EVALUATION OF THE ULTRASONIC POWER APPLIED AT BRINE WITH DIFFERENT CONCENTRATIONS
Ultrasound has been gaining ground in research and industrial applications because of the improvements discovered in its use. Among its applications, like the use as a tool for analysis, high intensity ultrasound has shown an important function in the food industry, as an alternative in operations such as homogenization, grinding, blending, pasteurizing and extracting solid/liquid. It has also shown an increase in the efficiency of processes such as filtration/peeling, extraction, crystallization and fermentation. Mass Transfer processes may be accelerated by the application of ultrasound, due to structural action exerted by it, this effect can vary according to the intensity or frequency ultrasound. The properties of medium influence the propagation of ultrasound and, consequently, its effect on the process. Therefore, the aim of this work is to measure the real power transmitted during the application of ultrasound in saline solutions used in osmotic dehydration. One method for measuring the real power transmitted is the calorimetric that relates the power with the increase in temperature caused by application of ultrasound, using the equation: , where m is the mass and Cp is the specific heat of the solution. The nominal power applied with the ultrasonic generator (Hielscher, UP400S) and a 22 mm of diameter probe was 400, 320, 240 and 160 W. The solution concentrations was 5, 10 and 20 % (w/w). The temperature increase was investigated during 120 seconds. The nominal power reduction decreased the real power transmitted. The concentration changes not showed a direct relation with the real power transmitted.