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Intensification of Starch Processing Using Apparatus with C ouette– T aylor Flow
Author(s) -
Hubacz Robert,
Ohmura Naoto,
Dluska Ewa
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of food process engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.507
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1745-4530
pISSN - 0145-8876
DOI - 10.1111/jfpe.12046
Subject(s) - starch , starch gelatinization , rheology , volume (thermodynamics) , slurry , materials science , chemistry , food science , composite material , physics , thermodynamics
C ouette– T aylor flow ( CTF ), which is characterized by the presence of T aylor vortices, ensures effective mixing, fast heat transfer and improved rheological properties of starch slurry. Therefore, this type of flow can be expected to provide favorable conditions for starch processing. In order to check how to intensify the process, starch gelatinization has been studied experimentally and using computer simulation in two CTF apparatuses of different volumes. The results show that, when the volume of apparatus was small, high value of degree of starch gelatinization could be achieved at relatively low temperature or at relatively low rotor rotation frequency. The increase in the apparatus volume ensures higher rate of gelatinized starch production and the reduction in dissipation of mechanical energy connected with rotor rotation, however, it also amplifies the detrimental inlet and gravitation effects. To overcome both of these negative effects, the increase in the rotor frequency is required. Practical Application Starch gelatinization is a process frequently encountered in food industry, e.g., food sterilization or starch hydrolysis. Therefore, a new way of starch processing could be interesting in the context of growing consumer interest in natural food. It is expected that CTF apparatus could enable to process much more concentrated starch slurry than a jet cooker or coil heater typically used in industrial setting. Starch granules should also be less damaged during treatment in CTF apparatus than in an extruder. The results presented in this paper are relevant for process intensification and scale‐up of starch gelatinization in CTF apparatus and will be extended to simultaneous starch gelatinization with enzymatic hydrolysis in the future work.