the convection fan 16 on the other side.

[0057] is According to an embodiment not shown however, the extractor 15 can also be provided in the rear zone and the opening of the convection fan 16 in the area of the pre-head 11.

[0058] In all the embodiments, an air preparation arrangement 20 can be provided. This air preparation arrangement 20 can for example comprise an air pre-heating device, an air filtering device, an air dehumidifying device or an air humidifying device. Optionally a plurality of said possibilities for air preparation can be used jointly or consecutively.

[0059] Optionally a sensor 21 or a plurality of sensors 21 are provided. For example, a temperature sensor, an air mass meter, a volume flow meter and/or a moisture meter are used. The data of these sensors 21 can be used for example to bring about an optimal regulation or control of the baking oven.

[0060] For example, one temperature sensor can be provided in the region of the extractor 15 in order to regulate the exhaust gas temperature of the extracted combustion chamber gases. For example, the combustion chamber temperature can also be measured in order to be regulated. Optionally, the air flow produced by the convection fan 16 or the power of the convection fan can be varied to vary the combustion chamber temperature. Optionally the combustion chamber temperature can also be varied by varying the moisture of the introduced air.

[0061] Optionally the air in the air preparation arrangement 20 is pre-heated to regulate the baking chamber temperature or other temperatures.

[0062] The variation of the heating power of the heating arrangement 8 can be included to regulate the optimal baking parameters.

[0063] FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of a baking oven according to the invention in a schematic side view. The elements of the embodiment of FIG. 2 correspond to those of FIG. 1. Unlike the embodiment of FIG. 1, two convection fans 16 are provided in the embodiment of FIG. 2. These convection fans 16 open into the baking chamber 5 at different points. Preferably both convection fans 16 open in the region of the rear deflection point 9 or through the rear end side of the baking chamber 5 into the baking chamber 5. Preferably the two fans open into the baking chamber 5 one above the other. Optionally the two convection fans 16 can be controlled and/or regulated independently of one another.

[0064] Optionally in all embodiments each of the convection fans 16 has its own air preparation arrangement 20. These air preparation arrangements 20 can be designed differently or the same or can be controlled and/or regulated independently of one another.