Nashrieh Shimi va Mohandesi Shimi Iran

Nashrieh Shimi va Mohandesi Shimi Iran

Analysis of the Vacuum Cooling Process for Edible Mushrooms: Studying the Effect of Various Factors on Mass Transfer

Document Type : Research Article

Authors
Tahoora Aminpoor
Abbas Rashidi
Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, IR. IRAN
Abstract
In this study, the cooling of edible mushrooms using the vacuum cooling process was investigated. The system used consisted of a vacuum chamber, a vacuum pump, and pressure and temperature gauges. The experiments were conducted with three factors: pumping rate (in the range of 3 to 15 cubic meters per hour), size, and humidity, and the test system was equipped with chamber pressure and product temperature monitoring. Using the results of the experiments and the relationships governing the mass transfer phenomenon, the mass transfer coefficient was also calculated. The results showed that by reducing the chamber pressure, the temperature of the product decreases, and by increasing the pumping rate, the cooling rate increases. It was also observed that the moisture content and size of the product are important factors for the cooling time, and the higher the moisture content and the larger the product size, the longer the time required for cooling. Also, using the experimental results, calculations were made to determine the mass transfer coefficient and the mass transfer coefficient was obtained in the range of 0.02 to 0.06 mg/mmHg.s. The mass transfer coefficient showed a direct relationship with the product temperature, such that as the product temperature decreases, the mass transfer coefficient also decreases and vice versa. The volumetric mass transfer coefficient was also calculated and was obtained in the range of 8.6x10-4 to 12.7x10-4  kg/m3.mmHg.s. The results showed that the mass transfer rate and its coefficient change gradually during the cooling process, and since mass transfer occurs from the entire volume of the material, this type of change can be interpreted as a result of homogeneous mass transfer from the entire volume; On the other hand, the temperature reduction is dependent on this mass transfer, and therefore it can be concluded that temperature changes occur at different points in the volume of the material and excessive cooling at the surface of the product, which is a disadvantage of some cooling methods, does not occur.
Keywords
Vacuum cooling
Mass loss
Mass transfer coefficient
Edible mushroom

Subjects

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