Oven for baking food products

Abstract

The present invention relates to a steam system for a steam cooking appliance. The steam system includes a steam generator and a precipitator. The precipitator is arranged above the steam generator. The steam generator comprises two vertical heating pipe sections. Upper ends of the heating pipe sections are connected to a bottom side of the precipitator. Lower ends of the heating pipe sections are connected by a transverse pipe section. At least the heating pipe sections are at least partially enclosed by one of more heating elements. An inlet pipe is connected to the transverse pipe section at one end and connected or connectable to a water reservoir or water pump at another end. A return pipe is interconnected between the bottom side of the precipitator and the transverse pipe section. Further, the present invention relates to a corresponding steam cooking appliance.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A steam feeding unit for feeding steam into a baking chamber of an oven, comprising:
 a water tank for storing water;   a steam generator having an inlet and an outlet, said inlet being in fluid communication with said water tank for receiving=water therefrom, said steam generator comprising a heater to heat water therein to convert at least a portion of said water therein to steam; and   a separation chamber having an inlet in fluid communication with said outlet of said steam generator for receiving a mixture of steam and water therefrom, said separation chamber being configured to separate steam and water from said mixture, a first outlet of said separation chamber being in fluid communication with said baking chamber for delivering separated steam thereto, and a second outlet of said separation chamber being in fluid communication with a location upstream of said inlet of said steam generator for recirculating separated water thereto,   wherein said separation chamber is arranged above a maximum fillable water level of said steam feeding unit.   
     
     
         2 . The steam feeding unit of  claim 1 , further comprising an overflow duct having an inlet section arranged within the water tank, the inlet section defining the maximum fillable water level of the steam feeding unit. 
     
     
         3 . The steam feeding unit of  claim 1 , said steam generator comprising a duct and a heater configured such that said heater converts liquid water that enters said duct via said inlet of said steam generator to steam as said water proceeds through said duct toward said outlet. 
     
     
         4 . The steam feeding unit of  claim 3 , said inlet of said steam generator being arranged at a first end of said duct and said outlet of said steam generator being arranged at a second end of said duct. 
     
     
         5 . The steam feeding unit of  claim 1 , said water tank comprising an outlet in fluid communication with said inlet of said steam generator, said water tank and said steam generator being arranged such that water flows from said outlet of said water tank to said inlet of said steam generator via gravity. 
     
     
         6 . The steam feeding unit of  claim 1 , said separation chamber configured such that water received at said inlet of said separation chamber flows to said second outlet of said separation chamber via gravity. 
     
     
         7 . The steam feeding unit of  claim 1 , said first outlet of said separation chamber being arranged above said inlet of said separation chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The steam feeding unit of  claim 1 , said second outlet of said separation chamber configured such that water exits said separation chamber through said second outlet via gravity. 
     
     
         9 . The steam feeding unit of  claim 1 , said second outlet of said separation chamber being arranged above said location upstream of said inlet of said steam generator such that water that exits said second outlet of said separation chamber flows to said inlet of said steam generator via gravity. 
     
     
         10 . The steam feeding unit of  claim 1 , said inlet of said separation chamber being arranged above said outlet of said steam generator. 
     
     
         11 . The steam feeding unit of  claim 1 , further comprising a discharge duct fluidly connected to both the water reservoir and the steam generator, such that the discharge duct can drain both the water reservoir and the steam generator. 
     
     
         12 . The steam feeding unit of  claim 11 , said discharge duct being connected to a filtering device configured to filter water reserved therein from said water reservoir, the filtering device being connected in fluid communication between the water reservoir and the steam generator. 
     
     
         13 . The steam feeding unit of  claim 1 , further comprising a feeding duct having a first end connected to said first outlet of said separation chamber and a second end connected to said baking chamber. 
     
     
         14 . A method of operating the steam feeding unit of  claim 1 , said method comprising the steps of:
 delivering said water from said water tank to said steam generator,   heating said water in said steam generator to produce the mixture of water and steam,   delivering said mixture of water and steam to said separation chamber,   within said separation chamber, separating said mixture into a water component and a steam component,   recirculating said water component to the location upstream of said steam generator, and   delivering said steam component to said baking chamber.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the steam component is fed from the separation chamber to a feeding duct having a first end connected to said separation chamber and a second end connected to said baking chamber, and then   the steam component is delivered from said feeding duct to said baking chamber   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said step of delivering water from said water tank to said steam generator is carried out by gravity. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said step of delivering said mixture of water and steam to said separation chamber occurs via upward flow. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said steam component separated from said mixture in said separation chamber flows upward therein to said first outlet of said separation chamber en route to said baking chamber, and said water component separated from said mixture in said separation chamber flows downward therein by gravity to said second outlet of said separation chamber en route to said inlet of said steam generator. 
     
     
         19 . An oven comprising:
 a baking chamber; and   a steam feeding unit for feeding steam into the baking chamber, the steam feeding unit comprising:
 a water tank for storing water; 
 a steam generator having an inlet and an outlet, said inlet being in fluid communication with said water tank for receiving water therefrom, said steam generator configured to heat water therein to convert at least a portion of said water therein to steam; and 
 a separation chamber having an inlet being in fluid communication with said outlet of said steam generator for receiving a mixture of steam and water therefrom, said separation chamber being configured to separate steam and water from said mixture, a first outlet of said separation chamber being in fluid communication with said baking chamber for delivering separated steam thereto, and a second outlet of said separation chamber being in fluid communication with a location upstream of said inlet of said steam generator for recirculating separated water thereto, 
   wherein said separation chamber is arranged above a maximum fillable water level of said steam feeding unit.   
     
     
         20 . A steam feeding unit for feeding steam into a baking chamber of an oven, comprising:
 a water tank for storing water;   a steam generator having an inlet and an outlet, said inlet being in fluid communication with said water tank for receiving water therefrom, said steam generator comprising a heater to heat water therein to convert at least a portion of said water therein to steam; and   a separation chamber having only one inlet for moisture, said inlet being in fluid communication with said outlet of said steam generator for receiving a mixture of steam and water therefrom, said separation chamber being configured to separate steam and water from said mixture, a first outlet of said separation chamber being in fluid communication with said baking chamber for delivering separated steam thereto, and a second outlet of said separation chamber being in fluid communication with a location upstream of said inlet of said steam generator for recirculating separated water thereto,   wherein said separation chamber is arranged above a maximum fillable water level of said steam feeding unit.