Microwave Heating Device with Segmented Waveguide Plates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional microwave heating devices fail to heat both high and low microwave absorbing materials uniformly, as they either create hot and cold spots or inadequately distribute microwave energy, limiting their application to low-cost markets and specific materials.
Innovation Solution
A microwave heating device with a guiding tube featuring multiple heating segments, waveguide plates made of dielectric material, and two microwave transmitting modules that emit microwaves along a travelling path, ensuring uniform heating by adjusting impedance matching and wave mode conversion to accommodate materials with varying microwave absorption characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If standing waves are used to heat the object, then the heating coverage is increased, but obvious hot spots and cold spots are formed causing non-uniform heating
Solution Approach 1:
The heating device is divided into multiple heating segments (first heating segment, second heating segment, etc.) arranged along the wave travelling path. Each segment has its own waveguide plate pair, allowing the heating process to be divided into multiple zones that can independently adjust microwave energy distribution, thereby achieving uniform heating across the entire object while maintaining comprehensive heating coverage
Solution Approach 2:
Different waveguide plate pairs in different heating segments have different configurations (different positions, orientations, or dimensions) to create locally optimized heating characteristics. This allows each segment to address specific heating requirements of different regions of the object, ensuring uniform heating across the entire object while maintaining comprehensive heating coverage
2Manufacturing precision
If travelling wave heater is used, then heating uniformity is improved for low microwave absorption materials, but high microwave absorbing materials cannot be uniformly heated due to quick energy absorption near the heating source
Solution Approach 1:
The heating system is segmented into multiple heating segments with progressively positioned waveguide plate pairs. This segmentation allows microwave energy to be distributed along the entire wave travelling path rather than concentrated at one location, enabling uniform heating of high microwave absorbing materials while maintaining the travelling wave configuration that works well for low absorbing materials
Solution Approach 2:
The waveguide plates made of dielectric material act as intermediaries to control and distribute microwave energy along the wave travelling path. These plates modify the electromagnetic field distribution to ensure progressive energy transfer along the conveying direction, enabling uniform heating of high microwave absorbing materials while maintaining the travelling wave configuration that works well for low absorbing materials
3Productivity
If microwave energy is concentrated near the heating source, then heating efficiency is improved, but the heated object far from the heating source cannot be sufficiently heated
Solution Approach 1:
The waveguide plate pairs are pre-configured in different heating segments along the wave travelling path to progressively distribute microwave energy before it reaches the object. This preliminary distribution of energy along the path ensures that both regions near and far from the heating source receive appropriate energy levels, maintaining heating efficiency while achieving uniform heating across the entire object
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 solution significantly improves heating uniformity and efficiency, allowing for the uniform treatment of both high and low microwave absorbing materials, including those with metal components, thereby expanding the range of applicable materials and enhancing heating precision.
Implementation Method 1
the waveguide plate pair, and each one of the at least one waveguide plate pair having a position corresponding to a position of the at least one conveying opening pair along the wave travelling path; and two waveguide plates respectively disposed on the top wall and the bottom wall of the at least one heating segment, extending along the wave travelling path, and made of a dielectric material
Implementation Method 2
ensuring uniform heating by adjusting impedance matching and wave mode conversion to accommodate materials with varying microwave absorption characteristics
Implementation Method 3
two microwave transmitting modules respectively disposed on two opposite ends of the microwave guide tube along the wave travelling path
Implementation Method 4
made of a dielectric material
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is a microwave heating device and has a microwave guide tube, two microwave transmitting modules, and a transmission module. The microwave guide tube forms a wave travelling path and has at least one conveying opening pair and at least one waveguide plate pair. The at least one conveying opening pair has two conveying openings respectively disposed on two opposite walls of the microwave guide tube along a conveying direction. The at least one waveguide plate pair is disposed in the microwave guide tube and has two waveguide plates parallel with the wave travelling path. The two microwave transmitting modules are disposed on two opposite ends of the microwave guide tube. The transmission module extends through the at least one conveying opening pair along the conveying direction.