Coaxial Microwave Emitter Layout for Uniform Product Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing microwave treatment devices often result in non-uniform heating of products due to uneven microwave energy distribution, especially when products are moved along a transport path, as the intensity of microwave exposure changes with distance from the radiation source, leading to inefficient heating processes.
Innovation Solution
The use of coaxial conductors with strategically placed openings, surrounded by high-permittivity dielectric materials, to emit microwaves uniformly across the product, with the openings aligned at electric field strength nodes to maximize microwave emission and adapt to the product's shape and size, ensuring consistent heating as the product moves along the transport path.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If traditional microwave radiation devices (waveguide resonators, horn antennas, rod antennas) are used, then microwave treatment can be achieved, but non-uniform heating of products occurs due to uneven microwave energy distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The microwave radiation device is segmented into multiple independent coaxial conductors arranged along the transport path. Each coaxial conductor acts as an independent radiation unit, allowing localized and uniform microwave emission across different sections of the product, thereby eliminating the non-uniform heating caused by traditional single-source radiation devices.
Solution Approach 2:
Each coaxial conductor is designed with specific dimensions and opening configurations tailored to its position along the transport path. The external conductors have openings at electric field nodes, and the dielectric materials are selectively placed to optimize local microwave emission characteristics, ensuring uniform heating across the entire product surface regardless of position.
2Productivity
If products are moved along a transport path during microwave treatment, then continuous processing and higher productivity are achieved, but non-uniform heating worsens due to changing distance from the radiation source
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from a single-point or single-line radiation source to a distributed array of coaxial conductors arranged in multiple dimensions along the transport path. This multi-dimensional arrangement ensures that products at any position along the transport path receive uniform microwave exposure, enabling continuous processing without sacrificing heating uniformity.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple coaxial conductors are arranged to provide continuous microwave radiation along the entire transport path. As products move continuously through the treatment chamber, they are exposed to uniform microwave energy at all positions, ensuring consistent heating throughout the processing sequence and enabling uninterrupted high-speed production.
3Temperature
If microwave output is increased to heat inhomogeneous products uniformly, then heating effectiveness improves, but energy loss and equipment complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention utilizes changes in microwave parameters, specifically positioning openings at electric field strength nodes where field intensity is maximized. By adjusting the dimensions of external conductors and selecting appropriate dielectric materials with specific permittivity values, the system optimizes microwave emission efficiency, achieving uniform heating of inhomogeneous products while minimizing energy loss.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration ensures uniform heating of products by directing microwave energy effectively and consistently across the product's surface, improving heating efficiency and reducing operational time, even for inhomogeneous products with varying compositions.
Implementation Method 1
A microwave coupled into the coaxial conductor can propagate in the coaxial conductor over the entire length or axial extension of the coaxial conductor
Implementation Method 2
a dielectric material, an in particular a dielectric solid body, can be arranged, which has a high permittivity and generates a low dielectric power loss for the microwaves propagating in the coaxial conductor
Implementation Method 3
The microwaves emitted into the treatment chamber and penetrating the product located there produce heat in the product
Data Source
AI summary
A device for treating a product with microwaves includes a treatment chamber, in which the product can be transported along a transport path in a transport direction through the treatment chamber, and a microwave radiation device arranged in the treatment chamber, by means of which microwaves coupled into the microwave radiation device can be radiated, which act on the product, wherein the microwave radiation device includes at least one coaxial conductor which protrudes into the treatment chamber, or is arranged therein, with an electrically-conductive internal conductor and an electrically-conductive external conductor, wherein the external conductor, arranged coaxially, surrounds the internal conductor in a spaced manner and includes at least one opening, which enables an emission of microwaves from the coaxial conductor through the opening on to the product.