Surface Wave Exciter with Mid-Point Microwave Feed for Uniform Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional high-frequency heating devices face challenges in achieving even heating of subjects due to exponential reduction in microwave intensity as surface waves travel further, leading to variations in heating, especially when heating large or multiple subjects simultaneously.
Innovation Solution
A high-frequency heating device with a first generation unit generating microwaves, a surface wave exciter with periodically arranged metal plates, and a connecting unit placed in the middle of the surface wave exciter to supply microwaves, ensuring even propagation and distribution of surface waves for uniform heating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If microwaves are supplied to the surface wave exciter from one end, then the structure is simple, but the microwave intensity decreases exponentially along the propagation direction causing uneven heating
Solution Approach 1:
The surface wave exciter is divided into multiple sections with connecting units at intermediate positions, allowing microwave supply from multiple locations rather than a single end, thereby segmenting the heating process to achieve better uniformity
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of supplying microwaves from one end of the surface wave exciter, the invention supplies microwaves from intermediate positions or both ends, inverting the conventional single-end supply approach to reduce intensity decay and improve heating uniformity
2Area of stationary object
If the surface wave exciter length is increased to heat larger subjects, then the heating coverage is improved, but the intensity variation becomes more significant
Solution Approach 1:
The extended surface wave exciter is segmented into multiple sections with intermediate connecting units, allowing distributed microwave supply that maintains more uniform intensity across the larger heating area
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the surface wave exciter receive microwave energy at optimized locations, creating local quality variations in the microwave field distribution that compensate for the increased propagation distance and maintain uniform heating across the extended area
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 enables more even heating of subjects by generating surface waves that propagate from the middle portion to both ends, reducing intensity variations and improving heating uniformity across larger or multiple subjects.
Implementation Method 1
The surface wave exciter includes a plurality of metal plates periodically arranged at a predetermined interval in a propagation direction of the microwaves and heats a heating subject by propagating the microwaves in a surface wave mode
Implementation Method 2
The first generation unit generates microwaves. The surface wave exciter heats a heating subject by propagating the microwaves
Data Source
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AI summary
A high-frequency heating device (1a) includes a first generation unit (8), a surface wave exciter (9), and a first connecting unit (12). The first generation unit (8) generates microwaves. The surface wave exciter (9) includes a plurality of metal plates (11) periodically arranged at a predetermined interval in a propagation direction of the microwaves and heats a heating subject (6) by propagating the microwaves in a surface wave mode. The first connecting unit (12) is provided in a middle portion of the surface wave exciter (9) in the propagation direction (D) of the microwaves generated by the first generation unit so that the microwaves are supplied to the surface wave exciter (9) through the first connecting unit (12). According to the present aspect, a heating subject can be more evenly heated.