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Frost growth: effect of average temperature and fluctuation amplitude considering food and frost porosity.

Number: 18342

Author(s) : XU Z., REDO M. A., WATANABE M.

Summary

This study experimentally and numerically analyzes frost formation in packaged frozen food, focusing on the effects of average temperature and fluctuation amplitude. Tests used cylindrical apple samples in containers with an air gap of 1.6 cm. Subsequently, CFD simulations employing the finite volume method and a dynamic mesh algorithm provided a comprehensive analysis of the transient heat and mass transfer processes. A novel diffusion-based model conceptualized the frost air and porous food layers as distinct porous media, simulating sublimation and deposition. Results indicate that elevated average temperatures intensify frost growth; specifically, reducing the mean temperature from -15°C to -18°C decreased the frost formation rate by approximately 26%. Moreover, increasing the storage temperature fluctuation amplitude from ±1°C to ±5°C resulted in an approximately 426% increase in the frost formation rate, highlighting the critical role of convective transport driven by temperature variations. This insight is crucial for optimizing frozen food storage conditions.

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Pages: 11 p.

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Details

  • Original title: Frost growth: effect of average temperature and fluctuation amplitude considering food and frost porosity.
  • Record ID : 30034734
  • Languages: English
  • Subject: Technology
  • Source: 9th IIR International Conference on Sustainability and the Cold Chain. Proceedings: April 12-14 2026
  • Publication date: 2026/04
  • DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18462/iir.iccc.2026.8342

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