Continutherm

Continuous Cooking System

The ContinuTherm thermal screw is a versatile continuous cooking system configurable for a broad range of products; from meat and poultry to vegetables, pasta, rice and a wide array of other grains. With the appropriate custom modifications, the ContinuTherm can produce almost any product on a continuous basis.

Continuous thermal screws are sanitary and simple to operate and maintain. By switching from a batch process to continuous operation, processors benefit with streamlined product handling, labor reduction, product consistency and quality. Blentech specializes in turn-key ContinuTherm systems including raw material metering upstream and downstream separation, handling and cooling/chilling equipment.

In addition to designing ContinuTherms for customary cooking modes such as direct steam and water or oil immersion, Blentech has developed several unique processing solutions by adapting proprietary technologies to this “tried-and-true” continuous cooking system for high value applications. With the appropriate modifications, the ContinuTherm transitions seamlessly into a continuous stir-fryer, bacon-bit cooker or onion-caramelizing cooker just to list a few unique successfully executed high value applications.

Range of Products & Applications

The ContinuTherm is an extremely versatile machine that can be designed to fit a whole host of continuous thermal processing applications.

Products Blanched or Cooked with Direct Steam

Diced fruits & vegetables, scrambled eggs, pet foods.

Products Blanched or Cooked in Water Immersion

Rice and grains, pasta, pizza topping, meat, poultry, seafood, vegetables and various ethnic foods cooked in water-based syrup solution.

Products Cooked in Oil Immersion

Ground beef crumbles, bacon bits, and various ethnic snack foods.

 Stir-Fried & Sautéed Products

Meat, poultry,  fish, vegetables, egg-fried rice, sautéed onions and garlic.

Proven Modes of Operation

• Blanching
• Water Immersion Cooking
• Oil Immersion Cooking
• Authentic High Temperature Stir-frying
• Searing/Sautéing

Technical Highlights

• Inline filtration and separation systems for cook medium.
• Custom systems for bacon products and pizza toppings.
• The proprietary steam diffusers mounted along the bottom of the ContinuTherm trough disperse steam evenly throughout the product for uniform heating.
• The cook water, in excess cook water cooking applications is separated from the product at discharge and re-circulated to conserve residual heat energy.
• ASME Code jackets to deliver a wide range of steam pressure ratings per your requirements.
• Proprietary jacket construction techniques optimized to increase heat transfer efficiency and drive down process times.
• Multi-zone jacket surface area selection capability to allow flexibility between small and large batches.
• Application specific methods are employed to keep concentrations of starch, rendered fat and other process by-products at acceptable levels during production.
• For stir-fry applications, the jacket is heated with thermal oil to temperatures approaching 310°C (590°F). A PLC controlled forward-reverse agitation action mimics the distinctive mixing and tossing action of the VersaWok for authentic sautéed and stir-fried products.
• The Blentech patented scraper system inhibits product adhesion to the heat transfer surface, thus allowing long run times.
• Custom modifications to the standard ContinuTherm make high heat-load applications possible and allow the system to meet the enormous peak heat load requirements necessary to rapidly evaporate moisture from products, making continuous frying of bacon bits in the ContinuTherm a reality.
• PLC Controlled Temperature Control System (jacket pressure sensing, PID, modulating valve).
• Blentech DiscSeal shaft seal system is robust, easily cleanable seal system that is gentle on the agitator shaft and provides an effective seal against equipment end walls.
• Sanitary design.

System Integration

• Integrated Material Handling Systems (raw ingredient loading / automated feeding, finished product transport)
• ID Development
• Custom PLC Programming
• Complete turnkey systems producing bacon bits, pizza toppings, pasta blanched vegetables, etc.

Working Systems

Each ContinuTherm continuous cooking system is custom-sized to a specific process and desired production rate. Blentech has designed units with capacities of 100-lb/hr to 10,000 lb/hr (45-kg/hr to 4,500-kg/hr) or more, depending on the application.

Other industrial cooking systems in this range include:

Versatherm

This twin shafted cheese cooker is part of the Blentech range of food processing equipment for whom Paragon processing Solutions are the UK and Ireland agent.

Applications: Bacon bits, pizza topping, rice and grains, authentic stir-frying, blanching, caramelizing

Download the Product Brochure (pdf)