Immersion Tube Fryer – Chicken Pieces and Fish
Industry: Snack Food Manufacturing (NAICS 31191)
NAICS process:
Process Brief: Involves the partial or total immersion of food pieces in hot oil in order to cook the pieces, remove moisture, and impart crispness.
Energy source: Typically, natural gas, oil, or electricity can be used
Energy Intensity: 975- 4550 Btu/lb
The immersion tube fryer is the most common fryer in both commercial and industrial use. The immersion tube fryer avoids the problems caused by solids accumulation by heating the cooking oil using tubes running across the width of the kettle. Hot combustion gases pass through the tubes, heating the frying oil. Natural gas is most commonly used to heat the tubes, although fuel oil can be used. An immersed electric coil can also be used to heat the oil directly, though industrial electric fryers are generally used only in areas with relatively low electricity prices. Because the immersed tubes are above the bottom of the kettle, the area below the tubes represents a cooler zone where solids can accumulate with no danger of overheating the oil or interfering with heat transfer. However, by having a cooler zone running the entire length of the fryer rather than a cold well, the immersion tube fryer requires a large amount of oil in order to reach the proper fill height. In addition, the immersion tube fryer is generally more difficult to clean than other types of fryers.
Manufacturers
FMC FoodTech Chicago
200 East Randolph
Chicago, IL 60601
Telephone: 312-861-6000
Web site: www.fmctechnologies.com
Heat and Control
Corporate Headquarters
21121 Cabot Blvd.
Hayward, California 94545-1132
Telephone: 800-227-5980, 510-259-0500
Web site: www.heatandcontrol.com
Source: Overview GRI-03/0075; image from Heat and Controls web site 3/2007;