Effect of fluctuation in inlet airflow temperature on CFD simulation of air-blast chilling process

Setting the boundary condition of airflow temperature is an important factor affecting the predicting accuracy during the simulation of air-blast chilling process. In this study, numerical simulations using computational fluid dynamics (CFDs) were conducted to predict a coupled heat and mass transfer during chilling of a cooked ham. Based on the experimental airflow temperature data, a mathematical formula expressing the fluctuation of airflow temperature with the cooling time was incorporated into the CFD USER FORTRAN code to specify the inlet airflow boundary condition. Comparing with the results predicted by using a constant inlet airflow temperature, influence of the fluctuating inlet airflow temperature on the predicted heat transfer coefficient, surface and core temperatures and weight loss of the ham was examined. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.