Kevin J. Farrell, Principal Engineer, Computational Simulation & Validation
When I enter the office first thing in the morning, my nose tells me there is fresh coffee in the breakroom—at least one pot of regular and one pot of what I call “the high test.” I've learned not to try to interact with any coffee lover before they've had their first cup—their elixir for life in the new day. Some are devoted to the quality of their brew from bean to cup, including every apparatus and process condition in between, while some are just in it for the caffeine.
It turns out that coffee is a wonderful motivation for learning about heat transfer. In fact, all three modes of heat transfer (conduction, convection, and radiation) are present—from bean to cup. There are so many questions…
- How does the design of coffee roasting equipment affect the flavor of my coffee?
- How important are brewing water temperature and flow?
- How long must I wait to sip the piping hot goodness, so I don't burn my mouth?
- Is it worth it to spring for one of those expensive thermos cups?
- What causes cold cream and hot coffee to mix without stirring?
- Will some phase-change material in my coffee or the walls of the mug allow me to enjoy it quicker and longer?
That's a long and growing list. Full disclosure—I don't drink coffee, but it sure smells great. Fortunately, HTRI has a new researcher who is an expert in food engineering, Dr. Holly Huellemeier. Holly received her PhD in Food, Agricultural, and Biological Engineering with a specialization in Food Engineering from The Ohio State University. Plus, she loves coffee, so we will get some great answers to our questions. Be sure to look for future installments on Coffee and Heat Transfer.