Optimum feed- and tank-operating conditions to maintain constant particle concentration in feed streams of particulate fluid food suspensions

Ensuring product safety and constant quality in aseptic processing of particulate fluid foods can be a problem if feed particle concentration varies with time. the variability of particle concentration distributions from a vertical stirred feed tank was measured as standard deviations of mean particle concentrations at the tank outlet and as differences between this concentration and the bulk concentration in the tank. the influence of some operating variables (volume of fluid in the tank, rotational speed of the agitating paddles, bulk particle concentration, liquid viscosity and flow rate) was studied using a factorial experimental design at two levels. an operating chart was drawn, using response surface analysis for selecting the optimum volume of fluid in the tank as a function of particle concentration and fluid viscosity.