Baking & Snack - September 2023 - 100

FRYING
tricity, limitations in handling electrical loads in a processing
plant, environmental regulations, tax savings
due to 'green' grants, adoption of a heat source to feed
different types of machinery are just some of the factors
that influence food processing companies when choosing
a continuous industrial fryer, " Mr. Menardo said.
" These factors can change significantly over time and in
function of geography. "
The costs of running fryers go beyond just the energy
used to run them.
" Gas is less money up front to purchase the fryer, howevAdvanced
filtration
saves producers time
as they don't have to
drain and clean fryer
kettles as often.
Topos Mondial Corp.
oil is its smoke temperature, which can often be lower than
that of conventional oils, " Mr. Jansse said. " Cooking temperatures
must be adjusted accordingly to facilitate the use
of these oils, and as a result PLC and HMI controls are increasingly
being incorporated into frying systems to allow
producers to accommodate different oils or raw materials. "
Best fryer for the job
Direct gas-fired fryers and electric fryers can both get the
job done, and each has advantages.
" Gas versus electric is definitely a different discussion
Maintaining equipment
will help ensure that
oil temperatures stay
constant.
Heat and Control
with every customer, " Mr. Moline said. " Depending on
where you're located in the world, you may have gas and
electric rates that are comparable, or they may be wildly different.
Most of the time electric is more expensive. Anytime
we're engaging a customer with a potential new frying
system, it's very common for us to run an operating cost
analysis on what it costs on an hourly basis to run an electric
fryer versus a gas fryer; then we help them decide what
makes the most sense for them. "
Several more considerations go into deciding which
kind of fryer to use.
" Factors such as availability and cost of gas and elecer
there are more costs for ventilation, fire suppression and
burner maintenance after purchase, " said Bruce Gingrich,
vice president of sales, WP Bakery Group USA.
Alan Craker, director of sales and business development,
Belshaw, pointed out some desirable features for electric
fryers.
" Electric fryers typically hold less oil - a shallower kettle
- are quieter in operation, easier to clean and cost less
to maintain than gas fryers, " he said.
Mr. Padilla said sustainability concerns have prompted
customers to ask for electric heat exchangers.
" We are in the process of exploring multiple electric
platforms for different types of heating: resistive, induction
and impedance, " he said. " We have found that all are
viable options with the factory location being the key factor
to determine which energy source is best. We are finding
an absence of infrastructure in many locations needed to
support the electrical energy demand to operate large frying
and baking systems. The infrastructure will require a
significant investment by the company to effectively employ
electric heating of equipment. We are also exploring
alternative fuel options, such as hydrogen, where water is
the result of the combustion process. "
Mr. Moline said that electric and thermal fluid fryers are
the company's recommended frying options.
" Both electric and thermal fluid operate at very low surface
temperatures, " he said. " The electric elements are very
low temperature and thermal fluid radiators are at a
very low temperature compared to a direct-fired
natural gas fryer. "
Both technologies allow for longer and wider
fryers because they provide a more even heat
throughout the fryer.
" Prior to the introduction of thermal fluid, the
largest gas-heated fryer we would make is approximately
32 feet long, " Mr. Moline said. " We
were seeing the market go bigger than that; 36 feet
is common. We're making fryers as long as 40 feet now. "
Keeping frying oil clean for as long as possible is more
sustainable and saves money for bakers and snack makers.
Following best practices and keeping equipment in top
shape can improve oil performance.
100 Baking & Snack September 2023 / www.bakingbusiness.com
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Baking & Snack - September 2023

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