At Iceland Seafood Corporation's new further processing plant in Newport News, VA, all batter-dipped fish frying is done in two Stein ThermoFin thermal fluid fryers heated by Paratherm NF heat transfer fluid. 
The state-of-the-art facility opened in June 1997 and is the largest food service distributor of prepared seafood products in the U.S., according to the company.  It has two complete production lines that form, batter dip, bread, parfry, flash freeze and package the fish products. 
"The benefits offered by these fryers over direct fired technology are four fold," says Tom Sublett, vice president operations.  "These include finished product consistency, safety and worker comfort, equipment cleaning, and improved oil yield." 
Improved yield alone saves the company money.  As a result of steady, more consistent oil temperature (  1 F from set point), the company keeps product waste to 0.05 percent or less.  Product waste in direct-fired fryers is typically in the range of 1.5 percent, according to Sublett.  "That extra percentage point equates to savings of about $1 million a year in an operation our size," notes Sublett. 
Extended cooking oil life is another benefit of indirect systems.  In contrast to direct fired systems where, because of the larger quantity of oil required in the tank, the frying oil develops free fatty acids very quickly.  Paratherm's NF thermal fluid-heated oil generally lasts at least two weeks. 
Indirect fryers require less oil in the tank so turnover (speed of oil picked up by product and replaced with fresh oil) is significantly less.  This reduces the accumulation of free fatty acids, which break down oil and reduce its frying attributes. 
Iceland heats the thermal fluid to 490 F in a Fulton FT-C heater, then pumps it through the fryer's vertical fins.  Thermal fluid returns to the external heat exchanger at about 400 F.  "Because the heat exchanger is located in a remote location, temperatures around the fryer are typically 20 degrees cooler compared to direct fired units," says Sublett.  "The cooler temperatures improve employee job performance and morale, another very positive benefit to productivity."