CLEANING & COATING ? PROCESS STEAM LINES

SCHMIDTS WHOLESALE

I HAVE A CUSTOMER THAT USES STEAM IN HIS COMMERCIAL KITCHEN FOR COOKING. HIS COMPLAINT IS THAT HE IS GETTING ALOT OF JUNK, SCALE,PARTICLES ETC. IN HIS COOKING EQUIPMENT FROM DIRTY STEAM LINES. HE IS LOOKING TO DO TWO THINGS. FIRST SAFELY CLEAN AND THEN FLUSH OUT THE LINES TO LOOSEN AND REMOVE SCALE, RUST ETC. KEEP IN MIND THIS CANNOT BE TOXIC DO TO THE FACT THAT THE STEAM IS USED FOR COOKING.
SECOND, HE WANTS TO KNOW IF THERE IS A PRODUCT OUT THERE THAT HE CAN USE TO COAT THE INSIDE OF THE LINES, AS A SEALER ONCE THE LINES ARE CLEARED OUT.

Brad White_203

Stainless steel piping

All kitchens I have worked on which used steam used it in a sealed jacket type of system or at least indirect such as kettles, bain maries and so-on.

Any direct steaming was done indirectly using potable water and a heated tray (bain marie for example), with sealed steam coils.

Not that I know every means of steam for cooking, far from it, but I cannot imagine using steel pipe or process steam from any source with contaminate potential (meaning district or heating steam piped directly to the food).

If such is the case, all I can think of is using stainless steel piping and of course a controlled source such as a dedicated steam generator.

I imagine that the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) has some guidelines.

Hardly a complete answer, just some thoughts.

Tim Weaver

Steam Line Sealers

I am not aware of any steam line sealers for carbon steel lines. My concern would be having the liner material come loose and possibly get into the eventual product. Stainless --- as pointed out is a great solution.

I do know that various companies make removable and changeable cartridge filters (culinary steam filters) that can be added into a steam service line to provide certain levels of protection and even purity where required.

It is important that if his steam system incorporates a condensate return that he does not utilize the wrong type of chemicals (toxic that is) and infact --- if he uses any chemicals in his makeup water or steam production that they are appropriate for the application.

Depending on the size of his steam needs, he may be best served with a separate food grade steam generator, but then again it depends on his processing or cooking needs.

Regards Alex