Effective Thermal Conductivity of Cellular Tissues During Drying: Prediction by a Computer Assisted Model

Abstract
Effective thermal conductivity, k*, of cellular tissues during drying is predicted as a function of moisture content. A computer model based on a planar tessellation is employed to simulate the tissue. The heat conduction equations are written on the tessellation and solved by means of a finite element technique. The whole technique, implemented in a computer package THERCOND, yields upper and lower bounds for k* which are compared to experimental values available for apples and pears.