HEAT-TRANSFER ANALYSIS IN A FOOD HEATED B Y FAR-INFRARED RADIATION

Investigation of heat transfer in the food heated by far-infrared radi ation is important for development of efficient heating process, since far-infrared radiation has recently been used in the process of food industry. To predict temperature profiles in the food, two mathematica l models were studied. One is the model that some of the irradiated en ergy penetrates into the food. Another is the model that all of the ir radiated energy are absorbed at the food surface. There was no signifi cant difference in calculated results between these two models, and it was found that the penetration of far-infrared radiation energy did n ot affect the temperature distribution in the food. Therefore, the lat ter model was used to examine the influence of the temperature of a fa r-infrared radiation heater and convective heat transfer coefficient o n heat transfer in the food. To check the mathematical models, far-inf rared heating experiments were carried out. Calculated temperature dis tribution in the food was in good agreement with experimental data.