Variable frequency microwave heating apparatus
First Claim
1. A variable frequency microwave heating apparatus for processing selected materials, said variable frequency microwave heating apparatus including a microwave furnace which defines a multi-mode cavity for processing said selected materials, and said variable frequency microwave heating apparatus comprising:
- a microwave signal generator for generating a signal with a selected waveform, frequency, and amplitude;
a first signal amplifier for amplifying said signal generated by said signal generator, said first signal amplifier producing microwaves in a sweeping fashion through a selected useful bandwidth defining a center frequency, said microwaves having an associated power with a selected magnitude, said first signal amplifier comprising a microwave electron device wherein said useful bandwidth is at least five percent of said center frequency, whereby a plurality of independent microwave modes is established in said multi-mode cavity such that a substantially uniform time-averaged power density is created over a working volume of said multi-mode cavity;
a power supply for supplying power to said first signal amplifier; and
a transmitter for conveying said microwaves produced by said first signal amplifier into said microwave furnace.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A variable frequency microwave heating apparatus (10) designed to allow modulation of the frequency of the microwaves introduced into a multi-mode microwave cavity (34) for testing or other selected applications. The variable frequency microwave heating apparatus (10) includes a microwave signal generator (12) and a high-power microwave amplifier (20) or a high-power microwave oscillator (14). A power supply (22) is provided for operation of the high-power microwave oscillator (14) or microwave amplifier (20). A directional coupler (24) is provided for detecting the direction and amplitude of signals incident upon and reflected from the microwave cavity (34). A first power meter (30) is provided for measuring the power delivered to the microwave furnace (32). A second power meter (26) detects the magnitude of reflected power. Reflected power is dissipated in the reflected power load (28).
-
Citations
32 Claims
-
1. A variable frequency microwave heating apparatus for processing selected materials, said variable frequency microwave heating apparatus including a microwave furnace which defines a multi-mode cavity for processing said selected materials, and said variable frequency microwave heating apparatus comprising:
-
a microwave signal generator for generating a signal with a selected waveform, frequency, and amplitude; a first signal amplifier for amplifying said signal generated by said signal generator, said first signal amplifier producing microwaves in a sweeping fashion through a selected useful bandwidth defining a center frequency, said microwaves having an associated power with a selected magnitude, said first signal amplifier comprising a microwave electron device wherein said useful bandwidth is at least five percent of said center frequency, whereby a plurality of independent microwave modes is established in said multi-mode cavity such that a substantially uniform time-averaged power density is created over a working volume of said multi-mode cavity; a power supply for supplying power to said first signal amplifier; and a transmitter for conveying said microwaves produced by said first signal amplifier into said microwave furnace. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A variable frequency microwave heating apparatus for processing selected materials, said variable frequency microwave heating apparatus including a microwave furnace which defines a multi-mode cavity for processing said selected materials, and said variable frequency microwave heating apparatus comprising:
-
a microwave signal generator for generating microwaves in a sweeping fashion through a selected useful bandwidth defining a center frequency, each said microwave defining a selected waveform, frequency, and amplitude, said microwave signal generator being a frequency-agile coaxial magnetron wherein said useful bandwidth is at least five percent of said center frequency thereof, whereby a plurality of independent microwave modes is established in said multi-mode cavity such that a substantially uniform time-averaged power density is created over a working volume of said multi-mode cavity; a power supply for supplying power to said microwave signal generator; a transmitter for conveying said microwaves produced by said microwave signal generator into said multi-mode cavity. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
-
Specification