Emerging Technologies for Food Processing, 2nd Edition

22.4. Generic Configurations

In ohmic heating, the product (liquid, solid, or multiphase mixture) is the conductive medium. Solid electrodes are usually used. These electrodes are in intimate contact with the product. They are fed by an electric power supply. The electrodes are generally separated by a tube or plate space that is electrically insulated. There are three generic configurations (Figure 22.2):

• without flow, discontinuous, usually called batch configuration, in which the electrodes are coaxial (cylindrical geometry), or plane and parallel;

• transverse configuration (or constant electric field), in which the product flows parallel to the electrodes and perpendicularly to the electric field, and the electrodes are generally plane or ...