SPATIAL-DISTRIBUTION OF OIL AFTER DEEP-FAT FRYING OF TORTILLA CHIPS FROM A STOCHASTIC-MODEL

The morphology and oil distribution of tortilla chips can be described using a statistical description based upon Monte Carlo simulation app roach. The chip distribution model consists of a three-dimensional mul ti-phase thin plate made of small cubic cells that define a lattice. R andom numbers are allocated to each cell throughout the lattice. These numbers belong to a uniform distribution density and based upon their value one decides upon the content of the cell (water pores, dry matt er). The spatial location and cluster-size (aggregates) of the differe nt constituents are stored. This structure represents the tortilla chi ps before frying. The lattice is swept cell by cell and the structure of the chips after frying is generated from a random invasion of the t ortilla chip by oil. Water is allowed to evaporate and leave pores beh ind. Oil will coat the structure and occupy a fraction of the pore spa ce. These invasion rules satisfy the mass balances for the tortilla ch ips components as well as the final porosity. These simulations were d one on a GRAY Y-MP2/116 Supercomputer using a vectorized code.