Method and apparatus for treating pieces of material by microwaves

Abstract

Abstract PIECES OF MATERIAL, E.G., FROM A FEW MICRONS TO SEVERAL CENTIMETERS IN DIAMETER, ARE TREATED BY MICROWAVES, E.G., TO DRY OR HEAT IT OR PRDUCE SOME OTHER CHANGE THEREIN, BY PASSING MICROWAVES THROUGH A MICROWAVE-CONFINING OPENINGS, INTRODUCING THEPIECES FROM AN AIR JET TABLE ON WHICH THE PIECES ARE PROPELLED BY GAS INTO THE INLET OPENING, CONVEYING THE PIECES THROUGH THE CHAMBER ON AN INTERNAL TABLE AND OUT THROUGH THE OUTLET OPENING ONTO A DISCHARGE JET TABLE, AND SWEEPING THE PICES AFTER HAVING RECEIVED AT LEAST SOME MICROWAVE ENERGY WITH GAS WHILE MAINTAINING TO SEPARATION BETWEEN THE PIECES OF A LEAST ONE DIAMETER TO REMOVE SURFACE PHENOMENA, SUCH AS MOSITURE AND HEAT, TO DISRUPT THE BOUNDARY LAYER AT THE SURFACES OF THE PIECES. THE INTERNAL TABLE CAN BE A JET TABLE, WHEREBY THE PIECES ARE GAS-PROPELLED AND SWEPT WITH GAS WHILE WITHIN THE CHAMBER; OR THE INTERNAL TABLE MAY BE PASSIVE AND IMPERFORATE, WHEREBY THE PIECES ARE GAS-PROPELLED AND SWEPT ON THE DISCHARGE TABLE. IN THE LATTER CASE PREFERABLY A SERIES OF CHAMBERS IS PROVIDED. THE GAS CURRENT IS FORMED BY SUPPLYING GAS UNDER PRESSURE TO THE UNDERSIDE OF EACH JET TABLE, WHICH HAS PASSAGES EXTENDEING THERETHROUGH AND DIRECTED TO EMIT GAS JETS HAVING MAJOR FLOW COMPONENTS PARALLEL TO AND ALONG THE TABLE.

Inventors

• 👤 Rudolph E Futer

Bibliographic Details