EFFECT OF COMBINATION DRYING ON THE PHYSICO-CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CARROT AND PUMPKIN

The quality of dehydrated carrot and pumpkin pieces produced by combination drying employing partial freeze-drying and hot air-drying were investigated. The drying rate, the total energy requirement and the physico-chemical properties of the combination dried (CD) products were compared with those of hot air-dried (HAD) and freeze-dried (FD) products. The total carotenoid content of the two vegetables (1050 ppm and 160 ppm) was significantly affected by drying processes. Destruction of carotenoids during storage at different temperatures was less in the CD samples. The HAD vegetables exhibited shrinkage, case hardening and poor rehydration (25 and 28 min in cold water, rehydration ratio 1:2.6 and 1:2.9, respectively). The FD vegetables appeared wholesome, porous, well formed with excellent rehydration features at room temperature (rehydration time 2 and 3 min in cold water, rehydration ratio 1:7 and 1:6.9, respectively). The CD vegetables were comparatively superior to HAD products and were nearer in quality to FD products with respect to appearance, rehydration (9 and 10 min in cold water, rehydration ratio 1:5 and 1:4, respectively). The drying time and total energy for CD processing was 50% less than for FD but similar to HAD. The combination dehydration process is effective in obtaining high quality dehydrated vegetables.     

The formation and control of Laves phase in superalloy 718 welds

Weld heat input/cooling rate (affected by welding process, parameters, technique, tooling, etc.) was found to influence the microstructural characteristics and segregational features in alloy 718 welds, with low heat inputs proving beneficial. Laves phase formed in the interdendritic regions of the weld metals as a result of segregation. The morphology and composition of Laves phase depended strongly on heat input/cooling rate and influenced its response to subsequent homogenization post-weld heat treatment. The various factors affecting the formation and control of Laves phase in alloy 718 welds are highlighted. This revised version was published online in November 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

CIRCULATION,DIFFUSION, AND REACTION WITHIN A LIQUID TRAPPED IN A CAVITY

The problem of convective diffusion from and reaction within the circulating flow inside a two-dimensional rectangular cavity is studied. The circulation is of the type induced by an external flow. Mass transfer occurs across the interface between the cavity and the external flow. A reactant may diffuse into the cavity from the external flow. The equations of steady motion and transient convective diffusion and chemical reaction are solved numerically. An enhancement factor is defined which quantifies the effectiveness of internal circulation in promoting diffusion and reaction. The dependence of this enhancement factor on geometry (cavity aspect ratio), Peclet number, and kinetic parameters is displayed.