Khon Kaen University, the first university established in Northeast Thailand, has long been a hub for innovation and research aimed at solving regional challenges. This case study highlights the university’s use of advanced Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) technology, specifically SC/Tetra software, to optimize the design of a shrimp freezer, crucial for the region’s seafood industry.
Table of Contents
Background
The Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at Khon Kaen University, established in 1975, is renowned for its focus on applying engineering knowledge to real-world applications. The faculty offers comprehensive programs that equip graduates with the skills to design, build, and test mechanical systems, including refrigeration and air conditioning systems.
The Research Challenge
Miss Chanya Uraijaree, an assistant researcher under the supervision of Associate Professor Kiatfa Tangchaichit, was tasked with designing and analyzing the refrigeration air chamber of a shrimp freezer. The core challenge was to ensure that the freezer could maintain a core temperature of -18°C or below for the shrimp, preserving the quality of the product by preventing large ice crystal formation.
“The design and analysis of the refrigeration system for the shrimp freezer required precision and efficiency, and that’s where SC/Tetra made a significant difference.“
Miss Chanya Uraijaree
The Role of SC/Tetra
To address this challenge, Miss Chanya utilized SC/Tetra, an unstructured CFD software by Cradle. The software allowed for a detailed simulation of airflow within the freezer’s air chamber, focusing on improving the wind profile distribution, flow rate, and wind velocity to ensure uniform cooling.
Key Features and Benefits of SC/Tetra:
- Symmetry Plane Feature: Enabled the model to be split into quarters, reducing computational time by over 200%.
- Mesh Generation: Provided manual control over mesh layers, ensuring high precision in the simulation.
- User-Friendly Interface: Facilitated an easier workflow and quicker setup for complex simulations.
Simulation and Results
The study focused on analyzing the airflow profile with various ceiling diffuser designs featuring different numbers of concentric circles. The simulations revealed that a design with 5 concentric circles optimized airflow uniformity at the outlet by 13.57% in standard deviation (SD) compared to the original model.
This improvement is significant as it directly contributes to reducing the freezing time, thereby enhancing the overall efficiency of the shrimp freezer.
Benefits of SC/Tetra
Khon Kaen University has been leveraging SC/Tetra since 2016 across various academic projects, including:
- Combustion studies
- Weather data collection
- Hard-disk research
- Freezer design optimizations
The software’s powerful simulation capabilities and user-friendly interface have made it a valuable tool for the university’s research initiatives.
Conclusion
This case study underscores the importance of using advanced CFD tools like SC/Tetra to optimize industrial processes. By improving airflow uniformity and reducing freezing time, SC/Tetra not only enhances product quality but also contributes to the efficiency and sustainability of the seafood industry in Northeast Thailand.
References
- Uraijaree, C., Tangchaichit, K., & Suriyawanakul, J. (Year). Comparison of Airflow-Uniformity in Different Ceiling-Diffuser Designs with Various Concentric Circles in Shrimp Freezer Using CFD. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Khon Kaen University, Thailand. – researchgate.net
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