TRANSIENT HEAT-TRANSFER ANALYSIS IN AIR COOLING OF INDIVIDUAL SPHERICAL PRODUCTS

This study presents a new approach for analyzing unsteady heat transfer during forced air cooling of figs as spherical products. In the cooling of food products, conduction, convection, radiation, and internal heat generation take place. Moisture loss is coupled with heat transfer An analytical scheme is presented for solving these equations for three cases, namely h=h(c), h=h(c)+h(r) and h=h(c)+h(r)+h(e). The predicted temperature distributions and heat transfer rates for four air velocities are compared with measured data. The predictions for the first and second cases are in good agreement with experimental observations On the other hand, the predictions for the third and most realistic case ave in very good agreement with experimental observations in considering the moisture loss effect.