Convection ovens or
fan ovens or
turbo ovens augment a traditional
ovenAn oven is an enclosed compartment for heating, baking or drying. It is most commonly used in cooking and pottery. Ovens used in pottery are also known as kilns...
by circulating heated air using a
fanA mechanical fan is an electrically powered device used to produce an airflow for the purpose of creature comfort , ventilation, exhaust, cooling or any other gaseous transport....
. The fan motor is in a separate enclosure, to protect it from overheating and melting any plastic components including wire insulation. Food warms faster in a convection oven, because the moving air strips away the thin layer of air which otherwise would surround and insulate the food.
Convection ovens or
fan ovens or
turbo ovens augment a traditional
ovenAn oven is an enclosed compartment for heating, baking or drying. It is most commonly used in cooking and pottery. Ovens used in pottery are also known as kilns...
by circulating heated air using a
fanA mechanical fan is an electrically powered device used to produce an airflow for the purpose of creature comfort , ventilation, exhaust, cooling or any other gaseous transport....
. The fan motor is in a separate enclosure, to protect it from overheating and melting any plastic components including wire insulation. Food warms faster in a convection oven, because the moving air strips away the thin layer of air which otherwise would surround and insulate the food. This is the same physical phenomenon which causes
wind chillWind chill is the apparent temperature felt on exposed skin due to wind. The degree of this phenomenon depends on both air temperature and wind speed. The wind chill temperature is always lower than the air temperature for values where the wind chill formula is valid...
.
By moving fast hot air past the food,
convectionConvection is the movement of molecules within fluids . Convection is one of the major modes of heat transfer and mass transfer...
ovens can operate at a lower temperature than a standard
conventional ovenAn oven is an enclosed compartment for heating, baking or drying. It is most commonly used in cooking and pottery. Ovens used in pottery are also known as kilns...
and yet cook food more quickly. The air circulation, or convection, tends to eliminate "hot spots" and thus food may bake more evenly.
A convection oven will have about a 50 degree Fahrenheit (30 degree Celsius) reduction in cooking temperature, compared to a conventional oven. This comparison will vary, depending on factors including, for example, how much food is being cooked at once or if airflow is being restricted by using an over sized baking tray). This difference in cooking temperature is offset by the fact that circulating air transfers heat more quickly than still air of the same temperature; in order to transfer the same amount of heat in the same time, then, one must lower the temperature to reduce the rate of heat transfer to compensate.
The word
convectionConvection is the movement of molecules within fluids . Convection is one of the major modes of heat transfer and mass transfer...
actually refers to the natural circulation such as that caused by temperature differences and all ovens have these natural convection currents that vary with food placement and the position of the heating elements. Thus, strictly speaking, it is a bit of a misnomer to refer to an oven where the circulation is forced by a fan as a "convection oven" however one might construe the name to be a shortening of "forced convection oven."
Many convection ovens also include a
proofingProofing is the final dough-rise step before baking, and refers to a specific rest period within the more generalized process known as fermentation...
capability using the same fan but at a much lower temperature. A residential double oven will often include the fan capability in only one of the two ovens.
Convection microwaveA convection microwave is a combination of a standard microwave oven, and a convection oven. It allows food cooked in the convection microwave to be cooked quickly, yet come out browned or crisped, as in a convection oven...
ovens combine a convection oven with a
microwave ovenA microwave oven, or a microwave, is a kitchen appliance that cooks or heats food by dielectric heating. This is accomplished by using microwave radiation to heat water and other polarized molecules within the food...
to cook food with the speed of a microwave oven and the browning ability of a convection oven.
Another form of a convection oven is the commercial
impingement oven. This type of oven is often used to cook pizzas in restaurants. Impingement ovens have a high flow rate of hot air from both above and below the food. The air flow is directed onto food which usually passes through the oven on a conveyor belt. Air flow rates can range between 1-5 m³/s. Impingement ovens can achieve a much higher heat transfer than a conventional oven.
Like the "impingement oven" a convection oven usually has the radiant elements in view of the food, which improves heat transfer and speeds cooking from initial cold start. Some ovens have the heating elements placed in an outside enclosure and hidden from the food. This eliminates radiant heat from direct contact with the food.
External links