An automated random stacking tool for packaged horticultural produce

Olatunji, Jamal R.; Love, Richard; Shim, Young-Min; East, A.R.

doi:10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2020.110037

Cited by 8 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…A conjugated heat transfer and airflow CFD model was, therefore, able to be produced quickly and without the need for manual construction of the model geometry. The CFD model showed that most of the airflow during a forced-air cooling operation passed through the headspace and that airflow pathway through the channel was more sinuous than previous studies have predicted, due to the realistic polyliner shape [131].…”

Section: Filling and Food Packagingmentioning

confidence: 65%

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Application of computational fluid dynamics simulations in food industry

Szpicer

Bińkowska

Wojtasik‐Kalinowska

et al. 2023

Eur Food Res Technol

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Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is a tool for modelling and simulating processes in many industries. It is usually used as a choice to solve problem involving flow of fluids, heat transfer, mass transfer and chemical reaction. Moreover, it has also found application in the optimization of processes in branches of the food industry, including bread baking, cooling beef roast, or spray drying. CFD has enormous potential and many opportunities to improve the quality and safety of food products, as well as to reduce the costs of production and the use of machines and production equipment. In addition, empirical models only permit data to be extracted at a limited number of locations in the system (where sensors and gauges are placed). CFD allows the designer to examine any location in the region of interest, and interpret its performance through a set of thermal and flow parameters. Computer simulations are the future of every field of science, and the presented overview provides the latest information on experts and experiences related to CFD application in food production. Despite some disadvantages, such as the need to have a large reserve of computing power, the development of digital and IT technologies will make this problem insignificant in the nearest future. Then the CFD will become an indispensable element in the design of equipment and technological lines in the food industry.

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Section: Filling and Food Packagingmentioning

confidence: 65%

“…In Olatunji et al (2020) paper, a new tool was developed that was capable of rapidly generating the geometry of a fruit stack. The tool took a size and weight distribution of fruit and simulated the effect of gravity and friction forces to form a realistic stack.…”

Section: Filling and Food Packagingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of computational fluid dynamics simulations in food industry

Szpicer

Bińkowska

Wojtasik‐Kalinowska

et al. 2023

Eur Food Res Technol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…It can be seen from Figure 15 that increasing the number of layers in the plastic basket had a significant effect on the temperature variation of the fresh tea leaves. The effect of the stack may be as significant as the basket design (such as adding a ventilation duct and the ventilation duct size) and may influence each other [ 53 ]. When the plastic baskets were stacked, the temperature of the fresh tea leaves had a smaller decreasing rate.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Numerical Analysis on Heat Characteristics of the Ventilation Basket for Fresh Tea Leaves

Zeng

Jiang

et al. 2022

Foods

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Plastic baskets are commonly used as containers for fresh tea leaves during storage and transport after harvest. Nevertheless, there are significant challenges in controlling the core temperature of the basket since fresh tea leaves still maintain a certain degree of respiration after being harvested, with extremely high temperatures being the major factor for the color change of fresh tea leaves. A numerical model was developed to improve the temperature control of the plastic basket, by which the influence of different structural parameters on the core temperature in the plastic baskets with fresh tea leaves was analyzed. The accuracy of the model in predicting airflow and temperature distributions was validated against experimental data. The maximum RMSE was 1.158 °C and the maximum MRE was 5.410% between the simulated and test temperature value. The maximum deviation between the simulated velocity and test velocity was 0.11 m/s, the maximum RE was 29.05% and the maximum SD was 0.024. The results show that a plastic basket with a ventilation duct efficiently decreased the temperature of the fresh tea leaves and significantly affected the heat transfer between the fresh tea leaves and the ambient air compared to the plastic basket without a ventilation duct. Furthermore, the effect on the heat transfer was further expanded by the use of a plastic basket with a ventilation duct when the plastic baskets were stacked. The maximum temperature differences were 0.52 and 0.40 according to the stacked and single-layer products, respectively. The ambient temperature and the bulk density of the fresh tea leaves have a significant influence on the core temperature.

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“…Irregularly shaped products have more curved surfaces, pores, and uneven thickness than regularly shaped products, leading to a non-uniform heating pattern. Additionally, when horticultural products are packed in bulk, the shape of individual products combines, forming a stack with a complex and convoluted shape, affecting the rate of transfer processes [ 149 ]. An additional complexity is imposed on creating transport models when a polyliner bag covers the surrounding of the product bulk.…”

Section: Current Limitations and Future Trendsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…An additional complexity is imposed on creating transport models when a polyliner bag covers the surrounding of the product bulk. Defining the surface topography of the product bulk is difficult in a modeling environment because a polyliner bag is flexible and sticks to edges [ 149 ]. Therefore, developing rapid and efficient methods for the 3D reconstruction of irregular food products becomes a necessity.…”

Section: Current Limitations and Future Trendsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Finite Element Method for Freezing and Thawing Industrial Food Processes

Fadiji

Ashtiani

Onwude

et al. 2021

Foods

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Freezing is a well-established preservation method used to maintain the freshness of perishable food products during storage, transportation and retail distribution; however, food freezing is a complex process involving simultaneous heat and mass transfer and a progression of physical and chemical changes. This could affect the quality of the frozen product and increase the percentage of drip loss (loss in flavor and sensory properties) during thawing. Numerical modeling can be used to monitor and control quality changes during the freezing and thawing processes. This technique provides accurate predictions and visual information that could greatly improve quality control and be used to develop advanced cold storage and transport technologies. Finite element modeling (FEM) has become a widely applied numerical tool in industrial food applications, particularly in freezing and thawing processes. We review the recent studies on applying FEM in the food industry, emphasizing the freezing and thawing processes. Challenges and problems in these two main parts of the food industry are also discussed. To control ice crystallization and avoid cellular structure damage during freezing, including physicochemical and microbiological changes occurring during thawing, both traditional and novel technologies applied to freezing and thawing need to be optimized. Mere experimental designs cannot elucidate the optimum freezing, frozen storage, and thawing conditions. Moreover, these experimental procedures can be expensive and time-consuming. This review demonstrates that the FEM technique helps solve mass and heat transfer equations for any geometry and boundary conditions. This study offers promising insight into the use of FEM for the accurate prediction of key information pertaining to food processes.

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An automated random stacking tool for packaged horticultural produce

Cited by 8 publications

References 4 publications

Application of computational fluid dynamics simulations in food industry

Application of computational fluid dynamics simulations in food industry

Numerical Analysis on Heat Characteristics of the Ventilation Basket for Fresh Tea Leaves

Finite Element Method for Freezing and Thawing Industrial Food Processes

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