Pressure variation due to heat shock of CO 2 hydrate desserts

CO 2 hydrate desserts are carbonated frozen desserts in which the CO 2 is trapped in a crystalline water‐carbon dioxide structure called a CO 2 clathrate hydrate. The CO 2 concentration of the dessert enables strong perception of carbonation, but CO 2 hydrate dissociation during heat shock can cause high package pressures during storage and distribution. In this work, a model is developed for package pressure as a function of temperature, CO 2 content, package volume, dessert mass, and recipe. The model is validated by comparison with an experimental measurement of the pressure and mass of a CO 2 hydrate dessert subjected to heat shock. It is shown that during heat shock a sealed package can reach pressures greater than the ice‐CO 2 hydrate equilibrium pressure. At pressures above the ice‐CO 2 hydrate equilibrium pressure, the fraction of water crystallized in the dessert can be increased, potentially mitigating heat shock damage. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2012