Convection oven and related cooking air flow system

A rack oven, comprising:

• a baking chamber;
• a door providing access to the baking chamber;
• a steam generator for providing moisture-containing air to the baking chamber;
• a heat exchanger section positioned outside the baking chamber and alongside a first wall of the baking chamber;
• at least one air outlet positioned in a first corner of the baking chamber and in flow communication with the heat exchanger section, the first corner adjacent the first wall of the baking chamber;
• at least one air inlet positioned in a second corner of the baking chamber and in flow communication with the heat exchanger section;
• and
• at least one blower positioned to circulate air through the oven, when the blower is operated air flows generally horizontally through the heat exchanger section, through the air inlet into the baking chamber, generally horizontally through the baking chamber, and through the air outlet back into the heat exchanger section;
• wherein the at least one air inlet comprises including a plurality of vertically spaced primary air flow openings and a plurality of vertically spaced secondary air flow openings smaller in size than the primary air flow openings, air flow through the secondary air flow openings creating eddies that affect an air stream exiting the primary air flow openings.

A rack oven, comprising:

• a baking chamber;
• a door providing access to the baking chamber;
• a steam generator for providing moisture-containing air to the baking chamber;
• a heat exchanger section positioned outside the baking chamber and alongside a first wall of the baking chamber;
• at least one air outlet positioned in a first corner of the baking chamber and in flow communication with the heat exchanger section, the first corner adjacent the first wall of the baking chamber;
• at least one air inlet positioned in a second corner of the baking chamber and in flow communication with the heat exchanger section;
• and
• at least one blower positioned to circulate air through the oven, when the blower is operated air flows generally horizontally through the heat exchanger section, through the air inlet into the baking chamber, generally horizontally through the baking chamber, and through the air outlet back into the heat exchanger section;
• and
• an air flow path open to receive ambient air from outside the oven, the air flow path in flow communication with a plurality of vertically spaced openings leading to the baking chamber for vertically distributing ambient air into the baking chamber.

A rack oven, comprising:

• a baking chamber;
• a door providing access to the baking chamber;
• a steam generator for providing moisture-containing air to the baking chamber;
• a heat exchanger section positioned outside the baking chamber and alongside a first wall of the baking chamber;
• at least one air outlet positioned in a first corner of the baking chamber and in flow communication with the heat exchanger section, the first corner adjacent the first wall of the baking chamber;
• at least one air inlet positioned in a second corner of the baking chamber and in flow communication with the heat exchanger section;
• and
• at least one blower positioned to circulate air through the oven, when the blower is operated air flows generally horizontally through the heat exchanger section, through the air inlet into the baking chamber, generally horizontally through the baking chamber, and through the air outlet back into the heat exchanger section;
• and
• wherein the at least one air inlet comprises a plurality of vertically distributed air inlets and the at least one air outlet comprises a plurality of vertically distributed air outlets, and wherein the air inlets and the air outlets are relatively positioned such that an angle Φ, relative to horizontal, between any given air inlet and the most vertically near air outlet does not exceed 30°.

An oven, comprising:

• a baking chamber including an air outlet for passing air out of the baking chamber during baking and an air inlet for passing air into the baking chamber during baking;
• a door providing access to the baking chamber;
• a plurality of in-shot burners;
• a heat exchanger section positioned outside the baking chamber, the heat exchanger section comprising a plurality of heat exchange tubes, wherein each in-shot burner of said plurality of in-shot burners is aligned for firing into a respective one of the heat exchange tubes;
• an air outlet flow path extending from the air outlet to the heat exchanger section and introducing air into the heat exchanger section toward a first axial side of the plurality of heat exchange tubes;
• an air inlet flow path extending from the heat exchanger section to the air inlet causing air to exit the heat exchanger section toward a second axial side of the plurality of heat exchange tubes;
• and
• at least one blower positioned for circulating air through the heat exchanger section, through the air inlet into the baking chamber, and through the air outlet back into the heat exchanger section, whereby air flows through the heat exchanger section from the first axial side of the heat exchange tubes, substantially along the axial length of the heat exchange tubes and to the second axial side of the heat exchange tubes;
• a mechanism for rotating a food product rack within the baking chamber;
• a steam generator for providing steam for condensation onto food product within the chamber.

An oven, comprising:

• a baking chamber including an air outlet for passing air out of the baking chamber during baking and an air inlet for passing air into the baking chamber during baking;
• a door providing access to the baking chamber;
• a plurality of in-shot burners;
• a heat exchanger section positioned outside the baking chamber, the heat exchanger section comprising a plurality of heat exchange tubes, wherein each in-shot burner of said plurality of in-shot burners is aligned for firing into a respective one of the heat exchange tubes;
• an air outlet flow path extending from the air outlet to the heat exchanger section and introducing air into the heat exchanger section toward a first axial side of the plurality of heat exchange tubes;
• an air inlet flow oath extending from the heat exchanger section to the air inlet causing air to exit the heat exchanger section toward a second axial side of the plurality of heat exchange tubes;
• and
• at least one blower positioned for circulating air through the heat exchanger section, through the air inlet into the baking chamber, and through the air outlet back into the heat exchanger section, whereby air flows through the heat exchanger section from the first axial side of the heat exchange tubes to the second axial side of the heat exchange tubes;
• and
• wherein each of the plurality of heat exchange tubes comprises a multi pass tube having at least two parallel tube sections connected by a bend, wherein the parallel tube sections extend substantially horizontally.

An oven, comprising:

• a baking chamber;
• a door providing access to the baking chamber;
• a heat exchanger section positioned outside the baking chamber;
• a plurality of vertically spaced air outlet openings in a baking chamber wall, each opening aligned with a respective, adjacent axial fan, the openings in flow communication with the heat exchanger section;
• a plurality of air inlet openings in a baking chamber wall and in flow communication with the heat exchanger section for passing heated air from the heat exchanger section to the baking chamber;
• when the axial fans are operated air flows generally horizontally through the heat exchanger section, through the air inlet into the baking chamber, generally horizontally through the baking chamber, and through the air outlet openings and back into the heat exchanger section.