Bake-off ovens & combi steamers
Fan drives for bake-off ovens & combi steamers
Fan drives for bake-off ovens & combi steamers
In bake-off ovens and combi steamers, airflow determines browning, crust and overall cooking results. The circulation fan has to operate reliably at high temperatures, in a humid, greasy environment and often in continuous duty – while requirements for energy efficiency and regulation keep increasing.
SPAT® offers intelligent EC fan drives specifically designed for use in bake-off ovens and gastronomy applications. Based on the SPAT MDS Platform, we combine motor, power electronics and control into compact drive systems that measurably improve air performance, efficiency and process quality.
Hot, compact, demanding – what fan drives in ovens have to deliver
In modern bake-off ovens and combi steamers, space is tight, ambient temperatures are high and temperature cycles are frequent. Under these conditions, fan drives have to run in continuous duty for hours while still ensuring uniform air distribution – from rustic bread to delicate pastries.
On top of that, there are steam pulses, fat and flour dust as well as cleaning programmes with moisture and chemicals. Traditional single-phase motors with speed steps via series resistors are increasingly hitting their limits:
Airflow can only be set coarsely in a few steps.
Efficiency is significantly lower compared to EC solutions.
Regulatory requirements for ecodesign and energy efficiency are becoming stricter – unregulated motors will become harder to use in the medium term.
Oven manufacturers are therefore looking for modern fan drives that improve process quality and efficiency at the same time.
From the classic single-phase AC fan motor to the intelligent EC fan drive
Instead of simple single-phase motors with series resistors, SPAT® relies on brushless EC drives with integrated power and control electronics. Speed and torque are controlled continuously, allowing the fan to be matched exactly to each baking programme.
Our fan drives are based on the SPAT MDS Platform:
Field-oriented control (FOC) ensures smooth operation and high efficiency across the entire speed range.
An integrated PFC stage improves power factor and reduces mains distortion.
Via digital interfaces (e.g. CANopen/CiA 402), the oven controller can read speed, temperature, current and diagnostic values and run fan profiles in a fully programme-controlled manner.
This turns baking recipes into processes that are not only temperature-controlled, but also airflow-controlled: high air performance for heat-up, gentle airflow for sensitive products and energy-saving eco profiles in idle or standby.
More efficiency, less consumption – ready for ecodesign requirements
In many ovens, the electric power of the circulation fan is in the range of a few hundred watts – exactly where ecodesign requirements for motors and fans apply. Traditional single-phase motors with series resistors waste a significant share of the input energy as loss heat.
With modern EC fan drives, overall efficiency improves significantly compared to shaded-pole or PSC motors. At the same time, the integrated control enables part-load operation: airflow can be reduced to the level actually required instead of always running “full power with a series resistor”.
For oven manufacturers this means:
a better starting point for meeting current and future ecodesign requirements,
lower electricity costs for end users,
a clear competitive advantage for energy-efficient appliances.
Your benefits with SPAT® fan drives for bake-off ovens & combi steamers
Speed and fan profiles can be matched precisely to the baking programme
EC technology with FOC control and PFC – less loss heat, lower power consumption
Integrated electronics, designed for high ambient temperatures
e.g. CANopen/CiA 402, access to speed, temperature, current and diagnostic data
Monitoring of motor, electronics and temperature – developed for continuous duty in demanding environments
Unified interfaces, reusable software building blocks, easy integration into different oven series
Typical application areas in bake-off & gastronomy
Planning a new oven series or looking to improve the energy efficiency of existing bake-off ovens and combi steamers? With SPAT® EC fan drives you get a tailor-made solution – from the first concept study through samples and testing all the way to series integration.
Get in touch – together we will find the right fan drive for your baking system.
FAQ
Drive technology in bake-off ovens & combi steamers
Answers to frequently asked questions about fan drives for ovens and combi steamers.
EC fan drives use a brushless motor and integrated power electronics. Speed and torque are actively controlled, not just “throttled” via series resistors. This increases efficiency, keeps speed reproducible and allows the oven controller to run speed profiles programmatically.
With continuously adjustable speed, air velocity can be matched precisely to the product and baking phase. High fan output for heat-up, gentle airflow for delicate baked goods or fine pastries, and reduced operation in eco or standby modes. This improves browning, crust formation and reproducibility of baking results.
EC fan drives typically achieve a significantly higher efficiency than conventional single-phase motors and allow part-load operation instead of running at full load all the time. This reduces energy consumption and makes it easier to comply with current and future ecodesign requirements for motors and fans.
Our fan drives are suitable for both new developments and retrofit projects. Mechanical interfaces and electrical connections can be adapted to existing oven concepts. Together we assess whether the drive can be used as a 1:1 or near drop-in replacement for existing fan solutions.
The drives can be controlled via digital signals or fieldbus (e.g. CANopen/CiA 402). The oven controller gains access to speed, current, temperatures and diagnostic information. This enables convenient implementation of baking programmes, service functions and remote diagnostics.
The fan drive is designed for continuous duty in the thermally demanding environment of baking ovens. Depending on the variant, ambient temperatures up to 80 °C are permissible. Protection functions for motor, power electronics and supply ensure reliable operation even under harsh conditions.