(162f) Teaching Process Engineering Fundamentals Using an Ice Cream Maker

A number of engineering and science concepts can be illustrated with ice cream processing. The combination of ingredients as well as the processing conditions can affect the final physical properties of the ice cream which are judged by the consumer in terms of the textural and sensory attributes of the product.

The ice cream laboratory experiment is designed as an application of several concepts that sophomore level engineering students learn. The ice cream laboratory has a pre-lab assignment that requires students to develop an ice cream formulation within given constraints of available ingredients and percentages of fat, carbohydrate, and protein in the final product. In the pre-lab assignment the students apply the material balance concept and solve simultaneous linear equations to determine the ice cream formulation. During the experiments, students use a one liter electric home ice cream maker modified in our laboratory with instruments to measure temperature, mixing speed, and mixing torque. Students analyze the collected data to determine the heat energy requirement, mixing power requirement, and the viscosity of the ice cream. The experiment provides an opportunity to discuss and illustrate several engineering and science topics including, material and energy balances, heat transfer, freezing, mass transfer, mixing, viscosity, and freezing point depression.

The same set-up also is used in the program ?Science and Engineering of Ice Cream? to introduce high school science teachers to an education tool that can be used for their students to explore engineering concepts.