Integrating Fluid Dynamics: Leveraging Simscape for Modelling and Real-Time Control of Continuous Flow Ohmic Heater

Ohmic heating (OH) is an innovative thermal processing technology known for its rapid and uniform heating capabilities. It presents several challenges due to its complex multi-physics nature, involving electrical, thermal, and fluid dynamics phenomena. The nonlinearity of OH systems, influenced by variations in electrical conductivity and temperature, makes physical modelling a necessity to capture these dynamics accurately. To address this, we developed a MATLAB model using the Simscape toolbox, designed to investigate the effects of OH technology under various physical conditions of food products. This model was validated against both an established mathematical model and a pilot scale continuous flow ohmic heater (CFOH), achieving a normalised mean square error (NRMSE) of ± 0.005 and a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of ± 5%. It effectively simulates temperature variations in response to changes in the thermophysical properties of food, facilitating real-time system dynamics evaluations. Additionally, the model explores significant factors such as electrical conductivity, product temperature, density, flow rate, and electric field strength. The successful application of this physical model underscores its potential in designing model-based control systems to enhance the efficiency and performance of the CFOH processes.