Design of Prototype of Combined Microwave-hot Air Conveyor Belt Dryer

Abstract

Electric field and temperature distribution of load are simulated by the COMSOL MULTIPHYSICS program to design dimensions of the prototype of combined microwave-hot air conveyor belt dryer (MHBD). The width, length and height of the cube MHBD chamber for each 800 W magnetron installed are varied in the range of 0.3-0.5 m in the simulation. The result showed that the changes in the width, length and height effect the electric field and temperature distribution of the load in the chamber. The uniform distribution for one magnetron installed is achieved at the dimension of the chamber of 0.3 m width, 0.3 m length and 0.5 m height. For double magnetrons installed, the uniform distribution is at the dimension of the chamber of 0.3 m width, 0.68 m length, 0.5 m height and at the level of conveyor belt from the base of the chamber of 0.09 m. The temperature of water in the manufactured prototype from the design shows uniform distribution and a microwave leakage from the prototype is in the microwave oven safety standard of the US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). This study can be used as a guide line for an industrial MHBD design.