Microwave Heating Apparatus Near-Cutoff Wavelength Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional microwave heating apparatuses face challenges in achieving uniform heating of targets within waveguides, particularly when the target's length exceeds a quarter of the microwave wavelength, leading to non-uniform heating due to varying power loss along the z-axis direction.
Innovation Solution
A microwave heating apparatus that employs a wavelength controller to reduce the transverse space within the waveguide, lengthening the microwave wavelength by a predetermined multiple, and utilizes a reflecting plate to compensate for attenuated power, ensuring uniform heating across the target by adjusting the wavelength controller's position and the reflecting plate's movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a microwave is propagated into a waveguide to heat a target, then the target can be heated via dielectric heating or Joule heating, but when the target length exceeds 1/4 of the microwave wavelength, non-uniform heating occurs along the z-axis direction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a movable wavelength controller that can be adjusted along the z-axis direction. By dynamically changing the position of the wavelength controller, the effective wavelength of microwaves in the waveguide is modified, allowing the standing wave pattern to be repositioned. This enables uniform heating of targets with lengths exceeding 1/4 wavelength by optimizing the wavelength and standing wave distribution according to the specific target dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the wavelength parameter of microwaves by introducing a wavelength controller that reduces the transverse dimension of the waveguide. This wavelength reduction mechanism increases the effective wavelength of microwaves in the propagation direction, thereby adjusting the standing wave pattern to achieve uniform power distribution along the target length, solving the non-uniform heating problem for longer targets.
2Temperature
If microwaves travel along the target to heat it, then heating can be achieved, but power loss varies depending on the z-direction location of the target, causing non-uniform heating
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a movable wavelength controller that can be adjusted to optimize heating uniformity. By moving the wavelength controller along the z-axis, the system effectively adjusts the standing wave pattern and power distribution along the target. This dynamic adjustment mechanism provides a feedback-like optimization process to compensate for power loss variations at different locations, achieving uniform heating despite energy attenuation along the propagation path.
3Area of stationary object
If the wavelength of microwaves is not much greater than the target size, then the setup is compact, but the intensity of microwave power loss varies significantly depending on z-direction location
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a dynamically adjustable wavelength controller that can be positioned at different locations along the z-axis. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to optimize the wavelength and standing wave pattern for uniform power distribution, even in compact waveguide configurations. The movable controller compensates for power loss variations without requiring a large waveguide volume, maintaining compactness while achieving uniform heating.
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
The apparatus achieves uniform heating by lengthening the microwave wavelength within the waveguide under a near-cutoff condition, compensating for power loss variations, and maintaining consistent heating intensity across the target's length, thereby improving heating uniformity.
Implementation Method 1
uses an effect of lengthening a wavelength of the microwave traveling to the reduced space by a predetermined multiple or more of that of the microwave before entering the reduced space depending on a near-cutoff condition
Implementation Method 2
Heating using microwaves (e.g., having frequencies ranging from 300 MHz to 300 GHz) includes dielectric heating based on dielectric loss, which heats a target while causing energy loss in the target
Implementation Method 3
Joule heating based on induced current, which causes an induced current in a target and heats the target using a resistance component
Implementation Method 4
can also more uniformly heat the target by partially compensating for attenuated power of the microwave traveling along the target with a reflected wave generated by a reflecting means
Data Source
AI summary
The microwave heating apparatus of the present invention enables microwaves to be propagated onto an object to be heated through a waveguide such that the microwaves propagate to a microwave space reduced by a wavelength controller which is arranged, as a solid-state object, to occupy a predetermined space in the waveguide. Thus, the microwave heating apparatus of the present invention heats the object to be heated which has been placed in the reduced space. The microwave heating apparatus of the present invention utilizes the effects of lengthening the wavelength of the microwaves propagating to the reduced space so as to be longer than the wavelength before entering the reduced space by a predetermined multiple depending on a near-cutoff condition.