Microwave Frying Compared with Conventional Frying via Numerical Simulation

Microwave heating can be combined with other means of heating to yield a unique heating profile. In the study, microwave frying, a combination of convective and microwave heating, was compared with conventional frying. Frying experiments were performed by inserting a single food sample (chicken breast meat) in the hot oil at 180 ± 1°C for both frying methods. Center temperature of the sample and the oil temperature were recorded during both frying methods. Simulations were performed to predict heat transfer coefficients. Processing time was shorter with microwave frying. Simulations revealed a varying convective heat transfer coefficient, which was in the range of 160–490 W/m 2 K, during conventional frying. Higher convective heat transfer coefficient, 500 W/m 2 K, compared to conventional frying was observed during microwave frying with the simulations. This is suggested to be due to higher turbulence in microwave frying.