Principle

The principle of industrial microwave systems is based on the ability of microwaves to generate heat in materials. When microwaves are transmitted through a material, they can cause the material to vibrate and generate heat.

The principle of industrial microwave technology involves the use of microwaves, a type of electromagnetic radiation, to generate heat and perform various industrial processes. Microwaves have wavelengths ranging from about one millimetre to one metre and are used in various industries, including food processing, pharmaceuticals, chemicals and wood processing. Microwave energy can penetrate materials and generate heat through a process called dielectric heating. This occurs when microwaves cause molecules in the material to vibrate and generate heat. The depth of penetration and the amount of heat generated depend on the frequency of the microwaves and the electrical properties of the material. In industrial microwave systems, microwaves are generated by a microwave generator that produces microwaves at a specific frequency and power level. The microwaves are then transmitted through a waveguide that directs the microwaves to the processing area. The microwaves are absorbed by the material being processed, causing the molecules to vibrate and generate heat. The amount of heat generated and the depth of penetration can be controlled by adjusting the frequency and power of the microwaves. It is used in a variety of applications such as drying, curing, sterilisation and cooking. They are designed to be efficient, reliable and easy to maintain and can be used in both batch and continuous processing applications.

During dielectric heating, high-frequency electromagnetic field energy is converted into thermal energy. This occurs as a result of the polar molecules of the material being affected by an alternating electromagnetic field. A billion times every second, the molecular dipoles irreversibly change in accordance with the orientation of the current field. During this time, there are two main effects:

• Intermolecular friction, which outweighs the forces of molecular attraction, and induced electrical feedback hysteresis, which depends on the electric charge, mass and shape of the molecules. These effects cause the product to heat up very rapidly and throughout the entire volume of the polarised material affected by the electromagnetic field. The invention of radar quickly led to the discovery of the principle of dielectric heating.