Influence of the geometry on the numerical simulation of the cooling kinetics of cucumbers

  • W. P. Silva Departamento de Física. Universidade Federal de Campina Grande
  • C. M. D. P. S. Silva Departamento de Física. Universidade Federal de Campina Grande
  • P. L. Nascimento Departamento de Física. Universidade Federal de Campina Grande
  • J. E. F. Carmo Departamento de Física. Universidade Federal de Campina Grande
  • D. D. P. S. Silva Departamento de Matemática y Estadística. Universidade Federal de Campina Grande
Keywords: convective heat transfer coefficient, Cucumis sativus, cylindrical coordinates, diffusion, finite volume method, generalized coordinates, thermal diffusivity

Abstract

In this paper, the effect of the geometric representation of cucumbers on the numerical simulation of its cooling kinetics is studied. It is supposed that the diffusion model with boundary condition of the third kind satisfactorily describes the cooling, and that the thermo-physical parameters are constant during the process. The geometries used to represent the cucumber are: infinite cylinder, finite cylinder, and ellipsoid. The diffusion equation was solved through the finite volume method, with a fully implicit formulation, using cylindrical and generalized coordinates. The convective heat transfer coefficient and the thermal diffusivity were determined through optimization, using the inverse method. The best model in the representation of the cucumber’s shape was the ellipsoid, but the time demanded in its optimization was about 66 times greater than the time for the infinite cylinder.

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How to Cite
Silva, W. P., Silva, C. M. D. P. S., Nascimento, P. L., Carmo, J. E. F., & Silva, D. D. P. S. (1). Influence of the geometry on the numerical simulation of the cooling kinetics of cucumbers. Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research, 9(1), 242-251. https://doi.org/10.5424/sjar/20110901-055-10
Section
Plant production (Field and horticultural crops)