Dielectric drying

Dielectric heating is a term which covers both radio frequency (RF) and microwave systems. It has been used for industrial drying for many years because it has a number of advantages over other drying processes. These advantages include the volumetric dissipation of energy throughout a product, and the ability to automatically level any moisture variation within it. It is generally true to say that these techniques can only be justified in processes involving material of ''high'' value being processed in modest quantities but when combination with other fuel fired techniques there may be opportunities to broaden the range of applications. In addition to a desciption of current industrial applications, the theory of dielectric heating, the similarities and differences between RF and microwave are discussed together the effects of the dielectric properties of a product on the design of the equipment.