CN104782226A

CN104782226A - Enhanced microwave heating systems and methods of using the same

Info

Publication number: CN104782226A
Application number: CN201380019360.XA
Authority: CN
Inventors: H·D·小凯米瑞; G·E·卡宁汉姆
Original assignee: Microwave Materials Technologies Inc
Current assignee: Microwave Materials Technologies Inc
Priority date: 2012-03-14
Filing date: 2013-03-13
Publication date: 2015-07-15
Anticipated expiration: 2033-03-13
Also published as: EP2826337A1; EP3300456A1; ES2812788T3; MX342586B; IL234581B; BR112014022425A2; AU2013232141B2; KR102060424B1; CN109068430A; AU2017201469B2; AU2017201477A1; EP2866517B1; EP3300456B1; EP2866518A1; CA3130845C; AU2017201469A1; CA2867301A1; MX2014011079A; EP2826337B1; WO2013138455A1

Abstract

Enhanced microwave heating systems for heating a plurality of articles and methods of using the same are provided. In one embodiment, the microwave heating system may include a pressurized or liquid-filled heating chamber configured to heat the articles passing therethrough along one or more convey lines using microwave energy discharged by one or more microwave launchers. Microwave heating systems and processes according to embodiments of the present invention may be applicable to a commercial-sized heating system and can be employed for the pasteurization and/or sterilization of foodstuffs, medical fluids, and medical devices.

Description

The microwave heating system strengthened and using method thereof

Technical field

The present invention relates to the microwave system for heating one or more object, article and/or load.

Background technology

Electromagnetic radiation such as microwave is a kind of for the mechanisms known to object transfer energy.Electromagnetic radiation penetrates in a quick and efficient manner and to be proved to be with the ability of heating object to have superiority in many chemical industrie processes.Due to the ability of its quick and thorough heating objects, microwave energy has been used in expectation and has realized in the heating process of regulation minimum temperature fast, such as, in pasteurize and/or disinfecting process.Further, because the general right and wrong of microwave energy are invasive, microwave heating is particularly useful for the dielectric material such as food and medicine of heating " sensitivity ".But, up to now, particularly safety and the complexity of effective application of microwave energy and nuance seriously limit its application in the industrial process of a few types at industrial scale.

Therefore, there is the demand of the commercial scale microwave heating system of efficient, the reliable and high performance-price ratio being adapted at using in various process and application.

Summary of the invention

One embodiment of the present of invention relate to the microwave system for heating multiple article.This system comprises the microwave office being configured to receive article, and for article to be carried through the conveying system of microwave office along transport axis.This system also comprises the first microwave emitter, it is configured to propagate in this microwave office along the first emission center axis by microwave energy, and wherein the first transmitting inclination angle of at least 2 ° is limited between the first emission center axis and the plane perpendicular to this transport axis.

An alternative embodiment of the invention relates to the microwave system for heating multiple article.This system comprises the microwave office being configured to receive article, and for article to be carried through the conveying system of this microwave office along transport axis.This system also comprises: the first microwave emitter, and it is defined at least one being discharged in microwave office by microwave energy and launches opening; And the basic microwave window be thoroughly arranged between this microwave office and this transmitting opening.This window presents the room side surface of a part limiting this microwave office, and at least 50% of the total surface area of the room side surface of this window is oriented the angle becoming at least 2 ° with horizontal plane.

Another embodiment of the present invention relates to the process for heating multiple article in microwave heating system, described process comprises step: multiple article are transported through microwave heating chamber via conveying system by (a), and wherein this microwave heating chamber is filled with liquid medium at least partly; B () uses one or more microwave generator to generate microwave energy; C () by this microwave office of introducing at least partially of microwave energy, is wherein introduced into discharging with the transmitting inclination angle of at least 2 ° at least partially of the microwave energy in this microwave office via at least one microwave emitter; (d) article heated at least partially in this microwave heating chamber of the microwave energy be discharged in microwave office are used.

One embodiment of the present of invention relate to the microwave system for heating multiple article.This system comprises for generating the microwave generator with the microwave energy of main wavelength (λ), for the conveying system along transport axis conveying article, and first microwave emitter, this first microwave emitter launching microwave energy towards the article carried by this conveying system at least partially.First microwave emitter limits at least one and launches opening, and this at least one transmitting opening has width (W ₁) and the degree of depth (D ₁), wherein W ₁be greater than degree of depth D ₁, wherein D ₁be not more than 0.625 λ.

An alternative embodiment of the invention relates to the microwave system for heating multiple article.This system comprises for generating the microwave generator with the microwave energy of main wavelength (λ), be configured to the microwave office receiving article, and for the microwave distribution system being directed to this microwave office at least partially by the microwave energy from microwave generator.This microwave distribution system comprises the first microwave emitter.This first microwave emitter is defined for the microwave entrance at least partially receiving microwave energy, and launches opening at least one being discharged into by microwave energy in this microwave office.This microwave entrance has the degree of depth (d ₀), and this transmitting opening has the degree of depth (d ₁).D ₀be greater than d ₁.

Another embodiment of the present invention relates to the microwave system for heating multiple article.This system comprises the microwave office being configured to receive article, for article being carried through along transport axis the conveying system of this microwave office, and first microwave emitter, this first microwave emitter limit microwave entrance and be configured to microwave energy to be discharged in this microwave office two or more launch openings.The central point of contiguous transmitting opening is distanced from one another cross relative to this transport axis.

One embodiment of the present of invention relate to microwave emitter, it comprises the microwave entrance that reception has the microwave energy of wavelength (λ), at least partially at least one for discharging microwave energy launches opening, and the reflector sidewall that a pair that limits microwave path in-between relative reflector end wall is relative with a pair.This microwave path is configured to allow the transmission from microwave entrance to the microwave energy of transmitting opening.This reflector also comprises and is correspondingly coupled to pair of end walls and a pair induction type diaphragm panel extended internally from this end wall.Each induction type diaphragm faceplate part extends in microwave path, and to limit induction type diaphragm between induction type diaphragm panel, what be sent to the microwave energy launching opening from microwave entrance can pass this induction type diaphragm at least partially.

An alternative embodiment of the invention relates to the microwave system for heating multiple article.This system comprises for generating the microwave generator with the microwave energy of wavelength (λ), be configured to the microwave office receiving article, for article delivery being passed through along transport axis the conveying system of this microwave office, and by the microwave distribution system being directed to this microwave office at least partially of the microwave energy from microwave generator.This microwave distribution system comprises: microwave energy is divided into two or more independent sector first microwave separators at least partially, and at least one pair of microwave emitter, each microwave emitter limits microwave entrance and launches opening at least one being discharged into by microwave energy in microwave office.This microwave distribution system comprises the first induction type diaphragm between the transmitting opening of the microwave emitter be arranged in the first microwave separator and described microwave emitter further.

Another embodiment of the present invention relates to the process for heating multiple article in microwave heating system, and this process comprises the following steps: multiple article are transported through microwave heating chamber along the one or more strip transmission line roads of conveying system by (a); B () uses one or more microwave generator to generate microwave energy; C microwave energy is divided into two or more independent sectors by () at least partially; (d) via two or more microwave emitters by the partial discharge of microwave energy in microwave heating chamber; E microwave energy, after partiting step (c) and before drain steps (d), is transported through the first induction type diaphragm by () at least partially; (f) article heated at least partially in this microwave heating chamber of the microwave energy be emitted in microwave office are used.

One embodiment of the present of invention relate to the method for controlling microwave heating system, and the method comprises the following steps: (a) uses one or more microwave generator to generate microwave energy; B multiple article are transported through the microwave office of filling water by () via conveying system; C () via one or more microwave emitter being directed to microwave energy in microwave office at least partially, thus heats these article at least partially; D (), at least partially period of step (a) to (c), determines the value of one or more microwave system parameter, thus the parameter value providing at least one to determine; E the parameter value determined compares with corresponding targeted parameter value by (), to determine difference; (f) based on this difference, microwave heating system is taken action.One or more microwave system parameter is selected from the temperature of water in clean microwave power, microwave office, water by the flow velocity of microwave office and conveying system speed.

An alternative embodiment of the invention relates to the method controlling microwave heating system, and the method comprises the following steps: (a) generates microwave energy with at least one microwave generator; B microwave energy is transported through first wave guide section by () at least partially; C () via at least one microwave emitter being discharged into the microwave energy from first wave guide section in microwave office at least partially, thus heats multiple article; D () uses first pair of directional coupler to determine to be worth from the net power first of microwave emitter discharge; E () uses second pair of directional coupler to determine to be worth from the net power second of microwave emitter discharge, wherein first to independent of one another with second pair of directional coupler; F () compares the first value and the second value to determine the first difference; (g) when this difference is greater than scheduled volume, microwave heating system is taken action.

One embodiment of the present of invention relate to the variable phase short-circuiting means for microwave heating system.This device comprises fixed part and the rotating part of restriction first cardinal principle rectangular aperture, and this rotating part comprises outer cover and is contained in the multiple substantially parallel plates separated in this outer cover.This outer cover comprises the first and second relative ends, and first end limits the second opening being adjacent to the first opening of fixed part.Each plate is coupled to the second end of outer cover, and substantially extends towards the first and second openings.Rotating part is configured to rotate relative to fixed part on the rotation extending through the first and second openings.

An alternative embodiment of the invention relates to the method for heating multiple article in microwave heating system, the method comprises the following steps: article are transported through the thermal treatment zone of microwave office by (a) via conveying system, and wherein each article keep article residence time (τ) in this thermal treatment zone; B () generates microwave energy with one or more microwave generator; C microwave energy is transported through phase shifting equipment by () at least partially, this phase shifting equipment is configured to the phase place of this microwave energy of phase shift rate (t) cyclic shift; D the microwave energy of discharging from this phase shifting equipment is discharged in this thermal treatment zone via at least one microwave emitter by () at least partially; (e) with the article heated at least partially in the thermal treatment zone of the microwave energy be emitted on wherein, the wherein ratio (τ: t) be at least 4:1 of article residence time and phase shift rate.

One embodiment of the present of invention relate to the microwave system for heating multiple article.This system comprise at least one microwave generator for generating microwave energy, microwave office, for by article delivery by the conveying system of this microwave office and by the microwave distribution system being directed to this microwave office at least partially of the microwave energy from microwave generator.This microwave distribution system comprises at least three microwave distributors for microwave energy being divided at least three independent sectors.This microwave distribution system comprises at least three microwave emitters for being discharged into by the independent sector of microwave energy in this microwave office further.Each microwave distributor is configured to divide microwave energy according to predetermined power ratio, and the predetermined power ratio of at least one the microwave distributor wherein in this microwave distributor is not 1:1.

An alternative embodiment of the invention relates to the process using microwave energy to heat multiple article, and it comprises the following steps: the primary quantity of microwave power is introduced microwave distributing manifold by (a); B () uses microwave distributing manifold the primary quantity of microwave power to be divided into the first launched microwave component and the first distribution microwave component, wherein the first launched microwave component and first distributes the power ratio of microwave component is not 1:1; C () uses microwave distributing manifold to distribute microwave component by first and is divided into the second launched microwave component and the second distribution microwave component; D first launched microwave component is introduced in microwave heating chamber via the first microwave emitter by (); (e) via the second microwave emitter, the second launched microwave component is introduced in microwave heating chamber.

One embodiment of the present of invention relate to the continuous process for heating multiple article in microwave heating system, and this process comprises the following steps: (a) be these article of thermalization in thermalization range, thus provide multiple thermalization article with roughly uniform temperature; B () heats this thermalization article in microwave heating district, thus make the mean temperature increase at least 50 DEG C of each article, and that wherein heats carries out with at least 25 DEG C of rates of heat addition per minute at least partially; (c) in quench zone, cool the article of heating.It is each that article transport through in thermalization range, microwave heating district and quench zone via one or more conveying system, and wherein microwave heating system has the gross production rates of every strip transmission line road at least 20 packagings per minute.

An alternative embodiment of the invention relates to the microwave system for heating multiple article.This system comprise for by article thermalization to basic uniform temperature thermalization room, be arranged on this downstream, thermalization room be used for heating through the article of thermalization microwave heating chamber and be arranged on the quench chamber that this microwave heating chamber downstream is used for the article through heating to be cooled to lower temperature.This microwave heating chamber is configured to the mean temperature increase at least 50 DEG C of article with at least 25 DEG C of rates of heat addition per minute.This system comprises at least one conveying system, and it is configured to article are carried through this thermalization room, microwave heating chamber and quench chamber.This microwave system is configured to the total throughput rate realizing every strip transmission line road at least 20 packagings per minute.

One embodiment of the present of invention relate to the process for heating multiple article in microwave heating system, this process comprises the following steps: article are transported through the microwave office of pressurization by (a) via conveying system, wherein this microwave office has been at least partially filled liquid medium; B () generates microwave energy via one or more microwave generator; (c) via one or more microwave emitter by this microwave office of introducing at least partially of microwave energy; D () uses the article heated at least partially in this microwave office of the microwave energy be introduced in microwave office; (e) in the period at least partially of heating steps (d), stir the liquid medium at least partially in this microwave office, multiple fluid jet is discharged towards article in multiple positions that wherein this stirring is included in this microwave office.

An alternative embodiment of the invention relates to the process for heating multiple article in microwave heating system, this process comprises the following steps: (a) be these article of thermalization in the thermalization room of at least part of filling liquid medium, thus produces the thermalization article with basic uniform temperature; (b) in microwave office, heat these thermalization article.Thermalization step (a) is included in the multiple jets of multiple positions towards article discharge liquid medium of thermalization indoor.

One embodiment of the present of invention relate to locking brake gear, it comprises: present relative sealing surfaces and between described sealing surfaces, limit a pair isolated fixed component that lock receives space, wherein each fixed component limits the flow-through opening (flow-through opening) limited by the sealing surfaces of in described sealing surfaces, and wherein said flow-through opening is roughly in alignment with each other; And gate assembly, this gate assembly does not substantially block in the off-position of flow-through opening described in this gate assembly primary stricture and this gate assembly and receives in space removable at lock between the open position of described flow-through opening.The drive member that this gate assembly comprises a pair isolated sealing plate and is arranged between sealing plate, wherein when this gate assembly is in the closed position, this drive member is moveable relative to sealing plate between retracted position and extended position.This gate assembly comprises at least one pair of bearing be arranged between sealing plate further, the movement of wherein said drive member from retracted position to extended position impels this bearing compressing sealing plate away from each other and enters sealing station, in sealing position, sealing plate engages relative sealing surfaces, mobile the allow sealing plate of wherein said drive member from extended position to retracted position is retracted toward each other and enters unsealed position, and in this unsealed position, sealing plate departs from relative sealing surfaces.

An alternative embodiment of the invention relates to the method for one or more article in mobile compression system, and the method comprises the following steps: one or more article are sent to the second pressurized treatments district from the first pressurized treatments district by flow-through opening by (a); B a pair movable panel is displaced in this opening by (); C () mobile described plate makes it away from each other, thus seal described plate against a pair that limits described opening at least partly relative sealing surfaces, and first and second treatment region is isolated from each other by wherein said a pair sealing plate substantially; D () produces the pressure differential of at least 15psig at described a pair sealing plate two ends; E () is reduced pressure at least one treatment region in the first and second treatment regions, with the pressure at the described a pair sealing plate two ends of equilibrium; F () makes described plate move towards each other, thus make described plate from sealing surfaces depressurization; G described a pair plate is shifted out this opening by (); (h) by this flow-through opening article retracted the first treatment region from the second treatment region and/or by this flow-through opening, new article be inserted into the second treatment region.

One embodiment of the present of invention relate to the microwave heating system for heating multiple article.This system comprises the thermalization room of liquid filling, is configured to operate in the microwave office of the liquid filling under the pressure higher than the pressure of thermalization room, and is arranged on the Prssure lock fixed system between this thermalization room and microwave office.This Prssure lock fixed system comprises pressure control chamber, the first locking gate valve and the second locking gate valve, wherein said first locking gate valve is coupled between this thermalization room and pressure control chamber, and wherein said second locking gate valve is coupled between this pressure control chamber and microwave office.

An alternative embodiment of the invention relates to the process for heating multiple article in microwave heating system, and this process comprises: multiple article are transported through the thermalization range of liquid filling by (a), thus provides multiple thermalization article; B () will introduce pressure adjusting district by thermalization article at least partially, wherein this pressure adjusting district is limited between the first and second locking gate valves at least partly, and wherein the first locking gate valve is in the first open position in the period at least partially of described introducing; C first locking gate valve, after thermalization article have been introduced into this pressure adjusting district, are displaced to the first off-position from the first open position, thus this pressure adjusting district and thermalization range is isolated substantially by (); D second locking gate valve is displaced to the second open position from the second off-position by (), be transported to the microwave heating district of liquid filling to allow article from this pressure adjusting district; (e) after article shift out from this pressure adjusting district, the second locking gate valve is moved back into the second off-position from the second open position, thus isolates this pressure adjusting district and microwave heating district again.

One embodiment of the present of invention relate to the method for heating multiple article, the method comprises the following steps: (a) is when being carried through the small microwave room of the water filling with the total internal capacity being less than 50 cubic feet by the first test article, in small microwave heating system, heat the first test article, wherein the microwave energy of use at least partially of heating steps (a) completes; B () is based on heating steps (a), determine the first regulation heating curves, wherein this regulation heating curves comprises at least one value of one or more microwave system parameter, and one or more microwave system parameter described is selected from the net power be discharged in described room, the distribution of continuous microwave power, the flow velocity of water and the residence time of article in microwave office in the mean temperature of water, microwave office in microwave office; (c) when the large-scale microwave office that the water the first commercial good being carried through total internal capacity with at least 250 cubic feet is filled, in large-scale microwave heating system, multiple first commercial good is heated.Having been come by use microwave energy at least partially of heating steps (c), wherein, it is roughly similar that each first commercial good tests article to first in size with composition, and wherein heating steps (c) controls according to the first regulation heating curves determined in step (b).

Accompanying drawing explanation

Fig. 1 a is the process flow diagram of an embodiment of the microwave heating system described for heating one or more article, and the system comprising thermalization range, microwave heating district, optional holding area, quench zone and a pair pressure adjusting district is especially shown;

Fig. 1 b illustrates the schematic diagram of the microwave heating system 10 configured according to one embodiment of present invention, each district of the microwave heating system 10 summarized in the schematic diagram particularly provided in fig 1 a;

Fig. 2 a be the container handling configured according to one embodiment of present invention analyse and observe signal end view, the conveying system comprised with a pair conveying circuit of deployment arrangements is side by side shown especially;

Fig. 2 b is the schematic top cutaway view of container handling shown in fig. 2 a, especially illustrates that the lateral separation of the transport axis that conveying circuit extends with respect to this container is arranged;

Fig. 2 c be another container handling configured according to another embodiment of the invention analyse and observe signal end view, the conveying system of a pair conveying circuit comprising and arranging with stack arrangement is shown especially;

Fig. 2 d is the schematic cross sectional side view of the container handling illustrated in figure 2 c, especially illustrates that the perpendicular separation of the transport axis that conveying circuit extends with respect to container is arranged;

Fig. 3 is the perspective view of carrier according to an embodiment of the invention, and this carrier is configured to the article fixing and be carried through the heating of liquid filling container handling;

Fig. 4 a illustrates the partial side cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the microwave heating system comprising pressure adjusting district, and this pressure adjusting district is configured to use carrier transportation system that one or more article are transported to microwave heating district from the thermalization range of heating system;

Fig. 4 b is the partial side cross-sectional view comprising another embodiment of the microwave heating system in pressure adjusting district be similar to shown by Fig. 4 a, but the carrier transportation system be almost arranged on completely in this pressure adjusting district is shown especially;

Fig. 4 c is the partial schematic diagram in the pressure adjusting district be similar to shown in Fig. 4 a and 4b, but another embodiment of the carrier conveying system for article to be moved to microwave heating district from thermalization range is shown;

Fig. 4 d is the partial schematic diagram in the pressure adjusting district be similar to shown in Fig. 4 a and 4b, but another embodiment of the carrier conveying system for article to be moved to microwave heating district from thermalization range is shown;

Fig. 5 a is the partial side cross-sectional view of the locking brake gear configured according to one embodiment of present invention, and gate assembly in an open position is particularly shown;

Fig. 5 b is the partial side cross-sectional view of the locking brake gear illustrated in fig 5 a, gate assembly in the closed position when particularly illustrating that sealing plate is in retracted position;

Fig. 5 c is at Fig. 5 a and the partial side cross-sectional view of locking brake gear that illustrates in figure 5b, gate assembly in the closed position when particularly illustrating that sealing plate is in extended position;

Fig. 5 d is the magnified partial view of the gate assembly shown in Fig. 5 a-c, particularly illustrate for mobile gate assembly sealing plate an embodiment of bearing;

Fig. 6 a is the schematic section side sectional view in the microwave heating district configured according to one embodiment of present invention, and heating container and microwave distribution system are particularly shown;

Fig. 6 b is the schematic top view in the microwave heating district configured according to one embodiment of present invention, and the one configuration of the microwave emitter in the heating system adopting multi-line conveying system is particularly shown;

Fig. 6 c is the schematic side elevational view in the microwave heating district illustrated in figure 6b, and the one group of microwave emitter being configured to heat the article transmitted along conveying circuit is particularly shown;

Fig. 7 a is the partial side cross-sectional view in the microwave heating district configured according to one embodiment of present invention, and the microwave emitter of term " transmitting inclination angle " inclination represented by (β) is particularly shown;

Fig. 7 b is the partial side cross-sectional view of another embodiment in microwave heating district, and the microwave distribution system comprising multiple dipping reflectors is particularly shown;

Fig. 8 a illustrates that the part of the part in microwave heating district amplifies side sectional view, an embodiment of the microwave window near the exhaust openings that at least one microwave emitter being positioned at the thermal treatment zone is particularly shown;

Fig. 8 b is that the part of the part in microwave heating district amplifies side sectional view, another embodiment of the microwave window near the exhaust openings that at least one microwave emitter being positioned at the thermal treatment zone is particularly shown;

Fig. 8 c is that the part of the part in microwave heating district amplifies side sectional view, another embodiment of the microwave window near the exhaust openings that at least one microwave emitter being positioned at the thermal treatment zone is particularly shown;

Fig. 9 a illustrates the isometric view of the microwave emitter configured according to one embodiment of present invention;

Fig. 9 b is longitudinal lateral plan of the microwave emitter illustrated in fig. 9 a;

Fig. 9 c is the end view of the microwave emitter illustrated in figures 9 a and 9b, and the reflector with trumpet type outlet is particularly shown;

Fig. 9 d is the end view of another embodiment of the microwave emitter substantially illustrated in figures 9 a and 9b, and the reflector of the entrance and exit with about same size is particularly shown;

Fig. 9 e is the end view of another embodiment of the microwave emitter substantially illustrated in figures 9 a and 9b, and the reflector with conical outlet is particularly shown;

Figure 10 a is the isometric view of another microwave emitter configured according to one embodiment of present invention, and the reflector comprising single microwave entrance and the outlet of multiple microwave is particularly shown;

Figure 10 b is the vertical sectional view of the microwave emitter illustrated in figure loa, particularly illustrates that multiple microwave exports;

Figure 10 c is the vertical sectional view of the microwave emitter shown in 10a and 10b, and a pair separation membrane for creating independent microwave path between the entrance and multiple outlet of microwave emitter is particularly shown;

Figure 11 a is the isometric view of the microwave emitter configured according to still another embodiment of the invention, and the integrated induction formula diaphragm (inductive iris) between entrance and outlet being arranged on reflector is particularly shown;

Figure 11 b is the horizontal cross of the microwave emitter illustrated in fig. 11 a;

Figure 11 c is the horizontal cross of another microwave emitter being similar to the reflector illustrated in fig. 11 a, but except the induction type diaphragm between the entrance that is arranged on reflector and outlet, also comprises a pair separation membrane;

Figure 12 a is the side sectional view of the phase shifting equipment configured according to one embodiment of present invention, and the plunger type tuner comprising single single plunger is particularly shown;

Figure 12 b is the schematic cross sectional side view of the phase shifting equipment configured according to another embodiment of the invention, and the plunger type tuner comprised by common rotatable shaft-driven multiple plunger is particularly shown;

Figure 13 a is the side perspective view of the phase shifting equipment configured according to still another embodiment of the invention, and rotatable phase shifting equipment is particularly shown;

Figure 13 b is the longitudinal sectional view of the rotatable phase shifting equipment shown in Figure 13 a;

Figure 13 c is the transverse sectional view of the rotatable portion of rotatable phase shifting equipment shown in Figure 13 a and 13b, and width and the spacing of the plate be arranged in outer cover are particularly shown;

Figure 13 d is the transverse sectional view of the fixed part of rotatable phase shifting equipment shown in Figure 13 a and 13b, and the size of this fixed part is particularly shown;

Figure 13 e is the side sectional view of the rotatable phase shifting equipment configured according to another embodiment of the invention, and the drive system comprising rotary crankshaft component is particularly shown;

Figure 13 f is the side sectional view of the rotatable phase shifting equipment configured according to still another embodiment of the invention, and the drive system comprising one group of Compress Spring is particularly shown;

Figure 14 a is the schematic section side sectional view of the microwave distribution system utilized for phase shift and/or impedance-tumed two phase shifting equipments;

Figure 14 b is the schematic section side sectional view of the microwave heating container configured according to one embodiment of present invention, and the phase shifting equipment being coupled to container as frequency tuner is particularly shown;

Figure 15 a is the schematic section side sectional view of a part for microwave heating system, and the thermalization range comprising multiple fluid jet blenders is particularly shown;

Figure 15 b is the thermalization range end view being similar to the thermalization range illustrated in fig. 15 a, and the embodiment being placed in the fluid jet blender in thermalization range by circumference is particularly shown;

Figure 16 represents to relate to be included in the flow chart that one embodiment of the present of invention control the key step in the method for microwave system;

Figure 17 be represent be included in for by use two to or more directional coupler/coupler is determined to the flow chart of the key step the method for the net power of discharging from least one microwave emitter; And

Figure 18 is according to an embodiment of the invention being inserted in test pack to determine that the minimum temperature of this bag is for the isometric view of position of thermocouple of heating curves determining article.

Embodiment

Each embodiment according to the present invention will be described below for the microwave process and system heating multiple article.The example of the appropriate articles that will heat in system of the present invention and process can include but not limited to food, liquid and medicine equipment.In one embodiment, microwave system described herein may be used for pasteurize and/or the sterilization of heated.In the ordinary course of things, pasteurize comprises the minimum temperature be heated rapidly to by one or more article between 80 DEG C and 100 DEG C, and sterilization simultaneously comprises the minimum temperature be heated to by one or more article between 100 DEG C and 140 DEG C.But, in one embodiment, pasteurize and sterilization can simultaneously or almost simultaneously be carried out, and many processes and system can be configured to one or more article not only pasteurize but also sterilize.Each embodiment of microwave system and the process being configured to heat one or more types of articles is discussed in detail now with reference to accompanying drawing.

Now turn to Fig. 1 a and 1b, being schematically illustrated in Fig. 1 a of key step in microwave heating process according to an embodiment of the invention is described, and Fig. 1 b describes an embodiment that can operate the microwave system 10 heating multiple article according to the process summarized in fig 1 a.As seen in figure la and lb, one or more article can initially be introduced thermalization range 12, and in this thermalization range, article can by thermalization to roughly uniform temperature.Once after thermalization, article, before being introduced into microwave heating district 16, then optionally can be transmitted through pressure adjusting district 14a.In microwave heating district 16, article can use by one or more microwave emitter (usually as the reflector 18 illustrated in Figure 1b) the microwave energy Fast Heating be discharged in the thermal treatment zone at least partially.Then, the article after heating can be transmitted through holding area 20 alternatively, and article can keep the fixed time to measure with stationary temperature in this holding area 20.Subsequently, these article are then sent to quench zone 22, and the temperature of article can be reduced to suitable treatment temperature fast in this zone.After this, cooled article can shift out from system 10 and before further utilization, be transmitted through the second pressure adjusting district 14b alternatively.

Microwave system 10 can be configured to heat many dissimilar article.In one embodiment, in microwave system 10, the article of heating can comprise food, the such as meal of such as fruit, vegetables, meat, wheaten food, well in advance, even beverage.In other embodiments, in microwave system 10, the article of heating can comprise packaged liquid or medical and/or dental appliance.In microwave heating system 10, the article of process can be any suitable size and dimensions.In one embodiment, each article can have at least about 2 inches, at least about 4 inches, at least about 6 inches and/or be no more than about 18 inches, be no more than about 12 inches or be no more than the length (longest dimension) of about 10 inches; At least about 1 inch, at least about 2 inches, at least about 4 inches and/or be no more than about 12 inches, be no more than about 10 inches or be no more than the width (the second longest dimension) of about 8 inches; And/or at least about 0.5 inch, at least about 1 inch, at least about 2 inches and/or be no more than about 8 inches, be no more than about 6 inches or be no more than the degree of depth (the shortest size) of about 4 inches.These article can comprise the independently commodity or the packaging that usually have rectangle or intend prism shape, maybe can comprise the continuous net of connection commodity or the packaging transmitted by microwave system 10.Commodity or packaging can be formed by comprising plastics, cellulosic any material and other permeation resistance, and can transport through microwave system 10 via one or more conveying system, and the embodiment of conveying system will discuss in detail below.

According to one embodiment of present invention, above-mentioned thermalization, microwave heating, maintenance and/or quench zone 12,16,20 and 22 can be limited in usual single container as shown in Figure 1 b, and in another embodiment, at least one stage in the above-mentioned stage can be limited in one or more independent container.According to an embodiment, at least one step in above-mentioned steps can perform in the container of at least part of fill fluid medium, and just processed article can be immersed in described fluid media (medium) at least in part.This fluid media (medium) can be gas or the liquid that dielectric constant is greater than dielectric constant of air, and in one embodiment, this fluid media (medium) can be the liquid medium with the dielectric constant similar with the dielectric constant of just processed article.Water (or comprising the liquid medium of water) can be particularly suitable for the system heating edible and/or medical treatment device or article.In one embodiment, if necessary, during processing, the additive of such as such as oil, ethanol, ethylene glycol and salt can be added in this liquid medium alternatively, to change or to strengthen its physical characteristic (such as, boiling point).

Microwave system 10 can comprise for conveying articles at least one conveying system (not shown in Fig. 1 a and 1b) by one or more above-mentioned treatment region.The example of suitable conveying system can include but not limited to plastics or rubber belt conveyor, chain-linked conveyer, roller conveyer, bending/flexible or how bending/many flexible conveyers, silk screen conveyer, bucket conveyor, air conveyer, conveying worm, groove or jigging conveyer and combination thereof.This conveying system can comprise any amount of independent conveying circuit, and can be disposed in container handling in any suitable manner.The conveying system utilized by microwave system 10 can be configured in the cardinal principle fixed position in container usually, or this system can be adjustable in transverse direction or vertical direction at least partially.

Now turn to Fig. 2 a-2d, provide the embodiment of container handling 120, wherein container handling 120 comprises the conveying system 110 be arranged on wherein.In the embodiment substantially illustrated in Fig. 2 a and Fig. 2 b, conveying system 110 comprises with cardinal principle and row arrangement is positioned in a pair lateral separation in container 120, substantially parallel conveying circuit 112,114.As shown in the top cross-sectional view of container 120 in Fig. 2 b, conveying circuit 112 and 114 can be distanced from one another cross and can be positioned in the both sides of conveying axis 122, and conveying axis 122 extends with the length of the throughput direction transporting through article along container 120.Although conveying circuit 112,114 is illustrated in fig. 2 a in container 120 and is in identical vertical height, should be appreciated that in one embodiment, conveying circuit 112,114 also can be positioned in different vertical heights.In addition, the conveying system 110 shown in Fig. 2 a and 2b can also comprise multipair laterally spaced conveying circuit (embodiment is not shown), thus multipair laterally spaced conveying circuit is separated along the vertical dimension of container 120 is perpendicular to one another.

Another embodiment of conveying system 110 is shown in Fig. 2 c and Fig. 2 d, and this conveying system 110 comprises and is positioned in a pair lateral separation in container 120 inside, substantially parallel conveying circuit 116,118 with stacked arrangement.Conveying circuit 116 and 118 can be configured on conveying axis 122 and under, conveying axis 122 can extend along the length of container 120 usually, as the container 120 provided in figure 2d cross sectional side view shown in.In addition, with similar mode is described above, the container 120 shown in Fig. 2 c and 2d can also be included in multipair conveying circuit distanced from one another cross in container.Further, each conveying circuit that circuit is right or can cannot deviate from another at horizontal direction.(not shown) in a further embodiment, container 120 can comprise single conveying circuit, and it can be positioned in centre 1/3rd place of the internal capacity of container 120, or is positioned in or close to the center line of container.Additional detail according to the conveying system of several embodiments of the present invention will discuss in detail below.

When conveying system is used to conveying article by liquid filling container handling, one or more carrier or other fixed mechanisms can be used to control article by the position during liquid medium.An embodiment of suitable carrier 210 is shown in Figure 3.As shown in Figure 3, carrier 210 comprises lower stationary plane 212a and upper stationary plane 212b, and it is configured to the article 216 of any suitable quantity to be fixed between described lower stationary plane and upper stationary plane.In one embodiment, substantially as shown in Figure 3, above and/or under stationary plane 212b, 212a can have the structure of netted, grid or grid, and in another embodiment, one in stationary plane 212a, 212b or can be both the surface of basic continous.Carrier 210 can be made up of plastics, glass fibre or any other dielectric material, and in one embodiment, can be made up of one or more microwave compatibility and/or permeation resistance.In certain embodiments, this material can be lossy material.In certain embodiments, carrier 210 can not comprise metal substantially.

Lower and upper stationary plane 212a, 212b can be attached to another by the fixture of securing member 219 as shown in Figure 3, and when assembling, carrier 210 can be attached or be fixed to conveying system (not shown in Figure 3) according to any suitable bindiny mechanism.In one embodiment, the at least side (or edge) of carrier 210 can comprise one or more attachment mechanism, all as shown for example in figure 3 for carrier 210 is fixed to a part for conveying system (not shown) (such as, railing (bar), guide rail, belt or chain) lower hook 218a, 218b.According to thickness and/or the weight of article 216, carrier 210 can only include a hook in hook 218a, the 218b for being fixed to by carrier 210 in conveying system.Can be configured to for carrying the conveying system of article 216 carry multiple carrier along one or more conveying circuit, and this carrier can as previously described with side by side, laterally spaced configuration and/or with perpendicular separation, stacking deployment arrangements.When conveying system comprises multiple conveying circuit, each conveying circuit can comprise the multiple carriers for keeping multiple article 216, or each conveying circuit can keep overlieing one another or laterally spaced multiple carrier.

Referring back to Fig. 1 a and 1b, the article being introduced into microwave system 10 are initially introduced thermalization range 12, article in this thermalization range by thermalization to realize basic uniform temperature.In one embodiment, at least about 85%, at least about 90%, at least about 95%, at least about 97% or at least about 99% of all article left from thermalization range 12 have each other in about 5 DEG C, temperature in about 2 DEG C or in about 1 DEG C.As used herein, term " thermalization " is commonly referred to as the step of equalized temperature or equilibrium.According to by the initial of thermalization article and preferred temperature, the temperature control system as the thermalization range 12 as heat exchanger 13 shown in 1a can be heating and/or cooling system.In one embodiment, thermalization step can perform under ambient temperature and/or pressure, and in another embodiment, thermalization can being no more than about 10psig, be no more than about 5psig or be no more than about 2psig pressure under pressurization and/or liquid filling thermalization container in perform.The average residence time of article in thermalization range 12 carrying out thermalization can have at least about 30 seconds, at least about 1 minute, at least about 2 minutes, at least about 4 minutes and/or be no more than about 20 minutes, be no more than about 15 minutes, or be no more than about 10 minutes.In one embodiment, the article left from thermalization range 12 can have at least about 20 DEG C, at least about 25 DEG C, at least about 30 DEG C, at least about 35 DEG C and/or be no more than about 70 DEG C, be no more than about 65 DEG C, be no more than about 60 DEG C or be no more than the temperature of about 55 DEG C.

Be operated in thermalization range 12 and microwave heating district 16 in an embodiment of basic different pressures, the article removed from thermalization range 12, before entering microwave heating district 16, first can be transmitted through pressure adjusting district 14a, substantially as shown in Fig. 1 a and 1b.Pressure adjusting district 14a can be any region or the system that are configured to shift heating object product between lower pressure region and higher pressure area.In one embodiment, pressure adjusting district 14a can be configured to there is at least approximately 1psi, at least approximately 5psi, at least approximately 10psi and/or be no more than about 50psi, be no more than about 45psi, be no more than about 40psi or be no more than about 35psi pressure differential two regions between transferring articles.In one embodiment, microwave system 10 can comprise at least Liang Ge pressure adjusting district 14a, 14b, and for before article are turned back to atmospheric pressure, article are transferred to the thermal treatment zone with operation with high pressure from atmospheric pressure thermalization range, this will be discussed in more detail below.

The embodiment being arranged on the pressure adjusting district 314a between the thermalization range 312 of microwave heating system 310 and microwave heating district 316 illustrates in fig .4.Pressure adjusting district 314a is configured to the microwave heating district 316 multiple article 350 be fixed at least one carrier being transferred to elevated pressures from the thermalization range 312 of lower pressure.Although that illustrate in fig .4 is single carrier 352a, should be appreciated that pressure adjusting district 314a can be configured to receive a more than carrier.In one embodiment, described carrier can be received simultaneously along each beam direction, thus makes pressure adjusting district 314a comprise multiple carrier at one time.In another embodiment, multiple carrier can arrange and be ready in such as thermalization range 312, and for being transferred by pressure adjusting district 314a, its details is discussed below.

In operation, by first opening balanced valve 330 and allowing the isostasy between thermalization range 312 and pressure adjusting district 314a, one or more carrier 352a can be transferred to microwave heating district 316 from thermalization range 312.Next, brake gear 332 can be opened, to allow carrier 352a to move to the platform 334 in pressure adjusting district 314a from the conveying circuit 340a be arranged in thermalization range 312, as substantially illustrated by dotted line carrier 352b in fig .4.

After this, brake gear 332 and balanced valve 330 can be closed successively, thus pressure adjusting district 314a and thermalization range 312 are isolated again.Subsequently, another balanced valve 336 can be opened, with the isostasy between authorized pressure adjustment district 314a and microwave heating district 316.Once realize balance, another brake gear 338 can be opened, to allow carrier 352b to move to be arranged on another the conveying system 340b in microwave heating district 316, as substantially illustrated by dotted line carrier 352c in fig .4.Subsequently, brake gear 338 and balanced valve 336 can be closed successively, thus microwave heating district 316 and pressure adjusting district 314a are isolated again.Then, this process can be repeated when needed, thus extra carrier is transported to microwave heating district 316 from thermalization range 312.

According to an embodiment, each in microwave heating district 316 and thermalization range 312 can be filled with incompressible fluid or liquid, such as, and such as water or comprise the solution of water.As used herein, term " filling " represents at least 50% of the wherein settable volume configuration being filled with filled media." filled media " can be liquid, normally incompressible liquid, and can be or comprise such as water.In a particular embodiment, " being filled " volume can be at least about 75%, at least about filled media of 90%, at least about 95% or complete 100%.When thermalization range 312 and/or microwave heating district 316 are filled with incompressible fluid, brake gear 332,338 and/or pressure adjusting district 314a can also comprise two or more unidirectional lobe or valves of valve as shown in fig. 4 a or lobe 342,344, it is for when brake gear 332 and 338 is opened and carrier 352 is transmitted through wherein, stops a large amount of fluids between thermalization range 312 and microwave heating district 316 to leak.

Carrier 352 is carried through pressure adjusting district 314a from thermalization range 312 and enters microwave heating district 316 and can realize via one or more goods conveying system, several embodiments of described goods conveying system are shown in Fig. 4 b-4d.In certain embodiments, automatic transmission system 380 can comprise one or more transmitting device be arranged in thermalization range 312, pressure adjusting district 314a and/or microwave heating district 316, and it is for moving into and/or shift out pressure adjusting district 314a by carrier 352.In the embodiment of as shown in Figure 4 b, transmission system 380 comprises two toothed wheel transmission equipments 381,382, it is configured to engage the tooth 353 that arranges along the lower limb of carrier 352 and rotates as indicated by arrow 392a, 392b, so that carrier 352 is pulled out from thermalization range 312, and/or carrier 352 is pushed in microwave heating district 316.As shown in Figure 4 b, the first and second toothed wheel transmission equipments 381,382 are basic during transport carrier 352 keeps static (in transverse movement), and is almost arranged on completely or completely in pressure adjusting district 314a.

By contrast, some embodiment of automatic transmission system 380 can comprise one or more transmitting device, and it can transverse shift (that is, be moveable at carriage direction) during carrier 352 being sent into and/or sent pressurization adjustment district 314a.Described in an embodiment as illustrated in fig. 4 c, a part for automatic transmission system 380 can be arranged in thermalization range 312 and/or microwave heating district 316, and can be configured to stretch into and Suo Chu pressure adjusting district 314a.In system 380 as illustrated in fig. 4 c, transmitting device comprises push arm 381, and it is configured to carrier 352 to push pressure adjusting district 314a; And draft arm 382, it is for drawing in carrier 352 in microwave heating district 316.No matter be push arm 381, or draft arm 382 is not all arranged in pressure adjusting district 314a, but each being configured to is stretched into or Suo Chu pressure adjusting district 314a, as what substantially illustrated by arrow 394a, 394b in Fig. 4 c.

According to another embodiment illustrated in figure 4d, automatic conveying system 380 comprises the platform 334 with moveable part 384, it is configured to stretch into and contract thermalization 312 and/or microwave heating district 316, thus carrier 352 is sent into and is sent thermalization and microwave heating district 312,316, substantially illustrate as arrow 396a and 396b.Compared with the embodiment shown in Fig. 4 c, the automatic transmission system 380 illustrated in figure 4d is mainly arranged in pressure adjusting district 314a, and is configured to stretch out and retraction pressure adjusting district 314a.

The specified configuration of the transmitting device no matter automatic article transmission system 380 utilizes how, and this transmission system can be automatically controlled system 390 automation or control, as shown in Figs. 4a and 4b.Although specifically do not describe in the embodiment shown in Fig. 4 c and 4d, should be appreciated that this kind of control system 390 also can be used in these embodiments.Automatic control system 390 can be used to control the motion of at least one in the first balanced valve 330 of automatic article transmission system 380 and the second balanced valve 336, first gate valve 332 and the second gate valve 338 and the first transmitting device 381 and the second transmitting device 382 and/or sequential.In one embodiment, control system 390 can adjust the position of these devices or element, speed and/or sequential, to move in uninterrupted with consistent mode at this intrasystem carrier.

Now turn to Fig. 5 a-5d, it provides an embodiment of locking brake gear 420, and this locking brake gear is suitable as the brake gear 332 and/or 338 of a part for the microwave system 310 described in figs 4 a and 4b.Locking gate-valve device 420 is shown in Fig. 5 a-d, and it comprises a pair isolated fixed component 410,412, and this fixed component 410,412 presents relative sealing surfaces 414a, 414b and the lock be limited between described sealing surfaces receives space 416.Each in spacing fixing member 410,412 can limit flow-through opening 418a, 418b, and this flow-through opening is limited by the sealing surfaces of in sealing surfaces 414a, 414b.Each flow-through opening 418a, 418b align each other substantially, thus make when gate-valve device 420 is opened, and article can through the opening of accumulation.

Locking brake gear 420 comprises gate assembly 422 further, this gate assembly is configured to be received in lock and receives in space 416, and receive in space at lock and can be shifted between off-position (as illustrated in figures 5 b and 5 c) and open position (as shown in Figure 5 a), wherein when described off-position, gate assembly 422 primary stricture flow-through opening 418a, 418b, and wherein when described open position, gate assembly 422 not blocked flow opening 418a, 418b substantially.In one embodiment, gate assembly 422 drive member 428 that comprises a pair isolated sealing plate 424,426 and be arranged between sealing plate 424,426.When gate assembly 422 is configured in off-position, drive member 428 can be shifted between retracted position (as shown in Figure 5 b) and extended position (as shown in Figure 5 c) relative to sealing plate 424,426.In the embodiment of as illustrated in figs. 5 a-5 c, gate assembly 422 comprises at least one pair of bearing 430 in the space that is arranged on and is limited between relative sealing plate 424,426, when gate assembly 422 is in the closed position, at least one pair of bearing 430 described is positioned in lock and receives in space 416, illustrates especially as Fig. 5 b and 5c.When drive member 428 is shifted between retracted position as shown in Figure 5 b and extended position as shown in Figure 5 c, at least one bearing in pair of bearings 430 outwards can be exerted oneself at least one sealing plate in sealing plate 424,426, make sealing plate away from each other and enter sealing station, as shown in Figure 5 c.

In one embodiment, bearing can be fixed to one or more bearing in 430, attached or be at least partially housed in sealing plate 424,426 and/or drive member 428 at least one.According to an embodiment, at least one bearing 430a can be fixed and be attached to drive member 428, and the enlarged partial view as the gate assembly 422 provided in figure 5d is described.When drive member 428 moves into lock reception space 416 downwards, a bearing 430a of described bearing centering can contact the sealing plate (as shown in the plate 426 in Fig. 5 d) in sealing plate 424,426 and can move along the slope (or groove) 427 in sealing plate.When bearing is advanced through groove 427 (or along slope 427), outside pressure is applied on sealing plate 426, thus sealing plate is moved with the direction indicated by arrow 460.Although illustrate and only comprise pair of bearings 430, should be appreciated that any amount of bearing that the vertical length along drive member 428 and/or containment member 424,426 is settled can be used.

When being in sealing station as shown in Figure 5 c, the joint at least partially in sealing plate 424,426 or physical contact corresponding opposing seal surface 414a, 414b, thus basically form fluid-tight seal.In one embodiment, each sealing plate in sealing plate 424,426 comprises elastic sealing element 423,425, and it is for when sealing plate 424,426 is in sealing station, engages sealing surfaces 414a, 414b.When drive member 428 is moved back into retracted position as shown in Figure 5 b from extended position as shown in Figure 5 c, sealing plate 424,426 is retracted to unencapsulated position as shown in Figure 5 b each other.When unsealing position, sealing plate 424,426 departs from from relative sealing surfaces 414a, 414b, but can keep being arranged on lock receives in space 416.In one embodiment, sealing plate 424,426 to unsealing location bias, and can comprise at least one bias unit 429 (such as, a spring or multiple spring), for by sealing plate 424,426 to unsealing location bias.

Referring again to Fig. 1 a and 1b, to be present in as above in thermalization range 12 and the article transporting through pressure adjusting district 14a alternatively can then be introduced in microwave heating district 16.In microwave heating district 16, article can by the heating source Fast Heating using microwave energy.As used herein, term " microwave energy " refers to the electromagnetic energy of the frequency had between 300MHz and 30GHz.In one embodiment, each configuration in microwave heating district 16 can utilize the microwave energy of the frequency of frequency or about 2.45GHz with about 915MHz, and described two kinds of frequencies are usually designated and are used as industrial microwave frequency.Except microwave energy, microwave heating district 16 can also utilize such as such as conduction or one or more heating source of Convective Heating or other conventional heating methods or device alternatively.But, for heating at least about 90%, at least about 95% of the energy of the article in microwave heating district 16 or can being all microwave energy from microwave source.

According to an embodiment, microwave heating district 16 can be configured to the temperature of article to be increased to more than minimum threshold temperature.Be configured to sterilize in an embodiment of multiple article in microwave system 10, minimum threshold temperature (and the operating temperature in microwave heating district 16) can be at least about 120 DEG C, at least about 121 DEG C, at least about 122 DEG C and/or be no more than about 130 DEG C, be no more than about 128 DEG C or be no more than about 126 DEG C.Microwave heating district 16 can operate under approximate ambient pressure, or it can comprise one or more pressurization microwave office, this pressurization microwave office is at least approximately 5psig, at least approximately 10psig, at least approximately 15psig and/or be no more than about 80psig, be no more than about 60psig or be no more than about 40psig pressure under operate.In one embodiment, the microwave office of pressurization can be the liquid filling room with operating pressure, thus makes heating object product can reach temperature on the normal boiling point of the liquid medium wherein used.

Can be heated to the temperature of expectation within the relatively short time period by the article in microwave heating district 16, in some cases, this can make the injury of article or degeneration reduce to minimum.In one embodiment, the average residence time that the article being transmitted through microwave heating district 16 can have at least about 5 seconds, at least about 20 seconds, at least about 60 seconds and/or be no more than about 10 minutes, are no more than about 8 minutes or are no more than about 5 minutes.In identical or other embodiments, microwave heating district 16 can be configured to at least about 15 DEG C/min (DEG C/min), at least about 25 DEG C/min, at least about 35 DEG C/min and/or be no more than about 75 DEG C/min, be no more than about 50 DEG C/min or the rate of heat addition that is no more than about 40 DEG C/min by least about for the mean temperature increase of heating object product 20 DEG C, at least about 30 DEG C, at least about 40 DEG C, at least about 50 DEG C, at least about 75 DEG C and/or be no more than about 150 DEG C, be no more than about 125 DEG C or be no more than about 100 DEG C.

Now turn to Fig. 6 a, it illustrates an embodiment in microwave heating district 516, this microwave heating district comprises microwave heating chamber 520 substantially, for generating at least one microwave generator 512 of microwave energy and the microwave distribution system 514 be directed at least partially in microwave office 520 for the microwave energy by microwave generator 512.Microwave distribution system 514 comprises multiple waveguide segment 518 and in Fig. 6 a, is illustrated as one or more microwave emitter of reflector 522a-f, and described microwave emitter is used for microwave energy to be discharged in the inside of microwave office 520.As shown in Figure 6 a, microwave heating district 516 may further include conveying system 540, and it is for being carried through microwave office 520 by heated 550.Each parts according to the microwave heating district 516 of each embodiment of the present invention will discuss in detail below.

Microwave generator 512 can be any suitable device for generating the microwave energy expecting wavelength (λ).The example of the microwave generator of suitable type can include but not limited to magnetron, klystron, travelling wave tube and gyrotron.Although microwave heating system 516 is illustrated in Fig. 6 a comprise single generator 512, should be appreciated that microwave heating system 516 can comprise any amount of generator arranged with any suitable configurations.Such as, in one embodiment, according to size and the layout of microwave distribution system 514, microwave heating district 516 can comprise at least 1, at least 2, at least 3 and/or be no more than 5, be no more than 4 or be no more than 3 microwave generators.The specific embodiment comprising the microwave heating district of multiple generator will discuss in detail below.

Microwave office 520 can be any room or the container that are configured to receive multiple article.Microwave office 520 can be any size and can have the one in various varying cross-section shape.Such as, in one embodiment, room 520 can have the cross section of substantial circular or ellipse, and in other embodiments, can have square, rectangle or polygonal shape of cross section substantially.In one embodiment, microwave office 520 can be compression chamber, and in identical or other embodiments, this microwave office can be configured to be filled with liquid medium (liquid filling room) at least partly.Microwave office 520 can also be configured to receive from the microwave energy of one or more microwave emitter 522 discharge at least partially, and in one embodiment, can be configured to allow to create the wave pattern of stable (or continuing).In one embodiment, at least one size of microwave office 520 can be at least about 0.30 λ, at least about 0.40 λ or at least about 0.50 λ, and wherein λ is the wavelength of the microwave energy be emitted in this microwave office.

Microwave distribution system 514 comprises multiple waveguide or waveguide segment 518, and it is for being directed to the microwave energy from generator 512 at least partially in microwave office 520.Waveguide 518 can be designed or be configured to propagate microwave energy with specific Main Patterns, and the pattern of the microwave energy that this specific Main Patterns can generate with generator 512 is identical or different.As used herein, term " pattern " refers to the roughly fixing cross section field pattern of microwave energy.In one embodiment of the invention, waveguide 518 can be configured to TE _xymode propagation microwave energy, wherein x and the y integer that to be scope be from 0 to 5.In another embodiment of the present invention, waveguide 518 can be configured to TM _abmode propagation microwave energy, wherein a and the b integer that to be scope be from 0 to 5.Should be appreciated that the above-mentioned range of definition of a, b, x and y value for describing microwave propagation pattern is applicable to whole specification of the present invention.In one embodiment, to be propagated by waveguide 518 and/or the Main Patterns of microwave energy that discharges via reflector 522a-f can from by TE ₁₀, TM ₀₁and TE ₁₁select in the group of composition.

As shown in Figure 6 a, microwave distribution system 514 comprises one or more microwave emitter 522a-f further, and each microwave emitter is defined at least one being discharged in microwave office 520 by microwave energy and launches opening 524a-f.Although microwave distribution system 514 is illustrated in Fig. 6 a comprise 6 microwave emitter 522a-f, should be appreciated that microwave distribution system 514 can comprise the reflector of any suitable quantity arranged with any desired configuration.Such as, microwave distribution system 514 can comprise at least 1, at least 2, at least 3, at least 4 and/or be no more than 50, be no more than 30 or be no more than 20 microwave emitters.Reflector 522a-f can be the reflector of identical or different type, and in one embodiment, at least one reflector in reflector 522a-f can substitute with reflecting surface (not shown), and this reflecting surface is used for reflexing to the microwave energy discharged from other reflectors 522 at least partially in microwave heating chamber 520.

When microwave distribution system 514 comprises two or more reflectors, at least some reflector can be arranged on the identical side of the cardinal principle of microwave office 520.As used herein, term " reflector of same side " refers to two or more reflectors of the cardinal principle same side being positioned in microwave office.The reflector of two or more same side can also be axially spaced apart from each other.As used herein, term " axially spaced-apart " represents the spacing (that is, the spacing on transport axis bearing of trend) on the throughput direction of article by microwave system.In addition, this system one or more reflector 522 can also with one or more other reflector 522 lateral separations.As used herein, term " lateral separation " should represent with article by the spacing (that is, perpendicular to the spacing of the bearing of trend of transport axis) on the vertical direction of the throughput direction of microwave system.Such as in Fig. 6 a, on corresponding first side that reflector 522a-c and 522d-f is arranged on microwave office 520 and second side 521a, 521b, and reflector 522a and reflector 522b and 522c axially spaced-apart, just as reflector 522e is the same with 522d axially spaced-apart with reflector 522f.

In addition, as shown by the embodiment in Fig. 6 a, microwave distribution system 514 can comprise at least two be oppositely arranged (such as, two to or multipair) or relative reflectors.As used herein, term " relative reflector " refers to two or more reflectors be positioned on microwave office's cardinal principle opposite side.In one embodiment, relative reflector can be opposite facing to.As what use about relative microwave emitter herein, term " faced by opposite " should represent the reflector that emission center axis aligns each other substantially.For simplicity, the emission center axis 523c of reflector 522c and the emission center axis 523d of reflector 522d is the unique transmission axis shown in Fig. 6 a.But, should be appreciated that each reflector in reflector 522a-f comprises similar transmitting axis.

Relative reflector can general alignment each other, or can with one or more other reflector interlaced arrangement be arranged on the opposite flank of microwave office 520.In one embodiment, a pair relative transmission device can be a pair staggered reflector, thus the floss hole 524 of reflector 522 is not lined up each other substantially.Reflector 522a and 522e is formed with a pair of interconnected layout exemplary relative transmission device.Staggered relative transmission device can axially or laterally interlock each other.As what use about relative microwave emitter herein, term " axially staggered " should represent the reflector that emission center axis is axially spaced apart from each other.As what use about relative microwave emitter herein, term " laterally staggered " should represent the reflector that emission center axis is distanced from one another cross.In another embodiment, a pair relative reflector can be directly relative reflector, thus the floss hole making reflector right aligns substantially.Such as, reflector 522c with 522d shown in Fig. 6 a is configured to a pair relative reflector.

In certain embodiments, microwave heating district 516 can comprise two or more conveying circuits simultaneously operated each other.Exemplary multi-line road conveying system 540 is shown in Fig. 6 b and 6c.As shown in figs. 6b and 6c, conveying system 540 can be configured to the throughput direction that substantially represented by arrow 560 in figure 6b transports multiple article 550.In one embodiment, conveying system 540 can comprise at least two lateral separations, substantially parallel conveying circuit, the first, second, and third conveying circuit 542a-c such as such as illustrated in figure 6b.In one embodiment, conveying circuit 542a-c can comprise independent conveying system, and in another embodiment, each circuit in conveying circuit 542a-c can be a part for whole conveying system.Conveying system 540 and/or conveying circuit 542a-c can be conveyer or the conveying system of any suitable type comprising those conveying systems previously discussed in detail.

Microwave heating system 516 shown in Fig. 6 b and 6c comprises multiple microwave emitter 522, and it can be divided or be organized into two or more microwave emitters of at least two groups.Each conveying circuit in first, second, and third conveying circuit 542a-c can be configured to the microwave energy receiving corresponding first, second, and third group of microwave emitter.In one embodiment, reflector " group " can refer to the reflector of two or more axially spaced-aparts substantially settled along throughput direction (such as, the reflector group 522a-d illustrated in figure 6b, reflector group 522e-h and/or reflector group 522i-l), and in another embodiment, reflector " group " can comprise and is positioned in one or more pairs of relative transmission devices on the not ipsilateral of microwave office (such as, the group comprising a pair reflector 522a and 522m as fig. 6 c, comprise the group of a pair reflector 522b and 522n, comprise the group of a pair reflector 522c and 522o and comprise the group of a pair reflector 522d and 522p).When reflector group comprises one or more pairs of relative transmission device, this reflector can be arranged with interconnected (not shown) or be (such as, opposite face to) directly opposite one another as fig. 6 c.According to an embodiment, as being configured to provide microwave energy at least one group of microwave emitter as at least one generator shown in generator 512a in Fig. 6 b.

As Fig. 6 b illustrates especially, each microwave emitter 522 of contiguous conveying circuit 542 can in the conveying direction relative to each other with interconnected layout.In one embodiment, the microwave emitter 522a-l of one or more same side can axially interlock each other.Such as, in embodiment as shown in Figure 6 b, the reflector 522a-d associated with the first conveying circuit 542a can relative to each reflector in respective transmitter 522e-h with interconnected layout, wherein reflector 522e-h with relative to and/or the second conveying circuit 542b along throughput direction 560 associate.As herein relative to same side microwave emitter use, term " axially staggered " should represent that distance axially spaced apart from each other is greater than the reflector of 1/2 of the maximal axial extension of the transmitting opening of reflector.As herein relative to same side microwave emitter use, term " laterally staggered " should represent that distance distanced from one another cross is greater than the reflector of 1/2 of the maximum transverse size of the transmitting opening of reflector.

In addition, in identical or another embodiment, with non-adjacent conveying circuit (such as, first with the 3rd conveying circuit 542a, 542c) microwave emitter that associates can relative to each other with the deployment arrangements of substantially aliging, the reflector 522a-d as shown in Fig. 6 b relative to reflector 522i-l layout illustrated by.Alternatively, the reflector 522i-l's associated with the 3rd conveying circuit 542c at least partially can relative to the reflector 522a-d interlaced arrangement (embodiment is not shown) of the first conveying circuit 542a and/or the second conveying circuit 542b.Although comprising between the reflector that Fig. 6 b describes contiguous conveying circuit does not very littlely even have spacing, but should be appreciated that in one embodiment, between the reflector of adjacent lines, some spacing can be there is (such as, reflector 522a and 522e, reflector 522b and 522f etc.).Further, independent reflector 522 can have any suitable design or configuration, and in one embodiment, it can comprise at least one feature of one or more embodiment of the present invention, and described feature will be described in detail herein.

Now turn to Fig. 7 a, it illustrates the partial view of an embodiment in microwave heating district 616.Microwave heating district 616 comprises at least one microwave emitter 622, and this microwave emitter is defined for energy emission to the transmitting opening 624 in microwave office 620.As shown in Figure 7a, microwave emitter 622 is configured to centrally to launch axis 660 and discharges microwave energy to conveying system 640, and conveying system 640 is configured in microwave office 620, transport multiple article 650 along transport axis 642.In one embodiment, emission center axis 660 can be tilted, thus transmitting angle of inclination beta is limited between emission center axis 660 and the plane (plane 662 gone out as shown in Figure 7a) perpendicular to transport axis 642.According to an embodiment, launch angle of inclination beta can be at least about 2 °, at least about 4 °, at least about 5 ° and/or be no more than about 15 °, be no more than about 10 ° or be no more than about 8 °.

Now turn to Fig. 7 b, another embodiment of microwave heating system 616 is shown, this microwave heating system comprises two or more reflectors 622a-c, and each reflector to be configured to energy emission along corresponding inclination emission center axis 660a-c in microwave office 620.Comprise in an embodiment of two or more dipping reflectors at microwave heating system 616, the emission center axis of reflector especially same side reflector can be substantially parallel to each other, and emission center axis 660a, 660b of reflector 622a, 622b as shown in figure 7b illustrate substantially.As used herein, term " substantially parallel " is meant in 5 ° parallel.In identical or another embodiment, the emission center axis of the especially relative transmission device of two or more reflectors in microwave heating district 616 can align substantially parallel or substantially, shown by transmitting axis 660a, the 660c of microwave emitter 622a, the 622c in Fig. 7 b.When microwave heating district 616 comprises n the inclination microwave emitter with emission center axis directed as mentioned above, each reflector can limit corresponding transmitting angle of inclination beta within the scope of previous discussion _n.In one embodiment, each transmitting angle of inclination beta of each reflector _ncan be substantially identical, and in another embodiment, launch angle of inclination beta _nin at least one launch inclination angle can substantially be different from one or more other launch inclination angle.

Referring back to Fig. 6 a, at least one in the transmitting opening 524a-f of the reflector 522a-f of microwave system 516 can be covered at least partly by the window 526a-f of basic microwave thoroughly, and shown window 526a-f is arranged between each transmitting opening 524a-f and microwave office 520.Saturating microwave window 526a-f operationally can stop the flowing of fluid between microwave office 520 and microwave emitter 522a-f, also allows a part of microwave energy from reflector 522a-f to pass this saturating microwave window simultaneously.Window 526a-f can be made up of any suitable material, described suitable material includes but not limited to one or more thermoplasticity or glass material, the teflon of such as glass-filled, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), Polyetherimide (PEI), aluminium oxide, glass and composition thereof.In one embodiment, window 526a-f can have at least approximately 4mm, at least approximately 6mm, at least approximately 8mm and/or be no more than about 20mm, is no more than about 16mm or is no more than the average thickness of about 12mm, and at least approximately 40psi, at least approximately 50psi, at least approximately 75psi can be born and/or be no more than about 200psi, be no more than about 150psi or be no more than the pressure differential of about 120psi, and can not rupture, to ftracture or other modes lost efficacy.

Several embodiments of the suitable configurations of microwave emitter window are shown in Fig. 8 a-c.As shown in figures 8 a-c, each microwave window 726 delimit chamber side surface 725, it limits the sidewall 721 of microwave office 720 at least partially alternatively.According to shown in Figure 1 embodiment, the room side surface 725 of window 726 can be configured such that at least about 50%, at least about 65%, at least about 75%, at least about 85% or at least about 95% of the total surface area of room side surface 725 is oriented and becomes inclination alpha with horizontal plane.With the inclination alpha of horizontal plane can be at least about 2 °, at least about 4 °, at least about 8 °, at least about 10 ° and/or be no more than about 45 °, be no more than about 30 ° or be no more than about 15 °, shown in dotted line 762.In other embodiments, when the extension axis 762 of microwave office 720 and/or transport axis are parallel to horizontal plane, inclination alpha can also be limited at extension axis 762 and/or the transport axis (not shown in Fig. 8 a-c) of such as microwave office 720.

The room side surface 725 of window 726 can be directed from horizontal plane, and no matter whether reflector 722 is oriented with launching inclination angle as above.In one embodiment, window 726 can be substantially flat and from horizontal plane (as shown in Figure 8 a), and in identical or another embodiment, the room side surface 725 of window 726 can comprise one or more convex surface (as shown in Figure 8 b) or concave surface (as shown in Figure 8 c).When room side surface 725 is not substantially flat, one or more (or n) total inclination angle can be formed as mentioned above.According to the accurate configuration of room side surface 725, the multiple inclination angles formed thus can be identical or different with other inclination angles formed by similar face 725.

As discussed previously, the microwave emitter 522a-f shown in Fig. 6 a can be any suitable configuration.Several views of the microwave emitter 822 configured according to one embodiment of present invention provide in Fig. 9 a-f.First with reference to Fig. 9 a, microwave emitter 822 is illustrated and comprises one group of relative sidewall 832a, 832b end wall 834a, the 834b relative with one group, and it is the transmitting opening 838 of rectangle substantially that described sidewall and end wall limit jointly.When launching opening 838 and comprising rectangular aperture, it can have at least part of width (W limited by the terminal edge of sidewall 832a, 832b and 834a, 834b respectively ₁) and the degree of depth (D ₁).In one embodiment, sidewall 832a, 832b can be wider than end wall 834a, 834b, thus make the W as Fig. 9 a ₁the length of the lower edge of shown sidewall 832a, 832b can be greater than as Fig. 9 a identifier D ₁the length of the lower edge of shown end wall 834a, 834b.As illustrated in fig. 9, the elongated portion of sidewall 832a, 832b and end wall 834a, 834b can also limit path 837 jointly, when microwave energy is sent to from microwave entrance 836 at least one the transmitting opening 838 limited by reflector 822, microwave energy can be propagated by this path 837.

When launching opening 838 for being discharged in microwave office by microwave energy, this transmitting opening 838 can be elongate on the throughput direction of the direction of extension (not shown) of microwave office or article within it.Such as, in one embodiment, sidewall 832a, 832b of reflector 822 and end wall 834a, 834b can be configured to make the full-size of launching opening 838 (as Fig. 9 a is depicted as W ₁) substantially align, be parallel to the bearing of trend of microwave office and/or article by throughput direction wherein.In this embodiment, the terminal edge of sidewall 832a, 832b can be directed and be parallel to bearing of trend (or throughput direction), and the terminal edge of end wall 834a, 834b can align substantially, perpendicular to the extension in microwave office or throughput direction (not shown in Figure 9).

Fig. 9 b and 9c is respectively provided in the sidewall 832 of the microwave emitter 822 shown in Fig. 9 a and the view of end wall 834.Although be to be understood that of only to illustrate in Fig. 9 b and 9c in sidewall or end wall 832,834, but another in this oppose side wall or end wall can have similar configuration.In one embodiment, at least one in sidewall 832 and end wall 834 can be flaring, thus makes entrance opening dimension (width W ₀or degree of depth D ₀) be less than outlet size (width W ₁or degree of depth D ₁), respectively as shown in figs. 9 b and 9 c.When being tubaeform, the corresponding width of each restriction in sidewall and end wall 832,834 and degree of depth subtended angle θ _wand θ _d, as shown in figs. 9 b and 9 c.In one embodiment, width and/or degree of depth subtended angle θ _wand/or θ _dcan be at least about 2 °, at least about 5 °, at least about 10 ° or at least about 15 ° and/or be no more than about 45 °, be no more than about 30 ° or be no more than about 15 °.In one embodiment, width and degree of depth subtended angle θ _wand θ _dcan be identical, and in another embodiment, θ _wand θ _dvalue can be different.

According to an embodiment, degree of depth subtended angle θ _dwidth subtended angle θ can be less than _w.In a particular embodiment, degree of depth subtended angle θ _dabout 0 ° can be no more than, thus make the entry depth D of microwave emitter 822 ₀with outlet size D ₁substantially identical, as shown in the embodiment in Fig. 9 d.In another embodiment, degree of depth subtended angle θ _d0 ° can be less than, thus make D ₁be less than D ₀, as shown in figure 9e.When microwave emitter 822 comprises the degree of depth subtended angle being less than 0 ° and/or the degree of depth D launching opening 838 ₁be less than the degree of depth D of microwave entrance 836 ₀time, microwave emitter 822 can be the taper launch device with anti-section substantially.Comprising n at microwave emitter 822 launches in an embodiment of opening, and the opening between 1 and n can have the degree of depth of the entrance being less than or equal to reflector and/or the degree of depth of width and/or width.The further embodiment of many openings reflector will discuss in detail below.

According to one embodiment of present invention, the degree of depth D of opening 838 is launched ₁can be no more than about 0.625 λ, be no more than about 0.5 λ, be no more than about 0.4 λ, be no more than about 0.35 λ or be no more than about 0.25 λ, wherein λ is the wavelength from the Main Patterns launching the microwave energy that opening 838 discharges.Although do not wish to be bound by theory, it is believed that by the degree of depth D by launching opening 838 ₁reduce to minimum, the microwave field that immediate transmitting opening 838 produces is more stable and even than the microwave field produced by the reflector with the larger degree of depth.Comprising n at microwave emitter 822 launches in an embodiment of opening, the degree of depth d of each transmitting opening _nabout 0.625 λ can be no more than, be no more than about 0.5 λ, be no more than about 0.4 λ, be no more than about 0.35 λ or be no more than about 0.25 λ.When microwave emitter 822 has multiple opening, each opening can have with same transmitter one or more other launch the identical or different degree of depth of opening.

Referring now to Figure 10 a-c, another embodiment being suitable for the microwave emitter 922 of microwave heating system described herein is shown, this microwave emitter comprise single microwave entrance 936 and for from wherein discharge microwave energy two or more launch openings, these two or more launch opening be illustrated as launch or exhaust openings 938a-c.Microwave emitter 922 shown in Figure 10 a-c comprises first, second, and third isolated transmitting opening 938a-c, and described isolated opening is distanced from one another cross.Define three although described herein and launch opening, but be to be understood that, reflector 922 can comprise the transmitting opening of any suitable quantity, and described any suitable quantity comprises at least 2, at least 3, at least 4 and/or be no more than 10, be no more than 8 or be no more than 6.First, second and the 3rd spacing between to launch in opening 938a-c each can be at least about 0.05 λ/at least about 0.075 λ or at least about 0.10 λ and/or be no more than about 0.25 λ/be no more than about 0.15 λ or be no more than about 0.1 λ, and wherein λ is the wavelength of the Main Patterns of the microwave energy discharged from reflector 922.

In one embodiment, the first, second, and third each opening launched in opening is divided out by one or more separation membrane (or demarcation strip) 940a, 940b, and this barrier film is arranged in reflector 922 inside, as shown in Figure 10 a-c.Barrier film 940a, 940b have the thickness equaling desired spacing between exhaust openings 938a-c usually.When microwave emitter comprises n barrier film, microwave emitter 922 limits (n+1) individual transmitting opening separated and (n+1) the individual independent microwave path 937a-c be limited between microwave entrance 836 and each transmitting opening 938a-c, as Figure 10 c illustrates especially.As shown in figure l oc, each microwave path 937a-c has length L ₁-L ₃, this length extends to the point vertical with corresponding transmitting opening 938a-c from entrance 936.L ₁-L ₃in each can be substantially identical, or L ₁, L ₂and L ₃in at least one can be substantially different.According to an embodiment, embodiment especially as shown in figure l oc, one or more path 937a-c can be longer than one or more other path 937a-c.

When one or more path 937a-c is different from the length of one or more other paths, the size (L of path 937a-c ₁, L ₂and/or L ₃) can be adjusted, thus make the phase velocity of the microwave energy propagated by described path at the longer microwave path (L such as, in Figure 10 c ₁and L ₃) internal ratio is by the shorter path (L such as, in Figure 10 c ₂) with leg speed accumulation faster.Although do not wish to be bound by theory, suppose can perform this kind of adjustment to guarantee the evenly synchronous of each waveform portion, thus when microwave energy is discharged in room 520, produce uniform wave surface.When microwave emitter 922 comprises single barrier film, only produce two microwave paths (this embodiment not shown) and the same length of each path.Therefore, can not need or seldom need to control the phase velocity through the microwave energy of equal length path.

In identical or another embodiment, each opening launched in opening 938a-c can limited depth d _1-3, as Figure 10 b illustrates substantially.In one embodiment, degree of depth d ₁to d ₃in each degree of depth can be substantially identical, and in another embodiment, degree of depth d ₁-d ₃in at least one degree of depth can be different.As discussed previously, d ₁-d ₃in one or more degree of depth can be no more than about 0.625 λ, be no more than about 0.5 λ, be no more than about 0.4 λ, be no more than about 0.35 λ or be no more than about 0.25 λ, wherein λ is the wavelength of the Main Patterns from the microwave energy launching opening 938a-c discharge.In addition, in one embodiment, discuss in detail as previous, d ₁-d ₃in at least one can be less than or equal to the degree of depth d of entrance 936 ₀.As shown in fig. lob, when barrier film 940a, 940b exist, the degree of depth d of each transmitting opening 938a-c _1-3do not comprise the thickness of described barrier film 940a, 940b.

Referring again to Fig. 6 a, in one embodiment, the microwave distribution system 514 in microwave heating district 516 can comprise at least one microwave distributing manifold 525a, 525b, its for via multiple reflector 522a-c and 522d-f by microwave energy assign or be assigned in room 520.In one embodiment, microwave distributing manifold 525a, 525b can comprise at least three microwave assignment device, and it is configured to, before microwave energy discharges from least some microwave emitter 522a-f, the microwave energy from generator 512 is divided into two or more independently parts.As used herein, term " microwave assignment device " refers to according to estimated rate, operationally microwave energy is divided into any device or the commodity of two or more independent sectors.As used herein, term " predetermined power ratio " refers to the ratio of the quantity of power of the unitary part at every turn obtained of discharging from specific microwave assignment device.Such as, being configured to the microwave assignment device that divided with 1:1 power ratio by the power passed through by being configured to is two substantially equal parts by the power divider introduced wherein.

But, in one embodiment of the invention, at least one microwave assignment device of microwave distribution system 514, as Fig. 6 a shows that for induction type diaphragm 570a-h and " T-shaped " or two-way separator 572 can be configured to have be not the predetermined power ratio of 1:1.Such as, one or more in microwave assignment device 570a-h or 572 can be configured to divide according to predetermined power ratio the microwave energy passed through, and wherein predetermined power ratio is at least approximately 1:1.5, at least approximately 1:2, at least approximately 1:3 and/or be no more than about 1:10, be no more than about 1:8 or be no more than about 1:6.

Each in the assignment device 570a2-h adopted by microwave distribution system 514 and/or 5 can be configured to according to identical ratio discharge energy, or one or more assignment device 570a-h can be configured to discharge with different power ratios.Assignment device 570a-h and 572 can be configured to make from the substantially identical quantity of power of each reflector discharge reflector 522a-f, and in another embodiment, assignment device 570a-h and 572 can by Joint Designing, thus more power is discharged from one or more reflector 522a-f, and less power is by reflector remaining in reflector 522a-f discharge.Pattern or the configured in one piece of the specified power ratio that each assignment device in microwave assignment device 570a-h and 572 utilizes and this intrasystem microwave energy assignment can depend on various factors, described various factors comprises such as, the type of heating object product, the desired operation condition in microwave heating district 516 and other similar factors.

When operating, initial microwave amount to be introduced in microwave distribution system 514 and to be divided into two parts at microwave energy through during separator 572.In one embodiment, can be almost identical power from two parts of the microwave energy of separator 572 discharge, and in another embodiment, one in described two parts can have more power than another.As shown in Figure 6 a, each part, before entering manifold 525a, 525b, can be sent to corresponding manifold 525a, 525b, transport through phase shifting equipment 530 alternatively.Now will describe microwave distributing manifold 525a, should be appreciated that similar operation is equally applicable to the lower manifold 525b shown in Fig. 6 a.

The microwave power of drain separator 572 and optional phase shifting equipment 530 (embodiment will discuss in detail below) is then through the microwave assignment device being illustrated as diaphragm 570a, and power can be divided into the first launched microwave component (fraction) and first and distribute microwave component on this diaphragm.First launched microwave component can be drawn towards reflector 522a and can via outlet 524a discharge.First distributes microwave component can propagate along microwave emitter 522b, 522c that waveguide 518 is downwardly extra.According to an embodiment, the power ratio of distributing microwave component from the first launched microwave component and first of diaphragm 570a discharge can be no more than about 1:1, is no more than about 0.95:1, is no more than about 0.90:1, is no more than about 0.80:1, is no more than about 0.70:1 or is no more than about 0.60:1.In one embodiment, the first launched microwave component and first distributes the power ratio of microwave component is not 1:1.

When the first distribution microwave component is propagated towards reflector 522b, 522c, it can be divided into the second launched microwave component led towards reflector 522b that will discharge via transmitting outlet 524b subsequently, and propagate downwards along waveguide 518 towards reflector 522c second distributes microwave component.In one embodiment, the second launched microwave component and second distributes the ratio of microwave component can be at least approximately 0.80:1, at least approximately 0.90:1, at least approximately 0.95:1 and/or to be no more than about 1.2:1, to be no more than about 1.1:1, to be no more than about 1.05:1 can be maybe close to 1:1.Subsequently, remaining microwave energy (such as, whole second distributes microwave component) then can be directed to final microwave emitter 522c and discharge from transmitting outlet 524c.

According to another embodiment (not shown in Fig. 6 a), microwave distribution system 514 can comprise microwave distributing manifold 525a, the 525b with more than three reflectors.Such as, when microwave distributing manifold 525 comprises n reflector, all partiting steps except (n-1) individual step are performed, thus make launched microwave component not be 1:1 with the ratio of distribution microwave component.For each step except (n-1) individual step, power ratio can be no more than about 1:1, be no more than about 0.95:1, be no more than about 0.90:1, be no more than about 0.80:1, be no more than about 0.70:1 or be no more than about 0.60:1, and (n-1) individual partiting step can be performed, thus the ratio making launched microwave component and second distribute microwave component can be at least about 0.80:1, at least approximately 0.90:1, at least approximately 0.95:1 and/or be no more than about 1.2:1, be no more than about 1.1:1, being no more than about 1.05:1 can be maybe close to 1:1.Then, when the n-th launched microwave component will be discharged into microwave office via the n-th microwave emitter, (n-1) individual distribution microwave component with its great majority or all can be sent out.

Except being positioned in one or more diaphragm 570a-h in microwave distribution system 514, one or more reflector 522 can also comprise at least one the induction type diaphragm be arranged in reflector, as shown in the embodiment of in Figure 11 a and 11b.Alternatively, one or more diaphragm 570b and/or 570d can be separately positioned in reflector 522a and/or 522b, instead of is arranged in waveguide as shown in Figure 6 a.

The embodiment comprising the microwave emitter 1022 of the induction type diaphragm be arranged on wherein illustrates in fig. 11 a.Reflector 1022 can comprise launches at least one induction type diaphragm 1070 between opening 1038, as Figure 11 a and 11b illustrates substantially at its microwave entrance 1036 and one or more.As shown in figures 1 la and 1 lb, diaphragm 1070 can be limited by a pair induction type diaphragm panel 1072a, the 1072b be arranged on the opposite side of reflector 1022.Although first and second diaphragm panel 1072a, 1072b are illustrated the narrower opposite end walls 1034a, the 1034b that are coupled to reflector 1022, be to be understood that first and second diaphragm panel 1072a, 1072b can also be coupled to wider opposing sidewalls 1032a, the 1032b of reflector 1022.As shown in figures 1 la and 1 lb, first and second diaphragm panel 1072a, 1072b are extended inward in the microwave path 1037 being limited at microwave entrance 1036 and launch between opening 1038 by the direction in the microwave propagation direction of path 1037 to be across.In one embodiment, diaphragm panel block in position that it is arranged microwave path 1037 gross area at least about 25%, at least about 40% or at least about 50% and/or be no more than about 75%, be no more than about 60% or be no more than about 55%.When microwave emitter 1022 comprises two or more transmitting openings, as shown in fig. live, first and second diaphragm panel 1072a, 1072b can be configured to each transmitting opening 1038a-c of obstruction reflector 1022 at least partially.

As shown in fig. lla, first and second diaphragm panel 1072a, 1072b can be substantially coplanar, and can be basically perpendicular to the emission center axis orientation of microwave emitter 1022.In certain embodiments, diaphragm panel 1072a, 1072b can with the microwave entrance 1036 of microwave emitter 1022 and to launch opening 1038 spaced apart.Such as, diaphragm panel 1072a, 1072b can be spaced a distance with the microwave entrance 1036 of reflector 1022, and this distance is at least about 10%, at least about 25% or at least about 35% of the minimum range between the microwave entrance 1036 of reflector 1022 and transmitting opening 1038.Further, diaphragm panel 1072a, 1072b can keep at a certain distance away with the transmitting opening 1038 of reflector 1022, and this distance is the microwave entrance 1036 of reflector 1022 and launches at least about 10%, 25% or 35% of the ultimate range (L) recorded between opening 1038.

Now turn to Fig. 6 a, microwave distribution system 514 is illustrated the uniformity of microwave field and/or one or more device of intensity that comprise further for increasing producing in microwave heating chamber 520.Such as, in one embodiment, microwave distribution system 514 can comprise the position of microwave field structure interference fringe and one or more device of intensity that are designed to change and/or control to produce in the 580a-c of each thermal treatment zone, and described interference fringe is limited at reflector respectively between 522a and 522f, 522b and 522e and 522c and 522d.In one embodiment, this kind of device can be can be used to the phase shifting equipment making to be shifted by the phase loop of the microwave energy of this device, as the device 530 that Fig. 6 a schematically shows.

When article 550 move along the conveying system 540 in microwave office 520, the average residence time (τ) that each article 550 in each independent thermal treatment zone 580a-c can have at least about 2 seconds, at least about 10 seconds, at least about 15 seconds and/or be no more than about 1 minute, are no more than about 45 seconds or are no more than about 30 seconds.In one embodiment, the average residence time (τ) of article 550 can be greater than phase shift speed (t) that phase shifting equipment 530 configures.Such as, article are by the ratio of the average residence time of a thermal treatment zone in each thermal treatment zone 580a-c and the phase shift speed of device 530 (τ: t) can be at least approximately 2:1, at least approximately 3:1, at least approximately 4:1, at least approximately 5:1 and/or be no more than about 12:1, be no more than about 10:1 or be no more than about 8:1.

Phase shifting equipment 530 can be for making by the phase place of the microwave energy of microwave distribution system 514 fast and any appropriate device of cyclic shift.According to an embodiment, phase shifting equipment 530 can be configured to at least about 1.5 cycles per second, at least about 1.75 cycles per second or at least about 2.0 cycles per second and/or per secondly be no more than about 10 cycles, is per secondly no more than about 8 cycles and/or phase shift speed (t) being no more than about 6 cycles per second makes to be shifted through the microwave energy of this phase shifting equipment.As used herein, term " phase shift speed " refers to the quantity in the complete phase shift cycle completed per second." complete phase shift cycle " refers to from 0 ° to 180 ° and turns back to the phase shift of 0 °.Although microwave distribution system 514 is illustrated comprise single phase shifting equipment 530, should be appreciated that the phase shifting equipment of any suitable quantity may be used in this microwave distribution system 514.

In one embodiment, phase shifting equipment 530 can comprise the plunger type tuner that can be used to and move (such as, moving up and down) with generally linear in cylinder, thus is forced through the phase loop displacement of the microwave energy of this device.Figure 12 a and 12b illustrates two embodiments of plunger type tuner 1130a, the 1130b be suitable in microwave distribution system 514.Figure 12 a illustrates the phase shifting equipment 1130a of single plunger, and it comprises the plunger 1132 that can be used to via automated drive 1136 movement in single cylinder 1134.Figure 12 b illustrates another embodiment of phase shifting equipment, and this phase shifting equipment comprises multi-plunger phase shifting equipment, and it comprises and is arranged in several corresponding cylinder 1134a-d and can be used to multiple plunger 1132a-d of movement in several cylinders described.Plunger 1132a-d can be driven by single automated drive 1136, and described automated drive 1136 can be connected to each plunger in plunger 1132a-d via rotating cam axle 1138.Any one in plunger type tuner 1130a, 1130b can be connected to the hookup of such as such as short groove mixing hookup (not shown in 12a and 12b), and can be used in microwave distribution system 514 as phase shifting equipment 530 as mentioned above.

Another embodiment of suitable phase shifting equipment is shown in Figure 13 a-e.As compared to the phase shift shown in Figure 12 a with 12b or tuner, the phase shifting equipment shown in 13a-e is rotatable phase shifting equipment.Such as, as shown in Figure 13 a-c, the embodiment being also referred to as the rotatable phase shifting equipment 1230 of variable phase short circuit can comprise restriction first fixed part 1210 of rectangular aperture 1212 and the rotatable portion 1240 near described first opening 1212 arrangement substantially.As depicted in fig. 13 a, gap 1213 can be limited between rotatable portion 1240 and fixed part 1210, and in one embodiment, microwave choke (not shown) can be arranged in gap 1213 at least partly, leaks from fixed part 1210 and rotatable portion 1240 for stoping microwave energy.

Rotatable portion 1240 comprises outer cover 1242 and is contained in the multiple isolated substantially parallel plate 1244a-d in outer cover 1242.As depicted in fig. 13 a, outer cover 1242 comprises first end 1243a and the second end 1243b, and first end 1243a limits the second opening 1246 being adjacent to the first rectangular aperture 1212 of fixed part 1210.Indicated by the arrow 1290,1292 in Figure 13 a, rotatable portion 1240 can be configured to be trapped among extend through the first opening 1212 and the second opening 1246 rotation 1211 on rotate relative to fixed part 1210.

As Figure 13 b and 13c illustrates especially, outer cover 1242 has length (L _h), width (W _h) and the degree of depth (D _h).In one embodiment, L _h, W _hand D _hin at least one be at least about 0.5 λ, at least about 0.65 λ, at least about 0.75 λ and/or be no more than about 1 λ, be no more than about 0.9 λ or be no more than about 0.75 λ, wherein λ is the wavelength that variable phase short circuit 1230 is configured to the microwave energy transmitted between the first opening 1212 and the second opening 1246.In one embodiment, W _hand D _hin at least one be at least about 0.5 λ and both all do not exceed about λ.As Figure 13 a-c illustrates substantially, the shape of cross section of outer cover 1242 is foursquare substantially, thus makes W _h: D _hratio do not exceed about 1.5:1, be no more than about 1.25:1 or be no more than about 1.1:1.

Fixed part 1210 can be any suitable shape or size, and can comprise the waveguide of circle or rectangle.In the embodiment of as shown in figure 13d, the first basic rectangular aperture 1212 can have width (W _r) and the degree of depth (D _r), thus make W _r: D _rratio be at least approximately 1.1:1, at least approximately 1.25:1 or at least approximately 1.5:1.The width of the first opening 1212 of fixed part 1210 is substantially identical with the width of the second opening 1246 of rotatable portion 1240, thus makes ratio W _h: W _rat least approximately 0.85:1, at least approximately 0.95:1 or at least approximately 0.98:1 and/or be no more than about 1.15:1, be no more than about 1.05:1 or be no more than about 1.01:1.

As Figure 13 a illustrates substantially, each plate 1244a-d can be coupled to the second end 1243b of outer cover 1242, and can substantially to extend towards the first end 1243a of outer cover 1242 towards the direction of the first opening 1212 and the second opening 1244.Each plate 1244a-d can have the L as Figure 13 b _eshown extended distance or length, this extended distance or length can be at least about 0.1 λ, at least about 0.2 λ, at least about 0.25 λ and/or be no more than about 0.5 λ, be no more than about 0.35 λ or be no more than about 0.30 λ.In addition, as Figure 13 c illustrates especially, one or more plate in plate 1244a-d can have thickness k, thickness k is at least about 0.01 λ, at least about 0.05 λ and/or be no more than about 0.10 λ or be no more than about 0.075 λ, and wherein λ is the wavelength being introduced into the microwave energy in outer cover 1242 via the first opening 1212.Contiguous plate 1244a-d can be spaced apart certain intervals distance j, this spacing distance can be greater than, no better than or be less than the thickness of each plate.In one embodiment, j can be at least about 0.01 λ, at least about 0.05 λ and/or do not exceed about 0.10 λ or do not exceed about 0.075 λ.Therefore, in one embodiment, the ratio of total inside exposed surface area of the second end 1243b of the outer cover 1242 that the cumulative surface area of the far-end of the plate 1244a-d that the shadow region as Figure 13 c illustrates substantially and the nonshaded area as Figure 13 c illustrate substantially can be at least approximately 0.85:1, at least approximately 0.95:1 or at least about 0.98:1 and/or be no more than about 1.15:1, be no more than about 1.10:1 or be no more than about 1.05:1.

Variable phase short circuit 1230 can be configured to around rotation 1211 with at least about 50 turns (rpm) per minute, at least approximately 100rpm, at least approximately 150rpm and/or the speed being no more than about 1000rpm, being no more than about 900rpm or being no more than about 800rpm rotate, as depicted in fig. 13 a.In one embodiment, can the performing via the actuator 1270 being coupled to automated drive and/or automatic control system (not shown) at least partially of motion of rotatable variable phase short circuit 1230.In another embodiment, can manually performing at least partially of motion, and comprise the non-rotating of a period of time alternatively.

The additional embodiment being suitable for other rotatable phase shifting equipments 1233 and 1235 of the microwave distribution system 514 of Fig. 6 a illustrates respectively in Figure 13 e and 13f.As shown in the embodiment in Figure 13 e, rotate phase shifting equipment 1233 and can comprise the rotary crankshaft component 1237 being coupled to the plunger 1241 be arranged in waveguide 1243 via fixed lever 1239.When the rotation of crankshaft component 1237 indicated by arrow 1261, bar 1239 is convenient to piston or plunger 1241 substantially moving up and down in waveguide 1243, indicated by the arrow 1263 in Figure 13 e.Rotate another embodiment of phase shifting equipment 1235 shown in Figure 13 f, it comprises the cam 1245 being coupled to tappet 1247, and it can integrate with the plunger 1241 be arranged in waveguide 1243 or be coupled to this plunger 1241.When cam 1245 rotates, tappet 1247 makes plunger or piston with the movement in cylinder 1243 that substantially moves up and down, as arrow 1263 indicates substantially.In addition, according to an embodiment, rotation phase shifting equipment 1235 may further include is convenient to plunger 1241 in waveguide 1243 with one or more bias unit 1249 (such as, one or more spring) of direction motion upwards.

Except being used as rotatable phase shifting equipment, variable phase short circuit 1230 (or alternatively, rotate phase shifting equipment 1233,1235) can also be configured to be used as tuner, such as such as detuning or cancelling the impedance tuner of not wanting reflection and/or as by the frequency tuner of the frequency match of generator to cavity frequency.

Now turn to Figure 14 a, an embodiment of microwave distribution system 1314 be shown, wherein microwave distribution system 1314 utilize two variable phase short circuits 1330a, 1330b as cancel or by minimized for reflection power impedance tuner.As shown in figures 14a, each contiguous outlet that can be connected to hookup 1340 in variable phase short circuit 1330a, 1330b, hookup 1340 can be short groove mixing hookup.When operating, each in variable phase short circuit 1330a, 1330b can be adjusted to separately the position of expectation, thus impedance tuner is detuned from microwave emitter 1322 to generator 1312 to the energy of back reflective.According to an embodiment, during microwave process, one in variable phase short circuit 1330a, 1330b or both can be further adjusted as required, to adapt to the change of the emission ratio of heating object product.In one embodiment, described further adjustment can at least partly by using automatic control system (not shown) to perform.

Variable phase short circuit as described herein can also be used as frequency tuner, and it is for mating the frequency of cavity with frequency generator.According to this embodiment, one or more variable phase short circuit, the variable phase short circuit 1330c as shown in Figure 14 b can by each port be directly coupled to along interval, resonant microwave room 1320.In this embodiment, variable phase short circuit 1330c can rotate continuously or contingently, and its position can adjust manually or automatically according to the change of article (not shown) processed in the change in microwave office 1320 and/or microwave office 1320.As the result of this adjustment of variable phase short circuit 1330c, in cavity, the frequency of microwave energy closer can be matched with the frequency of generator (not shown).

Referring again to the microwave heating system 510 shown in Fig. 6 a, by such as increasing the thermal transmission coefficient between article and surrounding fluid medium, more thoroughly and/or more effectively heating of the article 550 being transmitted through microwave office 520 can be realized.An embodiment of microwave office 1420 illustrates in fig. 15 a, and it is configured to the change by the thermal transmission coefficient in microwave heating chamber 1420, promotes the faster of article 1450 and more effectively heats.In one embodiment, one or more agitating device can be used, at least partly by the gases/gaseous medium in stirring room 1420 or liquid/liquid medium, and the thermal transmission coefficient increased in microwave office 1420, this one or more agitating device is such as one or more liquid jet blender 1430a-d such as, and it is configured to be discharged into rapid for one or more fluid jet in the inside of microwave office 1420.In one embodiment, the fluid jet be discharged in microwave office 1420 can be liquid or steam jet, and can have at least about Reynolds number of 4500, at least about 8000 or at least about 10000.

Structurally, fluid jet blender 1430a-d can be multiple jet is discharged in the multiple positions be configured in microwave office 1420 any device towards article 1450.In one embodiment, fluid jet blender 1430 along center elongated axis 1417 axially spaced-apart of microwave office 1420, thus can make the direction discharge being configured to be generally perpendicular to center elongated axis 1417 at least partially of jet.In another embodiment that such as Figure 15 b illustrates especially, one or more fluid jet blender 1430a-d can annular arrangements in microwave office 1420, thus make radially-inwardly leading towards the center elongated axis 1417 of room 1420 at least partially of jet.Although being illustrated as along a part for the circumference of microwave office 1420 in 15b is cardinal principle continuous print, but be to be understood that, fluid jet blender 1430a can also comprise radially spaced multiple different jet each other at least partially of the circumference along room 1420, and described each difference jet out of the ordinary is arranged to the center elongated axis 1417 exhaust fluid jet towards room 1420.

As shown in fig. 15 a, fluid jet blender 1430a-d along one or more arrange side of microwave office 1420, and can be arranged between one or more microwave emitter 1422 by (alternatively).When other conditions are identical, compared with the thermal transmission coefficient of static room, use one or more blender 1430a-d can make the thermal transmission coefficient increase between microwave office 1420 inner fluid medium and article 1450 at least about 1%, at least about 5%, at least about 10% or at least about 15%.In identical or another embodiment, one or more jet configuring in a similar manner and/or operate can be included in one or more other regions of microwave system 10, and one or more other regions of described microwave system 10 comprise thermalization range previously shown in Fig. 1 a and 1b and/or holding area 12 and/or 20.

Referring again to Fig. 1 a and 1b, after leaving from microwave heating district 16, then, the article of heating are sent to temperature hold zone 20 alternatively, the article temperature in this temperature hold zone can remain on certain minimum threshold temperature place or the specific residence time of the preceding paragraph.Keep the result of step as this, the article shifted out from holding area 20 can have more consistent heating curves and less cold spot.In one embodiment, minimum threshold temperature in holding area 20 can be identical with the minimum temperature needed in microwave heating district 16, and can be at least about 120 DEG C, at least about 121 DEG C, at least about 122 DEG C and/or be no more than about 130 DEG C, be no more than about 128 DEG C or be no more than about 126 DEG C.The average residence time that article transport through holding area 20 can be at least about 1 minute, at least about 2 minutes or at least about 4 minutes and/or be no more than about 20 minutes, be no more than about 16 minutes or be no more than about 10 minutes.Holding area 20 may operate in the pressure place identical with microwave heating district 16, and in one embodiment, can be limited at least partly in pressurization and/or liquid filling room or container.

After leaving from holding area 20, the heating objects of microwave system 10 can be introduced in quench zone 22 in succession, and in this quench zone, heating objects can be cooled rapidly via one or more cooling fluid of contact.In one embodiment, quench zone 22 can be configured at least about 1 minute, at least about 2 minutes, at least about 3 minutes and/or be no more than about 10 minutes, in time period of being no more than about 8 minutes or being no more than about 6 minutes by article cooling at least about 30 DEG C, at least about 40 DEG C, at least about 50 DEG C and/or be no more than about 100 DEG C, be no more than about 75 DEG C or be no more than about 50 DEG C.Any suitable fluid type can be used as the cooling fluid in quench zone 22, comprises such as previous about those liquid mediums described by microwave heating district 16 and/or gas medium.

According to an embodiment of volume description large in Fig. 1 a and 1b, microwave heating system 10 can also comprise the second pressure adjusting district 14b being arranged on microwave heating district 16 and/or holding area 20 downstream, if present.Second pressure adjusting district 14b can to configure with the previous mode similar about the mode described by the first pressure adjusting district 14a and to operate.When the second pressure adjusting district 14b exists, it can be positioned at the downstream of quench zone 22, thus makes a large part for quench zone 22 or intimate all operations under the high pressure (super-atmospheric pressure) that the pressure operated with microwave heating district 16 and/or holding area 20 is similar.In another embodiment, second pressure adjusting district 14b can be arranged in quench zone 22, thus under making a part for quench zone 22 may operate in the pressure of the super-atmospheric pressure similar with the pressure of microwave heating district 16 and/or holding area 20, and under another part of quench zone 22 may operate in intimate atmospheric pressure.When shifting out from quench zone 22, the article of cooling can have at least about 20 DEG C, at least about 25 DEG C, at least about 30 DEG C and/or be no more than about 70 DEG C, be no more than about 60 DEG C or be no more than the temperature of about 50 DEG C.Once after shifting out from quench zone 22, the article through cooling processing then can shift out from microwave heating district 10, for storage subsequently or use.

According to one embodiment of present invention, provide the operation for controlling microwave heating system 10, such as, to guarantee to transport through each article of microwave heating system 10 or to pack one or more method be constantly exposed in microwave energy.The key step being suitable for an embodiment of the method 1500 of the operation controlling microwave system 10 is described by each square frame 1510-1530 in Figure 16.

As shown in figure 16, the first step of control method 1500 is the values of one or more microwave system parameter that determination represented by square frame 1510 is relevant to microwave heating district 16.The example of microwave system parameter can include but not limited to temperature and/or the flow velocity of the speed of discharged net power, conveying system and the water in microwave heating indoor.Subsequently, as shown in the square frame 1520 in Figure 16, the determined value obtained for special parameter can then compare with the corresponding target value of identical parameters, to determine difference.Based on this difference, one or more can be taked to take action, to adjust the operation of microwave system 10, represented by the block 1530 in Figure 16.In one embodiment, such as, when the size of this difference is at least about 5%, at least about 10% or at least about 20% of the desired value of specific microwave system parameter and/or determined value, the adjustment of microwave heating system 10 can be carried out.In one embodiment, said method can use automatic control system to perform at least partially.

In one embodiment, the basic step of above-mentioned control method 1500 can be used by microwave heating system 10, to guarantee in this heating system by the safety of article (such as, food and/or liquid or instrument) that heats and/or specification compliance.According to this embodiment, one or more microwave system parameter can be selected from the group be made up of minimum temperature in microwave heating indoor of combustion with minimal net power, maximum delivery system speed and water and/or minimum flow velocity.In one embodiment, the minimum temperature of water in microwave office can be at least about 120 DEG C, at least about 121 DEG C, at least about 123 DEG C and/or be no more than about 130 DEG C, be no more than about 128 DEG C or be no more than about 126 DEG C, and minimum flow velocity can be at least about 1 gallon (gpm) per minute, at least approximately 5gpm or at least about 25gpm.In one embodiment, the maximal rate of conveying system can be no more than about 15 feet (fps) each second, be no more than about 12fps or be no more than about 10fps, and combustion with minimal net power can be at least approximately 50kW, at least approximately 75kW or at least approximately 100kW.When control method 1500 is for guaranteeing product safety or compliance, one or more action regulating microwave heating system 10 to operate can include but not limited to, stop delivery system, close one or more generator, shift out, isolate and rerun or arrange one or more article under the undesirably condition of being exposed to, and above-mentioned combination.

In identical or another embodiment, the basic step of control method 1500 can also be used by microwave heating system 10, to guarantee quality and the stability of heating object product (such as, food and/or liquid or instrument).According to this embodiment, microwave parameters can comprise temperature in microwave heating indoor of discharge net power, the speed of conveying system and water and/or flow velocity.In one embodiment, the temperature of water in microwave office can be at least about 121 DEG C, at least about 122 DEG C, at least about 123 DEG C and/or be no more than about 130 DEG C, be no more than about 128 DEG C or be no more than about 126 DEG C, and flow velocity can be at least about 15 gallons (gpm) per minute, at least approximately 30gpm or at least about 50gpm.In one embodiment, the speed of conveying system can be controlled in the speed of each second at least about 5 feet (fps), at least approximately 7fps or at least about 10fps, and to discharge net power can be at least approximately 75kW, at least approximately 100kW or at least approximately 150kW.When control method 1500 is for guaranteeing product quality or stability, one or more action of the operation of microwave heating system 10 is regulated to include but not limited to, stop delivery system, close one or more generator, shift out, isolate and rerun or arrange one or more article under the undesirably condition of being exposed to, and above-mentioned combination.

In order to perform the comparison step 1520 of method 1500 shown in Figure 16, one or more desired value at least one parameter in microwave system parameter discussed above can be determined before article in heating microwave system 10.The determination of the size of these desired values can first by realizing for the heating curves using the article of the particular type of small microwave system heating to produce regulation.Such as, in one embodiment, one or more particular type article (such as, particularly food, medical treatment device or medical fluid) are first loaded onto in the microwave office of small microwave heating system.In one embodiment, the article being loaded onto small-sized heating chamber can be single types, thus make the regulation heating curves obtained determined can be applied particularly to the article of the type in relatively large heating system.In one embodiment, article can be the specified type of packaged food and/or size (such as, the MRE pork pies dress of 8 ounces) can be maybe the medical fluid (such as, salt solution) of packaging or the medical treatment of specified type and/or packaging or dental equipment.

Once be loaded onto in the microwave office of small microwave heating system, these article can be heated by being incorporated in room by microwave energy via one or more microwave emitter.Can comprise this heating period of heating for multiple times operation, regulation heating curves can be determined heating object product.As used herein, term " regulation heating curves " refers to the desired value combination of the various parameters that institute advises or recommends when heating appointment type of items.Except comprising desired value, regulation heating curves can also be expressed as the function of the position of time and/or article at least in part.In one embodiment, regulation heating curves can comprise at least one desired value of one or more microwave system parameter, (namely described microwave system parameter includes but not limited to the order-assigned of discharge net power, microwave power, the discharge relevant sequential of specifying of microwave energy, position and amount), the temperature of fluid (such as, water) in microwave office and/or flow velocity and/or the residence time of article in microwave office.In addition, regulation heating curves can also comprise desired value or the minimum value of one or more parameter relevant to the thermalization range 16 of microwave heating system 10, holding area 20 and/or quench zone 22 (such as, the flow velocity of temperature, fluid, pressure and article residence time).

Once the heating curves of regulation is determined, multiple the type article can be loaded in relatively large microwave heating system, and then according to the determined regulation curve of small microwave system, use automatic control system to heat alternatively.In one embodiment, small microwave heating system can be that interval (batch) or semi-batch (semi-batch) system and/or can comprise have and be less than 100 cubic feet, be less than 50 cubic feet or be less than the liquid filling microwave office of total internal capacity of 30 cubic feet.In identical or another embodiment, large-scale microwave system can be at least partially in perform in pressurization or liquid filling microwave office continuously or semi-continuous process, wherein this pressurization or liquid filling microwave office have at least about 100 cubic feet, total internal capacity of at least about 250 cubic feet or at least about 500 cubic feet.If needed, above-mentioned steps can be repeated many times subsequently, to produce the particular specification heating curves of any different number of articles.Subsequently, the desired value of one or more above-mentioned parameter can be shown in Figure 16 method 1500 comparison step 1520 in determined and used.After this, based on this difference, one or more action listed above can be taked, to guarantee the consistent heating of final products.

Guarantee that the consistent aspect heated guarantees that constant and measurable power is discharged in the thermal treatment zone.In one embodiment, the method for control discharge to the net power in microwave heating system 10 is provided for.As used herein, term " discharge net power " refers to the difference between forward power and reflection power in waveguide or reflector.As used herein, term " forward power " refers to the power propagated from generator to load with anticipated orientation, and term " reflection power " refers to the power propagated with unexpected direction, this unexpected direction normally power returns to the direction of propagating waveguide or reflector and towards generator from load.

Use two to or multipair directional coupler determine the method 1600 of the net power of discharging from least one microwave emitter key step flow chart in fig. 17 summarize.Represented by block 1610 and 1620, the first and second discharge net power values can be determined independently directional coupler by use two.Often pair of directional coupler can comprise a hookup for measuring forward power and another hookup for measuring reflection power, and provides one or more device or the system of corresponding first and second discharge net power values for calculated difference.According to an embodiment, at least one net power value may be used for the output adjusting or control microwave generator, and other net power value can be used as backup or the checking of other values.

Once obtain described value from often pair of hookup, first and second net power value can compare, and to determine difference, as shown in square frame 1630, and based on this difference, the operation of the adjustment microwave heating system that can take action to, as shown in square frame 1640.In one embodiment, when difference exceeds predetermined value, can take action, such as such as this predetermined value can be at least about value of 1%, at least about 2% or at least about 5% of the first and/or second net power value previously determined.In one embodiment, when difference is at least about 1%, at least about 2% or at least about 3% of minimum value in the first and second net power values, can take action.In another embodiment, if when the first or second net power value drops to lower than predetermined minimum value and/or exceeds predetermined maximum, can take action.Depend on pending article and determined difference at least partly, described action can include but not limited to, when difference exceeds predetermined value, close down generator or conveying system, increase or reduce generator to export, and/or shift out, isolate and arrange or rerun one or more article being arranged on microwave heating indoor.

Microwave heating system of the present invention can be the commercial-scale heating system that can process bulky items in relative short time.Compared to conventional boiling vessel and other mini-systems of utilizing microwave energy to heat multiple article, microwave heating system as herein described can be configured to the gross production rate realizing every strip transmission line road at least about 15 packagings per minute, every strip transmission line road at least about 20 packagings per minute, every strip transmission line road at least about 25 packagings per minute or every strip transmission line road at least about 30 packagings per minute, and this is far beyond the attainable speed of other microwave systems.

As used herein, term " number of package per minute " refers to according to follow procedure, the total quantity that 8 ounces of MRE (meals that preparation is eaten) that can be filled by the whey gel of given microwave heating system process pack: multiple temperature probe can be connected to from the 8 ounces of MRE packagings being filled with whey gel pudding that Ameriqual group company (the Ai Wensiweier city of Indiana, USA) is commercially available, this temperature probe is initial from the geometric center of packaging, along x-axis, five equidistant positions of each axis at intervals in y-axis and z-axis are positioned in pudding, as shown in figure 18.Then, this packaging to be placed in microwave heating system to be assessed and to be heated, until each probe indicated temperature is on appointment minimum temperature (such as, for 120 DEG C of decontamination system).Realize time required for this kind of temperature curve and can be then used in about the physics of heating system and dimension information the gross production rate calculating number of package per minute.

Above-mentioned preferred form of the present invention is only exemplarily used, and therefore, shall not be applied to and limits the scope of the invention.Those skilled in the art obviously can revise above-mentioned exemplary embodiment, and does not depart from spirit of the present invention.

The present inventor states its object according to doctrine of equivalents, and to determine and to assess reasonable fair scope of the present invention, the scope of the invention comprises the literal scope of the present invention that do not have essence to deviate to set forth in claims but exceeds any device of this literal scope.

Claims

1., for heating a microwave system for multiple article, described system comprises:

Be configured to the microwave office receiving described article;

For transporting the conveying system of described article by described microwave office along transport axis; And

First microwave emitter, it is configured to propagate in described microwave office along the first emission center axis by microwave energy,

Wherein the first transmitting inclination angle of at least 2 ° is limited between described first emission center axis and the plane perpendicular to described transport axis.

2. system according to claim 1, wherein said first launches inclination angle is less than 15 °.

3. system according to claim 1, it comprises the second microwave emitter further, described second microwave emitter is configured to propagate in described microwave office along the second emission center axis by microwave energy, and wherein the second transmitting inclination angle of at least 2 ° is limited between described second emission center axis and the plane perpendicular to described transport axis.

4. system according to claim 3, wherein said first and described second emission center axis be substantially parallel to each other.

5. system according to claim 3, wherein said first and described second microwave emitter be positioned on the opposite side of described microwave office.

6. system according to claim 5, wherein said first and described second microwave emitter be that opposite face is right.

7. system according to claim 3, wherein said first and described second microwave emitter be positioned in the same side of described microwave office.

8. system according to claim 1, it comprises at least one microwave generator for generating the microwave energy with wavelength X further, wherein said first microwave emitter limits at least one being discharged in described microwave office by microwave energy and launches opening, and wherein said transmitting opening has width w ₁with degree of depth d ₁, wherein w ₁be greater than d ₁, wherein d ₁be less than 0.625 λ.

9. system according to claim 8, wherein said transmitting opening is elongated on the bearing of trend of described transport axis.

10. system according to claim 8, wherein said first microwave emitter comprises entrance and for microwave energy being discharged into two or more transmitting openings in described microwave office, wherein said each opening that two or more are launched in openings has the degree of depth being less than 0.625 λ.

11. systems according to claim 8, it comprises the window of at least one the basic microwave be thoroughly arranged between described microwave office and described transmitting opening further.

12. systems according to claim 1, wherein said microwave office is compression chamber, under shown compression chamber is configured to operate in the pressure of at least 15psig.

13. systems according to claim 1, it comprises the thermalization range being positioned at described microwave office upstream further, becomes before described article introduce described microwave office, and described thermalization range is configured to the temperature of described article be adjusted to basic uniform temperature.

14. systems according to claim 1, wherein said microwave system is configured for sterilization or the pasteurize of food, medical fluid and/or medicine equipment, and described microwave office is liquid filling.

15. systems according to claim 1, wherein said microwave system is configured to the gross production rate realizing at least 150 packaging equivalents per minute.

16. systems according to claim 1, wherein said article comprise packaged food, wherein said microwave office is configured to that water is filled and is pressurized at least 15psig, and wherein said microwave system is configured to sterilize to described packaged food with the speed of at least 150 packaging equivalents per minute.

17. 1 kinds for heating the microwave system of multiple article, described system comprises:

Be configured to the microwave office receiving described article;

For transporting the conveying system of described article by described microwave office along transport axis;

First microwave emitter, it is defined at least one being discharged in described microwave office by microwave energy and launches opening; And

Be arranged on the window of the basic microwave thoroughly between described microwave office and described transmitting opening,

Wherein said window presents the room side surface of the part limiting described microwave office, and at least 50% of the total surface area of the described room side surface of described window is oriented the angle becoming at least 2 ° with horizontal plane.

18. systems according to claim 17, wherein said microwave office is liquid filling room, under described liquid filling room is configured to operate in the pressure of at least 10psig.

19. systems according to claim 17, at least 95% of the total surface area of wherein said room side surface is oriented the angle becoming at least 2 ° with the center elongated axis of described microwave office.

20. systems according to claim 17, the described room side surface of wherein said window comprises at least one convex surface and/or at least one concave surface.

21. systems according to claim 17, wherein said window has the average thickness of at least 10mm, and by be selected from the teflon of glass-filled, polytetrafluoroethylene, polymethyl methacrylate, Polyetherimide and PEI, aluminium oxide, glass or its combination at least one material form.

22. systems according to claim 17, wherein said window is elongated on the bearing of trend of described transport axis.

23. systems according to claim 17, wherein said window is formed by the teflon of glass-filled.

24. systems according to claim 17, it comprises the thermalization range being positioned at described microwave office upstream further, and before described article are introduced into described microwave office, the temperature of described article is adjusted to basic uniform temperature by described thermalization range.

25. systems according to claim 17, wherein said microwave system is configured for sterilization or the pasteurize of food, medical fluid and/or medicine equipment.

26. systems according to claim 17, wherein said microwave system is configured to the gross production rate realizing at least 150 packaging equivalents per minute.

27. systems according to claim 26, wherein said article comprise packaged food, wherein said microwave office is configured to water filling, and be pressurized at least 15psig, wherein said microwave system is configured to carry out disinfection to described packaged food with the speed of at least 150 packaging equivalents per minute.

28. 1 kinds for heating the process of multiple article in microwave heating system, described process comprises:

A () transmits multiple article by microwave heating chamber via conveying system, wherein said microwave heating chamber is filled with liquid medium at least partly;

B () uses one or more microwave generator to generate microwave energy;

C () by the described microwave office of introducing at least partially of described microwave energy, is wherein introduced into discharging with the transmitting inclination angle of at least 2 ° at least partially of the described microwave energy in described microwave office via at least one microwave emitter; And

D () uses the article heated at least partially in described microwave heating chamber of the described microwave energy be discharged in described microwave heating chamber.

29. processes according to claim 28, two or more microwave emitters that the use of wherein said introducing step (c) is arranged on the opposite side of described microwave office perform, and wherein each reflector is no more than the transmitting inclination angle discharge microwave energy of 15 ° with at least 2 °.

30. processes according to claim 28, wherein said article comprise packaged food or packaging medical fluid, wherein said microwave office is the water filled chamber of the pressure being pressurized at least 10psig, and wherein said process carries out disinfection to described packaged food or described packaging medical fluid with the speed of at least 150 packaging equivalents per minute.

31. 1 kinds for heating the microwave system of multiple article, described microwave system comprises:

For generating the microwave generator of the microwave energy with main wavelength X;

For carrying the conveying system of described article along transport axis; And

First microwave emitter, it is for launching described microwave energy towards the described article carried by described conveying system at least partially, and wherein said first microwave emitter limits has width W ₁with degree of depth D ₁at least one launch opening, wherein W ₁be greater than D ₁, wherein D ₁be no more than 0.625 λ.

32. system according to claim 31, wherein D ₁be no more than 0.50 λ.

33. systems according to claim 31, wherein said first microwave emitter comprises the opposing sidewalls of a group wider and the opposite end walls of a group narrower, each in wherein said sidewall and described end wall presents terminal edge, the terminal edge of wherein said sidewall and described end wall limits described transmitting opening jointly, the described width W of wherein said transmitting opening ₁by described end wall terminal edge between distance limit, and the described degree of depth D of described transmitting opening ₁by described sidewall terminal edge between distance limit.

34. systems according to claim 33, the terminal edge of wherein said sidewall is basically parallel to described transport axis and extends.

35. systems according to claim 33, wherein said transmitting opening is rectangle.

36. systems according to claim 33, wherein said sidewall has the width subtended angle θ of at least 5 ° _w.

37. systems according to claim 33, wherein said end wall has the degree of depth subtended angle θ being no more than 0 ° _d.

38. according to system according to claim 37, wherein θ _dbe less than 0 °.

39. systems according to claim 31, wherein said first microwave emitter limits microwave entrance and at least the first and second and launches opening, and wherein said first launches opening has described width W ₁with described degree of depth D ₁, wherein said second launches opening has width W ₂with degree of depth D ₂, wherein W ₂be greater than D ₂, wherein D ₂be no more than 0.625 λ.

40. according to system according to claim 39, wherein said microwave emitter comprises at least one separation membrane between described microwave entrance and described transmitting opening be arranged in described microwave emitter interior zone, and wherein said barrier film limits described first and described second at least partly and launches opening.

41. according to system according to claim 39, wherein said first and second launch openings located adjacent one another and be transverse to described transport axis alignment.

42. according to system according to claim 39, and wherein said microwave entrance has degree of depth D ₀, wherein D ₁and D ₂be less than or equal to D ₀.

43. according to system according to claim 39, and wherein said first microwave emitter comprises the 3rd further and launches opening, and the described 3rd launches opening has width W ₃with degree of depth D ₃, wherein W ₃be greater than D ₃, wherein D ₁, D ₂or D ₃all be no more than 0.50 λ.

44. systems according to claim 43, wherein said first microwave emitter comprises at least two separation membrane be arranged between described microwave entrance and described transmitting opening further, described barrier film is jointly defined for and microwave energy is propagated into described first, second, and third from described microwave entrance launches at least three of each opening opening independently microwave paths, and at least one the microwave path in wherein said independent microwave path is longer than at least another microwave path of described independent microwave path.

45. systems according to claim 31, it comprises microwave office further, described article are conducted through described microwave office by described conveying system, wherein said article comprise packaged food, that wherein said microwave office is configured to liquid filling and be pressurized at least 10psig, wherein said microwave system is configured to carry out pasteurize and/or sterilization with the speed of every conveying circuit at least 20 packagings per minute to described packaged food.

46. 1 kinds for heating the microwave system of multiple article, described microwave system comprises:

Be configured to the microwave office receiving described article; And

Microwave distribution system, it is for being directed to described microwave office at least partially by the described microwave energy from described microwave generator, and wherein said microwave distribution system comprises the first microwave emitter,

Wherein said first microwave emitter is defined for the microwave entrance at least partially of the described microwave energy of reception and launches opening at least one being discharged into by described microwave energy in described microwave office, and wherein said microwave entrance has degree of depth d ₀and described transmitting opening has degree of depth d ₁, wherein said d ₀be greater than d ₁.

47. systems according to claim 46, wherein said d ₁be less than 0.625 λ.

48. systems according to claim 46, wherein said first microwave emitter comprises one group of relative sidewall end wall relative with a group, each in described sidewall and end wall extends to described transmitting opening from described microwave entrance, wherein said sidewall is wider than described end wall, each sidewall in wherein said sidewall limits the width subtended angle of at least 2 °, and each end wall in described end wall limits the degree of depth subtended angle being less than 0 °.

49. systems according to claim 46, wherein said first microwave emitter limits has degree of depth d ₂second launch opening, wherein said d ₀be greater than d ₂, wherein said d ₁and d ₂all be less than 0.625 λ.

50. systems according to claim 49, wherein said first microwave emitter comprises the 3rd further and launches opening, and the described 3rd launches opening has degree of depth d ₃, wherein d ₀be greater than d ₃, wherein d ₁, d ₂and d ₃all be less than 0.50 λ.

51. systems according to claim 46, it is included in the thermalization range in described microwave office downstream further, and before described article are introduced into described microwave office, described thermalization range is used for described article being heated to basic uniform temperature.

52. systems according to claim 46, wherein said microwave office is configured to be liquid filling, and is pressurized at least 10psig.

53. 1 kinds for heating the microwave system of multiple article, described microwave system comprises:

Be configured to the microwave office receiving described article;

First microwave emitter, it limits microwave entrance and two or more launch opening, and described two or more are launched opening and are configured to be discharged into by microwave energy in described microwave office,

The central point of wherein contiguous transmitting opening is distanced from one another cross relative to described transport axis.

54. systems according to claim 53, wherein said first microwave emitter comprises at least one barrier film of at least part of restriction at least two paths be arranged in described reflector, and described microwave energy to propagate into each opening described transmitting opening by described two paths from described entrance.

55. systems according to claim 53, wherein said first microwave emitter comprises three or more at least two barrier films launched opening and at least limit first, second, and third path, microwave energy propagates into described transmitting opening by described first, second, and third path from described microwave entrance, and at least one path in wherein said first, second, and third path is longer than at least another path in described first, second, and third path.

56. systems according to claim 53, wherein said first microwave emitter limits one group of relative sidewall end wall relative with a group, each in described sidewall and end wall extends to described transmitting opening from described microwave entrance, wherein said sidewall is wider than described end wall, each sidewall in wherein said sidewall limits the width subtended angle of at least 2 °, and each end wall in described end wall defines no more than the degree of depth subtended angle of 0 °.

57. systems according to claim 56, the described degree of depth subtended angle of wherein said end wall is less than 0 °.

58. systems according to claim 53, its comprise further be arranged on described microwave office apart from the second microwave emitter on described first microwave emitter substantially opposite side, wherein said second microwave emitter limit the second microwave entrance and be configured to microwave energy to be discharged in described microwave office at least two or more launch openings.

59. systems according to claim 53, wherein said microwave office is the microwave office of pressurization.

60. systems according to claim 53, wherein said article comprise packaged food, wherein said microwave office is configured to water filling, and be pressurized at least 15psig, wherein said microwave system is configured to sterilize to described packaged food with the speed of every strip transmission line road at least 20 packagings per minute.

61. 1 kinds of microwave emitters, it comprises:

For receiving the microwave entrance of the microwave energy with wavelength X;

For discharging at least one transmitting opening at least partially of described microwave energy;

The reflector sidewall that a pair relative reflector end wall is relative with a pair, between described end wall and sidewall, limit microwave path, wherein said microwave path is configured to allow microwave energy to be sent to described microwave opening from described microwave entrance; And

Correspondingly be coupled to described pair of end walls and a pair induction type diaphragm panel extended internally from described end wall,

Each induction type diaphragm faceplate part of wherein said induction type diaphragm panel extends in described microwave path, to limit induction type diaphragm between described induction type diaphragm panel, what be sent to the described microwave energy of described transmitting opening from described microwave entrance can pass described induction type diaphragm at least partially.

62. reflectors according to claim 61, wherein said induction type diaphragm is arranged between described microwave entrance and described transmitting opening, wherein said microwave emitter has the length L limited by the minimum range between described microwave entrance and described transmitting opening, wherein said induction type diaphragm and described microwave entrance interval at least 0.1L.

63. reflectors according to claim 61, wherein said microwave emitter limits emission center axis, described emission center Axis Extension is by the geometric center of described microwave path, and wherein said induction type diaphragm panel is basically perpendicular to described emission center Axis Extension.

64. reflectors according to claim 61, wherein said sidewall is wider than described end wall, and wherein said sidewall has the width subtended angle of 2 °.

65. reflectors according to claim 64, wherein said end wall has the degree of depth subtended angle being no more than 0 °.

66. reflectors according to claim 61, wherein said transmitting opening has width w ₁with degree of depth d ₁, wherein w ₁be greater than d ₁, wherein d ₁be less than 0.50 λ.

67. reflectors according to claim 61, wherein said microwave emitter limits at least two at least two Microwave Path of launching opening and extending to a transmitting opening described transmitting opening from described microwave entrance, and each diaphragm panel in wherein said diaphragm panel extends at least two Microwave Path of described Microwave Path.

68. reflectors according to claim 67, it comprises further and separating and at least part of at least one barrier film limiting each described Microwave Path, wherein said barrier film is coupled to the described end wall of described reflector and extends between the described end wall of described reflector, and the thickness of wherein said barrier film is less than 0.1 λ.

69. 1 kinds for heating the microwave system of multiple article, described system comprises:

For generating the microwave generator of the microwave energy with wavelength X;

Be configured to the microwave office receiving described article;

For carrying described article by the conveying system of described microwave office along transport axis; And

For the microwave distribution system being directed to described microwave office at least partially by the described microwave energy from described microwave generator,

Wherein said microwave distribution system comprises for the first microwave separator being divided into two or more independent sectors at least partially by described microwave energy, and at least one pair of microwave emitter, each described microwave emitter limits microwave entrance and launches opening at least one being discharged into by microwave energy in described microwave office, and wherein said microwave distribution system comprises the first induction type diaphragm between the described transmitting opening of the microwave emitter be arranged in described first microwave separator and described microwave emitter further.

70. systems according to claim 69, wherein said microwave distribution system comprises the second induction type diaphragm between the described transmitting opening of another microwave emitter being arranged on described first microwave separator and described a pair microwave emitter further.

71. systems according to claim 69, wherein said first induction type diaphragm is arranged between described microwave entrance and the described transmitting opening of described microwave emitter.

72. according to the system described in claim 71, and each microwave emitter in wherein said microwave emitter comprises and has respective depth d ₁and d ₂at least two launch opening, wherein d ₁and d ₂all be less than 0.625 λ.

73. systems according to claim 69, wherein said first induction type diaphragm is arranged between described first microwave separator and a described transmitting entrance of described microwave emitter.

74. according to the system described in claim 73, and wherein said microwave distribution system comprises the second induction type diaphragm between the microwave entrance of another microwave emitter being arranged on described first microwave separator and described a pair microwave emitter further.

75. systems according to claim 69, wherein said microwave distribution system comprises for the second separator being divided into two or more extentions at least partially by described microwave energy further, a pair additional microwave reflector and the second induction type diaphragm, wherein said a pair additional microwave reflector limits the second microwave entrance and launches opening at least one being discharged into by microwave energy in described microwave office, and described second induction type diaphragm is arranged between the described transmitting opening of a reflector of described second microwave separator and described a pair additional microwave reflector.

76. according to the system described in claim 75, and each described reflector of wherein said a pair microwave emitter is arranged in the same side of described microwave office.

77. systems according to claim 69, a reflector of wherein said a pair microwave emitter is arranged on described microwave office apart from described a pair microwave emitter opposite side.

78. systems according to claim 69, wherein said microwave office is the microwave office of pressurization.

79. systems according to claim 69, it comprises thermalization range further, and described thermalization range was used for before the article of thermalization are introduced into described microwave office, the temperature of described article is adjusted to basic uniform temperature.

80. systems according to claim 69, wherein said article comprise packaged food, wherein said microwave office is configured to liquid filling, and be pressurized at least 10psig, wherein said microwave system is configured to the speed of every strip transmission line road at least 20 packagings per minute described packaged food pasteurize and/or sterilization.

81. 1 kinds for heating the process of multiple article in microwave heating system, described process comprises:

A multiple article are transported through microwave heating chamber along one or more conveying circuit of conveying system by ();

B () uses one or more microwave generator to generate microwave energy;

C described microwave energy is divided into two or more independent sectors by () at least partially;

(d) via two or more microwave emitters by the described partial discharge of described microwave energy in described microwave heating chamber;

(e) after described partiting step (b) and described drain steps (c) before, by described microwave energy at least one described in part transport through the first induction type diaphragm; And

F () uses the described article heated at least partially in described microwave heating chamber of the described microwave energy be discharged in described microwave heating chamber.

82. processes according to Claim 8 described in 1, after it is included in described partiting step (c) further and before described drain steps (d), transport through the second induction type diaphragm by another part of described microwave energy.

83. processes according to Claim 8 described in 1, are positioned between described microwave entrance and the described transmitting opening of described microwave emitter in the inside that wherein said first induction type diaphragm is arranged on a microwave emitter in described microwave emitter.

84. processes according to Claim 8 described in 1, at least two microwave emitters of wherein said microwave emitter are positioned on the opposite side of described microwave office.

85. processes according to Claim 8 described in 4, at least two microwave emitters of wherein said microwave emitter are the right reflectors of opposite face.

86. processes according to Claim 8 described in 1, at least two microwave emitters of wherein said microwave emitter are positioned in the same side of described microwave office.

87. processes according to Claim 8 described in 1, wherein said microwave office is filled with liquid medium at least in part, and is pressurized at least 10psig.

88. processes according to Claim 8 described in 7, wherein said article are selected from the group be made up of packaged food, packaging medical fluid and medicine equipment, and described process is pasteurize and/or disinfecting process.

89. 1 kinds for controlling the method for microwave heating system, described method comprises:

A () uses one or more microwave generator to generate microwave energy;

B multiple article are transported through the microwave office of water filling by () via conveying system;

C () via one or more microwave emitter being directed to described microwave energy at least partially in described microwave office, thus heats described article at least partially;

D (), at least partially period of described step (a) to (c), determines the value of one or more microwave system parameter, thus the parameter value providing at least one to determine;

E () more described parameter value determined and corresponding targeted parameter value, to determine difference; And

F (), based on described difference, is taken action to described microwave heating system,

One or more microwave system parameter wherein said is selected from the temperature of water in clean microwave power, described microwave office, water by the flow velocity of described microwave office and conveying system speed.

90. methods according to Claim 8 described in 9, wherein when the described difference determined in step (e) is at least 5% of described desired value, perform step (f).

91. methods according to Claim 8 described in 9, the wherein described temperature value determining to comprise the water determined in described microwave office of step (d), the described desired value wherein used between the described comparable period of step (e) is no more than 130 DEG C.

92. methods according to Claim 8 described in 9, wherein step (d) described is determined to comprise and determines the flow speed value of water by described microwave office, and the described desired value wherein used between the described comparable period of step (e) is at least 15 gallons per minute and gpm.

93. methods according to Claim 8 described in 9, wherein the described of step (d) determines to comprise the value determining clean microwave power, and the described desired value wherein used between the described comparable period of step (e) is at least 75kW.

94. according to the method described in claim 93, wherein by using a pair directional coupler in the waveguide in the downstream being arranged at least one microwave emitter described to measure described clean microwave power.

95. methods according to Claim 8 described in 9, wherein step (d) described is determined to comprise and determines conveying system velocity amplitude, and the described desired value wherein used between the described comparable period of step (e) is no more than 10 feet per second and fps.

96. methods according to Claim 8 described in 9, one or more microwave system parameter wherein said is selected from the group consisted of the minimum flow velocity of described microwave office and the maximal rate of described conveying system minimum clean microwave power, the minimum temperature of water in described microwave office, water, and the described action wherein taked in step (f) period comprises shifting out described article from described microwave office at least partially and/or isolating.

97. according to the method described in claim 96, wherein step (d) described is determined to comprise and determines the minimum temperature value of water in described microwave office, and the described desired value wherein used between the described comparable period of step (e) is at least 120 DEG C.

98. according to the method described in claim 96, wherein step (d) described is determined to comprise and determines the minimum flow velocity value of water by described microwave office, and the described desired value wherein used between the described comparable period of step (e) is at least 5gpm.

99. according to the method described in claim 96, and the described of wherein step (d) determines to comprise the value determining the minimum clean microwave power discharged, and the described desired value wherein used between the described comparable period of step (e) is at least 50kW.

100. according to the method described in claim 96, and wherein the described of step (d) determines to comprise the maximum speed value determining described conveying system, and the described desired value wherein used between the described comparable period of step (e) is no more than 15fps.

101. methods according to Claim 8 described in 9, wherein step (a) performing via automatic control system at least partially to (f).

102. methods according to Claim 8 described in 9, it comprises further, before step (b), described article is transported through thermalization range, thus by described article thermalization to basic uniform outlet temperature.

103. methods according to Claim 8 described in 9, wherein said article comprise the packaging comprising food, medical fluid or medicine equipment.

104. methods according to Claim 8 described in 9, wherein said microwave office is at least partially filled by liquid medium and is pressurized at least 10psig, and wherein said microwave heating system is pasteurize and/or decontamination system.

105. according to the method described in claim 104, wherein said article comprise packaged food, wherein said microwave office is the water filled chamber being pressurized at least 15psig, and wherein said microwave heating system has the productivity ratio of every strip transmission line road at least 20 packagings per minute.

106. one kinds of methods controlling microwave heating system, described method comprises:

A () uses at least one microwave generator to generate microwave energy;

B described microwave energy is transported through first wave guide section by () at least partially;

C () via at least one microwave emitter being discharged into described microwave energy in microwave office from described first wave guide section at least partially, thus heats multiple article;

D () uses first pair of directional coupler to determine to be worth from the discharge net power first of described microwave emitter;

E () uses second pair of directional coupler to determine to be worth from the discharge net power second of described microwave emitter, wherein said first and second pairs of directional couplers are independent of each other;

F () more described first value is worth with described second, to determine the first difference; And

G (), when described difference is greater than scheduled volume, is taken action to described microwave heating system.

107. according to the method described in claim 106, and the value of wherein said scheduled volume is at least 1% of described first or described second value determined in step (d) or (e).

108. according to the method described in claim 106, wherein step (d) and/or the described of (e) determine that of comprising respectively in the described first pair of directional coupler of use measures corresponding forward power value with in described second pair of directional coupler, and another using in another and described second pair of directional coupler in described first pair of directional coupler measures corresponding reflection power value, wherein for described first to and described second pair of directional coupler in each directional coupler determined forward power value and transmission power level between difference be respectively described first and second discharge net power values.

109. according to the method described in claim 106, and it comprises described discharge net power first to be worth further and compares with desired value, to determine the second difference, and based on described second difference, adjusts the power stage of described microwave generator.

110. according to the method described in claim 106, and wherein when the lower value in described discharge net power first value and the second value drops to lower than minimum power level, the described action of step (g) is performed.

111. according to the method described in claim 106, wherein the described action of step (g) is selected from the group of following action composition: (i) closes down described microwave generator, (ii) one or more article are shifted out from described heating chamber, and the article that isolation or setting are shifted out, and (iii) increases or reduces the power stage of described generator.

112. according to the method described in claim 106, wherein being performed by automatic control system at least partially of step (d) to (g).

113. according to the method described in claim 106, wherein the described transmission of step (b) comprises and with microwave separator the described microwave energy generated in the step (a) is divided into two independently parts at least partially, and wherein the described discharge of step (c) comprises and each part in described two independent sectors of described microwave energy being discharged into respectively in described microwave office via a pair relative microwave emitter.

114. methods according to claim 25, wherein said first and second pairs of directional couplers are arranged between a reflector in the described reflector of described separator and described a pair reflector.

115. according to the method described in claim 106, and wherein said microwave office is for the pressurization microwave office to described article pasteurize and/or sterilization.

116. methods according to claim 27, wherein said article are selected from food, packaging medical fluid and medicine equipment.

117. methods according to claim 28, wherein said article comprise packaged food, wherein said microwave office is the water filled chamber being pressurized at least 15psig, and wherein said microwave heating system has the productivity ratio of every strip transmission line road at least 20 packagings per minute.

118. one kinds of variable phase short-circuiting means for microwave heating system, described device comprises:

Limit the fixed part of the first basic rectangular aperture; And

Rotatable portion, it comprises outer cover and is contained in the multiple substantially parallel plates separated in described outer cover,

Wherein said outer cover comprises the first and second relative ends, wherein said first end limits the second opening being adjacent to described first opening of described fixed part, each plate of wherein said plate is coupled to the described the second end of described outer cover and substantially extends to described first and described second opening

Wherein said rotatable portion is configured to rotate relative to described fixed part on rotation, and wherein said rotation extends through described first and described second opening.

119. according to the device described in claim 118, and wherein said outer cover has length L ₁, width W ₁with degree of depth D ₁, wherein said variable phase short circuit is configured to the microwave energy with wavelength X to be sent to described outer cover from described first opening, wherein W ₁and D ₁in at least one be greater than 0.5 λ.

120. according to the device described in claim 119, wherein W ₁and D ₁both are all less than 1 λ.

121. according to the device described in claim 119, wherein W ₁: D ₁ratio be less than 1.5:1.

122. according to the device described in claim 118, and wherein said variable phase short circuit is configured to the microwave energy with wavelength X to be sent to described outer cover from described first opening, and the plate of the vicinity wherein in described outer cover is spaced apart is no more than 0.1 λ.

123. according to the device described in claim 118, each plate in wherein said plate presents the far-end of the first surface area had towards described first and second openings, the described the second end of wherein said outer cover limits at described plate and towards the exposed interior surface area between described first and second openings, and the ratio of the summation of described first surface area of the described far-end of wherein said plate and the described exposed surface area of the described the second end of described outer cover is at least 0.5:1 and be no more than 2:1.

124. according to the device described in claim 118, and wherein said variable phase short circuit is configured to the microwave energy with wavelength X to be sent to described outer cover from described first opening, and wherein said plate extends the distance of at least 0.25 λ towards described first side.

125. according to the device described in claim 118, and wherein said first opening has length L ₂, width W ₂with degree of depth D ₂, wherein W ₂: D ₂ratio be greater than 1.25:1.

126. according to the device described in claim 125, and wherein said outer cover has length L ₁, width W ₁with degree of depth D ₁, wherein W ₁and W ₂substantially equal.

127. according to the device described in claim 126, wherein said W ₁: D ₁ratio be less than 1.2:1.

128. according to the device described in claim 118, and it comprises microwave choke further, and it arranges near described first and second openings and is configured to stop microwave energy to leak between described fixed part and rotatable portion.

129. according to the device described in claim 118, and it comprises the actuator for making described rotatable portion rotate with the speed that at least 50 rpms is rpm further.

130. according to the device described in claim 118, and wherein said rotatable portion is configured to via rotating the position being manually adjusted to expectation.

131. according to the device described in claim 118, and wherein said variable phase short circuit is configured to be connected to hookup and is used as the phase shifting equipment in the microwave system of the multiple article of heating.

132. one kinds for heating the method for multiple article in microwave heating system, described method comprises:

A described article are transported through the thermal treatment zone of microwave office by () via conveying system, wherein each described article are kept article residence time τ in the described thermal treatment zone;

B () utilizes one or more microwave generator to generate microwave energy;

C () transports through phase shifting equipment at least partially by described microwave energy, described phase shifting equipment is configured to the phase place of microwave energy described in phase shift rate t cyclic shift;

D the described microwave energy of discharging from described phase shifting equipment is discharged in the described thermal treatment zone via at least one microwave emitter by () at least partially; And

E () utilizes the described article heated at least partially in the described thermal treatment zone of the described microwave energy be discharged in the described thermal treatment zone,

Ratio τ: t of wherein said article residence time and described phase shift rate is at least 4:1.

133. according to the method described in claim 132, and wherein said phase shift rate is that at least 1.5 cycles are per second.

134. according to the method described in claim 132, and ratio τ: t of wherein said article residence time and described phase shift rate is no more than 10:1.

135. according to the method described in claim 132, and wherein said article residence time was at least 2 seconds and was no more than for 30 seconds.

136. according to the method described in claim 132, and wherein said phase shifting equipment is rotatable phase shifting equipment.

137. according to the method described in claim 136, and wherein the described transmission of step (c) comprises described phase shifting equipment is rotated with the speed of at least 120 rpms of i.e. rpm.

138. according to the method described in claim 136, wherein said rotatable phase shifting equipment comprises fixed part and rotatable portion, described rotatable portion comprises outer cover and is arranged on the multiple plates in described outer cover, and wherein said rotatable portion is configured to rotate relative to described fixed part.

139. according to the method described in claim 132, it comprises further, the partial discharge of the described microwave energy that side by side will generate in step (b) with step (d) is in the described thermal treatment zone, and wherein said part is not also transmitted through phase shifting equipment.

140. according to the method described in claim 132, and described microwave energy is directed in the described thermal treatment zone by a pair reflector that wherein the described discharge of step (d) comprises via being arranged on the cardinal principle opposite side of the described thermal treatment zone.

141. according to the method described in claim 132, and wherein said a pair reflector is along the elongated center axis layout interlaced with each other of described microwave office.

142. according to the method described in claim 132, and wherein said microwave office is the microwave office of pressurization.

143. according to the method described in claim 132, and wherein said microwave heating system carries out disinfection and/or pasteurize to one or more article described.

144. according to the method described in claim 143, and wherein said microwave office is liquid filling room, and wherein said article are selected from packaged food, medical fluid and medicine equipment.

145. according to the method described in claim 132, wherein said article comprise packaged food, wherein between the described period of heating of step (e), described microwave office is filled by water and is pressurized at least 15psig, and wherein said microwave system carries out disinfection and/or pasteurize to described food with the total output of every strip transmission line road at least 20 packagings per minute.

146. one kinds for heating the microwave system of multiple article, described system comprises:

For generating at least one microwave generator of microwave energy;

Microwave office;

For by the conveying system of described article delivery by described microwave office; And

For the microwave distribution system being directed to described microwave office at least partially from described microwave generator by described microwave energy,

Wherein said microwave distribution system comprises at least three microwave assignment device for described microwave energy being divided at least three independent sectors, wherein said microwave distribution system comprises at least three microwave emitters for being discharged into by the independent sector of described microwave energy in described microwave office further, each being configured in wherein said microwave assignment device divides described microwave energy according to predetermined power ratio, and the described predetermined power ratio of at least one microwave assignment device of wherein said microwave assignment device is not 1:1.

147. according to the system described in claim 146, and the described predetermined power ratio of two or more microwave assignment device in wherein said microwave assignment device is not 1:1.

148. according to the system described in claim 146, and wherein said microwave assignment device is configured to make the quantity of power from each reflector discharge described microwave emitter be almost identical.

149. according to the system described in claim 146, and wherein said microwave assignment device is configured to the microwave amount making to be different from least another microwave emitter discharge in described microwave emitter from the quantity of power of one or more microwave emitter discharge described microwave emitter.

150. according to the system described in claim 146, and wherein said microwave system comprises n microwave emitter and is arranged on n-1 microwave assignment device between described microwave generator and a described n microwave emitter, and wherein n is at least 4.

151. according to the system described in claim 146, and wherein said microwave assignment device is selected from separator, induction type diaphragm or its combination.

152. according to the system described in claim 146, and wherein said microwave emitter is arranged on the first side of described microwave office, and axially spaced apart from each other along the elongated center axis of described microwave office.

153. systems according to claim 7, wherein said microwave distribution system comprises further and is arranged at least three additional microwave reflectors on the second side of described microwave office and the microwave separator for described microwave energy being divided into the independent sector that will be directed to described reflector and described additional transmitters, and wherein said additional transmitters is axially spaced apart from each other along the elongated center axis of described microwave office.

154. systems according to claim 8, it comprises at least three or more microwave assignment device further, described at least three or more microwave assignment device is arranged between described separator and described additional transmitters, and for microwave energy is divided at least three extentions, wherein said additional transmitters is configured to described extention to be discharged in described microwave office.

155. systems according to claim 9, another predetermined power ratio that at least one the microwave assignment device in wherein said at least three or more microwave assignment device is configured to according to not being 1:1 divides the described microwave energy transporting through described microwave assignment device.

156. according to the system described in claim 146, and wherein said microwave office is the microwave office of pressurization.

157. according to the system described in claim 146, and it comprises further for before being introduced into described microwave office at the article of thermalization, described article is heated to the thermalization range of basic uniform temperature.

158. according to the system described in claim 146, and wherein said microwave system is configured for sterilization or the pasteurize of food, medical fluid and/or medicine equipment.

159. according to the system described in claim 146, wherein said article comprise packaged food, that wherein said microwave office is configured to liquid filling and be pressurized at least 15psig, wherein said microwave system is configured to sterilize to described packaged food with the speed of every strip transmission line road at least 20 packagings per minute.

160. one kinds use microwave energy to heat the process of multiple article, and described process comprises:

A the primary quantity of described microwave power is introduced in microwave distributing manifold by ();

B () uses described microwave distributing manifold the described primary quantity of described microwave power to be divided into the first launched microwave component and the first distribution microwave component, wherein said first launched microwave component and the described first power ratio of distributing microwave component are not 1:1;

C () uses described microwave distributing manifold to distribute microwave component by described first and is divided into the second launched microwave component and the second distribution microwave component;

D described first launched microwave component is introduced microwave heating chamber via the first microwave emitter by (); And

D described second launched microwave component is introduced described microwave heating chamber via the second microwave emitter by ().

161. according to the process described in claim 160, and wherein said first launched microwave component and the described first power ratio of distributing microwave component are less than 1:1.

162. according to the process described in claim 160, and wherein said first and second microwave emitters are positioned in the same side of described microwave heating chamber.

163. according to the process described in claim 160, wherein only uses described first microwave emitter, described second microwave emitter and the 3rd microwave emitter to be incorporated in described microwave office by the described primary quantity of described microwave power.

164. according to the process described in claim 163, it comprises use described whole second further and distributes microwave component as the 3rd launched microwave component, and is introduced in described microwave heating chamber by described 3rd launched microwave component via described 3rd microwave emitter.

165. according to the process described in claim 163, and wherein said second launched microwave component and described second distributes the scope of power ratio at 0.8:1 to 1.2:1 of microwave component.

166. according to the process described in claim 160, it comprises the described microwave distributing manifold of use further and described second distribution microwave component is divided into the 3rd launched microwave component and the 3rd distribution microwave component, and is introduced in described microwave heating chamber by described 3rd launched microwave component via the 3rd microwave emitter.

167. according to the process described in claim 166, and wherein said second launched microwave component and the described second power ratio of distributing microwave component are not 1:1.

168. according to the process described in claim 166, and wherein said second launched microwave component and the described second power ratio of distributing microwave component are less than 1:1.

169. according to the process described in claim 166, wherein only uses described first microwave emitter, described second microwave emitter, described 3rd microwave emitter and the 4th microwave emitter to be incorporated in described microwave office by the described primary quantity of described microwave power.

170. according to the process described in claim 169, it comprises the 3rd whole distribution microwave component of use further as the 4th launched microwave component, and via described 4th microwave emitter, described 4th launched microwave component is incorporated in described microwave heating chamber, and wherein said first, second, third and fourth microwave emitter is positioned in the same side of described microwave office.

171. according to the process described in claim 170, and wherein said 3rd launched microwave component and the described 3rd distributes the scope of power ratio at 0.8:1 to 1.2:1 of microwave component.

172. according to the process described in claim 160, it is included in heating objects in described microwave office further, being thered is provided by the microwave energy introduced via described first and second microwave emitters at least partially of wherein said heating, and described heating is transferred at described article and is performed by during described microwave office.

173. according to the process described in claim 172, and wherein said microwave office is liquid filled and is pressurized at least 15psig between the described period of heating.

174. according to the process described in claim 173, and wherein said article are packaged foods, and wherein said heating impels sterilization or the pasteurize of described food.

175. according to the process described in claim 174, and wherein said heating is performed with the productivity ratio of every strip transmission line road at least 20 packagings per minute.

176. one kinds for heating the continuous process of multiple article in microwave heating system, described process comprises:

A () be article described in thermalization range thermalization, thus provide multiple thermalization article with basic uniform temperature;

B () heats the article through thermalization in microwave heating district, thus by the mean temperature increase at least 50 DEG C of each article, carrying out with the rate of heat addition of at least 25 DEG C per minute at least partially of wherein said heating; And

C () cools the article through heating in quench zone,

It is each that wherein said article are transmitted through in described thermalization range, described microwave heating district and described quench zone via one or more conveying system, and wherein said microwave heating system has the gross production rates of every strip transmission line road at least 20 packagings per minute.

177. according to the process described in claim 176, and wherein said thermalization range is filled liquid medium at least partly.

178. according to the process described in claim 176, and described microwave energy is discharged in described microwave office by least one pair of relative reflector that wherein the described heating of step (b) comprises via being arranged on the cardinal principle opposite side of described microwave office.

179. according to the process described in claim 178, and wherein said relative reflector is along the elongated center axis relative to each other interlaced arrangement of described microwave office.

180. according to the process described in claim 178, and wherein said relative reflector is the right reflector of opposite face.

181. according to the process described in claim 176, wherein the carrying out under the pressure of at least 10psig at least partially of described heating of step (b).

182. according to the process described in claim 176, wherein said microwave heating district comprises the microwave office being filled with liquid medium at least partly, wherein the carrying out with the temperature on the normal boiling point of described liquid medium at least partially of described heating of step (b).

183. according to the process described in claim 176, wherein the carrying out under the pressure that the pressure of the described heating from step (b) is different at least partially of the described thermalization of step (a) and/or the described cooling of step (c), and described process comprises further, the described thermalization of step (a) and/or the described cooling of step (c) at least partially after, described article are transported through at least one pressure adjusting district, thus at least part of balanced described thermalization range and described microwave office and/or the pressure between described microwave office and described quench zone.

184. according to the process described in claim 176, and the described basic uniform temperature wherein leaving the described article of described thermalization range is at least 20 DEG C and is no more than 70 DEG C.

185. according to the process described in claim 176, the average residence time that wherein said article have at least 2 minutes and are no more than 20 minutes in described thermalization range.

186. according to the process described in claim 176, the residence time that wherein said article had at least 30 seconds and are no more than 10 minutes in described microwave office.

187. according to the process described in claim 176, before it is included in the described cooling of step (c) further, the described article through heating are transported through holding area, the temperature of wherein said article in described holding area with the minimum temperature of specifying or keep at least 2 minutes with the temperature on the minimum temperature of specifying and be no more than the time period of 15 minutes.

188. according to the process described in claim 187, and wherein said minimum temperature of specifying is at least 120 DEG C, and wherein said holding area comprises the liquid filling room with at least pressure operation of 10psig.

189. according to the process described in claim 176, wherein said microwave heating system be pressurization microwave system and for carrying out pasteurize and/or sterilization to described article.

190. according to the process described in claim 189, and wherein said article comprise the packaging containing food, medical fluid or medicine equipment.

191. one kinds for heating the microwave system of multiple article, described system comprises:

For by described article thermalization being the thermalization room of basic uniform temperature;

Microwave heating chamber, it is arranged on the downstream of described thermalization room and for heating the article through thermalization, wherein said microwave heating chamber is configured to the mean temperature increase at least 50 DEG C of the rate of heat addition of at least 25 DEG C per minute by described article;

Quench chamber, its be arranged on described microwave heating chamber downstream and for by through heating article be cooled to lower temperature; And

At least one conveying system, it is configured to described article to be carried through described thermalization room, described microwave heating chamber and described quench chamber, and wherein said microwave system is configured to the gross production rate realizing every strip transmission line road at least 20 packagings per minute.

192. according to the system described in claim 191, and wherein said microwave heating chamber is limited in the microwave office of pressurization at least partly.

193. according to the system described in claim 192, and wherein said microwave office is liquid filling microwave office.

194. according to the system described in claim 191, and it comprises at least one pair of relative microwave emitter further, on its cardinal principle opposite side being arranged on described microwave office and for being discharged in described microwave office by microwave energy.

195. according to the system described in claim 194, and wherein said relative reflector is along the elongated center axis relative to each other interlaced arrangement of described microwave office.

196. according to the system described in claim 194, and wherein said relative reflector is the right reflector of opposite face.

197. according to the system described in claim 191, and it comprises holding chamber further, and it to be arranged between described microwave heating chamber and described quench chamber and for being kept at least 2 minutes with the temperature on minimum temperature by the described article through heating.

198. according to the system described in claim 197, and wherein said holding chamber is filled with liquid medium at least partly.

199. according to the system described in claim 191, it comprises second pressure control chamber in the first pressure control chamber be correspondingly arranged between described thermalization room and described microwave heating chamber and the downstream being arranged on described quench chamber further, wherein said first pressure control chamber is configured to article to transfer to described microwave heating chamber from described thermalization room, and described second pressure control chamber is configured to described item transfer to go out described quench chamber, wherein said thermalization room is configured to the pressure operation different from the pressure of described microwave heating chamber and/or described quench chamber.

200. according to the system described in claim 191, and wherein said microwave system is configured for sterilization or the pasteurize of food, medical fluid and/or medicine equipment.

201. according to the system described in claim 191, wherein said article comprise packaged food, wherein said microwave office is configured to that water is filled and is pressurized at least 15psig, and wherein said microwave system is configured to sterilize to described packaged food with the speed of every strip transmission line road at least 25 packagings per minute.

202. one kinds for heating the process of multiple article in microwave heating system, described process comprises:

A described article are transported through the microwave office of pressurization by () via conveying system, wherein said microwave office fills with liquid medium at least partly;

B () generates microwave energy via one or more microwave generator;

(c) via one or more microwave emitter by the described microwave office of introducing at least partially of described microwave energy;

D () uses the described article heated at least partially in described microwave office of the described microwave energy be introduced in described microwave office; With

E () is in the period at least partially of the described heating of step (d), at least partially, wherein said stirring comprises discharges multiple fluid jet towards the described article of position multiple in described microwave office to the described liquid medium of stirring in described microwave office.

203. according to the process described in claim 202, wherein said multiple position along the elongated center axis axially spaced-apart of described microwave office, being directed to the direction of the described elongated center axis being generally perpendicular to described microwave office at least partially of wherein said jet.

204. according to the process described in claim 202, wherein said multiple position along described microwave office internal cross section circumference interval, radially-inwardly leading towards the described elongated center axis of described microwave office at least partially of wherein said jet.

205. according to the process described in claim 202, and wherein said heating steps (d) can by the temperature increase at least 50 DEG C of described article.

206. according to the process described in claim 202, and wherein said heating steps (d) is carried out with the rate of heat addition of at least 25 DEG C per minute.

207. according to the process described in claim 202, microwave energy is discharged in described microwave office by the microwave emitter that wherein the described introducing of step (c) comprises via at least one pair of axially spaced-apart be arranged in described microwave office same side, and one or more jet manifold that wherein said stirring comprises from being arranged between axially contiguous microwave emitter discharges described fluid jet.

208. according to the process described in claim 202, and the Reynolds number being wherein introduced into each jet of the described fluid jet in described microwave office is at least 4500.

209. according to the process described in claim 202, after it is included in the described heating of step (d) further, the described article through heating are transported through holding area, and the temperature of the described article wherein in described holding area is with the minimum temperature of specifying or keep at least 2 minutes with the temperature on described minimum temperature of specifying and be no more than the time period of 15 minutes.

210. according to the process described in claim 209, and wherein said minimum temperature of specifying is at least 120 DEG C, and wherein said holding area has the pressure of at least 10psig.

211. according to the process described in claim 202, before it is included in the described transmission of step (a) further, article described in thermalization range thermalization, thus the temperature of described article is adjusted to basic uniform temperature, the article wherein through thermalization are transmitted through described microwave office in step (a).

212. according to the process described in claim 202, wherein said microwave office be included at least partly water liquid medium fill and be pressurized at least 10psig, wherein said microwave system with every strip transmission line road per minute at least 20 packaging speed to described sterilisation of objects.

213. according to the process described in claim 212, and wherein said article comprise packaged food, medicine equipment and/or medical fluid.

214. one kinds for heating the process of multiple article in microwave heating system, described process comprises:

A () be article described in thermalization in the thermalization room being filled with liquid medium at least partly, thus produce the thermalization article with basic uniform temperature; And

B () heats described thermalization article in microwave office,

Wherein the described thermalization of step (a) comprises the multiple jets discharging described liquid medium towards the described article of the multiple positions in described thermalization indoor.

215. according to the process described in claim 214, wherein said multiple position along the elongated center axis axially spaced-apart of described thermalization room, being directed to the direction of the described elongated center axis being generally perpendicular to described thermalization room at least partially of wherein said jet.

216. according to the process described in claim 214, wherein said multiple position along described thermalization room internal cross section circumference interval, radially-inwardly leading towards the described elongated center axis of described thermalization room at least partially of wherein said jet.

217. according to the process described in claim 214, and the described basic uniform temperature wherein leaving the described article of described thermalization range is at least 20 DEG C and is no more than 70 DEG C.

218. according to the process described in claim 214, the average residence time that wherein said article have at least 2 minutes and are no more than 20 minutes in described thermalization range.

219. according to the process described in claim 214, and the Reynolds number being wherein introduced into each jet of the described jet in described thermalization room is at least 4500.

220. according to the process described in claim 214, after it is included in the described heating of step (b) further, article through heating are transported through holding area, and wherein in described holding area, the temperature of described article keeps at least 2 minutes with the temperature on the minimum temperature of specifying or the minimum temperature of specifying and is no more than the time period of 15 minutes.

221. according to the process described in claim 214, and the described liquid medium wherein in described thermalization room comprises water.

222. according to the process described in claim 214, and wherein said microwave office has been at least partially filled described liquid medium.

223. according to the process described in claim 222, wherein the described heating of step (b) comprises the described liquid medium of stirring in described microwave office at least partially, and wherein said stirring comprises discharges multiple fluid jet towards the described article of the multiple positions in described microwave office.

224. according to the process described in claim 214, and wherein the described heating of step (b) is performed, with the mean temperature increase at least 50 DEG C by each article, and carrying out with the rate of heat addition of at least 25 DEG C per minute at least partially of wherein said heating.

225. according to the process described in claim 214, and wherein said article comprise food, medical fluid and/or medicine equipment.

226. according to the process described in claim 214, wherein said microwave office is pressurized to the liquid filling room of at least 10psig in the period at least partially of the described heating of step (b), and wherein said microwave system carries out pasteurize and/or sterilization with the speed of every strip transmission line road at least 20 packagings per minute to described article.

227. one kinds for heating the method for multiple article, described method comprises:

A () is when being conducted through the small microwave room of the water filling with the total internal capacity being less than 50 cubic feet by the first test article, described first test article of heating in small microwave heating system, the microwave energy of use at least partially of the wherein described heating of step (a) completes;

B () determines the first regulation heating curves based on the described heating of step (a), wherein said regulation heating curves comprises at least one value of one or more microwave system parameter, and one or more microwave system parameter described is selected from flow velocity in described microwave office of the net power be discharged in described room, microwave power distribution subsequently, the mean temperature of water in described microwave office, water and the residence time of described article in described microwave office; And

C () is when being conducted through the large-scale microwave office of filling water of total internal capacity with at least 250 cubic feet by multiple first commercial good, described first commercial good of heating in large-scale microwave heating system, wherein the microwave energy of use at least partially of the described heating of step (c) completes, each commercial good in wherein said first commercial good is substantially similar with described first test article in size and composition, and wherein the described heating of step (c) controls according to the described first regulation heating curves determined in step (b).

228. according to the method described in claim 227, wherein the described heating of step (c) comprises via multiple microwave emitter by the described large-scale microwave office of described microwave energy introducing, the amount of the microwave energy that wherein said first regulation heating curves specifies each reflector to discharge.

229. according to the method described in claim 227, and wherein said first regulation heating curves specifies the value of the mean temperature of water in described microwave office, and the value of the mean temperature of wherein said water is at least 120 DEG C.

230. according to the method described in claim 227, and wherein said first regulation heating curves specifies the value of the residence time of described article in described microwave office, and the value of wherein said residence time was at least 30 seconds and is no more than 20 minutes.

231. according to the method described in claim 227, before it is included in step (c) further, in thermalization range by the thermalization at least partially of described first commercial good to basic uniform temperature, carrying out according to the described first regulation heating curves determined in step (b) at least partially of wherein said thermalization.

232. according to the method described in claim 231, after it is included in step (c) further, be sent in holding area by described first commercial good, the temperature of wherein said first commercial good is kept the time period of specifying in described holding area with the temperature on minimum temperature or described minimum temperature.

233. according to the method described in claim 232, and wherein said minimum temperature is at least 120 DEG C, and the described time period of specifying is at least 2 minutes and is no more than 20 minutes.

234. according to the method described in claim 227, it comprises with the second test article repetition step (a) and (b) further, thus determine the second regulation heating curves, be used in multiple second commercial good substantially similar with described second test article on size and composition and repeat step (c), the described heating of wherein said second commercial good is carried out according to described second regulation heating curves.

235. according to the method described in claim 227, and wherein said small microwave heating system is intermittent system, and described large-scale microwave heating system is continuous system.

236. according to the method described in claim 227, and wherein one or more automatic control system that utilizes at least partially of step (a) and (c) performs.

237. according to the method described in claim 227, and wherein said first test and commercial good comprise the packaging containing food, medical fluid or medicine equipment.

238. according to the method described in claim 227, and wherein said large-scale microwave heating system is decontamination system.

239. according to the method described in claim 227, and wherein said large-scale microwave heating system has the gross production rate of at least 20 packagings per minute on every strip transmission line road.

240. according to the method described in claim 227, wherein said first commercial good comprises packaged food, medical fluid or medicine equipment, and wherein said large-scale microwave office is pressurized at least 10psig in the period at least partially of the described heating of step (c).

241. according to the method described in claim 227, wherein said first commercial good comprises packaged food, wherein said large-scale microwave office is pressurized at least 15psig in the period at least partially of described heating steps (c), and wherein said large-scale microwave heating system is configured to sterilize to described packaged food with the speed of every strip transmission line road at least 20 packagings per minute.

242. one kinds of locking brake gears, it comprises:

The fixed component separated for a pair, it presents relative sealing surfaces and between described sealing surfaces, limits lock reception space, each fixed component in wherein said fixed component limits the flow-through opening limited by the sealing surfaces of in described sealing surfaces, and wherein said flow-through opening aligns each other substantially; And

Gate assembly, it receives in space can move between a closed position and a open position at described lock, flow-through opening described in gate assembly primary stricture described in described off-position, and described in described open position, gate assembly does not block described flow-through opening substantially,

Wherein said gate assembly comprises a pair isolated sealing plate and is arranged on the drive member between described sealing plate, wherein when described gate assembly is in described off-position, described drive member is moveable relative to described sealing plate between retracted position and extended position

Wherein said gate assembly comprises at least one pair of bearing be arranged between described sealing plate further, wherein said drive member impels described bearing to oppress described sealing plate away from each other and enter described sealing plate and engage the sealing station of described relative sealing surfaces from described retracted position to the displacement of described extended position, and wherein said drive member allows described sealing plate to retract toward each other from described extended position to the displacement of described retracted position and enters the unsealed position that described sealing plate departs from described relative sealing surfaces.

243. according to the device described in claim 242, and each sealing plate in wherein said sealing plate comprises flexible sealing component, and described flexible sealing component is used for engaging described sealing surfaces when described sealing plate is in described sealing station.

244. according to the device described in claim 242, and wherein said sealing plate is biased towards described unsealed position.

245. according to the device described in claim 244, and wherein said gate assembly comprises at least one spring for being biased to described unsealed position by described sealing plate further.

246. according to the device described in claim 242, and wherein said gate assembly comprises at least 3 pairs of bearings be arranged between described sealing plate.

247. according to the device described in claim 242, between that is arranged on for a pair in described drive member and described sealing plate of its middle (center) bearing centering, described sealing plate comprise further along described sealing plate the bearing groove extended at least partially on surface, described bearing groove be configured to described drive member described lock receive move in space time, allow a described bearing and described sealing plate the contact between surface.

248. according to the device described in claim 247, and wherein said bearing groove is with the slope of inclination angle orientation.

249. according to the device described in claim 242, and one or more in wherein said bearing is by least one sealing plate described in physical couplings to described drive member and/or described sealing plate.

250. according to the device described in claim 249, wherein said drive member comprise further be configured to receiving axes honour at least one outer cover of a bearing.

251. according to the device described in claim 242, and wherein said locking brake gear is configured for compression chamber, and described compression chamber is configured to operate under the pressure of at least 10psig.

252. according to the device described in claim 242, and wherein said locking brake gear is configured in liquid filling room, and described liquid filling room is configured to operate under the pressure of at least 15psig.

253. one kinds of methods for one or more article mobile in compression system, described method comprises:

A one or more article are sent to the second pressurized treatments district from the first pressurized treatments district by flow-through opening by ();

B a pair movable panel moves in described opening by ();

C () mobile described plate, makes it away from each other, thus seal described plate against a pair that limits described opening at least partly relative sealing surfaces, and wherein this is isolated described first with described second treatment region each other substantially to the plate of sealing;

D () produces the pressure differential of at least 15psig at this to the plate two ends of sealing;

E () makes at least one treatment region in described first and second treatment regions reduce pressure, with balanced this to the pressure at the plate two ends of sealing;

F () makes described plate move towards each other, thus make described plate from described sealing surfaces depressurization;

G this is shifted out described opening to plate by (); With

H described article to be shifted out from described second treatment region by described flow-through opening and turn back to described first treatment region by (), and/or be inserted in described second treatment region by new article by described flow-through opening.

254. according to the method described in claim 253, the described movement of wherein said plate in step (c) at least partially by making moveable drive member be shifted to realize between this is to plate, wherein said drive member is coupled at least one pair of bearing, plate described at least one pair of bearing touch described also applies pressure over the plates, thus described plate is moved with relative direction.

255. according to the method described in claim 253, wherein said plate physical couplings and be biased to unsealed position each other.

256. according to the method described in claim 253, it comprises further, in the described generation of step (d) and/or the described decompression of step (e), by the second flow-through opening, article are moved on to the 3rd treatment region from described second treatment region, wherein shift out described in step (h) to comprise new article is inserted in described second treatment region.

257. according to the method described in claim 256, and wherein said 3rd treatment region has the pressure higher than described first treatment region.

258. according to the method described in claim 257, wherein the described generation of step (d) comprises the first balanced valve opened fluid and connect described second treatment region and described 3rd treatment region, and wherein the described decompression of step (e) comprises and closes described first balanced valve and the second balanced valve opening fluid and be connected described first treatment region and described second treatment region.

259. according to the method described in claim 256, and wherein said first treatment region is thermalization range, and described second treatment region is pressure control chamber, and described 3rd treatment region is microwave heating district, and wherein said article comprise food, medical fluid or medicine equipment.

260. according to the method described in claim 253, and wherein said article are processed and are moved back in described first treatment region during shifting out described in step (h) in described second treatment region.

261. according to the method described in claim 253, and wherein said first and second treatment regions are liquid filling treatment regions.

262. one kinds for heating the microwave heating system of multiple article, described microwave heating system comprises:

The thermalization room of liquid filling;

The microwave office of liquid filling, wherein said microwave office is configured to the pressure operation higher than the pressure of described thermalization room; And

Be arranged on the Prssure lock fixed system between described thermalization room and described microwave office,

Wherein said Prssure lock fixed system comprises pressure control chamber, the first locking gate valve and the second locking gate valve,

Wherein said first locking gate valve is coupled between described thermalization room and described pressure control chamber,

Wherein said second locking gate valve is coupled between described pressure control chamber and described microwave office.

263. according to the system described in claim 262, it comprises the first and second balanced valves further, wherein said first balanced valve selectivity connects described thermalization room and pressure control chamber, and wherein said second balanced valve selectivity connects described microwave office and pressure control chamber.

264. according to the system described in claim 262, and it comprises the first and second check-valves being coupled to described first and second locking gate valves respectively further.

265. according to the system described in claim 262, and it comprises further and is arranged in described pressure control chamber and is configured to support the platform of described article.

266. according to the system described in claim 262, it comprises thermalization conveying system and microwave conveying system further, wherein said thermalization conveying system is configured to described article to be carried towards described pressure control chamber by described thermalization room, and wherein said microwave conveying system is configured to described article to be carried away from described pressure control chamber by described microwave office.

267. according to the system described in claim 266, it comprises automatic article conveying system further, described automatic article conveying system comprises the first and second article transmitting devices, wherein said first article transmitting device is configured to described article are conveyed through described first locking gate valve from described thermalization conveying system and enter described pressure control chamber, and wherein said second article transmitting device is configured to described article are conveyed through described second locking gate valve from described pressure control chamber and enter described microwave office.

268. according to the system described in claim 267, wherein said first and/or described second article transmitting device to be configured at least partially be static.

269. according to the system described in claim 267, wherein said first and/or described second article transmitting device be configured at least partially stretch and/or retract.

270. according to the system described in claim 269, wherein said first and/or described second article transmitting device to be arranged on described pressure adjusting indoor, and be configured to extend in described thermalization room and/or described microwave office, article are transported into and/or transport described pressure control chamber.

271. according to the system described in claim 270, wherein said first and/or described second article transmitting device be arranged in described thermalization room and/or described microwave office, and be configured to extend in described pressure control chamber, article are transported into and/or transport described pressure control chamber.

272. according to the system described in claim 267, it comprises automatic control system further, it is coupled to described first and second locking gate valve and described first and second goods conveying systems, wherein said control system is programmed to control described locking lock and transmission system, to promote described article via described Prssure lock fixed system from described thermalization room to the automatic transmission of described microwave office.

273. according to the system described in claim 272, it comprises the first and second balanced valves further, wherein said first balanced valve selectivity connects described thermalization room and pressure control chamber, wherein said second balanced valve selectivity connects described microwave office and pressure control chamber, wherein said control system is operatively coupled to described first and second balanced valves, wherein said control system is programmed the control with collaborative described goods conveying system and described gate valve, the described balanced valve of automatic opening and closing, thus be convenient to the pressure adjusting in described pressure control chamber.

274. according to the system described in claim 262, it comprises the holding chamber of liquid filling and the quench zone of liquid filling further, the holding chamber of described liquid filling is configured to receive the heating objects left from the microwave office of described liquid filling, and the quench zone of described liquid filling is configured to receive the article exited from described holding chamber.

275. according to the system described in claim 274, it comprises the second Prssure lock fixed system further, described second Prssure lock fixed system comprises the second pressure control chamber, the 3rd locking gate valve and the 4th locking gate valve, wherein said second Prssure lock fixed system has the configuration similar with described Prssure lock fixed system, and wherein said second Prssure lock fixed system is arranged on the downstream of described holding area.

276. according to the system described in claim 275, wherein said quench zone comprises high-pressure section and low-pressure section, wherein said 3rd locking gate valve is coupled between the described high-pressure section of described quench zone and described second pressure control chamber, and described 4th locking gate valve is coupled between described pressure control chamber and the described low-pressure section of described quench zone.

277. according to the system described in claim 276, and each in the described high-pressure section of wherein said quench zone and described low-pressure section is liquid filled.

278. according to the system described in claim 262, and wherein said thermalization room and/or described microwave office are configured to operate under the pressure of at least 15psig.

279. according to the system described in claim 262, and wherein said microwave heating system is configured to carry out pasteurize and/or sterilization to described article.

280. according to the system described in claim 279, and wherein said article comprise packaged food, and described microwave heating system is configured to sterilize to described packaged food with the speed of every strip transmission line road at least 20 packagings per minute.

281. one kinds for heating the process of multiple article in microwave heating system, described process comprises:

A multiple article are transported through the thermalization range of liquid filling by (), thus provide multiple thermalization article;

B () is by the pressure adjusting of the introducing at least partially district of described thermalization article, wherein said pressure adjusting district is limited between first and second locking gate valve at least in part, and wherein said first locking gate valve is in the first open position in the period at least partially of described introducing;

C described first locking gate valve, after described thermalization article have been introduced into described pressure adjusting district, are moved to the first off-position from described first open position, thus is substantially isolated in described pressure adjusting district and described thermalization range by ();

D described second locking gate valve is moved to the second open position from the second off-position by (), be transferred to the microwave heating district of liquid filling to allow described article from described pressure adjusting district; And

C described second locking gate valve, after described article shift out from described pressure adjusting district, is moved to described second off-position from described second open position, thus is isolated in described pressure adjusting district and described microwave heating district again by ().

282. according to the process described in claim 281, and the operating pressure of wherein said thermalization range is lower than the operating pressure in described microwave heating district.

283. according to the process described in claim 281, wherein the described introducing of step (b) comprise by described first locking gate valve move to described first open position from the first off-position, wherein described in described first off-position, thermalization range and described pressure adjusting district isolate each other substantially, and described article are carried through the flow-through opening being limited in described first locking gate valve or being limited by described first locking gate valve, and enter described pressure adjusting district.

284. according to the process described in claim 281, before it is included in the described movement of step (c) further, open the first balanced valve that fluid connects described thermalization range and described pressure adjusting district, and allowed before described first locking gate valve is moved to described first open position, the pressure in described thermalization range and described pressure adjusting district is substantially equal.

285. according to the process described in claim 284, before it is included in the described movement of step (d) further, open the second balanced valve that fluid connects described pressure adjusting district and described microwave heating district, and allowed before described second locking gate valve is moved to described second open position, the pressure in described pressure adjusting district and described microwave heating district is substantially equal.

286. according to the process described in claim 285, after it is included in the described movement of the first locking gate valve described in step (c) further, but before opening described second balanced valve, closes described first balanced valve; And after the described movement of step (e), close described second balanced valve.

287. according to the process described in claim 281, and the automatic article of the use at least partially transmitting device of the wherein described introducing of step (b) performs.

288. according to the process described in claim 287, wherein said automatic article transmitting device be arranged in described pressure adjusting district at least partially, wherein the described introducing of step (b) comprise make described automatic article transmitting device extend in described thermalization range from described pressure adjusting district at least partially, and the extension of described article transmitting device is retracted into described pressure adjusting district, to be introduced in described pressure adjusting district by described article.

289. according to the process described in claim 281, and it comprises further with another batch of multiple article repetition step (a) to (e).

290. according to the process described in claim 281, and wherein said article comprise multiple packaged food, medical fluid or medicine equipment, and wherein said microwave heating system has the productivity ratio of every at least 20, strip transmission line road packaging.