Determine the tonnage (evaporation steam capacity) 
Calculate the total steam consumption per hour for all steam-consuming equipment (sterilizer, double-layer pot, steamer, drying line, CIP cleaning), and add an additional 10% to 15% margin to cope with peak steam consumption and avoid insufficient steam supply.
Small store/central kitchen: 0.1-0.5t electric generator
Small and medium-sized cooked food and bean products: 1-2T gas stove
Canned food, sauce, continuous drying line: 3-6 tons of gas/biomass
Large-scale industrial parks: Over 6 tons. It is recommended to have one in use and one as backup

Select fuel based on the site and environmental protection (the most crucial)
1.Natural gas boiler (preferred for urban areas/industrial parks)
Low nitrogen combustion (NO <s:1> < 30mg/m³), clean fully automatic, high thermal efficiency, stable continuous production; Natural gas pipelines need to be connected.
2. Electric steam generator
Zero exhaust gas, simple environmental impact assessment; The volume is ≤30L. In most areas, no pot inspection is required and no certified boiler operator is needed. Suitable for small workshops and high-end food workshops; The disadvantage is that the electricity cost is high and it is not cost-effective on a large scale
3. Biomass wood boiler
The lowest operating cost; Suitable for suburban areas, gas-free, and large-scale processing plants with high production capacity; Dust removal and material storage facilities are required. Most areas in the urban area are restricted from approval

Steam Cleanliness (A Hard requirement in the Food Industry)
Indirect heat exchange (recommended for the vast majority of factories)
Boiler steam heats clean water, and the hot water comes into contact with the ingredients, posing no pollution risk. It is easy to pass the SC review and can be directly sprayed (for tofu and steamed buns)
It must be equipped with fully automatic softened water, with a 304 stainless steel inner tank preferred. The steam dryness should be ≥97%, and no rust or impurities should be mixed into the food
Supporting facilities: Fully automatic softened water, direct steaming process. It is recommended to install reverse osmosis equipment

Pressure and Furnace Type Selection
Conventional food processing: 0.4-1.0MPa saturated steam
Vertical boiler: Small floor space, fast pressure rise, intermittent production, suitable for small factories
Horizontal boilers: They have a large steam storage capacity, stable load, are suitable for 24-hour assembly line operations, and are used in large-scale industrial production

Quick Selection summary
In urban areas, there is natural gas and mass production on assembly lines: Choose low-nitrogen gas-fired steam boilers, which are stable and environmentally friendly, and suitable for the entire process of cooking, sterilization and drying.
For small workshops/central kitchens that do not want to conduct annual inspections of special equipment: Choose an electric steam generator, which is clean, free of exhaust gas and easy to operate.
A large factory in the suburbs, pursuing low cost: Choosing biomass pellet boilers, the fuel is cheap, but it needs to be equipped with dust removal equipment.
Steam needs to come into direct contact with food: Equipped with water treatment facilities to further improve water quality.
Long-term continuous production: It is recommended to have one in use and one on standby. The tonnage should be increased by 10% to 15% on the basis of the total steam consumption.