Effective thermal conductivity prediction of foods using composition and temperature data
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Accepted version, 1.158Mb
Citation
Export citationCarson, J. K., Wang, J., North, M. F., & Cleland, D. J. (2016). Effective thermal conductivity prediction of foods using composition and temperature data. Journal of Food Engineering, 175, 65–73. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2015.12.006
Permanent Research Commons link: https://hdl.handle.net/10289/13283
Abstract
Thermal conductivity data are important for food process modelling and design. Where reliable thermal conductivity data are not available, they need to be predicted. The most accurate ‘first approximation’ methodology for predicting the isotropic thermal conductivity of foods based only on data for composition, initial freezing temperature and temperature dependent thermal conductivity of the major food components was sought. A key feature of the methodology was that no experimental measurements were to be required. A multi-step prediction procedure employing the Parallel, Levy and Effective Medium Theory models sequentially for the components other than ice and air, ice and then air respectively is recommended. It was found to provide the most accurate predictions over the range of foods considered (both frozen and unfrozen, porous and non-porous). The Co-Continuous model applied in a single step also provided prediction accuracy within ±20% (on average), except for the porous frozen foods considered. For greater accuracy more rigorous modelling approaches based on knowledge of the foods structure would be required.
Date
2016Type
Publisher
Elsevier
Rights
This is an author’s accepted version of an article published in the journal: Journal of Food Engineering. © 2016 Elsevier.