What Is a Deck Oven?

A deck oven is a type of oven that is frequently used for commercial baking.‭ ‬The purpose of a deck oven is to create an environment inside of the cooking‭ ‬chamber that contains a consistent level of heat‭ ‬that can be manipulated as needed.‭ ‬There are several‭ ‬types of heating methods that are used to achieve the correct‭ ‬level of heat within the unit.‭ ‬The size and heat of a deck oven allows the efficient baking of a large amount of products in a short period of time.

When a deck oven is used to bake in a commercial environment,‭ ‬it often provides a superior quality of food.‭ ‬This can‭ ‬be attributed to the complex heating mechanisms inside the ovens.‭ ‬How long‭ ‬it takes to‭ ‬initially heat the oven and how much heat is lost when the doors are opened‭ ‬are measured meticulously.‭ ‬This‭ ‬provides bakers‭ ‬the ability‭ ‬to cook their goods on a curve,‭ ‬where the temperature is‭ ‬modified depending on what is happening in the surrounding area.

The design of deck ovens can help improve the energy efficiency of the bakery as a whole.‭ ‬The ovens retain heat better than conventional ovens,‭ ‬so they require less power to run over the course of‭ ‬a‭ ‬day.‭ ‬Certain designs can power‭ ‬many ovens at once,‭ ‬allowing for a single heat source‭ ‬located outside of the kitchen area.

There are three primary heating systems that a deck oven can use.‭ ‬The first is known as a cyclothermic oven.‭ ‬A cyclothermic oven uses combustion to heat air.‭ ‬The air is passed around the walls of the cooking chamber.‭ ‬A convection fan moves the air inside of the oven providing an even heat in every area of the chamber.

Steam tube ovens‭ ‬are another type, and‭ ‬they convert water into steam.‭ ‬The heated steam‭ ‬moves through tubes that surround the cooking chamber.‭ ‬The‭ ‬tubes heat the area, and then the steam condenses back into‭ ‬water when it cools and is‭ ‬reheated.‭ ‬This type of deck oven creates a cooking atmosphere that is drier than other types and‭ ‬giving baked goods‭ ‬a more robust crust.

The final type of deck oven is called a thermal oil oven.‭ ‬Thermal oil ovens begin with a heating unit that usually is located away from the cooking chambers.‭ ‬Oil is heated and‭ ‬pumped to the ovens where it circulates around the cooking chamber walls.‭ The oil can hold heat for a longer time than‭ ‬air or steam,‭ ‬so a thermal oil oven‭ ‬will use far less energy than the other types of ovens.‭ ‬They are, however, complex and large systems that require constant,‭ ‬experienced maintenance to operate.