EP2947961A1 - Microwave heating device - Google Patents
Microwave heating device Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP2947961A1 EP2947961A1 EP14305749.5A EP14305749A EP2947961A1 EP 2947961 A1 EP2947961 A1 EP 2947961A1 EP 14305749 A EP14305749 A EP 14305749A EP 2947961 A1 EP2947961 A1 EP 2947961A1
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- Prior art keywords
- microwave
- slots
- heating device
- feeding
- slot
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- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 46
- 230000005855 radiation Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 61
- 238000000265 homogenisation Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 31
- 238000011144 upstream manufacturing Methods 0.000 claims description 20
- 238000005192 partition Methods 0.000 claims description 11
- 239000006185 dispersion Substances 0.000 claims 1
- 230000005684 electric field Effects 0.000 description 21
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 6
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 4
- 239000004038 photonic crystal Substances 0.000 description 4
- 239000004020 conductor Substances 0.000 description 3
- 230000001066 destructive effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000002955 isolation Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000000737 periodic effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000002093 peripheral effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000000758 substrate Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000010420 art technique Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000015556 catabolic process Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000003989 dielectric material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000009792 diffusion process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000004836 empirical method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000002844 melting Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000008018 melting Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 1
- HYIMSNHJOBLJNT-UHFFFAOYSA-N nifedipine Chemical compound COC(=O)C1=C(C)NC(C)=C(C(=O)OC)C1C1=CC=CC=C1[N+]([O-])=O HYIMSNHJOBLJNT-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 230000001902 propagating effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 description 1
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Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
- H05B6/00—Heating by electric, magnetic or electromagnetic fields
- H05B6/64—Heating using microwaves
- H05B6/72—Radiators or antennas
- H05B6/725—Rotatable antennas
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
- H05B6/00—Heating by electric, magnetic or electromagnetic fields
- H05B6/64—Heating using microwaves
- H05B6/70—Feed lines
- H05B6/705—Feed lines using microwave tuning
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
- H05B6/00—Heating by electric, magnetic or electromagnetic fields
- H05B6/64—Heating using microwaves
- H05B6/70—Feed lines
- H05B6/707—Feed lines using waveguides
- H05B6/708—Feed lines using waveguides in particular slotted waveguides
Definitions
- the present invention generally relates to the field of microwave heating device and, more particularly, to the feeding of microwaves to a cavity in a microwave cavity for heating a load which is placed in said cavity.
- the first aspect is the efficiency of the heating process, namely the ratio between the amounts of microwave power absorbed in the load in regard to the available microwave power.
- the second aspect is the uniformity of the power absorbed in the load.
- microwave heating device use relatively broadband microwave sources which are adapted to feed energy to a maximum part of the cavity of the microwave oven and excite a large number of modes and, thus, provide heating of a load that is placed in the cavity.
- interference between the propagation modes in the cavity results in places with undesirably low energy density and places with undesirably high energy density.
- microwave stirrers In order to achieve uniform heating of the load, it has also previously been suggested to use microwave stirrers or/and to place the load on a rotating plate.
- a general object of the present invention is to provide a microwave oven in which, on the one hand, the heating of a load in the oven is more homogeneous, and, on the other hand, the heating of the load in relation to available microwave power is maximized.
- the microwave heating device according to the invention provides a homogeneous microwave power distribution, contrary to prior-art microwave heating devices which merely rely on the periodic modification of an inhomogeneous microwave power distribution.
- the microwave heating device provides a broadband impedance matching and is as a consequence compatible with a broadband microwave generator adapted to feed energy to a maximum part of the cavity of the microwave oven and excite a large number of modes and, thus, provide efficient heating of a load that is placed in the cavity.
- the microwave heating device further comprises a second slot resonator extending in a third plane, parallel to the first plane, said second slot resonator being provided with multiple homogenization slots.
- the homogenization slots of the second slot resonator being arranged in the same configuration as the homogenization slots of the first slot resonator up to a rotation of 90°.
- the first slot resonator is rotatable relative to the feeding slots.
- the microwave heating device further comprises strip-lines, each strip-line being positioned perpendicular to one feeding slot of the waveguide.
- Each strip-line has a length equal to a wavelength of the microwave radiation.
- Each strip-line is positioned between one of the feeding slots and the first slot resonator, the distance between a center of the feeding slot and a ground of the strip-line being equal to a quarter of a wavelength of the microwave radiation.
- the four feeding slots are aligned by pairs in a direction of propagation of the microwave radiation in the waveguide.
- the microwave heating device comprises adjustable splitters for partially obstructing two upstream feeding slots of the four feeding slots so as to divide the microwave radiation between the upstream feeding slots and downstream feeding slots.
- Each homogenization slot has a length equal to a multiple of a half-wavelength of the microwave radiation.
- At least some of the homogenization slots extend from a peripheral edge of the first slot resonator.
- At least some of the homogenization slots are bent with an angle equal to 120°.
- At least some of the homogenization slots are bent with an angle equal to 90°.
- the first slot resonator has a general circular shape having a diameter equal to a multiple of half a wavelength of the microwave radiation.
- the microwave heating device further comprises an inducting slot resonator provided with circular slots, the circular slots being arranged in order to coincide with electric field maxima of the microwave radiation fed into the cavity.
- At least some of the circular slots of the inducting slot resonator can be obstructed.
- the invention relates to a microwave heating device comprising:
- the impedance matching arm extends perpendicular to the output arms.
- the output arm comprises consecutively, a first portion having a first height, a first sloping section, a second portion having a second height inferior to said first height, and a second sloping section.
- Two upstream feeding slots are positioned above the first sloping section and two downstream feeding slots are positioned above the second sloping section.
- the four feeding slots are aligned by pairs in a direction of propagation of the microwave radiation in the two output arms.
- the microwave heating device comprises adjustable splitters for partially obstructing two upstream feeding slots of the four feeding slots so as to divide the microwave radiation between the upstream feeding slots and downstream feeding slots.
- the microwave heating device further comprises matching screws capable of being gradually introduced in the input arm of the waveguide so as to match an impedance of the waveguide with an impedance of the load to be heated.
- ⁇ o 121.45mm
- La being the broad dimension of the waveguide section.
- the microwave oven 1 comprises a microwave generator 2, a cavity 10, a waveguide 3 and a multilayer resonator structures or photonic crystal 50.
- the microwave generator 2 is operatively connected to the cavity 10 through the waveguide 3, the waveguide 3 being provided with a microwave input 4, through which microwaves are to be fed to the cavity 10.
- the microwave generator 2 generates a microwave radiation at a microwave radiation wavelength to the microwave input 4.
- the microwave oven 1 further comprises an isolator 21 and a control circuit 20.
- the isolator 21 transmits microwave in one direction only. It is used to shield the microwave generator 2 on its input side, from the effects of conditions on its output side, in particular to prevent the microwave generator 2 being detuned by a mismatched load 15.
- the isolator 21 comprises two directional couplers, one for the reflected wave 18 and the other for the direct wave 19.
- the reflected wave and the direct wave are used in the control circuit 20 in order to adapt the power generated by the microwave generator 2 to the load 15.
- the cavity 10 is adapted to accommodate a load 15 to be heated.
- the load 15 can either be a solid or a liquid sample.
- the load 15 is typically placed between the multilayer resonator structures 50 and a metallic plate 16.
- the microwave oven advantageously further comprises a dielectric plate 14 positioned between the multilayer resonator structures 50 and metallic plate 16 and adapted to support the load 15.
- the cavity 10 is surrounded by walls made out of a conductive material in order to prevent the emission of radiation to the outside for protection of the user.
- the cavity 10 is a resonator in which the microwave power is distributed throughout the volume of the cavity 10.
- the microwave power distribution depends on the resonance mode generated in the cavity, the number of maxima in each direction being determined by a ratio between this dimension and the half-wavelength.
- the resonances modes and, implicitly, the distribution of the microwaves are determined by the combination of incoming waves and reflected waves reflected on the walls of the cavity 10.
- the resonances modes depend on the size, shape and volume of the cavity 10, the nature and volume of the load 15 and the distribution of the microwave input 4.
- the size, shape and volume of the cavity 10 and the distribution of the microwave input 4 are adapted to the nature and volume of the load 15 in order to maximize the resonances generated in the cavity 10.
- the cavity dimensions are in the order of hundred microwave wavelengths, namely approximately in the order of 50cm.
- the waveguide is the waveguide
- the waveguide 3 is adapted for guiding the microwave radiation generated by the microwave generator 2 to the microwave input 4.
- the waveguide 3 comprises an input arm 31 for receiving the microwave radiation generated by the microwave generator 2, an impedance matching arm 32, and two output arms 33. These output arms 33 can be identical.
- Each arm of the waveguide is a hollow metallic tube of rectangular transverse section.
- Each arm of the waveguide 3 consists of two opposite broad walls and two opposite narrow walls, the dimension of the broad walls in the transversal plan being the larger dimension of the waveguide section, while the dimension of the narrow walls in the transversal plan is the smaller dimension Wp of the waveguide section.
- Each arm of the waveguide has the same section.
- the larger dimension of the waveguide section Lt of the impedance matching arm 32 is equal to the larger dimension of the waveguide section La of the output arms 31.
- the smaller dimension of the waveguide section is preferably half the larger dimension of the waveguide section.
- the smaller dimension of the section of the waveguide is equal to a quarter of the microwave wavelength, while the larger dimension of the section of the waveguide is equal to half the microwave wavelength.
- the microwave half-wavelength being approximately equal to 80mm, the larger dimension of the section of the waveguide is equal to 40mm, while the smaller dimension of the section of the waveguide is equal to 20mm.
- the modes supported by a waveguide are quantized.
- the allowed modes can be found by solving Maxwell's equations for the boundary conditions on the walls of the waveguide 3.
- the wave in the waveguide 3 must have zero tangential electric field amplitude at the walls of the waveguide, so the transverse pattern of the electric field of waves is restricted to those that fit between the walls of the cavity 10.
- the microwave input 4 is a slot antenna consisting of a metal surface, typically a flat plate arranged in a first plane P1 included in the broad wall of the output arms 31, with at least four feeding slots 41 cut out.
- the microwave input 4 is connected to the cavity 10 through the feeding slots 41 so that the microwave radiation is fed into the cavity 10 through the feeding slots 41.
- the feeding slots 41 are arranged so that each one of the feeding slots 41 feeds the same amount of power to the cavity 10 and so that the power fed by the feeding slots 41 to the cavity 10 is maximized.
- each of the feeding slots 41 has a width Wf less than a 1/4-wavelength of the microwave radiation.
- Each of the feeding slots 41 has preferably a length equal to the transversal waveguide dimension.
- each feeding slot 41 extends from a maximum of the electric field to a minimum of the electric field, in the direction of the propagation of the microwave radiation.
- the generator 5 is connected to the feeding slots 41 by means of strip-lines 11.
- Each feeding slot 41 of the waveguide is associated with one strip-line 11.
- the strip-lines 11 are flat strips of metal sandwiched between two parallel ground planes, supported by an insulating plate forming together a dielectric.
- the two ground planes are shorted together. This is commonly achieved by a row of vias running parallel to the strip on each side.
- the central conductor need not be equally spaced between the ground planes. If a dielectric low loss material is used in the strip line circuit, other than air, then the dielectric material may be different above and below the central conductor.
- the strip-lines 11 are positioned between one of the feeding slots 41 and the first slot resonator 5.
- the strip-lines 11 comprise a straight section and two mounting brackets, conductive short circuit, mounted on each side of the associated feeding slot 41.
- the strip-lines 11 are mounted across and perpendicular to the associated feeding slot 41 of the waveguide.
- the upper conductive wall of the waveguide 33 is electrically connected (namely short circuited with vias around the slots perimeter with ⁇ /8 distance between each via) with the antenna 4.
- Each of the strip lines are short circuited to the ground at both extremities (the metal of the strip is bend at 90° at the extremity connected to the ground, this ground being common with the two ground plane of the antenna 4 and of the waveguide 33.
- the strip-lines extremities, the antenna 4 and the waveguide 33 are connected together with a short-circuit-vias.
- the antenna 4 has typically a dimension of 350mmx350mm and the short-circuiting vias are typically 160mm large. If those short circuit connections are of low quality then local heat can occur between grounds, up to melting the metal.
- the width of the strip, the thickness of the substrate and the relative permittivity of the substrate are chosen in order to adapt the impedance of the strip to the feeding slot 41, in order to divide in two the power fed by the associated feeding slot 41.
- Each strip-line 11 has a symmetry line 110 located on its longitudinal axis Algt.
- the strip-lines 11 have a specific width Ws calculated with the strip line theory model.
- the distance SL1 between the lateral axis Alat of the feeding slot 41 and a symmetry line 110 of the strip-line 11 is less than a quarter of a wavelength of the microwave radiation, the exact value being determined by empirical methods.
- the distance SL2 between the longitudinal axis Algt and the near and of the strip-line 11 is equal to a quarter of a wavelength of the microwave radiation.
- the feeding slots 41 are preferably aligned by pairs in a direction of propagation of the microwave radiation in the waveguide 3.
- two of the feeding slots 41 are positioned upstream and two of the feeding slots 41 are positioned downstream.
- the distance between the far end of the upstream feeding slots 41 and the downstream feeding slots 41 is equal to the free space wavelength.
- the distance between the far end of the upstream feeding slots 41 and the input arm 31 is equal to a multiple of an eighth of the wavelength.
- the microwave heating device preferably further comprises adjustable splitters 42 for partially obstructing two upstream feeding slots 41 of the four feeding slots 41, each upstream feeding slot 41 of the waveguide being associated with one splitter 42.
- the position of the splitter 42 is adapted so as to divide equally the microwave radiation between the upstream feeding slots 41 and downstream feeding slots 41.
- each splitter 42 has the form of a shutter fastened on one of its side to the far end of the feeding slot 41 and extending inside the output arm 33.
- the splitters 42 are adapted to be adjustably angled in regard to the feeding slot 41 so as to adjust the power radiated by the upstream feeding slot 41, in order to equally divide the microwave radiation between the upstream feeding slots 41 and downstream feeding slots 41.
- the waveguide 3 comprises an input arm 31 for receiving the microwave radiation generated by the microwave generator 2, an impedance matching arm 32, and two output arms 33.
- the input arm 31, the impedance matching arm 32, and the two output arms 33a are practically the pseudo-magic T of the T-hybrid junction 35.
- This pseudo-magic T junction differs from theoretical magic T by the matching arm 32 which operate in electric E mode.
- the T-hybrid junction 35 will be described in details in the following paragraphs.
- the output arms 33 extend parallel to each other and are separated from each other by a longitudinal central partition wall 34 of the waveguide.
- the partition wall 34 separates the microwave radiation coming from the input arm 31 into two output microwave wave, each output microwave radiation being fed into the cavity 10 through two of the feeding slots 41.
- the waveguide 3 is a rectangular section tube consisting of two opposite broad walls and two opposite narrow wall.
- the impedance matching arm extends perpendicular to the broad wall of the input arm.
- the narrow wall of the impedance matching arm 32 is parallel to the narrow wall of the input arm 31, while the broad wall of the impedance matching arm 32 is parallel to the broad wall of the input arm 31.
- the longitudinal central partition wall 34 extends in the longitudinal axis of the input arm 31 and is parallel to the narrow wall of the input arm 31.
- the longitudinal central partition wall 34 constitutes a common narrow wall for each of the output arms 32.
- the output arms 33 extend in the longitudinal axis of the input arm 31 (namely perpendicular to the transversal section of the input arm 31), the impedance matching arm therefore extending perpendicular to the broad wall of the output arms 33
- the T-hybrid junction 35 advantageously comprises a T-hybrid junction splitter 36, adapted to equally divide the power reflected from each output arm 33 between the input arm 31 and the impedance matching arm 32.
- the T-hybrid junction splitter 36 is a shutter fastened on one of its side to the output arms wall facing the impedance matching arm 32.
- the angle between T-hybrid junction splitter 36 and the output arms wall facing the impedance matching arm 32 is adjusted in order that the power reflected from each output arm 33 divides equally between the input arm 31 and the impedance matching arm 32.
- the angle between T-hybrid junction splitter 36 and the output arms wall facing the impedance matching arm 32 is typically comprised between 10 and 45°.
- the distance between the input arm 31 and the fastened side of the T-hybrid junction splitter 36 is equal to 3/8 wavelength, in order to ensure that the superposition of the wave incoming from the input arm 31 and the reflected wave reflected in the impedance matching arm 32 is destructive.
- the electric field E of the dominant mode in each arm is perpendicular to the broad wall of the arm, while the magnetic field of the dominant mode in each arm is perpendicular to the narrow wall of the arm.
- the matching arm 32 is a transverse magnetic (TM) modes waveguide, namely there is no magnetic field in the direction of propagation.
- a transverse magnetic (TM) modes waveguide is also called E modes because there is only an electric field along the direction of propagation.
- the arrangement of the impedance matching arm 32 and the input arm 31 is such that the electric field E of the dominant mode in the impedance matching arm 32 is perpendicular to the electric field E of the dominant mode in the input arm 31 as well as to the electric field of the dominant mode in the output arms 33.
- the impedance matching arm 32 extends from the input arm 31 in the same direction as the E-field propagating in the waveguide, the electric field in the impedance matching arm 32 and the electric field in the input arm 31 are 180° out of phase with each other.
- the impedance matching arm 32 is further adapted to match the impedance of a reflected microwave radiation coming from the output arms 33, for a wave entering the input arm 31, the impedance matching arm 32 prevents any of the power being reflected back out of the input arm 31.
- the impedance matching arm 32 is a dead end and its length (namely its dimension in its longitudinal axis) is adapted so that the reflected wave reflected at the dead end of the impedance matching arm 32 is in opposition of phase with the incoming wave at the junction 35.
- the impedance matching arm 32 has a length of 7/8 of the microwave wavelength.
- the output arms 33 are symmetrical so that the superposition of the wave incoming from the input arm 31 and the reflected wave reflected in the impedance matching arm 32 is destructive.
- the impedance matching arm 32 eliminates any reflection in the input arm 31, and considering the symmetry of the output arms 33, the power is equally divided between the two output arms 33.
- the input arm 31 and the impedance matching arm 32 are matched, so that the output arms 33 are isolated from one another and the power reflected from each output arm 33 divides equally between the input arm 31 and the impedance matching arm 32.
- the isolation between the two output arms 33 is wide-band and is as perfect as is the symmetry of the device.
- the isolation between the collinear output arms 33 is however limited by the performance of the matching structure.
- T-hybrid junction as described above is advantageously combined with the output arms as described below, however it is to be understood that those two aspects can be implemented alone and prove both to be advantageous independently.
- each of the outputs arms 33 comprises consecutively, a first portion 331 having a first height G1, a first sloping section 332, a second portion 333 having a second height G2 inferior to said first height, and a second sloping section 334, the height of the output arms being defined as the narrow dimension of the transverse section of the waveguide.
- the first height G1 is typically a % of a wavelength while the second height is a 1/8 of the wavelength.
- the two upstream feeding slots 41 are positioned above the first sloping section 332 and two downstream feeding slots 41 are positioned above the second sloping section 334.
- the junction between the first portion 331 of the output arm and the first sloping section 332 is located at a maximum of the electric field while the junction between the first sloping section 332 and the second portion of the output arm 331 is located at a minimum of the electric field.
- the junction between the second portion 331 of the output arm and the second sloping section 332 is located at a maximum of the electric field while the far end of the output arm 33 is located at a minimum of the electric field.
- the wave propagation in the first section 331 of the output arm 33 is first reflected on the first sloping section 332 in the direction of the upstream feeding slot 41 and is partly reflected on the splitter 42.
- the splitter 42 divides the radiation in two. The first part of the power of the radiation reaches the upstream feeding slot 41 and is radiated through it. The second part of the power of the radiation is reflected on the splitter 42 in the direction of the second portion 333 of output arm 33, reaches the downstream feeding slot 41 and is radiated through the downstream feeding slot 41.
- the microwave heating device further comprises matching screws 39 capable of being gradually introduced in the input arm 31 of the waveguide so as to match the impedance of the waveguide 3 with an impedance of the load 15 o be heated.
- the first multi-slot resonator 5 ( fig.2 ) is a slot antenna consisting of a metal surface extending in a second plane P2 parallel to the first plane P1 comprising the feeding slots 41.
- the multi-slot resonator 5 is advantageously supported by a dielectric plate 13.
- the first multi-slot resonator 5 is a flat plate with multiple primary homogenization slots 51 cut out.
- the primary homogenization slots 51 are arranged so as to disseminate the microwave radiation fed into the next layer of inducting slots 7.
- the multi-slot resonators 5 and 6 have a general circular shape having a diameter equal to a multiple of half a wavelength of the microwave radiation.
- the microwave heating device 1 further comprises a second multi-slot resonator 6.
- the second multi-slot resonator 6 consists of a metal surface, typically a flat plate extending in a third plane, parallel P3 to the first plane, with multiple secondary homogenization slots 61 cut out.
- the second multi-slot resonator 6 is a slot antenna identical to the first multi-slot resonator 5 and the secondary homogenization slots 61 are arranged in the same configuration as the primary homogenization slots 51 of the first multi-slot resonator 5 up to a rotation of 90°.
- the first multi-slot resonator 5 and the second multi-slot resonator 6 are motionless.
- the first multi-slot resonator 5 is rotatable relative to microwave input 4.
- the microwave oven further comprises rotation motor 55 rotationally driving the first multi-slot resonator 5 in the second plane, about a vertical axis A1 passing through its center, and typically at a rotation speed w comprised between 90 and 120 revolutions per minute (rpm).
- the rotation of the multi-slot resonator 5 significantly improves the homogeneity of the radiated microwave power.
- the homogenization slots 51, 61 shape and size are designed in order to maximize the diffusion of the microwave power.
- the multi-slot resonators 5 and 6 are capacitive slot resonators, which mean that the homogenization slots 51, 61 are arranged in order to coincide with the local electric field nods of the microwave radiation fed into the cavity 10.
- each of them has a length equal to a multiple of a half-wavelength of the microwave radiation.
- some of the homogenization slots 51, 61 extend from a peripheral edge of the multi-slot resonator 5 or 6, while others don't.
- the effects of those open slots are the same as those of a radial open antenna, namely to disperse the microwaves outside of the circular multi-slot resonators 5.
- some of the other homogenization slots 51, 61 are bent with an angle equal to 90°.
- Those homogenization slots 51 are typically U-shaped slots. The effects of those slots are to disperse de microwaves inside the multi-slot resonators 5, in the central zone of the photonic crystal.
- the homogenization slots 51 are circular slots with a diameter Dr3 equal to a half wavelength.
- the microwave heating device 1 further comprises an inducting slot resonator 7 positioned between the load 15 and the multi-slot resonator 5.
- the inducting slot resonator 7 is provided with circular slots 71.
- the circular slots are arranged in order to coincide with the local electric field maxima of the microwave radiation fed into the cavity 10 so as to uniformly disperse de microwaves under de load support 14 and the load itself 15.
- the diameter of the circular slots of the inducting slot resonator 7 is less than a quarter of a wavelength of the microwave radiation.
- the microwave heating device provides a homogeneous microwave power distribution.
- the difference of temperature through the load is inferior to 3°C for a general temperature elevation of 25°C (between 20°C and 45°C).
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Abstract
The invention relates to a microwave heating device (1) comprising:
- a microwave generator (2) for generating a microwave radiation to a microwave input (4),
- at least four feeding slots (41) arranged in a first plane (P1), the microwave input (4) being connected to the cavity (10) through the feeding slots (41) so that the microwave radiation is fed into the cavity (10) through the feeding slots (41), and
- a first multi-slot resonator (5) arranged between the feeding slots (41) and the load (15) and extending in a second plane (P2) parallel to the first plane (P1), the first multi-slot resonator (5) being provided with multiple primary homogenization slots (51) arranged to divide the microwave radiation fed into the cavity (10).
- a microwave generator (2) for generating a microwave radiation to a microwave input (4),
- at least four feeding slots (41) arranged in a first plane (P1), the microwave input (4) being connected to the cavity (10) through the feeding slots (41) so that the microwave radiation is fed into the cavity (10) through the feeding slots (41), and
- a first multi-slot resonator (5) arranged between the feeding slots (41) and the load (15) and extending in a second plane (P2) parallel to the first plane (P1), the first multi-slot resonator (5) being provided with multiple primary homogenization slots (51) arranged to divide the microwave radiation fed into the cavity (10).
Description
- The present invention generally relates to the field of microwave heating device and, more particularly, to the feeding of microwaves to a cavity in a microwave cavity for heating a load which is placed in said cavity.
- When heating a load by means of a microwave oven, two main aspects have to be considered.
- The first aspect is the efficiency of the heating process, namely the ratio between the amounts of microwave power absorbed in the load in regard to the available microwave power.
- The second aspect is the uniformity of the power absorbed in the load. Indeed, microwave heating device according to the prior-art technique use relatively broadband microwave sources which are adapted to feed energy to a maximum part of the cavity of the microwave oven and excite a large number of modes and, thus, provide heating of a load that is placed in the cavity. However, interference between the propagation modes in the cavity results in places with undesirably low energy density and places with undesirably high energy density.
- In order to achieve uniform heating of the load, it has also previously been suggested to use microwave stirrers or/and to place the load on a rotating plate.
- These previously suggested solutions however provide insufficient control of the microwave power distribution, as they rely on the periodic modification of an inhomogeneous microwave power distribution rather than a homogeneous microwave power distribution.
- In order to achieve uniform heating of the load, it has also been previously suggested to excite only one propagation mode in the cavity. This is achieved by means of a narrow-band microwave source, in combination with a careful positioning the feeding ports.
- This previously suggested method however results in a low ratio between the amounts of microwave power absorbed in the load in regard to the available microwave power.
- A general object of the present invention is to provide a microwave oven in which, on the one hand, the heating of a load in the oven is more homogeneous, and, on the other hand, the heating of the load in relation to available microwave power is maximized.
- This object is achieved by means of a microwave heating device comprising:
- a microwave generator for generating a microwave radiation,
- a cavity adapted to accommodate a load to be heated,
- a waveguide for guiding the microwave radiation generated by the microwave generator to the cavity,
- at least four feeding slots arranged in a first plane, the microwave input being connected to the cavity through the feeding slots so that the microwave radiation is fed into the cavity through the feeding slots, and
- a first slot resonator arranged between the feeding slots and the cavity and extending in a second plane parallel to the first plane, the slot resonator being provided with multiple homogenization slots arranged to divide the microwave radiation fed into the cavity.
- It is to be noted, that the microwave heating device according to the invention, provides a homogeneous microwave power distribution, contrary to prior-art microwave heating devices which merely rely on the periodic modification of an inhomogeneous microwave power distribution.
- It is also to be noted, that the microwave heating device according to the invention, provides a broadband impedance matching and is as a consequence compatible with a broadband microwave generator adapted to feed energy to a maximum part of the cavity of the microwave oven and excite a large number of modes and, thus, provide efficient heating of a load that is placed in the cavity.
- The microwave heating device further comprises a second slot resonator extending in a third plane, parallel to the first plane, said second slot resonator being provided with multiple homogenization slots.
- The homogenization slots of the second slot resonator being arranged in the same configuration as the homogenization slots of the first slot resonator up to a rotation of 90°.
- The first slot resonator is rotatable relative to the feeding slots.
- The microwave heating device further comprises strip-lines, each strip-line being positioned perpendicular to one feeding slot of the waveguide.
- Each strip-line has a length equal to a wavelength of the microwave radiation.
- Each strip-line is positioned between one of the feeding slots and the first slot resonator, the distance between a center of the feeding slot and a ground of the strip-line being equal to a quarter of a wavelength of the microwave radiation.
- The four feeding slots are aligned by pairs in a direction of propagation of the microwave radiation in the waveguide.
- The microwave heating device comprises adjustable splitters for partially obstructing two upstream feeding slots of the four feeding slots so as to divide the microwave radiation between the upstream feeding slots and downstream feeding slots.
- Each homogenization slot has a length equal to a multiple of a half-wavelength of the microwave radiation.
- At least some of the homogenization slots extend from a peripheral edge of the first slot resonator.
- At least some of the homogenization slots are bent with an angle equal to 120°.
- At least some of the homogenization slots are bent with an angle equal to 90°.
- The first slot resonator has a general circular shape having a diameter equal to a multiple of half a wavelength of the microwave radiation.
- The microwave heating device further comprises an inducting slot resonator provided with circular slots, the circular slots being arranged in order to coincide with electric field maxima of the microwave radiation fed into the cavity.
- At least some of the circular slots of the inducting slot resonator can be obstructed.
- According to a second aspect of the invention, the invention relates to a microwave heating device comprising:
- a microwave generator for generating a microwave radiation,
- a cavity adapted to accommodate a load to be heated,
- a waveguide for guiding the microwave radiation generated by the microwave generator to the cavity,
- at least four feeding slots, the microwave waveguide being connected to the cavity through the feeding slots, and
- The impedance matching arm extends perpendicular to the output arms.
- The output arm comprises consecutively, a first portion having a first height, a first sloping section, a second portion having a second height inferior to said first height, and a second sloping section.
- Two upstream feeding slots are positioned above the first sloping section and two downstream feeding slots are positioned above the second sloping section.
- The four feeding slots are aligned by pairs in a direction of propagation of the microwave radiation in the two output arms.
- The microwave heating device comprises adjustable splitters for partially obstructing two upstream feeding slots of the four feeding slots so as to divide the microwave radiation between the upstream feeding slots and downstream feeding slots.
- The microwave heating device further comprises matching screws capable of being gradually introduced in the input arm of the waveguide so as to match an impedance of the waveguide with an impedance of the load to be heated.
- In the following, a number of preferred embodiments of the invention will be described in more detail. In the detailed description references are made to the accompanying drawings, in which
-
Fig. 1 is a general view of a microwave oven in accordance with the present invention, -
Fig. 2 is exploded view of the microwave oven shown inFig. 1 , -
Fig. 3 is a block diagram representation of the functioning of the microwave oven shown inFig. 1 , -
Fig. 4a is exploded view of a first embodiment of a microwave in accordance with the present invention, -
Fig. 4b to Fig. 4e are top plan views of various possible slots configurations of the resonator slot of the microwave oven shown inFig. 4a , -
Fig. 5a is exploded view of the microwave oven shown inFig. 1 , -
Fig. 5b is a top plan view of resonator slot of the microwave oven shown inFig. 5a , -
Fig. 6 is a schematic top plan view of the microwave input of the microwave oven shown inFig. 1 , -
Fig. 7 is a cross section view in a plan containing the axis of the central partition wall of the waveguide of the microwave input which is shown inFig. 6 , -
Fig. 8a is a cross section view in a plan perpendicular to the axis of the central partition wall of the waveguide of the microwave input which is shown inFig. 6 , -
Fig. 8b shows a magic-T-hybrid junction of the microwave oven shown inFig. 1 , -
Fig.9 is a cross section view in a plan containing the axis of the central partition wall of the waveguide of the microwave input which is shown inFig. 6 , having two diagrams of the voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) over the length of the waveguide and the impedance matching arm of the magic T -
Fig. 10a to 10c are top plan views of various possible slots configurations of the resonator slot of the microwave oven shown inFig. 1 , -
Fig. 11 is a top plan view of possible slots configurations of the inducting slot resonator of the microwave oven shown inFig. 1 . -
Fig.12 is a top plan view of possible slots configurations of the inducting slot resonator having a couple of the circular slots shortcircuited. -
Fig.13 are thermographics views of the temperature distribution in the load, A1, B1, C1 and D1 in a microwave oven without homogenization system according to the invention, A2, B2 and C2 in a microwave oven with an homogenization system according to a first embodiment of the invention comprising a rotation slot resonator, and A3, B3 and C3 in a microwave oven with an homogenization system according to a second embodiment of the invention comprising a two slices slot resonator. - In the following, the 'wavelength' refers to the wavelength of the microwaves traveling along a waveguide in the medium, the wavelength in the medium being defined as λg = λo /[1-(λo/λc)2]0.5, where λo is the free space wavelength measured in vacuum rather than in the medium, and λc is the cutoff frequency waveguide frequency (the lowest frequency that can propagate in the waveguide). In the described embodiments, λo=121.45mm, and λc = 2*La = 184mm, La being the broad dimension of the waveguide section.
- As illustrated in
Fig. 1 , themicrowave oven 1 comprises amicrowave generator 2, acavity 10, awaveguide 3 and a multilayer resonator structures or photonic crystal 50. - The
microwave generator 2 is operatively connected to thecavity 10 through thewaveguide 3, thewaveguide 3 being provided with amicrowave input 4, through which microwaves are to be fed to thecavity 10. - The
microwave generator 2 generates a microwave radiation at a microwave radiation wavelength to themicrowave input 4. - As shown in
fig. 3 , themicrowave oven 1 further comprises anisolator 21 and acontrol circuit 20. - The
isolator 21 transmits microwave in one direction only. It is used to shield themicrowave generator 2 on its input side, from the effects of conditions on its output side, in particular to prevent themicrowave generator 2 being detuned by amismatched load 15. - As illustrated in
fig. 3 , theisolator 21 comprises two directional couplers, one for the reflectedwave 18 and the other for thedirect wave 19. - The reflected wave and the direct wave are used in the
control circuit 20 in order to adapt the power generated by themicrowave generator 2 to theload 15. - The
cavity 10 is adapted to accommodate aload 15 to be heated. Theload 15 can either be a solid or a liquid sample. - As illustrated in
fig. 1 , theload 15 is typically placed between the multilayer resonator structures 50 and ametallic plate 16. - As illustrated in
fig. 2 , the microwave oven advantageously further comprises adielectric plate 14 positioned between the multilayer resonator structures 50 andmetallic plate 16 and adapted to support theload 15. - The
cavity 10 is surrounded by walls made out of a conductive material in order to prevent the emission of radiation to the outside for protection of the user. - The
cavity 10 is a resonator in which the microwave power is distributed throughout the volume of thecavity 10. The microwave power distribution depends on the resonance mode generated in the cavity, the number of maxima in each direction being determined by a ratio between this dimension and the half-wavelength. - The resonances modes and, implicitly, the distribution of the microwaves are determined by the combination of incoming waves and reflected waves reflected on the walls of the
cavity 10. The resonances modes depend on the size, shape and volume of thecavity 10, the nature and volume of theload 15 and the distribution of themicrowave input 4. The size, shape and volume of thecavity 10 and the distribution of themicrowave input 4 are adapted to the nature and volume of theload 15 in order to maximize the resonances generated in thecavity 10. - In practice, the cavity dimensions (namely its length L and depth D and the height H) are in the order of hundred microwave wavelengths, namely approximately in the order of 50cm.
- The
waveguide 3 is adapted for guiding the microwave radiation generated by themicrowave generator 2 to themicrowave input 4. - As illustrated in
Fig. 1 , thewaveguide 3 comprises aninput arm 31 for receiving the microwave radiation generated by themicrowave generator 2, animpedance matching arm 32, and twooutput arms 33. Theseoutput arms 33 can be identical. - Each arm of the waveguide is a hollow metallic tube of rectangular transverse section. Each arm of the
waveguide 3 consists of two opposite broad walls and two opposite narrow walls, the dimension of the broad walls in the transversal plan being the larger dimension of the waveguide section, while the dimension of the narrow walls in the transversal plan is the smaller dimension Wp of the waveguide section. - Each arm of the waveguide has the same section. In particular the larger dimension of the waveguide section Lt of the
impedance matching arm 32 is equal to the larger dimension of the waveguide section La of theoutput arms 31. - In order to maximize the power that can propagate inside the
waveguide 3 before a dielectric breakdown occurs, the smaller dimension of the waveguide section is preferably half the larger dimension of the waveguide section. - The smaller dimension of the section of the waveguide is equal to a quarter of the microwave wavelength, while the larger dimension of the section of the waveguide is equal to half the microwave wavelength. The microwave half-wavelength being approximately equal to 80mm, the larger dimension of the section of the waveguide is equal to 40mm, while the smaller dimension of the section of the waveguide is equal to 20mm.
- The modes supported by a waveguide are quantized. The allowed modes can be found by solving Maxwell's equations for the boundary conditions on the walls of the
waveguide 3. - In particular, the wave in the
waveguide 3 must have zero tangential electric field amplitude at the walls of the waveguide, so the transverse pattern of the electric field of waves is restricted to those that fit between the walls of thecavity 10. - As illustrated in
fig. 2 , themicrowave input 4 is a slot antenna consisting of a metal surface, typically a flat plate arranged in a first plane P1 included in the broad wall of theoutput arms 31, with at least four feedingslots 41 cut out. - The
microwave input 4 is connected to thecavity 10 through the feedingslots 41 so that the microwave radiation is fed into thecavity 10 through the feedingslots 41. - The feeding
slots 41 are arranged so that each one of the feedingslots 41 feeds the same amount of power to thecavity 10 and so that the power fed by the feedingslots 41 to thecavity 10 is maximized. - As illustrated in
fig. 6 , this is achieved by ensuring that each of the feedingslots 41 has a width Wf less than a 1/4-wavelength of the microwave radiation. Each of the feedingslots 41 has preferably a length equal to the transversal waveguide dimension.. - As illustrated in
fig. 9 , and in order to further maximize the power radiated by each feedingslot 41, each feedingslot 41 extends from a maximum of the electric field to a minimum of the electric field, in the direction of the propagation of the microwave radiation. - As illustrated in
fig. 6 and fig. 7 , thegenerator 5 is connected to thefeeding slots 41 by means of strip-lines 11. Each feedingslot 41 of the waveguide is associated with one strip-line 11. - The strip-
lines 11 are flat strips of metal sandwiched between two parallel ground planes, supported by an insulating plate forming together a dielectric. - To prevent the propagation of unwanted modes, the two ground planes are shorted together. This is commonly achieved by a row of vias running parallel to the strip on each side.
- The central conductor need not be equally spaced between the ground planes. If a dielectric low loss material is used in the strip line circuit, other than air, then the dielectric material may be different above and below the central conductor.
- The strip-
lines 11 are positioned between one of the feedingslots 41 and thefirst slot resonator 5. The strip-lines 11 comprise a straight section and two mounting brackets, conductive short circuit, mounted on each side of the associated feedingslot 41. The strip-lines 11 are mounted across and perpendicular to the associated feedingslot 41 of the waveguide. - The upper conductive wall of the
waveguide 33 is electrically connected (namely short circuited with vias around the slots perimeter with □/8 distance between each via) with theantenna 4. - Each of the strip lines are short circuited to the ground at both extremities (the metal of the strip is bend at 90° at the extremity connected to the ground, this ground being common with the two ground plane of the
antenna 4 and of thewaveguide 33. - The strip-lines extremities, the
antenna 4 and thewaveguide 33 are connected together with a short-circuit-vias. - The
antenna 4 has typically a dimension of 350mmx350mm and the short-circuiting vias are typically 160mm large. If those short circuit connections are of low quality then local heat can occur between grounds, up to melting the metal. - The width of the strip, the thickness of the substrate and the relative permittivity of the substrate are chosen in order to adapt the impedance of the strip to the
feeding slot 41, in order to divide in two the power fed by the associated feedingslot 41. - Each strip-
line 11 has asymmetry line 110 located on its longitudinal axis Algt. - The strip-
lines 11 have a specific width Ws calculated with the strip line theory model. - As illustrated in
fig. 6 , the distance SL1 between the lateral axis Alat of thefeeding slot 41 and asymmetry line 110 of the strip-line 11 is less than a quarter of a wavelength of the microwave radiation, the exact value being determined by empirical methods. - As illustrated in
fig. 6 , the distance SL2 between the longitudinal axis Algt and the near and of the strip-line 11 is equal to a quarter of a wavelength of the microwave radiation. - As illustrated in
fig. 6 , the feedingslots 41 are preferably aligned by pairs in a direction of propagation of the microwave radiation in thewaveguide 3. - In the configuration comprising four
feeding slots 41, two of the feedingslots 41 are positioned upstream and two of the feedingslots 41 are positioned downstream. - As illustrated in
fig. 6 , in order to equally divide the power between theupstream feeding slots 41 and thedownstream feeding slots 41, the distance between the far end of theupstream feeding slots 41 and thedownstream feeding slots 41 is equal to the free space wavelength. - As illustrated in
fig. 7 , in order to maximize the power radiated by the feedingslots 41, the distance between the far end of theupstream feeding slots 41 and theinput arm 31 is equal to a multiple of an eighth of the wavelength. - As illustrated in
fig. 6 and fig. 7 , the microwave heating device preferably further comprisesadjustable splitters 42 for partially obstructing twoupstream feeding slots 41 of the fourfeeding slots 41, eachupstream feeding slot 41 of the waveguide being associated with onesplitter 42. - The position of the
splitter 42 is adapted so as to divide equally the microwave radiation between theupstream feeding slots 41 anddownstream feeding slots 41. - In practice and as illustrated in
fig. 7 , eachsplitter 42 has the form of a shutter fastened on one of its side to the far end of thefeeding slot 41 and extending inside theoutput arm 33. Thus thesplitters 42 are adapted to be adjustably angled in regard to thefeeding slot 41 so as to adjust the power radiated by theupstream feeding slot 41, in order to equally divide the microwave radiation between theupstream feeding slots 41 anddownstream feeding slots 41. - As illustrated in
fig. 8a and 8b , and as described above, thewaveguide 3 comprises aninput arm 31 for receiving the microwave radiation generated by themicrowave generator 2, animpedance matching arm 32, and twooutput arms 33. Theinput arm 31, theimpedance matching arm 32, and the two output arms 33a are practically the pseudo-magic T of the T-hybrid junction 35. This pseudo-magic T junction differs from theoretical magic T by the matchingarm 32 which operate in electric E mode. The T-hybrid junction 35 will be described in details in the following paragraphs. - As illustrated in
Fig. 8b , theoutput arms 33 extend parallel to each other and are separated from each other by a longitudinalcentral partition wall 34 of the waveguide. Thepartition wall 34 separates the microwave radiation coming from theinput arm 31 into two output microwave wave, each output microwave radiation being fed into thecavity 10 through two of the feedingslots 41. - As described before, the
waveguide 3 is a rectangular section tube consisting of two opposite broad walls and two opposite narrow wall. - As illustrated in
fig. 8b , the impedance matching arm extends perpendicular to the broad wall of the input arm. The narrow wall of theimpedance matching arm 32 is parallel to the narrow wall of theinput arm 31, while the broad wall of theimpedance matching arm 32 is parallel to the broad wall of theinput arm 31. - As illustrated in
fig. 8a , the longitudinalcentral partition wall 34 extends in the longitudinal axis of theinput arm 31 and is parallel to the narrow wall of theinput arm 31. The longitudinalcentral partition wall 34 constitutes a common narrow wall for each of theoutput arms 32. Theoutput arms 33 extend in the longitudinal axis of the input arm 31 (namely perpendicular to the transversal section of the input arm 31), the impedance matching arm therefore extending perpendicular to the broad wall of theoutput arms 33 - As illustrated in
Fig. 9 , the T-hybrid junction 35 advantageously comprises a T-hybrid junction splitter 36, adapted to equally divide the power reflected from eachoutput arm 33 between theinput arm 31 and theimpedance matching arm 32. - In practice, the T-
hybrid junction splitter 36 is a shutter fastened on one of its side to the output arms wall facing theimpedance matching arm 32. The angle between T-hybrid junction splitter 36 and the output arms wall facing theimpedance matching arm 32 is adjusted in order that the power reflected from eachoutput arm 33 divides equally between theinput arm 31 and theimpedance matching arm 32. - The angle between T-
hybrid junction splitter 36 and the output arms wall facing theimpedance matching arm 32 is typically comprised between 10 and 45°. - In practice, the distance between the
input arm 31 and the fastened side of the T-hybrid junction splitter 36 is equal to 3/8 wavelength, in order to ensure that the superposition of the wave incoming from theinput arm 31 and the reflected wave reflected in theimpedance matching arm 32 is destructive. - As illustrated in
fig. 8b , the electric field E of the dominant mode in each arm is perpendicular to the broad wall of the arm, while the magnetic field of the dominant mode in each arm is perpendicular to the narrow wall of the arm. - The matching
arm 32 is a transverse magnetic (TM) modes waveguide, namely there is no magnetic field in the direction of propagation. A transverse magnetic (TM) modes waveguide is also called E modes because there is only an electric field along the direction of propagation. - As illustrated in
fig 8b , the arrangement of theimpedance matching arm 32 and theinput arm 31 is such that the electric field E of the dominant mode in theimpedance matching arm 32 is perpendicular to the electric field E of the dominant mode in theinput arm 31 as well as to the electric field of the dominant mode in theoutput arms 33. - As the
impedance matching arm 32 extends from theinput arm 31 in the same direction as the E-field propagating in the waveguide, the electric field in theimpedance matching arm 32 and the electric field in theinput arm 31 are 180° out of phase with each other. - As the
impedance matching arm 32 is further adapted to match the impedance of a reflected microwave radiation coming from theoutput arms 33, for a wave entering theinput arm 31, theimpedance matching arm 32 prevents any of the power being reflected back out of theinput arm 31. - To that effect, the
impedance matching arm 32 is a dead end and its length (namely its dimension in its longitudinal axis) is adapted so that the reflected wave reflected at the dead end of theimpedance matching arm 32 is in opposition of phase with the incoming wave at thejunction 35. - In practice, and as illustrated in
fig. 9 , theimpedance matching arm 32 has a length of 7/8 of the microwave wavelength. - The
output arms 33 are symmetrical so that the superposition of the wave incoming from theinput arm 31 and the reflected wave reflected in theimpedance matching arm 32 is destructive. - As the
impedance matching arm 32 eliminates any reflection in theinput arm 31, and considering the symmetry of theoutput arms 33, the power is equally divided between the twooutput arms 33. - Reciprocally, the
input arm 31 and theimpedance matching arm 32 are matched, so that theoutput arms 33 are isolated from one another and the power reflected from eachoutput arm 33 divides equally between theinput arm 31 and theimpedance matching arm 32. - The isolation between the two
output arms 33 is wide-band and is as perfect as is the symmetry of the device. The isolation between thecollinear output arms 33 is however limited by the performance of the matching structure. - The T-hybrid junction as described above is advantageously combined with the output arms as described below, however it is to be understood that those two aspects can be implemented alone and prove both to be advantageous independently.
- As illustrated in
Fig. 7 , each of theoutputs arms 33 comprises consecutively, afirst portion 331 having a first height G1, a firstsloping section 332, asecond portion 333 having a second height G2 inferior to said first height, and a secondsloping section 334, the height of the output arms being defined as the narrow dimension of the transverse section of the waveguide. - The first height G1 is typically a % of a wavelength while the second height is a 1/8 of the wavelength.
- The two
upstream feeding slots 41 are positioned above the firstsloping section 332 and twodownstream feeding slots 41 are positioned above the secondsloping section 334. - As illustrated in
Fig. 9 , in order to maximize the power radiated by the feedingslots 41, the junction between thefirst portion 331 of the output arm and the firstsloping section 332 is located at a maximum of the electric field while the junction between the firstsloping section 332 and the second portion of theoutput arm 331 is located at a minimum of the electric field. - Similarly, and as illustrated in
Fig. 9 , the junction between thesecond portion 331 of the output arm and the secondsloping section 332 is located at a maximum of the electric field while the far end of theoutput arm 33 is located at a minimum of the electric field. - The wave propagation in the
first section 331 of theoutput arm 33 is first reflected on the firstsloping section 332 in the direction of theupstream feeding slot 41 and is partly reflected on thesplitter 42. Thesplitter 42 divides the radiation in two. The first part of the power of the radiation reaches theupstream feeding slot 41 and is radiated through it. The second part of the power of the radiation is reflected on thesplitter 42 in the direction of thesecond portion 333 ofoutput arm 33, reaches thedownstream feeding slot 41 and is radiated through thedownstream feeding slot 41. - The microwave heating device further comprises matching
screws 39 capable of being gradually introduced in theinput arm 31 of the waveguide so as to match the impedance of thewaveguide 3 with an impedance of the load 15 o be heated. - The first multi-slot resonator 5 (
fig.2 ) is a slot antenna consisting of a metal surface extending in a second plane P2 parallel to the first plane P1 comprising the feedingslots 41. - As illustrated in
Fig. 2 , themulti-slot resonator 5 is advantageously supported by adielectric plate 13. - The first
multi-slot resonator 5 is a flat plate with multipleprimary homogenization slots 51 cut out. Theprimary homogenization slots 51 are arranged so as to disseminate the microwave radiation fed into the next layer of inductingslots 7. - As illustrated in
Fig. 4b to 4c , themulti-slot resonators - As illustrated in
Fig. 4a , in a first embodiment, themicrowave heating device 1 further comprises a secondmulti-slot resonator 6. - The second
multi-slot resonator 6 consists of a metal surface, typically a flat plate extending in a third plane, parallel P3 to the first plane, with multiplesecondary homogenization slots 61 cut out. - As illustrated in
Fig. 4b to 4e , the secondmulti-slot resonator 6 is a slot antenna identical to the firstmulti-slot resonator 5 and thesecondary homogenization slots 61 are arranged in the same configuration as theprimary homogenization slots 51 of the firstmulti-slot resonator 5 up to a rotation of 90°. - The first
multi-slot resonator 5 and the secondmulti-slot resonator 6 are motionless. - The superposition of two
multi-slot resonators - Second embodiment of the slot resonator: rotatable slot resonator
- As illustrated in
Fig. 5a , in a second embodiment, the firstmulti-slot resonator 5 is rotatable relative tomicrowave input 4. - In this embodiment, the microwave oven further comprises
rotation motor 55 rotationally driving the firstmulti-slot resonator 5 in the second plane, about a vertical axis A1 passing through its center, and typically at a rotation speed w comprised between 90 and 120 revolutions per minute (rpm). - The rotation of the
multi-slot resonator 5 significantly improves the homogeneity of the radiated microwave power. - In the first as well as the second embodiment, the
homogenization slots - The
multi-slot resonators homogenization slots cavity 10. - As illustrated in
Fig. 4b to 4e , and5b , in order to, maximize the power radiated by eachhomogenization slot - As illustrated in
Fig. 4b to 4c , and5b , some of thehomogenization slots multi-slot resonator multi-slot resonators 5. - As illustrated in
Fig. 4b to 4e , and5b , at least some of thehomogenization slots - As illustrated in
Fig. 4b to 4e , and5b , some of theother homogenization slots homogenization slots 51 are typically U-shaped slots. The effects of those slots are to disperse de microwaves inside themulti-slot resonators 5, in the central zone of the photonic crystal. - Alternatively, As illustrated in
Fig. 10c , thehomogenization slots 51 are circular slots with a diameter Dr3 equal to a half wavelength. - As illustrated in
Fig. 2 , themicrowave heating device 1, and more exactly the photonic crystal 50, further comprises aninducting slot resonator 7 positioned between theload 15 and themulti-slot resonator 5. - The inducting
slot resonator 7 is provided withcircular slots 71. - As illustrated in
Fig. 11 , the circular slots are arranged in order to coincide with the local electric field maxima of the microwave radiation fed into thecavity 10 so as to uniformly disperse de microwaves underde load support 14 and the load itself 15. The diameter of the circular slots of the inductingslot resonator 7 is less than a quarter of a wavelength of the microwave radiation. - As illustrated in
Fig. 12 , when some of the local electric field maxima are superior to the other local electric field maxima, the circular slots of the inductingslot resonator 7 corresponding to those local electric field maxima are selectively obstructed, in order to correct any inhomogeneity of the radiated power. - The slot resonator as described above is advantageously combined with the T-hybrid junction as described below, however it is to be understood that those two aspects can be implemented alone and both prove to be advantageous independently.
- The microwave heating device according to the invention provides a homogeneous microwave power distribution. For a liquid load having a volume of 3L to 6L, the difference of temperature through the load is inferior to 3°C for a general temperature elevation of 25°C (between 20°C and 45°C).
Claims (15)
- Microwave heating device (1) comprising:- a microwave generator (2) for generating a microwave radiation to a microwave input (4),- a cavity (10) adapted to accommodate a load (15) to be heated,- a waveguide (3) for guiding the microwave radiation generated by the microwave generator (2) to the cavity (10),- at least four feeding slots (41) arranged in a first plane (P1), the microwave input (4) being connected to the cavity (10) through the feeding slots (41) so that the microwave radiation is fed into the cavity (10) through the feeding slots (41), and- a first multi-slot resonator (5) arranged between the feeding slots (41) and the load (15) and extending in a second plane (P2) parallel to the first plane (P1), the first multi-slot resonator (5) being provided with multiple primary homogenization slots (51) arranged to divide the microwave radiation fed into the cavity (10).
- Microwave heating device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the microwave heating device (1) further comprises a second multi-slot resonator (6) extending in a third plane, parallel (P3) to the first plane, said second multi-slot resonator (6) being provided with multiple secondary homogenization slots (61).
- Microwave heating device (1) according to claim 2, the secondary homogenization slots (61) of the second multi-slot resonator (6) being arranged in the same configuration as the primary homogenization slots (51) of the first multi-slot resonator (5) up to a rotation of 90°.
- Microwave heating device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the first multi-slot resonator (5) is rotatable relative to the feeding slots (41).
- Microwave heating device according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the microwave heating device (1) further comprises strip-lines (11), each strip-line (11) being positioned perpendicular to one feeding slot (41) of the waveguide.
- Microwave heating device according to claim 5, wherein each strip-line (11) has a length equal to a wavelength of the microwave radiation.
- Microwave heating device according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein each strip-line (11) is positioned between one of the feeding slots (41) and the first multi-slot resonator (5), the distance between a center of the feeding slot (41) and a symmetry line (110) of the strip-line (11) is less than a quarter of a wavelength of the microwave radiation.
- Microwave heating device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein each homogenization slot (51, 61) has a length equal to a multiple of a half-wavelength of the microwave radiation.
- Microwave heating device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the first multi-slot resonator (5) has a general circular shape having a diameter equal to a multiple of half a wavelength of the microwave radiation.
- Microwave heating device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising an inducting slot resonator (7) provided with circular slots (71), the circular slots being arranged in order to achieve a uniform dispersion of the microwaves in the cavity (10).
- Microwave heating device (1) according to claims 10, wherein at least some of the circular slots of the inducting slot resonator are obstructed.
- Microwave heating device (1) according to one of preceding claims, the waveguide comprising a pseudo-magic-T-hybrid junction (35) comprising:- an input arm (31) for receiving the microwave radiation generated by the microwave generator (2),- an impedance matching arm (32),- two output arms (33),the impedance matching arm (32) being adapted to match the impedance of a reflected microwave radiation coming from the output arms (33),
and wherein the output arms (33) extend parallel to each other and are separated from each other by a common longitudinal central partition wall (34), the partition wall (34) equally separating the incoming microwave radiation into the two output arms (33). - Microwave heating device (1) according to the preceding claim, the impedance matching arm (32) extending perpendicular to the output arms (33).
- Microwave heating device (1) according to one of claims 12 to 13, the output arms (31) consecutively comprising, a first portion (331) having a first height, a first sloping section (332), a second portion (333) having a second height inferior to said first height, and a second sloping section (334), two upstream feeding slots (41) being positioned above the first sloping section (331) and two downstream feeding slots (41) being positioned above the second sloping section (334).
- Microwave heating device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising adjustable splitters (42) for partially obstructing two upstream feeding slots (41) of the four feeding slots (41) so as to equally divide the microwave radiation between the upstream feeding slots (41) and the downstream feeding slots (41).
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EP14305749.5A EP2947961A1 (en) | 2014-05-20 | 2014-05-20 | Microwave heating device |
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ROA201600853A RO131921B1 (en) | 2014-05-20 | 2015-05-20 | Microwave heating device |
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EP14305749.5A EP2947961A1 (en) | 2014-05-20 | 2014-05-20 | Microwave heating device |
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NO20170493A1 (en) * | 2017-03-27 | 2018-09-28 | Scanship As | Microwave pyrolysis reactor I |
CN113038650A (en) * | 2021-04-14 | 2021-06-25 | 西华师范大学 | Microwave heating device and microwave emission control circuit |
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CN112040583A (en) * | 2020-09-22 | 2020-12-04 | 南京三乐微波技术发展有限公司 | Flat plate hole array energy feedback structure for improving microwave uniformity of high-temperature furnace |
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EP1619933A1 (en) * | 2003-04-25 | 2006-01-25 | Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. | High-frequency heating device and method for controlling same |
US7145119B1 (en) * | 2005-08-10 | 2006-12-05 | Lg Electronics Inc. | Microwave cooker having antenna in cooperation with movable stirrer |
EP2648479A1 (en) * | 2010-11-29 | 2013-10-09 | Panasonic Corporation | Microwave heater |
-
2014
- 2014-05-20 EP EP14305749.5A patent/EP2947961A1/en not_active Withdrawn
-
2015
- 2015-05-20 RO ROA201600853A patent/RO131921B1/en unknown
- 2015-05-20 WO PCT/EP2015/061177 patent/WO2015177244A1/en active Application Filing
Patent Citations (5)
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US4354083A (en) * | 1980-11-05 | 1982-10-12 | General Electric Company | Microwave oven with novel energy distribution arrangement |
DE3242638A1 (en) * | 1981-11-26 | 1983-07-07 | Bosch-Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH, 7000 Stuttgart | Waveguide for radio-frequency transmission |
EP1619933A1 (en) * | 2003-04-25 | 2006-01-25 | Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. | High-frequency heating device and method for controlling same |
US7145119B1 (en) * | 2005-08-10 | 2006-12-05 | Lg Electronics Inc. | Microwave cooker having antenna in cooperation with movable stirrer |
EP2648479A1 (en) * | 2010-11-29 | 2013-10-09 | Panasonic Corporation | Microwave heater |
Cited By (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
NO20170493A1 (en) * | 2017-03-27 | 2018-09-28 | Scanship As | Microwave pyrolysis reactor I |
NO345369B1 (en) * | 2017-03-27 | 2021-01-04 | Scanship As | Microwave pyrolysis reactor I |
US11826717B2 (en) | 2017-03-27 | 2023-11-28 | Scanship As | Microwave pyrolysis reactor |
CN113038650A (en) * | 2021-04-14 | 2021-06-25 | 西华师范大学 | Microwave heating device and microwave emission control circuit |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
RO131921B1 (en) | 2022-09-30 |
WO2015177244A1 (en) | 2015-11-26 |
RO131921A2 (en) | 2017-05-30 |
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