Background
Microwave heating technologies can underpin novel products, significantly reduce process energy requirements, minimise waste and lessen the environmental impact of a process.
The benefits of microwave heating arise from selective heating of specific phases and the ability to dissipate energy throughout the body of a material. Consequently, processing times can be 1000 times faster using microwave heating.
Reducing processing times has obvious energy saving benefits, but the advantages of microwave processing do not stop there. Faster processing means smaller and potentially portable equipment, which is ideal for operating in remote locations where larger plant is prohibitive or close to the end user.
Microwaves are produced from an electrical power source, with up to 95% conversion efficiency from electrical to microwave energy. Using microwaves allows the heating process to be powered efficiently from an electrical source, rather than rely on natural gas as a fuel source like most conventional heating processes. The electrical energy can be supplied from renewable sources such as solar and wind, meaning that microwave technologies not only improve process efficiency and operability, but can improve the sustainability of the heating process.
