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Check Out our New Conveyor Belt Cleaning Systems Interactive Infographics
March 11, 2024 12:22 am Leave a Comment
Electro-Steam specializes in developing industrial cleaning systems that can integrate with your existing processes and equipment. Our innovative cleaning solutions are made to eliminate carryback before it causes costly downtime or excessive wear.

Flat belt and modular conveyor belt systems require different cleaners to completely reach all contaminated surfaces without compromising productivity. To address this need, Electro-Steam created our Eagle Series Brushless Conveyor Belt Cleaning System and Jet System Modular Conveyor Belt Cleaning System to suit the needs of modern industrial conveyor belts. To learn more about these products, view the interactive infographics below.

Eagle Series Brushless Conveyor Belt Cleaning System

Our Eagle Series Automatic Brushless Conveyor Belt Cleaner features an attachment that can be easily installed and removed within one minute. The cleaning head has no moving parts and provides complete belt coverage, reducing the risk of human error in the belt cleaning and sanitization process.

The Eagle Series uses minimal chemicals, reduces the need for manual labor, decreases wastewater disposal, and complies with all necessary food safety regulations. These properties make it well-suited for use in food, beverage, and other consumable goods handling applications that often require labor-intensive and complex cleaning processes to maintain safety and quality.

Our interactive infographic provides information about the features of the Eagle Series Brushless Conveyor Belt Cleaning System. You can click the red dots to read more detailed information about the components and features of the system, including:
- Conveyor Belt
- Custom Brushless Conveyor Belt Cleaner
- Eagle Series Dry Steam Cleaners
- Hot Dry Steam Inlet
- Industrial Vacuum
Jet System Modular Conveyor Belt Cleaning System

Electro-Steam’s Jet System Modular Conveyor Belt Cleaning System offers an effective and powerful cleaning solution that is portable, lightweight, and easy to install. The system is made up of a completely programmable robotic arm, as well as a rotating steam spinner head that fits belt widths of 12 to 72 inches for full surface-width coverage. These fully customizable units utilize dry, hot steam to mitigate carryback and clean a wide range of soil types.

Our interactive infographic will guide you through the features of our Jet System Modular Conveyor Belt Cleaning System. Simply click on the red dots on the infographic for details about the various components, including:
- Robotic Arm
- Spinner Head
- Steam Delivery
- Touchscreen Control Panel
Electro-Steam’s New Conveyor Belt Cleaning Systems

At Electro-Steam, we offer a variety of steam cleaning solutions for the food processing, beverage, and packaging industries. Our automated cleaning systems not only eliminate the need for time-consuming cleaning processes but also help ensure safe, compliant operations. Guide yourself through the features of our automatic conveyor belt cleaning systems with our interactive infographics. You can also contact us to speak with a team member about our products and capabilities.
Steam Applications for Different Industries
February 28, 2024 3:00 pm Leave a Comment
Because it is so versatile, steam is used in many industries. It’s common to find steam sanitization systems and specialized manufacturing processes that incorporate steam in many settings. Steam generators are an affordable and reliable source of steam ready to use, on demand.

Below are just a few examples of steam sanitation operations and other ways steam is used in manufacturing.

Steam Pipe Cleaning

In-line degreasing and cleaning use hot steam to clean and maintain equipment without disrupting production or disassembling equipment. These steam pipe cleaning operations are called clean-in-place (CIP) and sanitize-in-place (SIP) systems. Examples include cleaning systems for:
- Oil and gas industry pipes
- Paint lines and nozzles
- Filling lines, bottles, and conveyors in beverage bottling
Similarly, home and commercial kitchen drains can be cleaned with steam. It removes grease and food residues from drains and grease traps without chemical cleaners or clog removers.

Furniture Bending

Steam bending is a method of shaping natural materials like wood and bamboo. The material is placed inside a sealed steam box into which steam is injected. Depending on its hardness and thickness, the material sits for several hours until it becomes pliable.

The hot steam softens the lignans and fibers in the material so it can be formed into the desired shape. The softened material is clamped or braced against a metal form and left to cool. Once cool it will retain the new shape.

This method does not involve glues or cuts to the material, which reduces waste and scrap. The end result is also highly aesthetic because the process does not break the wood grain or cause cracks.

Musical Instruments

Steam bending is also used in making wooden musical instruments such as guitars or violins. The principles of steam bending for musical instruments are very similar to those for making furniture and in woodworking.

Heating of Railcars and Shipping Containers

Steam is used for multiple processes that involve railcars and shipping containers. It can be used to create a heat jacket around tank cars, making it easier to pump viscous liquids like adhesives, waxes, or molasses, into and out of the vessels.

Steam is also used to clean and sanitize rail tank cars to remove grease and residues and prevent microbial growth. Dry steam is used, so it does not leave standing or condensed water behind. Another advantage to steam cleaning is portable systems can be brought to the individual railcars instead of sending them all to a separate facility for cleaning.

Concrete

There are two ways to cure concrete with steam: under atmospheric pressure or with high-pressure steam. The size of the piece and environmental conditions determine the method. Curing under atmospheric pressure is best for large pieces or cast-in-place units. It is critical to carefully control the temperature ranges and amount of time the concrete is held at each temperature.

Curing concrete with high-pressure steam is beneficial when high early strength is needed for quick unmolding, or when the concrete requires heat to properly hydrate. Pieces must be enclosed in an autoclave to control the pressure, so this process is limited to smaller pieces. High-pressure curing is used in areas with cold temperatures for relatively quick curing.

It is also possible to steam clean concrete once it is properly cured and finished, such as in flooring, landscaping, or driveway applications.

Candy

In the food industry, some types of chewy candy are coated with sugar crystals. This adds texture and flavor and prevents sticking.

A conveyor belt moves the candies into a chamber filled with food-grade steam. This heats them just enough to partially melt the surface. They are slightly moistened by the humidity as well.

Next, the candies are conveyed into a rotating, double-walled cylinder, along with a large amount of sugar crystals. As the cylinder turns the individual candies tumble and are coated with the sugar. Excess sugar falls through small holes in the inner cylinder and is held in the outer one so it can be used for subsequent batches.

Once fully coated, the candies are conveyed out of the cylinder and are ready for packaging.

Contact Electro-Steam for Steam Generation Solutions

Regardless of the application, Electro-Steam has the generators and steam equipment to meet your needs. Since 1952, we’ve supplied customers in many industries with easily operated, easily maintained, top-quality steam solutions.

Our experts are ready to discuss your application and help you find the right solution based on your specifications. For more information or a quote, reach out to us today and we’ll connect you with one of our experts.
The Different Types of Steam in Industrial Steam Generation
January 17, 2024 4:03 pm Leave a Comment
Industrial facilities rely on different types of steam to manage tasks ranging from consistent heating and processing to managing sanitation. There are many steam types available, and choosing the right one for a given application is essential. At Electro-Steam, we provide steam generation systems suitable for a wide variety of industrial steam needs. This guide will break down the different types of steam frequently used in industrial contexts to help you find the type you need for your facility.

Types of Steam

Learn more about the different benefits and applications of these common types of industrial steam.

Dry Steam

Dry steam is a type of steam with no lingering liquid in the fluid. All of the liquid has been changed to a vapor. Superheated steam, for example, has been heated to the point where no liquid remains. Other steams can act as dry steam, provided there’s a built-in method to capture the liquid before it reaches an application surface.

Saturated Steam

Saturated steam is a specialized type of dry steam. While there may be some liquid remaining in the vapor, it can be easily trapped and contained. In saturated steam, the steam is at boiling point (212 °F) at atmospheric pressure or higher at increased pressure levels. Because of the relationship between pressure and temperature, steam equipment can increase the boiling point by increasing the pressure.

Saturated steam is commonly used in pharmaceutical production applications because it can provide rapid but even heating and has a high heat transfer coefficient. Operators can also fine-tune the temperature through pressure controls.

Superheated Steam

Containing less than 1% moisture, superheated steam is another type of dry steam that is hotter than its boiling point at atmospheric pressure. Superheated steam can reach higher temperatures and lower densities compared to saturated steam at the same pressure point. It can also be cooled without returning to liquid form or producing condensate.

This resistance to becoming liquid makes it an ideal choice for applications like powering the movement of turbines. The steam can move through the nozzles and push the turbine blades, spinning the shaft that generates power, all without presenting the risk of returning to liquid and causing corrosion. It stays ultra-dry throughout its use.

However, there are some drawbacks to superheated steam. It can have varying temperatures even at a steady pressure and has a lower heat transfer coefficient than other steams. Superheated steam won’t release latent energy until it reaches the right level of saturation. Also, because it does reach such high temperatures, it requires specialized equipment that can handle it.

Utility Steam

Utility steam is a type of saturated steam. Most industrial steam processes use utility steam, which contains both latent and sensible energy. Unlike Electro-Steam’s equipment, traditional boilers usually treat feed water with additives that prevent it from corroding boilers or other equipment. This steam is usually classified by low, medium, or high pressure levels. In traditional boilers, utility steam also needs to run through a filter to remove rust, condensate, and other particulates that can contaminate the steam. Even then, utility steam is usually not used in direct contact with products or food but is a means to transfer energy to the relevant process.

While utility steam is used for boilers and a wide range of industrial applications, it’s not clean enough for culinary, medical, or pharmaceutical needs.

Culinary Steam

Culinary steam is regulated by the FDA to ensure any chemical additives designed to prevent rust comply with applicable health and safety regulations. It’s commonly used to sterilize surfaces used in food processing and preparation operations. Along with meeting FDA standards, culinary steam must comply with 3-A Sanitary Standards Inc. (SSI) Accepted Practice 3A-609-03, meet other company-specific policies, and use filtering systems.

Filtered Steam

Filtered steam undergoes a filtering process to remove additives or contaminants so it can be more safely used in sterilization applications.

Clean Steam or Pure Steam

Clean/Pure steam doesn’t have additives and is produced from heating purified water (RO), highly purified water (DI), or water for injection (WFI). Clean/Pure steam can be used in pharmaceutical, healthcare, and medical contexts.

Clean steam is generated by systems that use saturated steam, and the resulting condensate can be classified as water for injection, such as saline solutions. Clean steam itself can be used in other various processes such as humidification and sanitation in which contamination cannot be present. Clean steam systems are made from high-grade stainless steel components, piping, and other non-porous materials.

Choose the Right Steam System for Your Facility

Different types of steam have very different characteristics, can be used in specific applications, and meet the requirements of various health and industry standards. Now that you know the distinctions between various types of dry steam vs. wet steam, you’re ready to begin selecting the right steam system for your facility. Electro-Steam provides 100% American-made steam generators for food processing, cleanroom, medical processing, sterilization, and other industrial applications.

Contact the team at Electro-Steam to find the right steam generation system for your needs.
How Steam Has Become a Popular Way to Sanitize Food Processing Equipment
January 12, 2024 3:13 pm Leave a Comment
Dry steam sanitizing is a widely used cleaning method for a wide range of food and beverage applications. Commercial steam cleaning for food processing equipment is versatile and efficient, offering many benefits for companies across the food supply chain.

Here we’ll look at food safety challenges and how dry steam sanitizing can help meet them.

Challenges of Meeting Food Safety Standards

The 2011 Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) sets requirements for sanitization and food safety best practices in food processing and related facilities. While cleanliness and response to foodborne illness outbreaks have always been emphasized, prevention of foodborne illness is the major priority of this legislation.

As a result, food growers, manufacturers, producers, packagers, and transporters must do all they can to protect their products from pathogens. This is in addition to keeping equipment and facilities clean from oils and grease, food residues, insects, and allergens to avoid contamination.

Food processing and manufacturing facilities, such as confectionaries, bakeries, commercial kitchens, beverage producers, and canneries, must maintain clean, sanitary equipment which is traditionally time-consuming and risks damage to equipment and injury to workers. Cleaning and sanitizing is often a multi-step process that may involve taking equipment offline, disassembling conveyors and machinery, and using intensive washing, scraping, brushing, and vacuuming techniques. Then, components must be dried and reassembled before production resumes.

How Dry Steam Mitigates Those Challenges

To keep up with the strict requirements of the FSMA, many facilities turn to dry steam sanitization. Unlike water or wet steam, such as the steam produced during cooking, dry steam is slightly superheated so that it contains less than 10% moisture content.

A dry steam generator produces hot-dry steam, which is sprayed at high pressures and temperatures on and into equipment to clean and sanitize it quickly without chemicals, or in some cases, disassembly. As the steam evaporates, it leaves little to no moisture behind so that surfaces are clean, dry, and ready to be used again, much faster than traditional methods.

Dry steam can be used for applications like:
- Degreasing oils and fats
- Sanitizing multiple surfaces, floors, conveyor belts, and food equipment
- Killing pathogens including listeria and E.coli
- Killing molds
- Cleaning and removing residues and traces of ingredients
There are many benefits of steam sanitization. It is especially useful in settings where equipment, ingredients, and products must stay dry like bakeries, dry and powdered ingredient processing facilities, and packaging operations. Steam reaches areas inside and around equipment that are difficult to clean with other methods. Dry steam cleaning also reduces the time for drying and reassembling equipment so it can be brought back online quickly.

Our Steam Generators for Food Processing Cleaning

At Electro-Steam, we manufacture multiple types of steam sanitization systems for use across the food and beverage industry. Options include:

Eagle Series Dry Steam Cleaners

Our Eagle Series Dry Steam Cleaners are portable and have an operating pressure of 5 to 160 psi. All models include:
- Dual pressure controls (UL 353 compliant)
- Low level cut-off (LLCO) (UL 353 compliant)
- Safety relief valve with ASME V mark (built by an ASME-certified manufacturer)
- A steam gun/20-foot hose combo and a 52-tool accessories kit are included with every unit
Steam Master Series by Menikini

The Steam Master by Menikini series is European Conformity (EC) compliant and has an operating pressure of 145 psi. Additional features are:
- Automatic pressure control
- Low level cut-off (LLCO) with alarm
- Solution/detergent tank
- Adjustable temperature regulator
- 12 Bbr (174 psi) safety relief valve
- A steam gun/20-foot hose combo and a 52-tool accessories kit are included with every Steam Master
Conveyor Belt Cleaning Systems

Electro-Steam’s fully automated or robotic conveyor belt cleaning systems simplify the process of cleaning and sanitizing conveyor belts without chemicals and without dismantling the belt systems. These systems use FDA-approved materials that can clean vinyl, mesh, and plastic conveyor belts to meet the highest industry standards. They also utilize much less water than traditional cleaning methods, saving facilities between 95%-99% of their normal water allocation for conveyor belt sanitizing.

Learn More About Steam Sanitization for Food Processing

Steam sanitization is an efficient, trusted method for cleaning and sanitizing equipment while ensuring food safety. Using the right equipment from Electro-Steam for your operations saves time, money, and labor while complying with industry regulations.

Our expert team can help you select the ideal solution for your facility and application. Contact us today to learn more about our dry steam solutions.
Why Winemakers Have Adopted Steam Sterilization
January 5, 2024 3:30 pm Leave a Comment
Winemakers must sanitize winemaking equipment properly to maintain the wine’s quality. Traditionally, winemakers relied on chlorinated materials, trisodium phosphate (TSP), and soda ash solutions to sterilize barrels and tanks. However, contemporary winemaking has shifted towards safer, more effective methods, such as winery steam. It offers a sustainable and highly effective alternative, addressing critical concerns and setting exceptional sanitation standards.

Learn more about why winemakers are adopting steam sterilization over other methods.

Elimination of Chlorinated Water for Sanitization

Traditionally, winery sanitation followed a simple path—using TSP, chlorinated solutions, or soda ash solutions to clean barrels and tanks, then washing it down with chlorinated water. However, winemakers discovered that trichloroanisole developed in the wine when specific bacteria fed on chlorinated water, resulting in contaminated ‘corked’ wine. This contamination could originate from corks but also sources in drains, barrels, tanks, and even wood and cardboard materials in cellars.

In response to this revelation, chlorine-based cleaning products were phased out. Companies pivoted towards ozone treatment and dry steam sterilization, alternatives to upholding stringent hygiene standards.

Why Steam Is Better for Winemaking

Steam cleaning has emerged as an advanced and eco-conscious technique in sanitizing wine bottles and equipment, offering numerous benefits compared to traditional cleaning methods. For example, steam can reach all areas of the barrel, including tight spots like the gaps between copper pipes and intricate crevices in stainless steel tanks. Additionally, due to their high temperatures and pressurized nature, wine barrel steamers are effective at killing hidden microorganisms and bacteria, ensuring a sanitary environment for fermenting and aging wine.

By adopting this innovative approach, wineries improve aromas and flavors, reaping the benefits of steam cleaning and improving the winemakers’ quality, sustainability, and reputation.

Steam vs. Ozone Treatment

Wineries prefer using dry steam over ozone for cleaning because it saves water and is better for the environment. Ozone cleaning involves converting ozone gas to liquid, which requires high water consumption. The ozone is also toxic in high concentrations, so workers require additional protection from exposure.

Dry steam, created at high temperatures without extra moisture, efficiently cleans wine barrels, tanks, and equipment without toxic chemicals. Steam sterilization helps wineries address both water conservation concerns and health and safety concerns.

Steam vs. Conventional Cleaning Agents

Using dry steam for cleaning minimizes the environmental impact of sanitization. Compared to traditional methods, steam cleaning uses very little water, avoids introducing chemicals into production, and produces wastewater that is not toxic. These benefits make steam sterilization an appealing choice for companies aiming to showcase their commitment to sustainability.

Unlike conventional cleaning agents that need time to work on surfaces, wine barrel steamers are much quicker, resulting in significantly less downtime and more efficient use of labor. Steam sterilization also helps wineries eliminate the risk of chemical residues affecting wine flavors.

Learn More About Our Steam Generators for Winemaking

Cleaning wine equipment is crucial in the winemaking and bottling process, and has direct impacts on the wine’s quality and consumer safety. Thorough cleaning ensures the removal of potential contaminants from previous batches, preserving the wine’s purity and complex flavors.

Steam sterilization is the best way to effectively clean wine equipment. It is safer, more efficient, and more effective than conventional cleaning agents and ozone treatments. Electro-Steam is a leading provider of steam generators, with a variety of models and accessories to meet your winery’s needs. When you get your steam generators from us, you can expect:
- Standard 5-year warranty on chambers and 1-year warranty on all other components
- Standard stainless steel cabinet and electrical panel
- 98% efficiency without feedwater preheating
- 2-4 week production
- ASME, CRN, UL, cUL or CE compliance
Contact us to learn more about our winery steam cleaning solutions.