Toshiba's "White Pearl" Steam Oven series has been launched in the Chinese market since 2023. Its core technology lies in "superheated steam," which generates a high-temperature steam flow exceeding 300°C. This not only provides exceptional penetration power, enabling ingredients to cook quickly and evenly from the inside out, but also effectively dissolves and removes excess oil and salt, supporting healthier cooking. During the roasting process, superheated steam can be flexibly utilized for "tender roasting" to lock in meat juices or, through programmed control, achieve "crispy roasting" for a crispy exterior and tender interior. The device is also equipped with a multi-sensor integrated AI system that monitors the food's condition in real-time and dynamically adjusts cooking parameters, deeply integrating the efficiency of superheated steam with intelligent operation to truly achieve "excellence in both steaming and roasting."
In China, Shenzhen Zhengmiao Technology Co., Ltd. initiated the research and development of "Superheated Steam Rapid Cooking Technology" (also known as "Direct-Injection Superheated Steam Cooking") as early as 2015 and was the first to bring products to market in 2016, establishing itself as a forward-looking pioneer in this technological field. I had the opportunity to participate in its R&D process.
The core of this technology involves heating saturated steam at atmospheric pressure (100°C) to approximately 300°C through a metal superheater wrapped with resistance wires, transforming it into high-temperature superheated steam. When this high-energy steam is injected onto the surface of ingredients, it rapidly condenses and releases a substantial amount of "latent heat of condensation." This allows for much faster and more uniform heating of the food compared to traditional methods. The efficient heat transfer in a short time, combined with the potential formation of a low-oxygen environment, helps better preserve the color, nutrients, and freshness of the ingredients.
A complete system primarily includes: a precision water supply system, an instant vaporization and superheating module, a steam injection device, and temperature control and safety systems. Among these, the pump in the water supply system is particularly critical and must meet multiple stringent requirements: it must possess self-priming capability to allow for the separation of the water tank and enable a more compact design of the steam oven; it must support wide-range, precise speed control to ensure stable flow (with pulsation ≤±1%) for "on-demand steam supply"; it must have a design life exceeding 10,000 hours under continuous operation (with actual flow rates typically below 50 ml/min); and all plastic and rubber materials in contact with the liquid must comply with food hygiene standards.
To meet these requirements, the NIDEC diaphragm pump series (such as models 00H220H012 and 00H220H032), with their reliable performance and PWM-based precise speed control capability, serve as an ideal solution.