Transient 2D Simulation of Heat Transfer in Food Trays through Conduction and Convection

Abstract

This study presents a numerical simulation of heat distribution and cooling behavior in food placed within a food tray. The heat transfer model incorporates both conduction and convection mechanisms, solved numerically using finite difference method. The tray is represented as a rectangular domain measuring 20×15 cm, with three localized heat sources that mimic the initial temperature distribution of cooked food. Convective cooling from ambient air is applied uniformly along all tray boundaries. The simulation results demonstrate the spatial and temporal evolution of temperature, showing that heat propagates from the food regions toward the tray walls, causing a short-term rise in the average temperature before gradually decreasing due to conduction–convection interactions. This numerical model successfully visualizes how temperature dissipates over time and highlights the influence of boundary conditions on the cooling rate. The findings offer a useful reference for understanding heat transfer phenomena in packaged food systems and can support the optimization of food tray design and cooling strategies to maintain food safety and quality.