STUDIES OF THE MICROWAVE DISTRIBUTIONS IN MICROWAVE POWER APPLICATIONS

STUDIES OF THE MICROWAVE DISTRIBUTIONS IN

MICROWAVE POWER APPLICATIONS
E.SURDUCAN, V.SURDUCAN, CAMELIA NEAMTU
National Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular
Technologies, P.O.Box 700, 3400 Cluj Napoca 5, ROMANIA

The microwave power applications are very attractive because of the energy
saving rate (2 to 100 comparatively with classical processes). The microwave
technologies are very elaborate and specific to the nature of the treated materials. One of
the most important facts in the elaboration of the technology is the microwave field
distribution in the reaction chamber.
This paper presents three categories of applications and the specific microwave
field distributions studies: the microwave power adaptations, the microwave field
distributions in the cavities of microwave plasma generators and microwave cavities for
chemical applications and samples preparation.
1. INTRODUCTION
To achieve the microwave power field distributions images we used one
microwave termographic transducer, Romanian patent [1](fig.1). This transducer is a
composite of three materials :
- dielectric support (1b),
- thermographic substance (1a) and
- microwave absorber substance (1c).
One of the transducer structure looks like a thin film white paper .To obtain the
images of the microwave power field distribution, the transducer is introduced in the
microwave lines (circuits or cavities) and is exposed to the microwave a time of 5 to 120
seconds, depending on the value of the incident power. The images are black and white
colour and are very easy to interpret (fig.)

FIG.1

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2. THEORY
For microwaves power applications it is desirable to know the field pattern in
microwave cavity (with or without probe), or in (or on surface of) dielectric material
placed in microwave cavity. For this purpose, thermography is a convenient
measurement method because there is no need for a probe to measure the E-field, and
entire cross-section of the cavity / microwave lines, or surface of the dielectric material,
can be observed simultaneously by thermal effect of microwave power. Thermographic
method used an microwave absorber mixture, on sheet form, which temperature rise
according to (1) and make colors modifications in absorber mixture, in IR or visible
[1,2,3].
(1)
where :
T/t is temperature rate rising;
= 2f, f- microwave frequency;
Ei - microwave E field in "i" point ;
Ki - coupling coefficient for "i" point and Fi - filling factor;
ri - absorber mixture relative permittivity in point "i" and o - free space
permittivity;
mi,c are absorber material characteristics, respectively, local mass and specific
heat;
In figure 2 is presented the theoretical (fig.2a) and experimental (fig.2.b)
microwaves field distribution in one TM104 rectangular cavity. The images of the
figures 2b correspond at different exposure times.

FIG. 2a

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STUDIES OF THE MICROWAVE DISTRIBUTIONS IN MICROWAVE POWER APPLICATIONS

FIG. 2b

3. APPLICATIONS
The following pictures present the microwave power distributions in different
applications. All this distributions are obtained using the thermographic transducer. The
image of fig.3 is used to adapt one coaxial to waveguide transition. In figure 4 is the
image of the microwave distributions in one cylindrical cavity middle coupled to one
waveguide.

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E.SURDUCAN, V.SURDUCAN, CAMELIA NEAMTU

FIG.3

FIG.4

The notation in the fig.3 and 4 are : 1-thermographic; 2-dielectric support; 3waveguide; 4-ceramic window; 5-coaxial line; 6- cylindrical cavity.
The figure 5 present one microwave plasma generator configuration and the
images of the microwave thermographic transducer for the microwave power distribution
characterisation. The "A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H" images represent the microwave power field
distributions in the coaxial exciter (A,B,C,D,E) and in the TM100 cavity (F,G,H). The
E image represent the adaptation situation between coaxial eciter and cylindrical
cavity. The position of the thermographic transducer in the microwave circuit is indicated
with dash line.
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STUDIES OF THE MICROWAVE DISTRIBUTIONS IN MICROWAVE POWER APPLICATIONS

FIG.5

4. CONCLUSION
The microwave distribution images are the most important instruments in
elaboration of the microwaves power nonconventional technologies. Our method is low
cost, easy to use and simple to interpret.
The bronze medal acquired at The Invention Saloon of Geneva 2001 represent
the international appreciation of the microwave thermographic transducer [4].
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. E.Surducan, V.Surducan " Thermographic transducer for microwave power distributions"
Romanian Patent No. RO-116506 B1 /2001
2.M.F.Iskander -" Computer modeling and numerical simulation of microwave heating system"
MRS Bulletin, no.11, 1993, pag.30-35;
3. T.Kashiwa, et all - A New Transducer for Thermography to Observe the Electric Field
Distributions in a Microwave Oven - MICROWAVE AND OPTICAL TECHN LETT,
Vol.4(2)92. pp. 81-83;
4. E.Surducan, V.Surducan - Le traducteur thermographic pour les microondes de puissance
GENEVA PALEXPO, The 29th International Exhibition of Inventions, New Techniques and
Products, 11th 15th April 2001, Geneva

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