Groen VRC-6E User Manual
Groen Vortex, Model VRC-6E
Electric Steamer Performance Test
Application of ASTM Standard
Test Method F 1484-99
FSTC Report # 5011.03.23
Food Service Technology Center
May 2003
Prepared by:
Victor Kong
David Zabrowski
Fisher-Nickel, Inc.
Contributors:
Angelo Karas
Fisher-Nickel, Inc.
© 2003 by Fisher-Nickel, inc. All rights reserved.
The information in this report is based on data generated at the Food Service Technology Center.
Acknowledgments
California consumers are not obligated to purchase any full service
or other service not funded by this program. This program is funded
by California utility ratepayers under the auspices of the California
Public Utilities Commission.
Los consumidores en California no estan obligados a comprar servicios completos o
adicionales que no esten cubiertos bajo este programa. Este programa esta financiado
por los usuarios de servicios públicos en California bajo la jurisdiccion de la Comision
de Servicios Públicos de California.
A National Advisory Group provides guidance to the Food Service
Technology Center Project. Members include:
Advantica Restaurant Group
Applebee’s International Group
California Energy Commission (CEC)
California Restaurant Association
Carl Karcher Enterprises, Inc.
DJ Horton & Associates
Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
Enbridge Gas Distribution
EPA Energy Star
Gas Technology Institute (GTI)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories
McDonald’s Corporation
National Restaurant Association
Pacific Gas and Electric Company
Safeway, Inc.
Southern California Edison
Underwriters Laboratories (UL)
University of California at Berkeley
University of California at Riverside
US Department of Energy, FEMP
Policy on the Use of Food Service Technology Center
Test Results and Other Related Information
• Fisher-Nickel, inc. and the Food Service Technology Center
(FSTC) do not endorse particular products or services from any
specific manufacturer or service provider.
• The FSTC is strongly committed to testing food service equipment
using the best available scientific techniques and instrumentation.
• The FSTC is neutral as to fuel and energy source. It does not, in
any way, encourage or promote the use of any fuel or energy
source nor does it endorse any of the equipment tested at the
FSTC.
• FSTC test results are made available to the general public
through technical research reports and publications and are protected under U.S. and international copyright laws.
• In the event that FSTC data are to be reported, quoted, or referred
to in any way in publications, papers, brochures, advertising, or
any other publicly available documents, the rules of copyright
must be strictly followed, including written permission from FisherNickel, inc. in advance and proper attribution to Fisher-Nickel, inc.
and the Food Service Technology Center. In any such publication,
sufficient text must be excerpted or quoted so as to give full and
fair representation of findings as reported in the original
documentation from FSTC.
Legal Notice
This report was prepared as a result of work sponsored by the California
Public Utilities Commission (Commission). It does not necessarily represent
the views of the Commission, its employees, or the State of California. The
Commission, the State of California, its employees, contractors, and subcontractors make no warranty, express or implied, and assume no legal liability
for the information in this report; nor does any party represent that the use of
this information will not infringe upon privately owned rights. This report has
not been approved or disapproved by the Commission nor has the Commission passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of the information in this report.
Specific appreciation is extended to Groen, Inc. for supplying the
FSTC with a Vortex, Model VRC-6E connectionless steamer for
controlled testing in the appliance laboratory.
Contents
Page
Executive Summary................................................................................ iii
1 Introduction ..................................................................................... 1-1
Background ................................................................................. 1-1
Objectives ................................................................................... 1-2
Appliance Description ................................................................. 1-2
2 Methods ........................................................................................... 2-1
Setup and Instrumentation .......................................................... 2-1
Non-Cooking Tests...................................................................... 2-2
Frozen Green Pea Efficiency Tests............................................. 2-2
Red Potato Efficiency Tests......................................................... 2-2
3 Results ............................................................................................. 3-1
Energy Input Rate........................................................................ 3-1
Preheat and Idle Tests................................................................. 3-1
Cooking Tests ............................................................................. 3-2
4 Conclusions...................................................................................... 4-1
5 References ....................................................................................... 5-1
Appendix A: Glossary
Appendix B: Appliance Specifications
Appendix C: Results Reporting Sheets
Appendix D: Cooking-Energy Efficiency Data
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Food Service Technology Center
List of Figures and Tables
Figures
Tables
Page
1-1 The Groen Vortex steamer.......................................................... 1-3
2-1 The Vortex instrumented and ready for testing............................ 2-1
2-2 Frozen green pea load................................................................. 2-2
2-3 Red potato load........................................................................... 2-3
3-1 Preheat characteristics................................................................ 3-1
3-2 Steamer part-load cooking-energy efficiency............................... 3-5
3-3 Steamer cooking-energy efficiency results .................................. 3-6
3-4 Steamer cooking energy consumption profile.............................. 3-7
Page
1-1 Appliance Specifications.............................................................. 1-3
3-1 Average Input, Preheat and Idle Test Results............................. 3-2
3-2 Frozen Green Pea Cooking Test Results.................................... 3-4
3-3 Red Potato Cooking Test Results................................................ 3-4
5011.03.23 ii
Food Service Technology Center
Executive Summary
The Food Service Technology Center (FSTC) tested the Groen Vortex, Model
VRC-6E connectionless electric steamer under the controlled conditions of the
American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standard Test Method
for the Performance of Steam Cookers.
1
Steamer performance was
characterized by preheat duration and energy consumption, idle energy rate,
cooking energy rate and efficiency, production capacity, water consumption,
and condensate temperature from product testing. Cooking tests were
conducted with frozen green peas and grade B red potatoes in accordance with
ASTM test materials specifications for weight, size, and water content.
1
Since
the Vortex was not configured with an automatic water fill option or
condensate drain, researchers did not monitor water consumption and
condensate temperature for these tests.
The Groen Vortex, Model VRC-6E is one of the best electric connectionless
steamers tested to date at the FSTC. The Vortex performed outstandingly
compared with other connectionless steamers thanks to its unprecedented
heavy load (6 pan) cooking-energy efficiencies for frozen green peas (91.5%)
and red potatoes (71.0%). The Vortex also earns high marks for impressive
heavy load production capacities of 94.5 lb/h for frozen green peas and
116.2 lb/h for red potatoes.
Cooking-energy efficiency is a measure of how much of the energy that an
appliance consumes is actually delivered to the food product during the
cooking process. Cooking-energy efficiency is therefore defined by the
following relationship:
1
American Society for Testing and Materials, 1999. Standard Test Method for the Performance of Steam Cookers. ASTM Designation F1484-99, in the Annual Book of ASTM Standards, West Conshohocken, PA.
5011.03.23 iii
Food Service Technology Center
Executive Summary
EfficiencyEnergy -Cooking =
Food toEnergy
SteamertoEnergy
A summary of the ASTM test results is presented in Table ES-1.
Table ES-1. Summary of Vortex Steamer Performance.
Rated Energy Input Rate (kW) 12.0
Measured Energy Input Rate (kW) 12.6
Preheat Time (min) 17.0
Preheat Energy (kWh) 2.2
Idle Energy Rate (kW) 0.2
Frozen Green Peas
Light-Load Cooking-Energy Efficiency (%) 60.8 ± 2.1
Heavy-Load Cooking-Energy Efficiency (%) 91.5 ± 2.5
Production Capacity (lb/h) 94.5 ± 1.6
Red Potatoes
Light-Load Cooking-Energy Efficiency (%) 30.4 ± 2.5
Heavy-Load Cooking-Energy Efficiency (%) 71.0 ± 2.6
Production Capacity (lb/h) 116.2 ± 2.7
Beyond its respectable productivity and high cooking-energy efficiencies, the
Vortex steamer also exhibited low water usage. Typical water consumption
during heavy-load cooking tests was much lower than the unit’s 4.0-gallon
reservoir capacity. Other steam cooking technologies, such as boiler-based or
steam generator-type steamers, typically consume between 20 and 60 gal/h
while cooking.
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Food Service Technology Center
1 Introduction
Background
Steaming provides a fast-cooking option for preparing large quantities of
food, while retaining vital nutrients in the cooked product. Steamers are
versatile appliances that can be used to prepare almost any food that does not
require a crust. Delicate vegetables, such as asparagus and broccoli, are
cooked without damage; frozen foods are defrosted and cooked in one step;
and hard-to-cook meats, such as beef ribs, can be par-cooked quickly with less
weight loss than oven roasting.
Dedicated to the advancement of the food service industry, the Food Service
Technology Center (FSTC) has focused on the development of standard test
methods for commercial food service equipment since 1987. The primary
component of the FSTC is a 10,000 square-foot appliance laboratory equipped
with energy monitoring and data acquisition hardware, 60 linear feet of
canopy exhaust hoods integrated with utility distribution systems, appliance
setup and storage areas, and a state-of-the-art demonstration and training
facility.
The test methods, approved and ratified by the American Society for Testing
and Materials (ASTM), allow benchmarking of equipment so that users can
make informed comparisons among available equipment choices. By
collaborating with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and the Gas
Technology Institute (GTI) through matching funding agreements, the test
methods have remained unbiased to fuel choice. End-use customers and
commercial appliance manufacturers consider the FSTC to be the national
leader in commercial food service equipment testing and standards, sparking
alliances with several major chain customers to date.
Since the development of the ASTM test method for steam cookers in 1993,
the FSTC has tested a wide range of gas and electric steamers,
10
Groen's very own HyPerSteam 3 pan unit.
2–16
including
1
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Introduction
The Groen Vortex steamer is the product of continued dedication from Groen
to make quality connectionless steamers. The Vortex shares many of the same
features with its sibling, the HyPerSteam, including a powerful squirrel cage
fan that provides the advantages of forced convection steaming, a compartment with a mirror finish for easy cleaning and durability, and a deep four
gallon reservoir.
The glossary in Appendix A is provided so that the reader has a quick reference to the terms used in this report.
Objectives
Appliance
Description
The objective of this report is to examine the operation and performance of
the Groen, Model VRC-6E steamer, under the controlled conditions of the
ASTM Standard Test Method. The scope of this testing is as follows:
1. Verify that the appliance is operating at the manufacturer’s rated
energy input.
2. Determine the time and energy required to preheat the steamer
to an operating condition.
3. Characterize the idle energy use of the steamer while maintaining a ready-to-cook state.
4. Determine the cooking-energy efficiency under four scenarios:
heavy-load frozen green peas (6 pans), light-load frozen green
peas (single-pan), heavy-load red potatoes (6 pans) and lightload red potatoes (single-pan).
5. Determine the production capacity, cooking energy rate and
cook time for each loading scenario.
The Groen Vortex, Model VRC-6E is a 6-pan capacity, single compartment,
electric, connectionless steamer (Figure 1-1). The steamer is powered by a
12.0-kW heating element placed beneath the cooking compartment’s water
reservoir. Steam is generated within the cooking compartment without a
separate boiler. Water is added and drained manually at the beginning and end
of the day. The cooking chamber accommodates six standard full-size, 2½-
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Introduction
inch deep hotel pans. The Vortex has two cooking modes: timed and
continuous. The timed mode allows operators to set a pre-determined
cooktime of up to 90 minutes. When the cook time has expired, the unit
automatically switches to a hold mode. This hold feature allows the operator
to maintain an idle state of 180°F inside the cooking compartment. In the
continuous cooking mode, steam generation is cycled automatically by
microprocessor controls or by manually shutting the unit on or off.
Appliance specifications are listed in Table 1-1, and the manufacturer’s
literature is in Appendix B. The appliance is pictured in Figure 1-1.
Table 1-1. Appliance Specifications.
Figure 1-1.
The Groen Vortex
steamer.
Manufacturer Groen, Inc.
Model Model VRC-6E Vortex
Generic Appliance
Type
Rated Input 12.0 kW
Technology Connectionless steamer with forced-convection.
Construction Mirror finished stainless-steel walls.
Interior 16 Ga. stainless-steel, mirror finish
Exterior 18 Ga. stainless-steel
Controls Main ON/OFF buttons. 90 minute mechanical timer with continuous
Compartment Capacity 6 (12" x 20" x 2
Dimensions
Connectionless, 1-compartment, electric, atmospheric, connectionless steamer.
steam or hold setting. Hold temperature is factory adjustable from
150°F to 190°F.
1
/2") pans, 4 (12" x 20" x 4") pans, or
3 (12" x 20" x 6") pans
1
23" x 23
/4" x 30"(w×d×h)
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2 Methods
Setup and
Instrumentation
The steamer was installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions
and in accordance with Section 9 of the ASTM test method
deep canopy hood, with the lower edge of the hood 6 feet, 6 inches above the
floor and a minimum of 6 inches inside the vertical front edge of the hood.
The exhaust ventilation operated at a nominal rate of 150 cfm per linear foot
of hood with the ambient temperature maintained at 75
Power and energy were measured with a watt/watt-hour transducer that
generated an analog signal for instantaneous power and a pulse for every
10 Wh. The transducer and thermocouples were connected to a computerized
1
: under a 4-foot-
±5°F.
Figure 2-1.
The Vortex instrumented
for testing.
data acquisition unit that recorded data every 5 seconds. A voltage regulator,
connected to the steamer, maintained a steady voltage for all tests. Figure
2-1 shows the Vortex instrumented with the data acquisition system.
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Methods
Non-Cooking Tests
Frozen Green Pea
Efficiency Tests
The energy input rate was determined by measuring the energy consumed by
the steamer during a complete preheat cycle. The maximum power draw
during this period was reported as the measured energy input rate. Preheat
tests recorded the time and energy required for the steamer to reach operating
temperature from a cold start when turned on for the first time in a day. An
hour after the preheat cycle, idle energy consumption was monitored over a 2hour period and conducted in the steamer's “idle/hold” mode.
Individually flash-frozen, grade A green peas (Figure 2-2) represented one of
two food products for steamer performance testing. Standard full-size (12" x
20" x 2½"), perforated stainless-steel hotel pans were used for cooking the
green peas. The Vortex required 6 pans of green peas for a full load, while a
single pan placed on the center rack of the steamer cavity comprised a light
load. Each pan contained 8.0
in perforated pans were stored in sealed plastic bags at 0
hours prior to testing. The pans of peas were transferred into an insulated box
± 0.2 lb of green peas. Pre-weighed green peas
± 5°F for at least 24
and transported to the testing location where the plastic bags were removed,
and the pan(s) of green peas were loaded into the steamer according to the
loading time prescribed in section 10.7.6 of the ASTM test method.
Since probing proves to be difficult and erroneous in measuring the
temperature of small-sized green peas, a water-bath calorimeter was utilized to
determine the final bulk temperature of the cooked green peas. The time
Figure 2-2.
Frozen green pea load.
Red Potato
Efficiency Tests
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Food Service Technology Center
required to cook the frozen peas to a bulk temperature of 180 ± 2°F was
determined through an iterative process. Once the cook time was established,
the test was replicated a minimum of three times to minimize the uncertainty
in the test results.
Freshly packed, size B, red potatoes (Figure 2-3) served as the second food
product for steamer performance testing. Again, the Vortex required 6 pans of
1
Methods
red potatoes for a full load and a single pan for a light load. Each pan
Figure 2-3.
Red potato load.
contained 8.0
± 0.2 pounds of red potatoes.
The red potatoes were loaded into perforated pans prior to the test and
stabilized to a room temperature of 75
to 195
± 2°F using a predetermined cook time. The final temperature was
± 5°F. The potatoes were then cooked
determined by probing a minimum of 3 potatoes during testing and then
randomly probing potatoes (using a hand-held, digital thermocouple meter)
within 3 minutes after cooking was terminated. Again, the test was replicated
a minimum of three times to minimize the uncertainty in the test results.
The ASTM results reporting sheets appear in Appendix C.
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