Coeficientes convectivos de transferencia de calor durante el freído de láminas de tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Abstract

The convective heat transfer coefficients during deep-fat frying of Oreochromis niloticus fillets in palm oil at different temperatures were determined. Tilapia fillets were plate-shaped cut and dipped in oil at 130, 150, and 170 °C in an electric fryer six liter stainless steel. Thermophysical properties were measured as a function of temperature and composition of the food, using the computer program DEPROTER. The convective coefficients were determined from plots of time -vs- dimensionless temperature relationships, and these decreased with increasing oil temperature, with values of 46.76, 34.61 and 32.66 W/m2K at 130, 150 and 170 °C respectively. It was observed that the higher is the temperature of the frying medium, the greater is the rate of water loss from the product, and lower is the internal energy, and therefore lower is the convective heat transfer coefficient.