Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons^™

Finite Element Modeling And Experimental Validation Of Cooling Rates Of Large Ready-To-Eat Meat Products In Small Meat-Processing Facilities, A. Amézquita, L. Wang, Curtis L. Weller

Biological Systems Engineering: Papers and Publications

A two−dimensional axisymmetric transient heat conduction model was developed to simulate air chilling of large ready−to−eat meat products of ellipsoidal shape. A finite element scheme, using 1,600 linear triangular elements with 861 nodes, was implemented in Matlab 6.5 to solve the model. The model considered a variable initial temperature distribution and combined convective, radiative, and evaporative boundary conditions. Predicted values agreed well with experimental data collected in actual processing conditions. Validation of model performance resulted in maximum deviations of 2.54°C and 0.29% for temperature and weight loss histories, respectively. The maximum temperature deviation (2.54°C) occurred at the surface; however, for …