High-Voltage Electric Field-Assisted Thawing of Frozen Tofu: Effect of Process Parameters and Electrode Configuration

Figure 2

(a) Thawing time and thawing rate of frozen tofu in different voltages. The frozen tofu was thawed at 20°C with a fixed discharge gap of 100 mm under DC electric field. The thawing voltage was 0 kV (the control samples), 4 kV, 8 kV, 12 kV, 16 kV, 20 kV, 24 kV, or 28 kV, respectively.(b) Thawing time and thawing rate of frozen tofu in different electrodes. Plate (DC): the plate-to-plate electrodes under DC electric field, plate (AC): the plate-to-plate electrodes under AC electric field, W-P (DC): the wires-to-plate electrodes under DC electric field, W-P(AC): the wires-to-plate electrodes under AC electric field, N-P(DC): the needles-to-plate electrodes under DC electric field, and N-P(AC): the needles-to-plate electrodes under AC electric field. The corresponding discharge gap between the high-voltage electrodes and the grounded electrode was 100 mm. The corresponding voltage was 28 kV (c) Thawing time and thawing rate of frozen tofu in different electrode distances. The discharge gap was 8 cm, 9 cm, 10 cm, 11 cm, and 12 cm with multiple needles-to-plate electrode for AC electric field, respectively. The corresponding voltage was 20 kV.

(a)

(b)

(c)