Dehydration ovens have a variety of applications; however they are most commonly found in the food processing industry. There are several phases of the dehydration process, and the time, temperatures, air flows and humidity need to all be carefully monitored, adjusted, and maintained to ensure the product is properly dehydrated and not damaged in the process.
The initial phase is raising the core temperature rapidly, but at a controlled pace. If heat is applied too quickly, the stored humidity can cook, stew, or harden the product during this initial heating phase. The second phase is rapid dehydration where most of the moisture is released. To maximize production, it is critical that humidity levels are monitored and controlled throughout the dehydration chamber. The third phase is the transition phase where the dehydration on deep cellular level is taking place as the evaporative cooling temperatures drop. This is the most sensitive phase where hardening, cooking and even caramelization of the product is of critical concern. The final phase in dehydration is the bake out phase characterized by a very slow reduction in the product moisture content. This is the longest and slowest phase of the process, where time, temperature, humidity, and process flows are highly monitored to not over dry and damage the product.
Industrial food processing and dehydration requires precision and uniformity in a process heating system. Epcon not only custom engineers and manufactures the perfect dehydration oven for your product needs, but we also integrate custom controls, to allow for ease of operation and monitoring during the various phases in the dehydration process.