Experimental Comparison of Models of the Drying-Cooling Process of Flatbreads for Optimized Automated Production: the Case Study of Carasau Bread

This paper presents a data-driven experimental approach to identify models and design efficient automation strategies that optimize the drying-cooling process of 2Dshaped bread during the redesign of low-automated production systems. Thin-layer drying-cooling equations are shown to be suitable for describing the water and heat transfer dynamics in flatbreads. These equations can be used to predict the time required to achieve desired levels of moisture and temperature as a function of external temperature. This knowledge is then used to derive a discrete-time model of the drying-cooling process, which helps identify the most suitable re-engineering actions to improve production and quality while reducing waste. The case study involves a bakery that produces Carasau bread, which is a flat and dry bread typical of the Sardinian tradition with a long history and renewed interest in recent years. In this scenario, the drying-cooling process occurs during transportation via conveyor belts. We discuss how the process can be optimized using real-time measurements an adaptative control of the speed given the length of the conveyor belt. This represents a significant step forward in automating the manufacturing process of Carasau bread.