Forced steam bulk food cooker/blancher

An improved continuous-process cooker and blancher for cooking and blanching a depth of bulk food particles, comprising:

• a belt conveyor running longitudinally within the cooker and blancher to support and move a continuous flow of bulk food particles therein, the belt conveyor being perforated to allow fluid to pass through the belt conveyor;
• opposed sidewalls extending longitudinally along the belt conveyor above its lateral edges to maintain a depth of bulk food particles on the belt conveyor between the sidewalls;
• and
• fluid pressure means for forcing steam through said depth of bulk food particles contained between the longitudinal sidewalls on the belt conveyor, and through the perforated belt conveyor;
• wherein the fluid pressure means comprises:
• first and second steam plenums over said depth of bulk food particles;
• and
• first and second fans which communicate with the first and second steam plenums, respectively, the first fan being positioned to create a positive pressure within the first steam plenum, the second fan being positioned to create a negative pressure within the second steam plenum.

An improved continuous-process cooker and blancher for cooking and blanching a depth of bulk food particles, comprising:

• a belt conveyor running longitudinally within the cooker and blancher to support and move a continuous flow of bulk food particles therein, the belt conveyor being perforated to allow fluid to pass through the belt conveyor;
• opposed sidewalls extending longitudinally along the belt conveyor above its lateral edges to maintain a depth of bulk food particles on the belt conveyor between the sidewalls;
• and
• fluid pressure means for forcing steam through said depth of bulk food particles contained between the longitudinal sidewalls on the belt conveyor, and through the perforated belt conveyor;
• wherein the pressure means comprises a hood over said depth of bulk food particles, the hood including the opposed sidewalls and having transverse seals at its longitudinal ends to seal against said depth of bulk food particles on the belt conveyor and to form a steam plenum over said depth of bulk food particles.

An improved continuous-process cooker and blancher for cooking and blanching a depth of bulk food particles, comprising:

• a belt conveyor running longitudinally within the cooker and blancher to support and move a continuous flow of bulk food particles therein, the belt conveyor being perforated to allow fluid to pass through the belt conveyor;
• opposed sidewalls extending longitudinally along the belt conveyor above its lateral edges to maintain a depth of bulk food particles on the belt conveyor between the sidewalls;
• and
• fluid pressure means for forcing steam through said depth of bulk food particles contained between the longitudinal sidewalls on the belt conveyor, and through the perforated belt conveyor;
• a sealed housing containing the belt conveyor and the pressure means;
• the pressure means comprising (a) a steam plenum over said depth of bulk food particles and (b) a fan which communicates with the steam plenum to force steam through said depth of food particles beneath the steam plenum and through the perforated belt conveyor;
• said steam being recirculated through the sealed housing.

A continuous-process cooker and blancher for cooking and blanching a depth of bulk food particles, comprising:

• a belt conveyor running longitudinally through the cooker and blancher to support and move a continuous flow of bulk food particles therein, the belt conveyor being perforated to allow fluid to pass through the belt conveyor;
• a hood over the belt conveyor, the hood including opposed sidewalls extending longitudinally along the belt conveyor above its lateral edges to contain a depth of bulk food particles on the belt conveyor between the sidewalls, the hood being sealed against said depth of bulk food particles on the belt conveyor to form a steam plenum over said depth of bulk food particles;
• steam outlet means for emitting steam;
• a fan which communicates with the steam plenum to force the steam through said depth of bulk food particles contained between the sidewalls on the belt conveyor and through the perforated belt conveyor.

A forced-steam cooker and blancher for cooking and blanching a depth of bulk food particles, comprising:

• an extended particle support surface which is perforated to allow fluid to pass through the particle support surface;
• walls extending upwardly from the particle support surface to contain a depth of bulk food particles on the support surface;
• and
• fluid pressure means for forcing steam through a depth of bulk food particles contained within the walls on the support surface and through the perforated particle support surface;
• the pressure means comprising a hood over said depth of bulk food particles, the forced-steam cooker and blancher further comprising means for raising and lowering the hood, the hood being sealed against said depth of bulk food particles on the particle support surface when the hood is lowered.

A forced-steam cooker and blancher for cooking and blanching a depth of bulk food particles, comprising:

• an extended particle support surface which is perforated to allow fluid to pass through the particle support surface;
• walls extending upwardly from the particle support surface to contain a depth of bulk food particles on the support surface;
• and
• fluid pressure means for forcing steam through a depth of bulk food particles contained within the walls on the support surface and through the perforated particle support surface;
• a sealed housing containing the perforated particle support surface and the pressure means;
• the pressure means comprising (a) a steam plenum over said depth of bulk food particles and (b) a fan which communicates with the steam plenum to force steam through said depth of food particles beneath the steam plenum and through the perforated particle support surface;
• said steam being recirculated through the sealed housing.

A forced-steam cooker and blancher for cooking and blanching a depth of bulk food particles, comprising:

• an extended particle support surface which is perforated to allow fluid to pass through the particle support surface;
• walls extending upwardly from the particle support surface to contain a depth of bulk food particles on the support surface;
• and
• fluid pressure means for forcing steam through a depth of bulk food particles contained within the walls on the support surface and through the perforated particle support surface;
• a sealed housing containing the perforated support surface and the pressure means;
• the pressure means comprising (a) a steam plenum over said depth of bulk food particles and (b) a fan which communicates with the steam plenum to force steam through said depth of food particles beneath the steam plenum and through the perforated particle support surface;
• said steam being recirculated through the sealed housing;
• the forced-steam cooker and blancher also comprising steam outlet means within the sealed housing outside the steam plenum.