Thick Food Drying and Baking

Food Processing Simulation
Flow paths within a convection-type cereal oven	Capabilities: Simulate unique processes (cooking, drying, toasting, cooling, etc.) with complex heat transfer and fluid flow characteristics. Examine current operations for inefficiencies Evaluate the effect of operational or geometric changes on crucial production parameters (throughput, quality, energy usage, etc.)

Examples of simulation correlation with actual oven test data

Temperature and moisture distributions within a bakery product

Baking Simulation of a Pound Cake
The thick-food simulation technology developed for cereals has been extended to include the simulation of bakery products such as pound cake. The first plot shows the temperature distribution through one section of a pound cake at a simulated time of two-thirds the final bake time. Both convective and radiant heating are included in the simulation. The corresponding distribution of moisture within the pound cake is shown in the next figure. Radiant heat to the outer surface of the pan raises the temperature of the batter nearest its inner surface, driving most of the moisture away. The coolest, most moist portion of the cake is seen to exist at its center.
A temperature probe placed near the center of an actual pound cake was used to take test data. Good correlation between measured and simulated temperatures is shown.
Simulated temperature distribution in one plane of a pound cake at two-thirds its final bake time.
Simulated moisture distribution in one plane of a pound cake at two-thirds its final bake time.