Amulti-layeredtwo-dimensionalfiniteelementmodelto.doc

A multi-layered two-dimensional finite element model to calculate dynamic product heat load and weight loss during beef chilling L.M. Davey1 and Q.T. Pham2 1Institute of Food Nutrition and Human Health – Albany, Massey University, Private Bag 102 904, Northshore Mail Centre, Auckland, New Zealand. (Formerly at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.) 2School of Chemical Engineering and Industrial Chemistry, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia. Keywords: Chilling, Beef, Heat load, Model, Weight loss, Finite Element ABSTRACT A model for predicting the dynamic product heat load and weight loss during beef chilling has been developed using finite element analysis. The beef geometry is approximated by thirteen sections, each represented by a two-dimensional finite element grid using triangular elements. Longitudinal heat conduction was neglected. The model was tested against data from 55 industrial beef chilling trials covering a wide range of carcass size, fat cover and chilling conditions. The heat removal during the first two hours predicted by the model was on average 5.6 % higher than the experimental value. The average percentage error in the predicted weight loss after 20 hours was 2.3 %. Nomenclature a Ellipse minor axis diameter (m) As Area (m2) arc Arc layer number b Ellipse major axis diameter (m) cp Specific heat (J kg-1 K-1) [C(T)] Global capacitance matrix D Meat thickness (m) D0 Meat thickness at the first measurement position (along the split vertebrae) (m) {F} Global force vector Fg AUS-MEAT P8 fat score (range: 1-6) h Heat transfer coefficient (W m-2 K-1) kfat Thermal conductivity of fat (W m-1 K-1) [K(T)] Global conductance matrix L0 Overall vertical length of the beef side (m) M Beef side weight (kg) ni Arc i narc Number of arcs N Number of regions in a given cross-section ND Number of thickness measurements for a given cross-section P Length of outer boundary of meat cross section (m) p(x) Polynomial descr