A A C C   2 0 0 0   A n n u a l   M e e t i n g

The application of a mathematical model to describe the dough forming operation and the flow of dough in bakery equipment is presented in this work. The uselfuness of the mathematical model for equipment design and dough characterization in industrial practice is also presented. The model is based on the solution of the equations of motion including non-Newtonian material properties and complex equipment geometries. Two objectives are pursued in the design of dough dividing equipment: minimal stress on the dough piece and uniform output flow rates. Numerical simulations of the dough forming process, obtained using finite element techniques, are used to calculate pressure, velocity, and stress fields in the dough divider. During the simulation process, the equipment geometry is modified to minimize stress while maintaining uniform flow and throughput. Numerical and experimental results are used to compare different constitutive equations to describe the dough rheology and therefore be able to determine the dough rheological parameters in the dough divider. When compared to experimental rheological data, the parameters are different in some cases. These variations are discussed in terms of flow types and changing material properties. Numerical simulation is shown to be an effective tool in bakery process analysis and design of equipment.