Microwave Applications to Freeze Dehydration. Gaseous Breakdown vs. Electric Field Strength

Abstract

Food Freeze-drying cycles of 1/2 to 1/10 of the time required by conventional methods (radiant, conductive) appear feasible using microwave power. A major problem is corona breakdown, which occurs most readily under the pressure conditions of freeze-drying and causes deleterious effects on the food. The effects of pressure, temperature, frequency, gas composition, size and shape of cavity, electric field strength, and dielectric load are explained and interrelated in the region of interest of freeze-drying, using breakdown curves from the literature and derived by the authors. Experimental breakdown curves for air, water vapor, and carbon dioxide at 2450 MHz are presented and compared with theory.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 01, 1970
Accession Number
AD0716985

Entities

People

  • Ernest M. Kenyon
  • James W. Gould

Organizations

  • United States Army Soldier Systems Center

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Carbon Dioxide
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Commerce
  • Electrical Properties
  • Electron Energy
  • Energy
  • Energy Transfer
  • Equations
  • Freeze Drying
  • Frequency
  • Gas Breakdown
  • Heat Transfer
  • Mass Transfer
  • Measurement
  • Pulsed Power
  • Test And Evaluation
  • Water Vapor

Readers

  • Electrical Engineering
  • Microwave Engineering.
  • Theoretical Analysis.