PARTICLE CONCENTRATION INFLUENCE ON LIQUID RESIDENCE TIME DISTRIBUTIONS IN A MODEL ASEPTIC PROCESSING SYSTEM

Residence time distributions (RTDs) of water as influenced by particle concentration and mutator speed (SSHE only) were investigated in a holding tube and a horizontal scraped surface heat exchanger (SSHE). Liquid mean residence rimes (LMRTs) were not significantly influenced by particle concentrations rep to 30% in the holding tube. Variance, on the other hand, was significantly higher without particle loading, indicating a broader distribution. About 20% particle loading significantly reduced the LMRTs regardless of the mutator speed. In addition, an increase in the mutator speed significantly increased the variance regardless of the particle concentration, indicating a broader distribution. The variance in SSHE was not significantly influenced by the particle concentration, unlike the holding tube. The LMRTs calculated from volumetric flow rates were lower than those from pulse input experiments for both holding tube and SSHE.