Process Engineering Reference Sheets by MyEngineeringTools.com
THE CALCULATORS

Cold Point Temperature Prediction

Predicts the temperature at the geometric center (cold point) of a conduction-heated cylindrical can during thermal processing using the Ball formula and Newman's Law.

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1. Define Input Parameters

2. Engineering Output

Thermal Diffusivity (alpha)
- m^2/s
Thermal Diffusivity (min) (alpha_min)
- m^2/min
Heating Rate Index (fh)
- min
Lag Factor (jc)
- dimensionless
Center Temperature (Tt)
- °C

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Context & Assumptions

This calculation is fundamental in thermal process engineering for ensuring the safety of solid food products like tuna or meat pastes. It identifies the slowest-heating point in a cylindrical container to determine the necessary retort residence time for sterilization. The model assumes a high Biot number where surface resistance is negligible compared to internal conduction.

Understand the Engineering Principles

Review the step-by-step derivations, typical industrial limits, and scale-up rules.

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