Experimental characterization of heat transfer in a pallet of cheese.

During refrigerated transport and storage, cheese generates heat via respiration of the living microorganisms inside and at the surface of the product. In order to ensure the level and uniformity of temperature within a pallet, it is important to take into account this amount of heat. This work aimed to study the influences of different parameters on the heat transfer for which forced convection around the pallet interacts with free/mixed convection inside it. An experimental device was used in which the cheese was replaced by plaster blocs; each bloc being equipped with a heating resistance to simulate the produce heat generation. The pallet was placed in a room under controlled operating conditions. Two upwind air velocities were selected: 0.31m/s and 0.73 m/s; the heat generating varied between 0.05W and 0.30W per product of 0.25 kg. Adimensionless correlation predicting the maximal temperaturein function of the operating conditions was established.