Food freezing with simultaneous surface dehydration: approximate prediction of freezing time

Freezing of unpackaged foods induces mass transfer in the form of surface ice sublimation, which in turn modifies heat transfer conditions. At present there are no simplified methods for predicting freezing times when surface dehydration occurs. This paper uses a previously developed model for the simulation of simultaneous heat and mass transfer during food freezing and storage to generate a complete set of predicted freezing times when dehydration occurs. Based on these data a simplified analytical method for the prediction of freezing time during freezing of unpackaged frozen foods was developed. The method accounts for product characteristics (shape, size and composition) and operating conditions (initial and refrigerant temperature, heat transfer coefficient, relative humidity). The prediction equation is very simple and results of its use-simulating usual freezing conditions for different products-shows very good accuracy when tested against the previously cited numerical model and all the available experimental data.