Blodgett KLS-100E Installation Operation & Maintenance page 9

3.0 OPERATION
CAPACITIES
All models are suffixed with either - 20, - 30, - 40, - 60, - 80 or -100 to indicate the capacity of that
kettle in US gallons. Thus a KLS-40E indicates a two thirds jacketed electrically powered steam
kettle mounted on legs with a capacity of 40 US gallons.
FUNCTIONING MODE
All electrically powered self steam generating kettles consist of a jacket charged with a solution of
water and antifreeze sufficient to completely immerse and protect replaceable electric heating
elements.
To minimize tampering, the Safety Valve is plumbed toward the rear of the kettle jacket. Should
any component malfunction and cause the pressure in the jacket to reach the rated pressure of the
kettle, this protective device will open automatically and release excessive pressurized steam.
When the Power Switch is turned ON and the Temperature Control (Thermostat) Knob dialed
simultaneously, TEMPERATURE pilot light will come on and contactors will close to allow power to
elements. Steam generation will commence and continue until the water contained in the jacket
reaches the thermostatic temperature, manually preselected, at which point the Temperature
(thermostat) Control will de-energize and open the contactors cutting off power to heating elements
and TEMPERATURE pilot light will go off. When the temperature of the water in the jacket drops
slightly, the cycle will repeat itself thus making it possible to maintain any selected precise cooking
mode temperature.
The temperature required for the cooking process to function adequately must be greater than the
boiling point of the liquid food product. Further, the higher the temperature, the greater the steam
pressure attained in the jacket and consequently the quicker the cooking process. For example,
steam pressurized at 30 p.s.i. attains a temperature of 274º Fahrenheit.
Since air is an unsuitable media through which heat may be transferred, it has been removed from
the kettle jacket during testing at the factory. The Pressure Gauge should indicate vacuum in the
jacket, in the green vacuum zone on the gauge (approximately 20-25 Hg), when the kettle is cold
or has been inoperative for some time. The kettle jacket is intended to function at all times as a
completely sealed self-contained chamber and it is especially advisable not to trip the safety relief
valve during inoperative periods since this will break the vacuum seal and allow air to enter the
kettle jacket.
It should be noted that Temperature Controls (thermostats) used on these particular kettles have
an ultimate high limit temperature and this setting will prevent the heating elements from ever
generating steam pressure to reach or exceed the rated working pressure of these kettles. Further
should the Temperature Control fail, an unlikely condition, and consequently the circuit to the
heating elements remain energized, the Safety Valve will blow and release steam (i.e., water) from
the self contained sealed kettle jacket and consequently lower the water level in the jacket. A
Safety Probe is incorporated in the circuit to sense depletion of the water level in the kettle jacket
and will not only activate the LOW WATER level indicator pilot light but also signal the Liquid Level
Control to switch off power and de-energize the circuit to the heating elements (preventing element
burn outs) until the water level is adequately replenished.
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