Techno-economic study of simplified cooling time estimation methods applied on two-phase yogurt manufacturing technology

Abstract

Good cooling and freezing time estimations and predictions can provide efficient and economic performance of refrigeration system for specific technology demands. Food products have complex compositions, and variable shapes and sizes of the packaging, which lead to variable thermal behavior and quality after the processing. It is, therefore, difficult to determine accurately the effects of the product cooling dynamics on the final product’s quality and price. The yogurt manufacturing by two-phase cooling technology was analyzed from the different aspects of adequate method selections, and two most common methods in the engineering practice were applied (f-j factors method and “Equivalent Heat Transfer Dimensionality” method). The results obtained by these methods showed very good agreement with the refrigeration system performance and capacities, and they confirmed great dependence of the cooled product dimensions, shape and geometry on the cooling process. The performed analysis showed that the used calculation method could also be used in the process of defining the suitable package size and shape.