Articles
MODELLING TRANSPIRATION AND CONDENSATION ON FRUIT AND VEGETABLE SURFACES AFTER COOLING
Article number
674_63
Pages
489 – 494
Language
English
Abstract
The objective of the present study was to minimize the negative influences of condensation after cooling by controlling the air flow conditions close to the produce surface.
Re-warming of fruits and vegetables after cooling is characterised by complex heat and mass transfer processes often affecting the produce quality (due to microbial growth) at unfavourable environmental conditions.
Particularly high relative humidities of the ambient air and closer packaging units lead to high amounts of condensation water on the produce surface and long dwell times.
Depending on the flow conditions close to the produce surface some important basic interactions at single produce items under laboratory conditions were measured.
A mathematical model is developed for the determination of the amount of condensed water on fruit surfaces dependent on the environment air conditions.
As a first step the model describes the heat and mass transfer processes on single fruits.
The process of diffusion of humidity in air and proceed of temperature is the basis for the model.
Input parameters of the model are ambient air temperature and humidity, surface temperature, and size of the fruit.
Re-warming of fruits and vegetables after cooling is characterised by complex heat and mass transfer processes often affecting the produce quality (due to microbial growth) at unfavourable environmental conditions.
Particularly high relative humidities of the ambient air and closer packaging units lead to high amounts of condensation water on the produce surface and long dwell times.
Depending on the flow conditions close to the produce surface some important basic interactions at single produce items under laboratory conditions were measured.
A mathematical model is developed for the determination of the amount of condensed water on fruit surfaces dependent on the environment air conditions.
As a first step the model describes the heat and mass transfer processes on single fruits.
The process of diffusion of humidity in air and proceed of temperature is the basis for the model.
Input parameters of the model are ambient air temperature and humidity, surface temperature, and size of the fruit.
Authors
M. Linke, K. Gottschalk
Keywords
transpiration, condensation, cooling fruits
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