CIDCA   05380
CENTRO DE INVESTIGACION Y DESARROLLO EN CRIOTECNOLOGIA DE ALIMENTOS
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
artículos
Título:
Modelling and simulation of microwave heating of foods under different process schedules
Autor/es:
L.A. CAMPAÑONE; C.A. PAOLA; R.H. MASCHERONI
Revista:
FOOD AND BIOPROCESS TECHNOLOGY
Editorial:
SPRINGER
Referencias:
Lugar: Berlin; Año: 2012 vol. 5 p. 738 - 749
ISSN:
1935-5130
Resumen:
This paper describes the development of a simulation model for heating of foods in microwave ovens and its uses to optimize food heating strategies. The solution of the coupled energy and mass microscopic balances considers the electromagnetic energy absorption as well as temperature-dependent thermal, transport, and dielectric properties. The microscopic balances are highly nonlinear coupled differential equations, which were solved using finite element software (Comsol Multiphysics). Maxwell equations were employed in order to describe the interaction between electromagnetic radiation and food. The mathematical model allowed the evaluation of the effect of product size and composition in the temperature profiles that developed inside the food that was radiated either on one or both sides. In order to improve the nonuniform temperature profiles that occurred within foods under continuous operation, different operation schemes were evaluated: intermittent cycles, joint action of microwaves with air impingement, and the effect of interference of electromagnetic waves.