To support companies to incorporate inclusions successfully into their beverages, Tetra Pak has conducted extensive work on optimising the heating process and developed a mathematical model that defines heat transfer coefficients for different types of particle based on size, shape and concentration.
Based on several decades of experience with heat transfer models, Tetra Pak has developed well-established calculation tools for sizing heat exchangers and predicting the heating and cooling of foods. Now, in order to improve its calculation tools to include the influence of particles, it has undertaken a series of experiments to determine the mathematical functions of heat transfer coefficients.
Published in a white paper, Tetra Pak’s research enables manufacturers to accurately calculate the heating area, temperature and holding time required for individual recipes with inclusions. This precision optimisation of the heat treatment and system design not only improves the quality of products by preserving the taste, colour and texture of the particles, but also reduces operational costs, without compromising food safety.
Food particles
“In our practical experience with commercial operations, we have been able to optimise customer installations by decreasing the heat transfer area by up to 45%,” Tetra Pak stated.
A decrease in area also results in a shorter residence time, which means that the carrier liquid phase experiences a shorter time at elevated temperature and thus retains its freshness.
When particles are present in a liquid food, the heat transfer coefficient is increased, leading to more efficient heating of the liquid. This results in less need for heating area, which can reduce investment costs. Keeping the system volume as small as possible also minimises product losses. Since the heat exchanger volume is at least one-third of that of a steriliser or pasteuriser, it has a big impact on the system volume if the number of tubes can be reduced.
Based on this detailed research, Tetra Pak is now able to make, with precision, significant improvements to the processing of beverages with particulates.
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