Cooling of Shell Eggs with Cryogenic Carbon Dioxide: a Finite Element Analysis of Heat Transfer

Cryogenic carbon dioxide cooling of shell eggs was simulated using an axisymmetric unsteady state finite element heat transfer model. The egg was assumed to be a composite system of elliptical shape, consisting of yolk, albumen, air cell, and shell, each isotropic. An enthalpy formulation of the heat transfer problem was used to account for ice formation and growth in the region between the albumen and the shell during cooling. Simulated temperature profiles were compared with analytical and observed data and showed good agreement. The numerical simulation was used to gain an understanding of the two processes encompassed by cryogenic cooling, rapid cooling and equilibration.