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 facto r affecting the predicting accuracy during the simulation of air-blast chil ling process. In this study, numerical simulations using computational flui d dynamics (CFDs) were conducted to predict a coupled heat and mass transfe r during chilling of a cooked ham. Based on the experimental airflow temper ature data, a mathematical formula expressing the fluctuation of airflow te mperature with the cooling time was incorporated into the CFD USER FORTRAN code to specify the inlet airflow boundary condition. Comparing with the re sults predicted by using a constant inlet airflow temperature, influence of the fluctuating inlet airflow temperature on the predicted heat transfer c oefficient, surface and core temperatures and weight loss of the ham was ex amined. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.