Fluid Flow in Food Processing | IIT Kharagpur Online Course | Prof. Bhunia & Goswami
Course Details
| Exam Registration | 98 |
|---|---|
| Course Status | Ongoing |
| Course Type | Elective |
| Language | English |
| Duration | 12 weeks |
| Categories | Agricultural and Food Engineering, Food Process Engineering |
| Credit Points | 3 |
| Level | Undergraduate/Postgraduate |
| Start Date | 19 Jan 2026 |
| End Date | 10 Apr 2026 |
| Enrollment Ends | 02 Feb 2026 |
| Exam Registration Ends | 20 Feb 2026 |
| Exam Date | 17 Apr 2026 IST |
| NCrF Level | 4.5 — 8.0 |
The Unseen Force: How Fluid Flow Shapes Our Food
Behind every perfectly textured ice cream, every consistently flavored beverage, and every safely preserved packaged food lies a fundamental engineering principle: the flow of fluids. From pumping tomato puree through pipes to controlling air in a freeze-dryer, understanding fluid dynamics is not just academic—it's essential for efficiency, quality, and safety in the multi-billion dollar food industry.
Recognizing this critical knowledge gap, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur offers a comprehensive 12-week course, "Impact of Flow of Fluids in Food Processing and Preservation." Designed for students and professionals, this course demystifies the complex fluid behaviors that are at the heart of modern food manufacturing.
Course Overview: Bridging Theory and Industry Practice
This undergraduate/postgraduate level course delves into the basic requirements of processing and preservation technologies. It focuses on the fundamental knowledge of fluid flow, a component involved in most unit operations, which is often not covered in depth in standard engineering curricula. The course aims to build a strong conceptual foundation enriched with real-time applications.
Who Should Enroll?
The course is designed for a wide range of disciplines, highlighting the interdisciplinary nature of food engineering:
- Core Disciplines: Agricultural Engineering, Food Technology, Food Engineering, Chemical Engineering.
- Related Fields: Biotechnological Engineering, Thermal Engineering, Biotechnology.
- Broad Engineering: Civil, Aeronautical, and Mining Engineering students will also find the fluid mechanics principles highly relevant.
Industry Relevance & Support
The skills taught are directly applicable in major processing industries. The course is supported by and relevant to leading companies such as ITC, Hindustan Unilever, Britannia, and major players in the Dairy Industry.
Learn from Distinguished Faculty
Prof. Kanishka Bhunia
An expert in the field, Prof. Bhunia brings international research and academic experience. His educational journey includes a B.Tech. from Bidhan Chandra Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, an M.Tech. from IIT Kharagpur, and a Ph.D. from Washington State University, USA, followed by post-doctoral work at WSU and Cornell University. Since joining IIT Kharagpur in 2018, he has published 25 international journal articles and 4 book chapters. He also serves as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Food Science, Wiley, USA.
Prof. Tridib Kumar Goswami
A veteran professor and a Fellow of multiple prestigious academies, Prof. Goswami retired as a Professor, HAG, from IIT Kharagpur after a distinguished career starting in 1989. With a Ph.D. from IIT Kharagpur and industry experience at Kwality Ice Cream, his contributions are monumental. He holds 12 Indian patents, has published 190 journal papers, 4 books, and 18 book chapters. He has guided 19 Ph.D. students, with three receiving the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru Award (ICAR). His work has been recognized with several national and international awards, including the N.N. Mohan Memorial Award.
Detailed 12-Week Course Layout
The course is meticulously structured to build knowledge from the ground up, culminating in specific product applications.
| Week | Topic | Focus Area |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Fundamentals of food processing and preservation | Introduction to core concepts and industry needs. |
| Week 2 | Equation of Continuity and its use in Processing | Conservation of mass in fluid systems. |
| Week 3 | Equation of Motion elaborated with real-time application | Newton's laws applied to fluids (Navier-Stokes). |
| Week 4 | Psychrometry: necessity in fluid flow industries | Properties of air-vapor mixtures crucial for drying and storage. |
| Week 5 | Flow through pipes: Laminar and Turbulent flow | Behavior of Newtonian fluids in conduits. |
| Week 6 | Flow through annulus with problems and solutions | Flow in concentric pipes, relevant for heat exchangers. |
| Week 7 | Falling Film: Its use in processing and preservation | Applications in evaporation, cooling, and gas absorption. |
| Week 8 | Compressible gas flow: differences with incompressible fluids | Flow of gases (e.g., in pneumatic conveying, canning). |
| Week 9 | Flow through nozzle: requirement in processing industries | Spray drying, jet cleaning, and extrusion. |
| Week 10 | Flow through filter medium: importance in processing | Clarification of juices, beer, and other liquids. |
| Week 11 | Non-Newtonian fluid flow | Behavior of ketchup, yogurt, sauces, and doughs. |
| Week 12 | Application of fluid flow: A product of low temperature - Ice cream | Case study integrating concepts in a real product. |
Essential Reference Books
The course curriculum is supported by seminal texts in transport phenomena and fluid dynamics:
- Transfer Process: Momentum, Heat and Mass Transfer - C.J. Geankoplis
- An Introduction to Fluid Dynamics - G. K. Batchelor
- Transport Phenomena - R. Byron Bird, Warren E. Stewart, Edwin N. Lightfoot
- Transport Phenomena in Food Process Engineering – A.K. Datta
Why This Course is Essential
For anyone aspiring to excel in food, agricultural, or chemical processing industries, this course offers a unique blend of rigorous theory and practical application. It addresses the critical "how" behind moving food materials through a plant—a factor that directly impacts product quality, energy consumption, processing efficiency, and equipment design. By mastering the principles of fluid flow, engineers and technologists can innovate, optimize, and solve complex challenges in food preservation and processing, making them invaluable assets to the global food industry.
Enroll Now →