GAS-FIRED COOKING EQUIPMENT:
A NATURAL LEADER OVER ELECTRIC
By David Furdas
Friday, February 6, 2009
More recently, the food service industry has witnessed major improvements in natural gas-fired commercial cooking equipment. Ongoing improvements are geared towards making gas-fired commercial equipment more efficient, productive, affordable and easier to use and keep clean. The industry is switching to natural gas mainly due to the constant increase in the cost of energy, especially electricity. As a result, consumers are looking to utilities for solutions to lower their energy costs. Switching to natural gas is one of the solutions as the cost per unit energy of natural gas compared to electricity is much lower.
Here’s a look at some common commercial kitchen equipment.
OVENS
The natural gas convection oven is the most common type of oven sold today. It accounts for between 50 and 60 per cent of total oven sales.
Burners on all convection ovens are atmospheric.
The advantages of convection ovens over standard ones are increased cooking speed and heating capacity.
Other types of ovens include deck, revolving and conveyor ovens.
FRYERS
Fryers typically share a common, basic design and are available in a range of configurations. They are often compared on the basis of oil capacity and energy input rating. Most fryers suffer from poor temperature control and high standby losses.
There are several types of fryers including the open deep-fat fryer. Most open fryers are not insulated and lose surface heat to the surrounding work place.
Pressure and specialty fryers are thermostatically controlled and can be divided into two categories: Standard (20 to 40 per cent) and high-efficiency (45 to 55 per cent). High-efficiency fryers represent more advanced technology consisting of infrared burners, heat pipes, pulse combustion and re-circulating tubes.
GRIDDLES
For most food service providers, the most important performance criteria is production capacity. Large restaurant chains are investing in research to increase profits through better equipment and American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards.
Although griddles vary in size, power input, heating method, griddle plate construction and control system, gas-fired griddles are weak when it comes to temperature control. Gas griddle controls are generally simple and although each section is controlled manually or with a thermostat, temperature range and flexibility is usually imprecise.
Griddles can be separated into standard (20 to 30 per cent) and high efficiency (35 to 45 per cent). Gas griddles are far more common than electric griddles.
RANGES
Ranges are the most familiar type of equipment in commercial kitchens and usually divided into three categories: heavy duty, medium duty and specialty ranges, such as stockpot or taco ranges.
Range tops are generally not amenable to timers or cooking computers and the chef attends to most range top demands. The most common type of range uses open burners, applying flame directly to the bottom of the pot. They have fast heat-up and slow clean-up. A closed burner seals the heat source under a ceramic, glass or metal cover by having a smooth surface. Advanced technologies include power burners, sealed combustion, infrared burners and automatic burner shut-off and re-ignition.
BOOSTER WATER HEATER
This is a relatively new technology, introduced to the marketplace over the past few years. These products are designed to replace electric booster heaters, such as those used for dishwashers in commercial applications.
Natural gas-fired booster heaters can provide 180 F water for the rinse cycle to meet health code standards and ensure requisite sanitization of dishes.
There are different types of booster heaters, including wall-mounted instantaneous heaters, under-counter heaters and small heaters, which are certified to operate without ventilation kits.
PRE-RINSE SPRAY VALVES
The low-flow, high-density pre-rinse spray valve is a new design on an old technology. This newly designed spray reduces hot water consumption by reducing the flow of water through the valve and, in turn, reducing natural gas consumption in the commercial kitchen. Standard spray valves use approximately 3.2 gallons per minute (GPM) while the new valve uses approximately 1.8 GPM. The result is a significant reduction in natural gas and water consumption while reducing sewer charges.
VENTILATION
The energy intensity and utility costs associated with operating a commercial kitchen system are recognized within the HVAC design community and food service industry. The commercial kitchen exhaust system and its associated makeup air system continue to be designed and operated as single speed ventilation systems void of the ability to respond to variations in cooking equipment usage in a working kitchen.
GAS VERSUS ELECTRIC
Natural gas is the most environmentally preferred fuel of choice for heating, water heating and cooking. It is the energy-efficient option.
Natural gas for cooking provides instant heat as well as precise temperature control when compared to electricity. It also is the preferred fuel of choice by the world’s top chefs.
However, some natural gas food service appliances have a slower clean-up time than their electric equipment counterparts.
CUSTOMER BENEFITS
While the food industry continues to be competitive, there are opportunities for the use of new technologies that can improve process efficiencies, increase productivity and maintain food quality. An operator can save, on average, 35 per cent on electricity by simply cooking with natural gas.
David Furdas is the program manager of business markets for Enbridge Gas Distribution.
Contact him at 416.753.6243 or david.furdas@enbridge.com.
