Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T22:44:13.206Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

New 915 MHz Low Power Generator for Materials Testing Utilizing an Evanescent Mode Cavity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

Charles R. Buffler
Affiliation:
Microwave Research Center, 126 Water Street, Marlborough, NH 03455, [email protected]
Per O. Risman
Affiliation:
Microtrans AB, Box 7, S-43821 Landvetter, Sweden, [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

The economy of utilizing 915 MHz vs. 2450 MHz microwave equipment has long been acknowledged for many industrial processes. A severe roadblock to advancing 915 MHz processing has been the lack of proper equipment to run test trials. At 2450 MHz low power equipment is readily available and inexpensive, even resorting to the use of the consumer microwave ovens. At 915 MHz, however, prototyping systems have only been available using very expensive 5 kW magnetrons. Experimenters have been forced to use 2450 MHz low power equipment to explore scale-up potential for high power 915 MHz systems. Because of wavelength and dielectric property differences, this procedure may give highly erroneous results, sometimes leading to the purchase of production equipment which does not work.

This paper describes an inexpensive, low power, microwave system for prototype testing at 915 MHz. A 600 watt generator is coupled to a specially designed evanescent mode applicator/cavity for the trial testing prior to making a scale-up decision. A description of the generator and evanescent cavity design are presented.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1996

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Amana (A Raytheon Corporation) (1996) Amana, IA 52204Google Scholar
2. Buffler, C. (1994) Microwave Cooking and Processing: Engineering Fundamentals for the Food Scientist. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York Google Scholar
3. Cober, (1996). Cober Electronics, Inc. 151 Woodward Ave., Norwalk, CT 06854(Web site: www.connix.com/∼myone/cober/cober.htm)Google Scholar
4. Continental Electronics Corporation, 5215 S. Buckner Blvd., Dallas, TX 75227Google Scholar
5. Engelder, D. and Buffler, C. (1991). Measurement of dielectric properties of food products at microwave frequencies. Microwave World 12(2):615.Google Scholar
6. Ferrite Components, Inc. (1996) 24 Flagstone Dr., Hudson, NH 03051Google Scholar
7. Harvy, A. (1963). Microwave Engineering, Academic Press, New York.Google Scholar
8. Packard, Hewlett (1991) HP 85070A Dielectric Probe Kit, Data Sheet 5952-2382. HP Material Measurement Software, Data Sheet 5952-2382. Hewlett Packard Co., Santa Rosa, CAGoogle Scholar
9. Microdry, 7450 Highway 329, Crestwood, KY 40014Google Scholar
10. Microwave Research Center. 126 Water Street. Marlborough, NH 03455 (Web site: www.rubbright.com)Google Scholar
11. Nelson, S, Lindroth, D. and Blake, R. (1989) Dielectric properties of selected and purified minerals at I to 22 GHz. J. Microwave Power 24(4):213220 Google Scholar
12. Ohlsson, T. and Risman, P. (1978) Temperature distribution of microwave - spheres and cylinders. J. Microwave Power 13(4):303310 Google Scholar
13. Risman, P. (1988) Microwave properties of water in the temperature range +3to 140° C. Electromagnetic Energy Reviews Volume 1.Google Scholar
14. Tinga, W. and Nelson, S. (1973) Dielectric properties of materials for industrial processing-tabulated. J. Microwave Power 8(1):2365 Google Scholar