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Determination of heat transfer coefficients and freezing times of meat balls in

blast freezers

Conference Paper · September 1990

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 DETEHMINATION OF HEAT TRANS~"ER COEFFICU:NTS AKJ FREEZING
TIMES OF MEAT BALLS IN BLAST ~"REEZERS

A.M. TOCCI and H.H. MASCHE!WNI

Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnoloeiu de Alimentos (CIDCA)

Facultad de Cienci<:is !·;xtJctus - U.N.L.P.
Calle 47 y 116 - (1900) La Plata - Argentina

1. INTRODUCTION
,, The value of the air-product heat transfef coefficient is needed f'or the design
of blast freezers or to perform adaptations or:: calculations over those already in use.
But this type of information is not easi ly avaÍ.lable as i t is difficul t to obtain
and is generally kept as a secret by equipment designers. Besides, literature data
and corre la tions were obtained far systems di f'f::rc:-1 t frorn foods, mos tly under ideal
flow candi tions. The values predicted by these correlutions can only be used as a
coarse approximation far the case of belt freerers, where the belt itself and the
rough surface of meat balls have a high influence on the rate of heat transfer.

Meat balls of different sizes and composi tion are frozen in bel t freezers be-
cause they are used in the formulation of prepared foods. Sorne research has been pu~
líshed on heat transfer coefficíents ín the freezing of hamburgers and of packages
or boxes of foods: /1/, /2/, /3/ ¡ but only one partial study has been reported on
Meat balls /4/.

That is \1hy, the content of this paper deals wi th

1. The measurement of time-temperature relations for meat halls in a wind tunnel for
different air speeds. From these data the heat transft.!r coefficients were calculated.
2. The correlation of these coefficients by relatíons of the type Nu vs Re.
3. The comparison of these correlations with those published for ideal spheres.
4. The measurement of freezing times of meat balls and their comparison wi th those
predicted using the correlations obtained in 3.

!
2. MATERIALS AND METHODS
i
F.xperi mental equipment !

The equipment was previously described /1/. It is a prototype wind tunnel, 2.30
m long, with a test section measuring 0.70 x 0.50 m (Fig. 1). The belt could be
placed parallel or transversal to air flow to test both types of si tuations.

Materials
\
l
Meat balls, 3.8 cndiameter, were prepared in a mould using pure minced beef.
This method assured uniform shape, size and weight.

To measure their temperature two very thin Copper-Constantan thermocouples were.

used. One was placed in the centre and other on the surface of the mea t ball, by
means of a hypodermic needle, to which they were attached.

Temperatures (of the meat ball and of the air in the tunnel) were registered
by a data acquisi tion system DATA LOGGER FLUKE 2240C. Air speed was measured immedi-
ately befare each run wi th a thermoanemometer TSI model 1650.

1
\ !1

IIF/IIR - Commissions B2, C2, Dl, D2/3 - Dresden (Germany) - 1990/4

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.1
'f

~ 1
(al In fR.ct two nonlinear regressions were obtained practically equal in value in
,.------~--1¡data acciuisition
the zone of interest. They wer-e calculated usiOg a standard software (SYSTAT). The
' r - )\ . system regression equations with their coefficients and standard errors are given in table
thern:iocouple

""''/ w1res l. In a latter paragraph these regressions wilil be compared with literature data.
sample 200
blower grids belt Nu
0.70m thermocouple
wlres
150

EI
-
sample
~ ----~~?t--
sample 100

a ir
1
,__... belt ,, 90
80
70 Fig. 2. Experimental data, regres-
(b) !el 60 sion equation and litera-
50 ture equations of Nu vs Re
Fig. 1. a) Sc::l"eratic of wind tunnel. Scheme of the test section showing the arrangement far spheres. ( Air flow
far b) air flow parallel to the belt; e) air flcw transverse to the belt. parallel to the bel t).

3. DETERMINATION OF HEAT TRANSFER COEFFICIENTS

678910 15 20 25
Re xio- 3 i
¡
Measurements

As is widely known thermal properties of foods change steeply in "':le first stages B. Air flow transverse to the bel t
of freezing process ( up to about -20ºC}. This characteristic is an addi tional trouble The two possibili ti es of this type of flow were studied:
for heat transfer coefficient determinations. That is why /1/ it is much simpler to 1. Air passing first through the bel t and then reaching the meat hall (as in a real
freezer wi th upward air flow).
use heating curves, from a low initial temperature up to no more than -20ºC ill the
surface of the sample. Under these candi tions constant thermal properties can be 2. The opposi te, wi th air striking first on the meat ball and then traversing the
assumed with little error. We used this method in our test with meat balls that had belt (as in downward air :flow). Fig. 1 C is a Scheme of this situation.
an initial (storage) temperature of about -50°C and blowing air at ambient temper-
ature. As in case A, experimental data, regression equation and li terature equations !
are presented in Fig. 3. Regression equations and their constants are given in
table I.
A special arrangement was used on the bel t so that the test ball was surrounded
by other plastic balls resembling the situation existing in commercial belt freezers,
200---------------,
which affects the air flow pattern, specially for air flow parallel to the belt. Nu
150
Calculations

The differential heat balance for the system is:

oT 2kc oT kc o2 T
DCp tt = --+
r Or or2
(l)

wi th the ini ti al and bouPdary candi tions T = To for t =O and all r and

h (TA - TR) = kc ~1
or r=R
and
a = O
=Ü
for t > O

For this set of condi tions the analytical solution of eq. {1) was obtained cov-
5 6 7 8 9 10 15 20
Re xm·J
25

ering a wide range of Bi. For each experimental test the thermal histories for r=O
(centre) and r=R (surface) were compared to the predictions of the analytical solu- Fig. 3 a Fig. 3 b
tion, determining the Bi that best fitted the data. From this Bi the heat transfer Fig. 3. Experimental data, regression equation and li terature equations of Nu vs Re'
coefficient h could be easily calculated as well as the Re and Nu num~ers, using
for meat balls with air flow transverse to belt. a) Upward air flow.
tabulated physical properties of air. b) Downward air flow.

Resul ts Discussion

A. Air flow parallel to the bel t

As can be se en from Figs. 2 and 3, there is a degree of dispersion in experi-
Measured h values are presented in Fig. 2 under· the form Nu vs Re. In the same
mental data, due mainly to the presence of the belt and to non-uniformities in the
figure the regression e{¡uation calculated (eq. (2)) is plott~d.
surface of different samples. This leads to a high standard error in the value of
constant A in regression equations.

- 684- - 685 -
 TABLE I
TA: -23.0 to -34.0ºC
va: 1.5 to 8.0 m/s (h from 21.0 to 65.5 w/m2 ºC)
Regression equations for the prediction of h

Forty eight experiments were performed {16 for each type of flow). Freezing
\
A B times ranged between 21.0 and 82.0 minutes a1cording with the values of To, TA and
v 8 used. 1
Equation Air flow Value Standu:-d \'alue Standard Equation
error error number
Discussion

horizontal 0.148 0.026 0.643 0.018 ,, (2)

To test the validi ty of the regression equations used far the prediction of h,
Nu= A ReB upward 0.479 0.095 0.534 0.021 (4) a well preven numerical method /8/ was used to predict the freezing times of meat
balls. The model incorporated physical prope'rties of minced beef and the value of h
downward 0.412 0.096 0.524 0.025 (6)
calculated by eq. {2), (4) or (6), according to the type of air flow. The results
obtained in the predictions are presented in Flg. 4, where they are compared with '1
,,
horizontal 0.114 0.033 0.666 0.029 (3)
experimental data. The errors in predicted tr ranged between -13.30 % and +12.10 %, '1

Nu=2+AReB upward 0.393 0.113 0.552 0.030 (5) wi th an average error of -0.58 % and an average absolute error of 4.60 %.

downward 0.323 0.109 0.546 0.035 (7)

These resulta preve the validi ty of the experimental data and regressions for
the cal cual tion of h, as they provide values which allow a very precise predictiorl
Horizontal flow data grow steeper wi th air speed than transverse flow data. For of freezing times.
all Re upward flow data are higher thar. horizontal and downward flow data. Besides,
upward and downward flow data have similar dependence wi th Re (similar constant B in
regression equations) being upward flow transfer coefficients about 20 % higher fer 80
any value of Re.
70
Experimental data and regression equations were compared wi th equations from
li terature. We selected the following:
~ 60 Fig. 4. Predicted vs experimental
From /5/ for low turbulence tunnels and 3600 < Re < 52000, with support placed

li
freezing times for meat halls
o/•
behind the sphere: Nu = 0.257 Re0.5SS

and for support placed transverse to flow ( higher turbulence):

(8)
o V, "' in bel t freezer.
O: horizontal air flow

¡: Nu= 0.291 Re 0 • 585 (9) 40 ~ l:J. : upward air flow

fJ : downward air flow
¡· In / 6/ the following is proposed for smooth spheres: - : perfect agreement
Nu = 2 + 0.6 Re0.5prl/3 (10) between predicted and
0
experimental data.
In /7/ for foods and 50 <Re <150000 they give: Nu = 0.34 Re0.6 (11)

30 40 50 60 70 80
From the comparison o!' our data and regression equations wi th eqs. ( 8) to ( 11) lt experimental
i t can be seen that our data present an adequate dependence of Nu wi th Re. No one
of the ci ted equations describes the actual si tuation, be en always eq. ( 11) the
most erroneous. Eqs. (8) to (10) can be used for rapid calculations with less than 5. NOMENCLATURE
25% of error.
Si: Biot number, Bi = hR / kc [ dimensionless]
4. DETERMINATION OF FREEZING TIMES Cp: Specific heat [J/kg ºC]
D : Density [kg/m3]
Experimental h : Heat transfer coefficient [W/m2 ºC]
k : Thermal conductivity [W/m ºC]
For freezing time measurements the tunnel used for the determinations of heat Nu: Nussel t number, Nu = 2hR/ka [ dimensionless J
transfer coefficients was placed in a cold store, which was used as the source of Pr: Prandtl number, Pr = Cpaµa/ka ( dimensionless]
cold air. r : Radial coordina te [ mJ
R : Radius of sphere [m]
To run a test the store was regulated to constant temperature wi th the blower Re: Reynolds number, Re = 2vaR/...,a ( dimensionless]
of the tunnel in operation. Then the meat hall (that had been thermostatised in a t : time [ s]
refrigerator) was fitted to the belt, and time and temperatures began to be measured. tf: Freezing time to an end temperature of -18ºC [ s]
The freezing process': was stopped when the centre of the hall reached -18ºC. T : Temperature [ ºC]
TA: Air temperature [°C]
The three types of flow were studied. Freezing condi tions covered the range: To: Ini tia! temperature [ 0 c]
T 0 : -0.5 to 19.0ºC TR: Surface temperature [ºC]
v : Veloci':y [m/s]

-686 -
- 687 '----
 Viscosi ty [ kg/ms] KINETIC MDDEL!NG OF QUALITY DETERIDRATION
Kinematic viscosity [m2/sJ DURING FRDZEN FOOD STORAGE
1 i
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Subscript: a: Of air evaluated at (TA + TR)/2 J. SWITKA ,'1,

e: Of frozen meat i 1

Merchant Marine Academy

Gdynia <Poland>
6. REFERENCES Czerwonych Kosynierow Str. 83
A. f~RUK
Merchant Marine Acad~my, Gdynia <Poland)
l. E.S. FLORES and R.H. MASCHERONI. Determination of heat transfer coefficients for
continuous belt freezers. Journal of Food Science, 53 (1988) pp. iS''72-1876.
2. V.M. CHAVARRIA and D.R. HELDMAN. Measurement of convective heat transfer coef-
ficients during food freezing processes. Journal of Food Science, 49 ( 1984) pp. l. 1 NTRDDUCTI ON
810-814.
3. Q.T. PHAM and J. WILLIX. Heat transfer coefficients in the air-blast freezing of
The quality characteristics of food products change, usually far
rows of cartons. Proceedings of the XVII International Congress of Refrigeration
worse, as a function of the per1od and conditions of storage. The
(1987) B: 350-357. ident1f ication and description of the dynarnics and kinetics of the
1

4. A.M. TOCCI and R.H. MASCHERONI. Heat transfer coefficient in the freezing of meat
balls in continuous bel t freezers. Regional Seminar: Cold Cha in Development in
Latin America, I. I. R. ( 1988) Tome II, pp. 301-307.
5. C.D. RAITHBY and E.R. ECKERT. The effect of turbulence parameters and support
posi tion on the heel¡t transfer from spheres. International Journal of Heat and Mass
Transfer 11 (1968), pp. 1233-1252.
6. R.H. PERRY and C.H. CHILTON. Chemical Engineers' Handbook. (1985). Me. Graw Hill
Kogakuska, Ltd.
7. C.A. MILES. Heat transfer at the air/meat interface. Meat Research Insti tute
Memorandum Nº 53 (1982). Langford, Bristol, U.K.
8. R.H. MASCHERONI and A. CALVELO. Relationship between he?t transfer parameters and
the characteristic damage variables for the freezing of beef. Meat Science, 4
(1980), pp. 267-285.
DETERMINATION DU COEFFICIENT DE TRANSFERT DE CHALEUR ET DU TEMPS DE
CONGELATION DE BOULETTES DE VIANDE DANS UN CONGELATEUR A BANDE PORTEUSE
1
deterioration processes and the subsequent determination of the
shelf-life is important far the buth tt1e producer and the consumer.
Taking inta account various points of view, shelf life is taken here
to mean the period during which the mast rapidly deteriorating of
important characteristics changes to a just tolerable degree if the
foodstuff is stored under the given conditians /1/.
Thus, in order to interpret the shelf-life it is necessary to
determine the degree of deterioratian which is Just acceptable
Ccr1t1cal value), the mast rapidly deteriorating property ar
properties characteristic of the quality af the product <the so-called
cr1tical> and the storage conditions influencing the maintenance of
qual i ty. Twa types of model are qenet-al •l y u sed to deter·mi ne shel f
life: statistical <mathematical) and kinetic /l~ 2, 3/.
That work has been done in purpase to state the dynamics and
k1netics of chosen critica! characteristics af frozen products stored
under the model stable and f luctuating conditions, ta express them in
mathematical farm or/and kinetical Arrhenius equation far predicting
the starage stability of thern.

RESUME : On a détermlné le coefficlent de transfert de chaleur alr-prodult pendan! la congélatlon des

boulettes de vianda. On a travaillé á différentes vltesses de l'alr et avec un flux parallele ou transversal á la
banda porteuse. Les coefficlents obtenus ont été mis en rapport avec les vltesses de l'alr en employant des 2. MATERIALS ANO METHODS
régresslons nollnéales. dans le but d'obtenlr des relatlons de type Nu ~ A ReB et Nu ~ 2 + A ReB. Les
résultats obtenus ont été en bonne concordance avec les données expérlmentales. Ces corrélatlons ont
été comparées avec cellas obtenues dans la littérature pour des spheres. En outre, on a congelé des The cammercial ly packed C500q in PE bai;,¡s> frazen strawberries,
boulettes avec les deux types de flux d'alr étudiés. Les temps de congélatlon calculés avec les équatlons green peas and carrot were held in frozen starage for 8 months in each
Nu-Re développées ont été en tres bonne concordance avec ceux obtenus expérlmentalement. Ces of three cabinets as fallows:
résultats validen! les équations obtenues. - cabinet A - constant temperature -lBºC (255 K>
- cabinet 8 - constant temperature -8°C (:?65 K>
- cabinet C - fluctuating temperature -18ºC - -SQC C255 K - 265 Kl
DISCUSSION
The temperature in cabinet C was fluctuated throLt•;,ih 3 cycles per
BAILEY, C. (Unlted Kingdor¡i) - Did you apply your calculations to practica! or industrial appllcatlons where week except for sorne holidays.
there mlght be more !han one layar of mea! balls, and Hso did you get good agreement? The determination af quality changes was carried out using
chemical Cdrained weiqht, pH, ascorbic acid content <AA>~ anthocyanins
MASCHERONI, R.H. - No, we have no! yet used our calculatlons for Industrial appllcallons where there degradation index in strawberries, a-ka.roten content in carrat and
were more than ene layer of mea! balls. chlorophyll content in green peas) anda sensory evaluation (colour,
taste, flavour). A five point scale was used, where >=4 indicated top
DAUDIN, J.D. (France) - 1/ What do you mean by turbulence ? Did you measure lt? ;,¡ual i ty CHQL), 3 - gaod CPSL> and 2 mi ni mal l y acceptable
1 <MAL>. The
2/ How do you explain !ha! !he value of the heal transfer coefficient Is higher In the "upward" case !han in samples were e:.:amined immediately after freezing and every 4 weeks
the "downward" case ? far the 32 weeks.

MASCHERONI, R.H. •
1/ In the sense that was usad In thls work we have two different cases : far the equatlons citad as (B) and
(9), lt Is an "artttacr provoked by the support of the sphere durlng heat transfer coefficlent detennlnatlons.
In our experlences, lt Is a characteristic of the system and Is originated In the pcesence of the bel!. mainly
far transversa alr flow. We did not measure lt
2/ lt Is higher In the "upward" case !han In the "downward" case, because In the first sltuation the alr passes
through !he mesh o! the belt prevlous to reach the meat ball. and thls passage creales turbulence and
originales hlgher transfer coefficient !han In the opposlte case.

IIF/IIR - Commissions B2, C2, Dl, D2/3 - Dresden (Germany) - 1990/4

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