Using
the variable-frequency concept, a new type of microwave heating system
has been demonstrated and commercialized. We have shown that by sweeping
the frequency over some range (determined by average frequency and cavity
size) the power distribution becomes quite uniform because of the superposition
of hundreds or thousands of individual microwave modes. Various types
of polymer products including thermosetting resins, composites, and adhesives
have been uniformly cured, typically in one-half to one-quarter the time
of conventional processing.
These
products are being commercialized by
Lambda Technologies, Raleigh,
North Carolina.
Lambda recently developed a versatile benchtop
variable frequency microwave processing system.