Microwave heating apparatus and method

Patent · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:867454

Johnson, Andrew J ^[1]; Petersen, Robert D ^[2]; Swanson, Stephen D ^[3]

---

1. Boulder, CO
2. Thornton, CO
3. Brighton, CO

An apparatus is provided for heating and melting materials using microwave energy, and for permitting them to solidify. The apparatus includes a microwave energy source, a resonant cavity having an opening in its floor, a microwave energy choke encompassing the opening in the floor of the cavity, a metal container to hold the materials to be heated and melted, a turntable, and a lift-table. During operation, the combined action of the turntable and the lift-table position the metal container so that the top of the container is level with the floor of the cavity, is in substantial registration with the floor opening, and is encompassed by the microwave energy choke; thus, during operation, the interior of the container defines part of the resonant cavity. Additionally, a screw feeder, extending into the cavity and sheltered from microwave energy by a conveyor choke, may convey the materials to be heated to the container. Also, preferably, the floor of the resonant cavity may include perforatins, so that the offgases and dust generated in the apparatus may be removed from the resonant cavity by pulling outside air between the container choke and the exterior wall of the container into the resonant cavity and out from the cavity through the perforations.

• Research Organization: ROCKWELL INTERNATIONAL CORP
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP03533
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by Department of Energy (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4940865
• OSTI ID: 867454
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/219/
action
additionally
air
apparatus
cavity
choke
combined
combined action
container
convey
conveyor
defines
dust
encompassed
encompassing
energy
energy source
extending
exterior
exterior wall
feeder
floor
generated
heated
heating
heating apparatus
hold
interior
level
lift-table
materials
melted
melting
metal
metal container
method
microwave
microwave energy
microwave heating
offgases
operation
outside
outside air
perforatins
perforations
permitting
position
preferably
provided
pulling
registration
removed
resonant
resonant cavity
screw
sheltered
solidify
source
substantial
top
turntable
wall
wave energy