A new approach to modelling of single droplet drying

A model was developed to predict the change in droplet mass and temperature when it is exposed to hot air, as in spray drying of droplets containing solids. The droplet was assumed first to undergo sensible rapid heating with no mass change. Then the droplet experiences some shrinkage, with no temperature change but rapid mass losses, followed by a period of crust formation with a significant change in droplet mass and temperature and finally a short period of sensible heating of the dried particle. The model, unlike previous models, accounts for shrinkage and for the temperature distribution in the droplet. It provided a good prediction for the change in droplet temperature and mass for some of the experimental measurements available in the literatures.     

Volatile Compounds of Raw Beef from 5 Local Spanish Cattle Breeds Stored Under Modified Atmosphere

Volatile compounds of raw beef from Asturiana de los Valles, Morucha, Parda Alpina, Pirenaica, and Retinta cattle breeds were studied. Steaks were packaged under 60% O₂, 30% CO₂, and 10% N₂, and 53 volatile compounds were tentatively identified by purge‐and‐trap extraction and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry after 0, 5, 10, and 15 d of chill storage. The degradation of beef quality with increasing storage time was evidenced by the increase in 2,3,3‐trimethylpentane, 2,2,5‐trimethylhexane, 3‐octene, 3‐methyl‐2‐heptene, 2‐octene, and 2‐propanone and by the decrease in dimethyl sulfide. Consequently, some of the volatile compounds, which are believed to be formed by thermal degradation of meat, might be formed during chill storage, and the rate of formation of some was dependent on the specific compound.     

Instron texture profile of buffalo milk cheddar cheese as influenced by composition and ripening changes

Buffalo milk Cheddar cheese samples of different ages were analysed for compositional attributes (CA), ripening indices (RI) and Instron Textural Profile (ITP). All samples were compositionally alike, except for pH and salt-in-moisture (SM) contents. RI showed significant variations. CA and RI showed highly significant correlations within themselves and with each other, except for moisture with pH, SM with moisture, MNFS, Fat and FDM and Fat with MNFS. The ITPs of cheeses showed significant variations and had highly significant intercorrelations indicating their interdependence. CA (except moisture and MNFS) and RI showed a highly significant correlationship with ITPs. Moisture content showed a highly significant correlationship with all ITPs, except cohesiveness and springiness, where it was significant. MNFS content showed significant correlations only with hardness and brittleness. Stepwise regression analysis revealed that MI was the most predominant factor influencing cheese texture, followed by pH, SM, FDM and TVFA. Knowing Ca and RI, the textural properties of cheeses can be forecast through mathematical equations. Similarly the age of cheese can also be predicted if RI and/or textural properties are known.     

An Investigation of Milk Powders Produced by a Laboratory-Scale Spray Dryer

A mini spray dryer has been used to investigate morphological changes that occur to milk particles during the spray drying process. We have found that the mini spray dryer is ideal for such investigations, because phenomena such as skin and vacuole formation in particles can be analyzed without the added complication of particle agglomeration, which only occurs in much larger spray dryers where particle number concentrations are higher. We have confirmed observations made by various researchers that the bulk density of spray-dried milk powder is greatly affected by the drying temperature, due to the strong influence of the latter on the porosity of the particles. In addition, we have attempted to explain observations made by various workers that fat accumulates preferentially at the surface of a particle during drying by postulating that fluid fat is transported towards the surface, via a network of cracks and pores, by the development of a vacuole overpressure which is also responsible for the inflation of the particle. Finally, we have shown that milk powders can be spray dried a second time, by reconstitution with water, with no change to the thermodynamic characteristics of the resultant powder. Thus, milk concentrates for spray drying research can be prepared from already-spray-dried milk powders rather than using the more arduous evaporation method to concentrate unprocessed milk.     

Final Drying of Whole Milk Powder in Vibrated-Fluidized Beds

Vibro-fluidized beds are widely used in drying sticky powders and agglomerated materials as milk powder. Using a vibro-fluidized laboratory scale dryer, this work is aiming at analyzing preliminarily the effect of its operational variables on the drying kinetics and characteristics of whole milk powder. The full-factorial design technique with three replications at the central point has been employed to generate data and correlations to quantify the effect of inlet air temperature, air flow rate, and vibration bed amplitude on the drying curves and the milk powder properties related to its faster reconstitution in water (as tapped density, Hausner cohesion ratio, agglomerate size distribution, and internal pore concentration). Results obtained are analyzed and discussed to identify the adequate operation condition for final drying whole milk powder in vibro-fluidized beds, assuring a high product quality.     

Estimation of fouling in a plate heat exchanger through the application of neural networks

Pasteurization is an important, if not the most important, process step in the packaging of milk. It is subject to alterations stemming from the variation in the temperature, pH and raw milk quality. The variability may manifest itself in changes in the formation of the deposit (fouling) in the pasteurization unit, such that there is a need for tools, both instrumentation and computational, to help in monitoring the process and keeping it on the desired course. In this paper we describe a practical procedure based on artificial neural networks (ANN) that allows prediction of the deposit thickness, the overall heat transfer coefficient and the critical time (the time that the unit has to be stopped for cleaning) for reducing the impact of fouling on such processes. The procedure determines when the cleaning operation is required once the system is under critical conditions of operations. A combination of fundamental studies and plant measurements were used for study of the operating conditions and thus evaluation of the trades‐offs between operating conditions and longer operating life span. The results are encouraging, enough to validate current operating industrial techniques. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry     

天铁炼铁技术进步

近十年来，天铁集团炼铁厂通过改善原燃料条件；优化炉料结构，提高入炉品位；采用提高炉顶压力、富氧喷煤、低硅冶炼、炉顶气象系统等多项先进技术，使高炉各项经济技术指标逐年提高。     

国际乳业的热点论题：蛋白质标准化

介绍了蛋白质的标准化这一国际乳品界正热的研究和讨论题目，综述了蛋白质标准化的必要性和世界上目前采用的方法，展望了膜技术在蛋白质标准化上的应用前景。     

高压水射流粉碎原盐

高压水射流粉碎技术是近年发展起来的一项新型粉碎技术。文中介绍了水射流粉碎机理和新研制的后混合靶式水射流粉碎装置 ,并通过原盐粉碎实验证明 ,水射流粉碎具有效率高、工艺简单、产品粒度可调等特点 ,是一项具有良好发展前景的粉碎技术。     

Change in Availability of Mineral and Raw Material Resources as a Result of Scientific and Technical Progress

The tendencies characterizing worsening of natural, mining and technical, as well as mining and geological conditions of deposit mining are analyzed for the last 100 years. The change in prices for mineral raw material is shown, and the influence exerted by scientific and technical progress in the sphere of mining and processing of copper-containing ores is established. An approach to the estimate of available mineral reserves and possibility of their involvement in mining is stated.