Steam Infusion

What is Steam Infusion?
Steam Infusion is also a direct contact heating process, however in this method, steam condenses on the surface of a pumpable food product, gently yet rapidly heating a variety of food ingredients and products including milk , cream , soups and sauces .
The core operating principle of Steam Infusion is that of disruption, which is controllable, enabling standardised batch cooking time and time again. The disruption process creates a negative pressure condition to aid thermal and kinetic energy transfer to the fluid being processed. Special profiling in the form of an annular nozzle within the steam chamber accelerates the velocity of the steam to above the speed of sound to cause maximum disruption when it hits the liquid. As the steam passes into the mixing chamber, the steam disrupts the fluid flow and breaks it into small droplets, referred to as the vapour phase. Diagram 1.1 shows how the process creates an environment of vaporised product surrounded by high energy steam. This vapour provides a significant surface area for the steam to condense into as the pressure rises, heating the fluid extremely rapidly yet very gently as it is a uniform process, which is referred to as the condensation shock-wave.