Microwave and far infrared drying under reduced pressure
First Claim
1. A method of drying objects, comprising the steps of:
- placing the objects into a pressure reduction tank;
placing a metallic element having a single or plural number of sharp edge into said pressure reduction tank;
subjecting the objects to controlled microwave heating and controlled far infrared heating either separately or simultaneously;
making an electrical discharge occur at said metallic element having a single or plural number of sharp edge due to microwave energy; and
stopping or pausing the microwave heating when an electrical discharge is detected by an electrical discharge detection device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of drying objects includes the steps of placing the objects into a pressure reduction tank, placing a metallic element having a single or plural number of sharp edge into the pressure reduction tank, subjecting the objects to controlled microwave heating and controlled far infrared heating either separately or simultaneously, detecting an electrical discharge at the sharp edge of the metallic element due to microwave energy, stopping or pausing the microwave heating when an electrical discharge is detected at the single or plural number of sharp edge of the metallic element, continuously measuring the change in reduced pressure at prescribed time intervals after the microwave heating has been stopped or paused upon detecting an electrical discharge due to microwave energy, and terminating the drying process when the measured change in reduced pressure reaches a predetermined target reduced pressure change value determined in accordance with the level of dryness selected and the type of the objects being dried.
47 Citations
7 Claims
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1. A method of drying objects, comprising the steps of:
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placing the objects into a pressure reduction tank; placing a metallic element having a single or plural number of sharp edge into said pressure reduction tank; subjecting the objects to controlled microwave heating and controlled far infrared heating either separately or simultaneously; making an electrical discharge occur at said metallic element having a single or plural number of sharp edge due to microwave energy; and stopping or pausing the microwave heating when an electrical discharge is detected by an electrical discharge detection device. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. An apparatus for drying the objects, comprising:
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a pressure reduction tank into which the objects to be dried are placed; a microwave heating device equipped with a control board arranged outside the pressure reduction tank to control intermittent or continuous microwave heating at either a prescribed or variable power level;
the microwave heating device arranged outside the pressure reduction tank, with a forking waveguide to introduce microwave energy into the pressure reduction tank;a far infrared heating device equipped with a control board arranged outside the pressure reduction tank to regulate the temperature generated by such far infrared heating;
the far infrared heating device equipped with far infrared heaters arranged inside the pressure reduction tank;a metallic element having a single or plural number of sharp edge arranged inside the pressure reduction tank;
the metallic element located where an electrical discharge can be detected except where a metallic element disturbs the objects to be dried;
the metallic element making an electrical discharge occur due to microwave energy;a device for detecting an electrical discharge that occurs at the metallic element due to microwave energy; and the device for detecting electrical discharge that is linked with a microwave power unit to stop or pause the microwave heating. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7)
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Specification