微波冷冻干燥技术的发展及关键技术研究

微波冷冻干燥是将高效的微波辐射加热技术和真空冷冻干燥技术相结合的极具应用价值的一项新技术。文章综述了国内外微波冻干研究的进展情况,并对其中辉光放电、加热均匀性、控制策略优化以及干燥终点判别等问题进行分析并提出解决这些问题相应的技术方法和手段,为改进和优化微波真空冷冻干燥设备提供了理论依据和技术支持。     

微波真空组合干燥在食品加工中的应用

微波真空组合干燥技术是将微波干燥和真空干燥或真空冷冻干燥技术结合起来,弥补了微波干燥过程中物料温度高导致热损伤、真空或真空冷冻干燥干燥时间长的缺点,使物料在较低温度下短时间内完成干燥过程,具有干燥温度低、营养成分损失少、干燥速度快等优点。本文针对微波真空冷冻干燥技术在食品加工中的应用,详细阐述了其干燥原理、干燥特点、干燥设备和未来的研究和发展方向。     

吸波材料辅助的液体物料微波冷冻干燥多物理场耦合模型

为了研究吸波材料辅助微波加热对传统冷冻干燥过程的强化作用,建立了多孔介质温度、浓度和电磁场耦合的多相传递模型;以烧结的碳化硅(SiC)为吸波材料、以甘露醇水溶液为待干料液进行了微波冷冻干燥实验,并测定了甘露醇固体的介电特性。模拟和实验结果均表明,吸波材料对初始非饱和多孔物料微波冷冻干燥具有显著的强化作用。初始非饱和样品微波冷冻干燥时间比传统冷冻干燥缩短了18%,比常规饱和样品传统冷冻干燥缩短了30%。模拟结果与实验数据吻合良好。这表明提出的新型干燥方法确实能够实现过程传热传质的同时强化。通过考察样品内部温度、饱和度和电场强度的实时分布,分析了微波冷冻干燥过程的传热传质和电磁波传播与耗散机理。在微波冷冻干燥过程中,初始非饱和样品累计吸收的辐射能和微波能的总和与传统冷冻干燥相当。这说明,该干燥方法只是提高了能量效率,从而大幅缩短了冷冻干燥时间。     

吸波材料辅助的液体物料微波冷冻干燥多物理场耦合模型

为了研究吸波材料辅助微波加热对传统冷冻干燥过程的强化作用,建立了多孔介质温度、浓度和电磁场耦合的多相传递模型;以烧结的碳化硅(SiC)为吸波材料、以甘露醇水溶液为待干料液进行了微波冷冻干燥实验,并测定了甘露醇固体的介电特性。模拟和实验结果均表明,吸波材料对初始非饱和多孔物料微波冷冻干燥具有显著的强化作用。初始非饱和样品微波冷冻干燥时间比传统冷冻干燥缩短了18%,比常规饱和样品传统冷冻干燥缩短了30%。模拟结果与实验数据吻合良好。这表明提出的新型干燥方法确实能够实现过程传热传质的同时强化。通过考察样品内部温度、饱和度和电场强度的实时分布,分析了微波冷冻干燥过程的传热传质和电磁波传播与耗散机理。在微波冷冻干燥过程中,初始非饱和样品累计吸收的辐射能和微波能的总和与传统冷冻干燥相当。这说明,该干燥方法只是提高了能量效率,从而大幅缩短了冷冻干燥时间。     

具有预制孔隙的维生素C水溶液微波冷冻干燥

设计和组装了一套实验室规模的多功能微波冷冻干燥装置,探究了具有初始孔隙的非饱和物料微波冷冻干燥过程。以维生素C为溶质,采用"软冰"冷冻技术制备了初始饱和与非饱和的冷冻样品。结果表明,软冰冷冻制备的样品能够避免崩塌。在35℃和20 Pa条件下,初始非饱和物料的干燥时间比饱和物料缩短了30.4%。SEM表征显示,非饱和物料具有疏松的球状孔隙结构、连通性好,有利于水蒸气的迁移。采用吸波材料碳化硅辅助的微波加热能够进一步强化冷冻干燥过程。在相同条件下,非饱和物料的微波冷冻干燥(5 W功率)时间比常规冷冻干燥(0 W功率)缩短了28.1%,比饱和物料的常规冷冻干燥缩短了50.0%。吸波材料辅助的初始非饱和物料微波冷冻干燥实现了传热传质的同时强化。     

具有预制孔隙的维生素C水溶液微波冷冻干燥

设计和组装了一套实验室规模的多功能微波冷冻干燥装置，探究了具有初始孔隙的非饱和物料微波冷冻干燥过程。以维生素C为溶质，采用“软冰”冷冻技术制备了初始饱和与非饱和的冷冻样品。结果表明，软冰冷冻制备的样品能够避免崩塌。在35℃和20 Pa条件下，初始非饱和物料的干燥时间比饱和物料缩短了30.4%。SEM表征显示，非饱和物料具有疏松的球状孔隙结构、连通性好，有利于水蒸气的迁移。采用吸波材料碳化硅辅助的微波加热能够进一步强化冷冻干燥过程。在相同条件下，非饱和物料的微波冷冻干燥(5 W功率)时间比常规冷冻干燥(0 W功率)缩短了28.1%，比饱和物料的常规冷冻干燥缩短了50.0%。吸波材料辅助的初始非饱和物料微波冷冻干燥实现了传热传质的同时强化。     

吸湿多孔介质冷冻干燥传质传热模型

本研究在作者提出的吸附—解吸平衡关系的基础上,建立了一个全新的考虑吸湿效应的多孔介质冷冻干燥数学模型。模型用有限差分法进行求解,并带有一个移动边界,以模拟介电材料辅助的微波冷冻干燥过程。介电材料选用碳化硅（SiC）,原料液为脱脂奶。模拟结果表明：介电材料能够有效强化微波冷冻干燥过程。在典型操作条件下,介电材料辅助的微波冷冻干燥所用的时间比普通微波冷冻干燥减少33.1%。当料液中固体含量较低或者固体产品的损耗因子较小时,介电材料对微波加热的效果不明显。基于冰饱和度、温度和水蒸气浓度的分布,本文分析了干燥过程中的传质传热机理,并对干燥速率控制因素进行了讨论。     

微波真空冷冻干燥中的典型问题初探

主要分析了微波真空冷冻干燥中容易出现的干燥不均匀、微波泄漏、制冷量不足、真空系统的抽真空能力不足以及整个系统的安全操作问题等典型的理论、工艺和设备问题,并提出了解决这些问题相应的设计、工艺、合理的操作规程等基本技术方法和手段,也为改进和优化微波真空冷冻干燥工艺和设备提供了依据。     

初始饱和度对微波冷冻干燥过程传热传质的影响

以非饱和含湿牛肉为例,进行了微波冷冻干燥实验研究。获得了干燥时间与物料初始饱和度近似成正比的结论。与升华面模型的计算结果比较表明,升华冷凝模型更符合实验规律,证实了非饱和含湿多孔介质微波冷冻干燥时升华冷凝区的存在。     

介电材料辅助的微波冷冻干燥的实验研究

设计、加工和装配了一套实验室规模的微波冷冻干燥装置,旨在实验验证介电材料对微波冷冻干燥液体物料的强化作用。介电材料用烧结的碳化硅(SiC),石英玻璃作为介电材料的参照物;甘露醇,一种典型的药物赋形剂被选为待干溶液中的溶质。实验结果表明使用介电材料可以有效地强化微波冷冻干燥过程。与传统冷冻干燥相比干燥速率大大加快,在试验条件下干燥时间可以节省20%。微波加热逐渐生效并且主要体现在干燥过程的后半部分。当溶液中的固含量很低或者固体物质具有很小的介电损耗因子时,如果不用介电材料,微波加热的效果不明显。     

Theoretical Study on Microwave Freeze-Drying of an Aqueous Pharmaceutical Excipient with the Aid of Dielectric Material

Abstract

A mathematic model of simultaneous heat and mass transfer for the dielectric material assisted microwave freeze-drying was derived and solved numerically using the finite-deference technique with two moving boundaries. Lactose, a typical pharmaceutical excipient, was used as the representative solid material in the aqueous solution to be freeze-dried. Silicon carbide (SiC) was selected as the dielectric material. Numerical results show that the dielectric material can significantly enhance the microwave freeze-drying process. Under typical operating conditions, the drying time is 43% shorter than that of ordinary microwave freeze-drying. Temperature variations at sublimation fronts were examined in order to determine the appropriate microwave power input. Profiles of temperature, ice saturation, vapor concentration, and pressure during freeze-drying are presented, and rate-controlling mechanisms are discussed.     

Studies on the Microwave Freeze Drying Technique and Sterilization Characteristics of Cabbage

The vacuum freeze-drying (FD) technique used in the food industry can yield a high-quality product, but it is very expensive and requires a long processing time. Besides, the quantity of microorganisms in FD products can often exceed the required standard. As a result, it will be important to develop a new freeze-drying technique. In this article, cabbage was used as a model material, and the microwave field was used as a heat source to supply sublimation heat so that the drying time was shortened greatly. The effect of the microwave sterilization during the drying process was evaluated. Effects of the pressure, thickness of material being dried, and the input microwave power on such indices as drying time and the microorganism number were studied. Compared with the method of ordinary freeze drying, microwave freeze drying (MFD) can greatly reduce the drying time and has a notable sterilization effect.     

Studies on the Microwave Freeze Drying Technique and Sterilization Characteristics of Cabbage

The vacuum freeze-drying (FD) technique used in the food industry can yield a high-quality product, but it is very expensive and requires a long processing time. Besides, the quantity of microorganisms in FD products can often exceed the required standard. As a result, it will be important to develop a new freeze-drying technique. In this article, cabbage was used as a model material, and the microwave field was used as a heat source to supply sublimation heat so that the drying time was shortened greatly. The effect of the microwave sterilization during the drying process was evaluated. Effects of the pressure, thickness of material being dried, and the input microwave power on such indices as drying time and the microorganism number were studied. Compared with the method of ordinary freeze drying, microwave freeze drying (MFD) can greatly reduce the drying time and has a notable sterilization effect.     

Microwave Freeze Drying of Sea Cucumber Coated with Nanoscale Silver

To develop an improved dehydration method for sea cucumber, microwave freeze drying was tested as a potential method. According to our experimental results, microwave freeze drying can reduce drying time to about half of the traditional vacuum freeze-drying process. To ensure a high degree of sterilization, a novel nanoscale silver coating technique was combined with microwave freeze drying. Microwave freeze drying combined with nanoscale silver coating treatment leads to a much lower microorganism number with no significant effect on drying efficiency and sensory quality.     

Microwave Freeze Drying of Sea Cucumber Coated with Nanoscale Silver

To develop an improved dehydration method for sea cucumber, microwave freeze drying was tested as a potential method. According to our experimental results, microwave freeze drying can reduce drying time to about half of the traditional vacuum freeze-drying process. To ensure a high degree of sterilization, a novel nanoscale silver coating technique was combined with microwave freeze drying. Microwave freeze drying combined with nanoscale silver coating treatment leads to a much lower microorganism number with no significant effect on drying efficiency and sensory quality.     

Heat and mass transfer model of dielectric-material-assisted microwave freeze-drying of skim milk with hygroscopic effect

A new porous media mathematical model for freeze-drying was developed based on the adsorption-desorption relationship proposed in this paper. A finite difference solution was obtained from a moving boundary problem for the dielectric-material-assisted microwave freeze-drying process. Silicon carbide (SiC) was selected as the dielectric material; and frozen skim milk was used as the aqueous solution to be dried. Simulation results showed that the dielectric material can significantly enhance the microwave freeze-drying process. The drying time was 33.1% shorter than that of ordinary microwave freeze-drying under typical operating conditions. When the solid content of the solution to be freeze-dried was very low, or the solid product had a very small loss factor, microwave heating was less effective without the assistance of dielectric material. The mechanisms of heat and mass transfer during drying were analyzed based on profiles of ice saturation, temperature and vapor concentration. Drying rate-controlling factors were discussed. A comparison was made between the model predictions and the reported experimental data.     

Trends in Microwave-Assisted Freeze Drying of Foods

Microwave-assisted freeze drying (MFD) can be accomplished in two distinct ways: freeze drying assisted concurrently with microwave application (MFD-1) and freeze drying and assisted microwave/vacuum microwave drying in two consecutive separate drying stages (MFD-2). MFD is a rapid dehydration technique that can be applied to certain foods, particularly to seafoods, solid soup, and fruits and vegetables. MFD involves much less drying time and energy consumption than conventional freeze-drying methods. Currently, this technology has been successfully used to dry many food materials and has potential in the food industry. Increasing concerns over product quality, energy savings, and production costs have motivated researchers and the industry to adopt MFD technologies. The advantages of MFD include shorter drying time, energy savings, improved product quality, and flexibility in producing a wide variety of dried products. However, current applications are limited to small categories of foods due to high startup costs and relatively complex technology compared to conventional freeze drying. This article presents a concise review of recent progress in MFD R&D and makes recommendations for future research to bridge the gap between laboratory research and industrial applications.