Parameter Optimisation Modeling Using Stationary 1D-Electrothermal Model to Improve Temperature Homogeneity

A parameter optimisation model is developed to find the parameters that have significant effects on homogeneous temperature distribution during microwave processing of materials. Electromagnetic, thermal and processing parameters are collected for a wide variety of materials and the heating profiles are calculated using a stationary 1D-electrothermal model. A measure of temperature homogeneity is obtained from the heating profiles by statistical calculations of normalised variance (the response variable). The processing parameters (power, temperature, size of the material sample) are optimisedfor all of these materials for a minimum normalised variance which allows maximum change of +/-3% Taverage on the T-distribution to meet most of the industrial process requirements. This mathematical model suggests a group of materials, which requires modifications in processing conditions to achieve uniform heating.