Steaming heats up and removes air from the wood at the same time. In just the same way as cooking food, experience and a smooth touch are needed to attain perfect steaming.
Performed correctly, steaming gives the ideal conditions for the next process step, impregnation. If the steaming is insufficient, there may be air remaining in the raw material, which has a negative effect on the subsequent cooking process, due to inhomogeneous conditions.
Valmet’s CompactCooking™ carries out steaming using steam from hot black liquor, following a method that optimizes the pulp yield. The steaming is carried out in the same vessel as the impregnation, giving a more energyefficient process and a more uniform end result.
There are many ways of cooking food, steaming is one. Did you know that steaming retains most of the vegetables’ nutrients and is thus the best for your health?
Antioxidants protect our cells and can counteract cancer, cardiovascular problems and other diseases. When we boil, fry, grill or bake food, the vegetables’ membranes break down and the level of antioxidants falls. Steaming preserves the nutrients much better.
Using the microwave is the second-best method after steaming. When you microwave frozen vegetables, a large part of the vitamins and minerals are retained.
However, as we said before, steaming is the best and, moreover, it is very easy. Buying a strainer or a steamer can be a cheap and wise investment in your health.
