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Experimental study on cold storage phase‐change materials and quick‐freezing plate in household refrigerators
Author(s) -
Liu Zhongbao,
Lou Fengfei,
Qi Xin,
Wang Qinghua,
Zhao Banghua,
Yan Jiawen,
Shen Yiyao
Publication year - 2019
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.13279
Subject(s) - refrigerator car , air blast , ice crystals , materials science , natural convection , cold storage , phase change , phase change material , composite material , thermal energy storage , phase (matter) , congelation , convection , chemistry , thermodynamics , meteorology , geology , horticulture , mining engineering , physics , biology , organic chemistry
In this study, a quick‐freezing plate filled with low‐temperature phase‐change material (PCM) with a mass fraction of 15% was applied in household refrigerator. A single smooth quick‐freezing plate significantly reduced the amount of time required for food to pass through the maximum ice crystal generation zone, and this amount of time was 1/6 or 3/5 of that for the refrigerator in natural convection or air blast freezing. The rate of water loss using air blast freezing was 4.26% compared with that of the a single smooth quick‐freezing plate at only 1.60%. For various thicknesses of the experimental pork, the quick‐freezing effect of the double‐layer surface plate was better than those of the other conditions. For pork thickness of less than 6 mm, the quick‐freezing effect of the single smooth surface plate was better than that of air blast freezing. Practical Applications In this study, a new quick‐freezing plate with a phase‐change material (PCM) was developed specifically for a domestic refrigerator. The quick‐freezing effect can be equivalent to that of air blast freezing if food thickness does not exceed the specified range. The plate in this study consisted of an aluminum lid, a plastic shell, a cold‐storage agent, and a cold‐storage bag.