AMF uses space-age technology
How to reduce oven energy and increase capacity., June 21, 2011
by Shane Whitaker
AMF Bakery Systems, Richmond, VA, offers a NASA-licensed technology for the interior of its ovens that reradiates heat. Emisshield is a high-emissivity ceramic material that broadens the infrared (IR) spectrum of the heat source, helping to reduce oven energy by up to 20% and increase capacity by as much as 10%.

“The best way for a baker to be more sustainable is using AMF’s Emisshield nano-emissive coatings,” said Phil Domenicucci, the company’s thermal product manager. “By broadening the total bandwidth of the IR radiation from natural gas, Emisshield makes use of more radiation in the useful IR baking range.”

The nano-emissive material improves the uniformity and waveband width of the radiant heat. When the walls, pans and burners of an oven are coated with Emisshield, radiant heat is absorbed and then reradiated back to the bread baking in the pans, resulting in more efficient heating of the bread.

This technology results in two different complementary advantages, according to Mr. Domenicucci. “First, the baker can reduce the amount of energy needed to bake thus saving energy,” he said. “Or the baker could increase the capacity of an existing oven also saving energy. In either case, sustainability has been significantly increased.”

By increasing the heating efficiency, bakeries decrease the time needed to bake products while improving the bread’s quality with greater volume and structural characteristics. Specifically, the application of Emisshield to the oven walls and burners will upgrade any existing oven to increase production. The material significantly reduces the gaseous by-products from baking that need for afterburners, and Emisshield can be used on oven afterburners and other components that experience heat or heat stress.