Water Treatment for Combi Ovens and Steamers

Steam equipment is very susceptible to scale and corrosion problems. It is difficult to get the most out of cooking with steam without careful consideration of water quality.

Water is nature’s solvent. It contains, to some degree, everything it can dissolve on the way to your tap. Some of the most common contaminants found in water are the cause of operating inconsistencies, costly repairs and energy waste with combi and steam ovens. These problems can be avoided with the right water treatment system.

To choose the right water treatment technology you must know how your oven generates steam.

Boiler – A volume of water is contained in a boiler, steam generator or an open reservoir inside the oven. An open reservoir-style combi is sometimes referred to as “boilerless” but it generates steam like a boiler.

Flash – Water is dispensed directly onto a heated surface and instantly vaporized or ‘flashed’ into steam.

Let’s look at four types of contaminants that can be problematic and the OptiPure water treatment technologies used to deal with them:

1. Hardness (Scale)
The scale forming compounds of calcium and magnesium carbonate are found in most water supplies. The physics of generating steam results in the concentration and eventual precipitation of these dissolved minerals which forms hard scale in boilers, valves and fittings; and on elements, cabinet walls and glass.

2. Chlorides
Chlorides are common, active ions of dissolved solids in water that can cause pitting and corrosion. At high temperatures chlorides are particularly corrosive to stainless steel.

There are two fundamental ways to deal with Water Hardness and Chlorides

First, OptiPure can effectively eliminate problematic minerals by removing them. AMS (Advanced Membrane Separation) technologies are specially designed reverse osmosis systems that effectively eliminate scale from water hardness and corrosion from chlorides by removing problematic minerals. OptiPure AMS systems include integrated mineral addition or filtered blending features to produce water with the correct mineral content for steam applications.

Second, OptiPure can reduce the scaling tendency by inhibiting hardness minerals.
ScaleX2® is a non-chemical inhibitor technology that protects against scale at any hardness level in ovens with a ‘boiler/steam generator’. ScaleX2 works best when the water in the ovens boiler/steam generator is drained and replaced on a daily basis.
IsoNet® is a patented scale inhibiting technology that helps protect against scale at low to moderate hardness levels with ovens that use ‘boiler’ or ’ flash’ steam generation. IsoNet® also contains a corrosion inhibitor to help guard against corrosion.

3. Dirt & Sediment
Suspended particles of silt, dirt, rust and other debris causes wear on parts and can damage solenoids, valves and other fittings. Particulates settle as sediment and provide a catalyst for scale build-up.
OptiPure Filtration systems utilize gradient density-depth filtration. The larger dirt particles are trapped in the outer layers of the filter while smaller particles are trapped in the deeper layers as the gradient becomes denser. This gives OptiPure filters high dirt-load capacity and longer life without compromising water pressure and flow to equipment.

4. Chlorine
Chlorine is commonly used as a disinfectant in water supplies. It can cause pitting and corrosion in boilers and flash steam elements and on oven racks and other wetted surfaces.

OptiPure filtration systems include high quality activated carbon to reduce chlorine. The ‘rating’ (gallons/liters) for OptiPure systems indicates their “capacity” for chlorine reduction. OptiPure’s filter media is made of fine fibers coated with high quality powdered-activated carbon that filters out chlorine.

The system that you select must meet your equipment and usage requirements.

To enjoy the benefits of water treatment with your combi oven or steamer it is essential that the capacity (in gallons/liters) and flow rate (gallons/liters per minute) of the filtration system meets your real-world water usage requirements. OptiPure offers a range of water treatment systems with different performance characteristics to meet the demands of any steam equipment.

A system’s ‘rated capacity’ is typically based on its ability to reduce chlorine, taste and odor. OptiPure systems for combi oven and steamer applications are designed with the right ‘balance’ of treatment technologies. This means that, along with chlorine reduction, the integrated scale treatment technology is engineered to perform for the rated capacity of the system as well; assuring complete protection for the period between filter changes.

A detailed guide to understanding water-related problems with steam equipment and how to select the best system for your application is available. Click here to request OptiPure’s ‘Steam Equipment Water Filtration Application Guide’

The ‘OptiPure System Application Guide & Product Catalog’ provides more information about OptiPure Water Treatment Technologies and an easy-to-use system selection guide. (click on image to download)