X-ray CT-based CFD study to investigate the cooling process of packed pear fruit

Abstract

Proper temperature management is needed to maintain the quality of fresh fruit such as pears. Understanding the cooling process is crucial and possible with numerical modelling techniques such as computational fluid dynamics (CFD). In this work, X-ray computed tomography (CT) based CFD modelling was validated with experimentally obtained cooling profiles. First, CT images of pear fruit of different cultivars randomly stacked in boxes were obtained. Next, horizontal forced-air cooling experiments with the different packings were conducted. After CT image reconstruction, CFD simulations with the realistic pear stacking were performed. Experiments agreed well with simulation results. Cooling time of individual pears differed up to 4 hours and large differences in cooling time between the pear cultivars were observed. Individual fruit shapes clearly influence cooling behaviour. Eventually, these parameters can be effectively taken into account in numerical models using fruit shape models and Discrete Element Modelling, avoiding the need of CT imaging.