Model based design and validation of a batch ohmic heating system

Using Moderate Electric Field (MEF) techniques, Ohmic Heating (OH) provides rapid and uniform heating of food products by applying electric fields to them. A range of theoretical ohmic heating models have been studied by researchers, but model validation and com-parisons using experimental data and model development using system identification techniques from experimental data have not been evaluated. In this work, numerical models, mathematical models, and system identification models for an MEF process are developed. The MEF models are developed and simulated using COMSOL and MATLAB/Simulink software. The developed models when simulated showed a volumetric rise in the overall food temperature. It was seen that upon application of electric field the resultant temperature depends on the electrical conductivity, product temperature and the magnitude of the electric field. For this reason, a systematic approach is taken to validate the developed models. Experimental data derived from a commercially available batch ohmic heater from C-Tech Innovation is used to validate the simulated models. Validation, analysis and model comparison was conducted to compare developed models with experimental data. The validated simulated model helped improve the understanding of the effect of different critical process parameters of foods with a range of initial conditions. The validated model can accurately predict the temperature of heating under varying electric field and food products with different thermo-physical properties.