Radio Frequency Heating Using Alcoholic Solution Cladding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing radio frequency heating methods suffer from edge corner energy concentration effects, leading to poor heating uniformity in frozen food thawing, particularly due to increased dielectric loss as temperature rises, causing local overheating and quality deterioration.

Innovation Solution

A radio frequency heating method and device that clad the object to be heated with an alcoholic solution, such as an ethanol or glycerol solution, which has low dielectric loss and maintains a liquid form during heating, thereby absorbing excess energy and ensuring uniform temperature distribution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If traditional outside-to-inside heating methods are used, then heating speed is slow, but if radio frequency heating is used, then heating speed increases but edge corner energy concentration occurs causing poor heating uniformity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheating speedVSAvoidheating uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a surrounding medium (alcoholic solution or glycerol solution) as an intermediary between the radio frequency field and the object to be heated. This medium absorbs excess radio frequency energy, particularly at edge corners, and transfers heat more uniformly to the object, preventing direct concentration of energy at geometric singularities while maintaining rapid heating rates.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the dielectric parameters of the heating environment by introducing a surrounding medium with specific dielectric properties (alcoholic or glycerol solutions). This modification alters the electromagnetic field distribution and energy absorption characteristics, reducing edge corner effects while maintaining overall heating efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Speed

If the temperature of external heat source is increased to speed up thawing, then thawing speed increases, but food quality deteriorates due to overheating

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethawing speedVSAvoidfood quality deterioration

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The surrounding medium acts as a thermal buffer and energy distributor, absorbing excess radio frequency energy and redistributing it uniformly. This prevents localized overheating that would damage food quality while maintaining the rapid thawing speed characteristic of radio frequency heating.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the harmful edge corner energy concentration effect into a beneficial uniform heating mechanism by using the surrounding medium to absorb and redistribute the excess energy that would otherwise cause localized overheating and quality deterioration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Use of energy by moving object

If radio frequency heating is applied directly to frozen food, then heating efficiency is high, but dielectric loss increases with temperature causing local overheating

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheating efficiencyVSAvoiddielectric loss

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The surrounding medium (alcoholic or glycerol solution) serves as an intermediary that has lower dielectric loss than frozen food at elevated temperatures. It absorbs radio frequency energy more efficiently at lower temperatures and transfers heat to the food, reducing overall dielectric loss and preventing energy waste through localized overheating.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 method effectively alleviates edge corner energy concentration, improving thawing uniformity and maintaining the quality of frozen food by using a surrounding medium that absorbs less heat, ensuring a homogenized heating temperature distribution and reducing energy waste.

Implementation Method 1

A radio frequency wave refers to an electromagnetic wave from 1 MHz to 300 MHz. By using the radio frequency wave to stimulate microscopic particles such as ions, atoms and molecules in food to vibrate or rotate, the temperature of food may be rapidly increased

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDielectric heating: Dielectric Heating

Implementation Method 2

clad an object to be heated by using a surrounding medium... performing a radio frequency heating operation on the object to be heated clad by the surrounding medium

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS11751297B2Radio frequency heating method and radio frequency heating device

Publication Date: 2023.09.05 SHANGHAI OCEAN UNIV

AI summary

A radio frequency heating method includes: cladding an object to be heated by using a surrounding medium, and performing radio frequency heating operation on the object to be heated clad by the surrounding medium, in which the surrounding medium is an alcoholic solution. In the radio frequency heating method according to the embodiments of the present application, by using the alcoholic solution as the surrounding medium to clad the object to be heated, heating uniformity of the object to be heated in a radio frequency heating process may be improved, edge corner energy concentration effect in the radio frequency heating process may be fully avoided, and then quality of the object to be heated after heating may be ensured.