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Pasteurization

OVERVIEW
A Pasteurization Procedure can be created by selecting the following menu option:
Unit Procedures } Heat Exchange } Pasteurization
Operating Mode Continuous or Semi-Continuous

Host Equipment Pasteurizer

Emissions Port No
(Vent)

Special No
Input/Output
Ports

This unit procedure simulates a pasteurizer and calculates microorganism inactivation and food
component degradation kinetics. The equipment is assumed to comprise three different heat
exchangers, namely, a heater, a cooler and a regenerator - all operating in a countercurrent flow
manner. The user has the option to include or exclude the regenerator from the setup.

SPECIAL INPUTS / OUTPUTS

None.

OPERATIONS
The following operation types are currently supported in the context of this unit procedure:
● Pasteurize, see Pasteurization
● CIP, see In-Place-Cleaning (CIP)
● Hold, see Holding
● SIP, see In-Place-Steaming (SIP)
Note that operations CIP, Hold, and SIP are only available in semi-continuous operating mode.

SEE ALSO
The following procedures offer a similar functionality:
● Heat Sterilization
● Heating
● Electric Heating
● Heat Exchanging

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Pasteurizer

OVERVIEW
Size / Design Volumetric Throughput
Variable

Costing Variable Overall Heat Exchanger Area, Holding

(Built-in Model) Tube Volume

Costing Variable Overall Heat Exchanger Area in m2

(User-Defined
Model)

Emissions Port No

Hosts Pasteurization

A Pasteurizer is used to represent an equipment resource typically used to host a Pasteurization

procedure. Pasteurization is the process of heating to a specific temperature for a specific period of
time in order to reduce the population of microorganisms that are responsible for the spoilage of
liquid foods while at the same time maintaning their qualitative characteristics and nutrtional value
at high standards. The procedure can be executed in a continuous or semi-continuous mode.
For information on the equipment data interface, see Pasteurizer: Equipment Tab.

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Pasteurization

GENERAL DESCRIPTION
This model calculates the sizing variables of a pasteurizer comprising a holding tube and three
individual heat exchangers namely, a heater, a cooler and (optionally) a regenerator. It also
accounts for the microorganism degradation and food component inactivation during the
pasteurization process.

UNIT PROCEDURE AVAILABILITY

● Pasteurization

PASTEURIZATION: MODELING CALCULATIONS

Heat Transfer Area Calculation
In design mode, the model calculates the individual heat transfer areas of the pasteurizer’s heater,
cooler and regenerator sections assuming countercurrent flow conditions for all heat exhangers.
The heat transfer area, Ax, is calculated by the following equation

eq. (A.257)

where:
● x stands for the heater, cooler or regenerator
● Qx denotes the thermal load of the heat exchanger (J/s)

● Ux is the overall heat transfer coefficient (W m-2 K-1)

● ΔΤM,x is a mean temperature difference (K), calculated by

eq. (A.258)

● :
where:
● TF temperature of the pasteurizer’s feed stream (K)

● TH,in is the temperature of the stream entering the heater (regenerator cold stream exit
temperature) (K)
● TH,out is the temperature of the stream leaving the heater (pasteurization temperature) (K)

● TC,in is the temperature of the stream entering the cooler (regenerator hot stream exit

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temperature) (K)
● TC,out is the temperature of the stream leaving the cooler (final exit temperature) (K)

● THA,in, THA,out and TCA,in, TCA,out denote the inlet and outlet temperatures of the heating and
cooling agent streams, respectively (K).
Notice that while a logarithmic mean temperature difference is employed for the heater and the
cooler, an arithmetic mean is employed in the case of the regenerator. This is a necessary
modification required by the fact that the same liquid, at the same flowrate, is heated and cooled in
the regenerator so the logarithmic mean temperature difference is “forced” to infinity.
The regenerator efficiency defined by:

eq. (A.259)

expresses the percentage of the temperature increase that is achieved by the regenerator w.r.t the
overall required temperature increase (i.e., in order to reach the desired pasteurization
temperaure). According to the literature, regeneration efficiencies of up to 94-95 % can be
achieved in efficient modern pasteurization plants.
Holding Tube Size Calculation
In design mode the diameter of the of the holding tube (in m) is calculated by:

eq. (A.260)

where:
● Q is the volumetric throughput (m3/s)
● ρ is the density of the pasteurized liquid (kg/m3)
● μ is its viscosity (Pa s)

● Re is the Reynolds number that corresponds to the flow in the holding tube
The volume of the holding tube (in m3) is calculated by the following equation:

eq. (A.261)

where:
● τ is the residence time in the holding tube (s)
● η is a holding tube efficiency
The latter is used in order to “enforce” that even the fastest liquid molecule (i.e., with respect to
the average velocity in the tube) is sufficiently pasteurized.
Finally, the length of the holding tube (in m) is calculated by:

eq. (A.262)

and the average velocity of the pasteurized liquid that flows inside it (in m/s) is given by:

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eq. (A.263)

Inactivation and Degradation Kinetics

The death of microorganisms during the residence of a liquid within the holding tube of a
pasteurizer is commonly represented by the following equation (Wang et al, 1979):

eq. (A.264)

where:
● N is the number concentration of viable cells (# / L)
-1
● k is the specific death rate constant (s )
● t is the process time (s).
By integration of the above equation under the constant specific death rate assumption (i.e., k is
not a function of time) one gets:

eq. (A.265)

where N0 in the initial number concentration of viable microorganism cells. By changing the
logarithmic base, the above equation can be transformed into:

eq. (A.266)

The quantity D, commonly known as the decimal reduction time, expresses the time required at a
given temperature in order to achieve a 90% reduction in the number of viable cells of a population
(i.e., one log cycle). The temperature dependence of D is assumed by the model to follow the
Canners’ (or constant z) model expressed by:

eq. (A.267)

where:
● z is the thermal resistance factor (K)
● D(T) is the decimal reduction time at the pasteurization temperature T (s)
● D(TR) is the decimal reduction time at a reference temperature TR (s)

A similar kinetic model in used in order to calculate the degradation of a desired food ingredient
resulting from pasteurization so the user can assess, as well, the impact of the pasteurization
process on the quality of the food .
Capital Cost
The equipment purchase cost is calculated as a combination of the the individual costs of the heat
exchangers and the holding tube. The heat transfer area is used as the costing variable for the
heat exchangers while the volume is used as the costing variable for the holding tube.

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References
1. Wang, D. I. C., C. L.Cooney, A. L.Demain, P. Dunnil, A. E. Humphrey, and M. D. Lilly (1979).
Fermentation and Enzyme Technology, John Wiley & Sons.
2. Z.B. Maroulis, Saravacos G.D. (2003). Food Process Dresign, Marcel Dekker, Inc.
3. M. Lewis and Heppel N. (2000). Continuous Thermal Processing of Foods. Pasteurization and
UHT Sterilization, Aspen Publishers, Inc., Gaithersburg, Maryland.
4. Dairy processing handbook, Tetra Pak Processing Systems AB, Lund, Sweden.

PASTEURIZATION: INTERFACE
The interface of this operation has the following tabs:
● Oper. Cond’s, see Pasteurization: Oper. Cond’s Tab
● Inactivation/Degradation, see Pasteurization: Inactivation/Degradation Tab
● Labor, etc, see Operations Dialog: Labor, etc Tab
● Description, see Operations Dialog: Description Tab
● Batch Sheet, see Operations Dialog: Batch Sheet Tab
● Scheduling, see Operations Dialog: Scheduling Tab

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