Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer Research

Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer Research

Modeling and Simulation of Heat and Mass Transfer during Superheated Steam Roasting of Coffee–Guinea Pepper Blend: CFD Validation Against Experimental Data

Document Type : Review Article

Authors
1 Bambey, BP 30, Diourbel, Senegal.
2 Alioune Diop University
3 Center for Studies and Research on Renewable Energies, Dakar, Senegal
4 Water, Energy, Environment and Industrial Processes Laboratory, High Polytechnical School, Cheikh Anta Diop University
10.22075/jhmtr.2026.40155.1904
Abstract
Roasting constitutes a critical step in the development of the physicochemical and sensory properties of coffee. Among emerging technologies, superheated steam roasting is attracting growing interest due to enhanced heat transfer intensification and its potential for energy optimization. However, the coupled heat and mass transfer mechanisms governing this process remain insufficiently described, particularly for the coffee–Guinea pepper blend. This study aims to develop and validate a three-dimensional numerical model based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to analyze the thermal transfers occurring during superheated steam roasting. Simulations are performed using ANSYS Fluent with a transient pressure-based solver and the Transition SST transition model. Moisture content evolution is described using the Schwartzberg kinetic model, while the CFD model resolves the conservation equations of mass, momentum, and energy within a geometry representative of the experimental roaster. The operating conditions correspond to a superheated steam temperature of 300 °C and an inlet velocity of 1.915 m·s⁻¹. The results reveal a rapid temperature rise in the beans during the first 100 seconds, followed by thermal stabilization between 240 and 245 °C, indicating homogeneous heat distribution within the bean bed. Comparison between simulated and experimental temperatures shows excellent agreement, with a correlation coefficient of R² = 0.999, confirming the model's ability to accurately reproduce the experimentally observed thermal behavior. The moisture evolution results are consistent with the adopted kinetic model, although they require specific experimental validation. The developed model thus constitutes a reliable tool for the analysis and optimization of superheated steam roasting processes and provides a solid foundation for the development of multiphysics models integrating coupled heat and mass transfer with thermochemical reactions.
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Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 17 September 2026

  • Receive Date 24 December 2025
  • Revise Date 16 September 2026
  • Accept Date 17 September 2026