Apparatus and method for dehydration using microwave radiation

摘要

An apparatus for extracting a vaporizable substance, from a material containing such substance, comprises an irradiation chamber for irradiating the material with electromagnetic radiation to vaporize the substance. The substance may comprise water and the material is dehydrated. The electromagnetic radiation comprises microwaves. The irradiation is conducted in the near-field range of the electromagnetic radiation. In one aspect, the electromagnetic radiation within the waveguide evanescently couples with the material.

主权项

1. An apparatus for vaporizing a vaporizable substance from a material, the vaporizable substance being subject to vaporization upon exposure to electromagnetic energy, the apparatus comprising:
a processing chamber; one or more electromagnetic wave generators for generating electromagnetic waves having electromagnetic energy; and, one or more non-gas dielectric waveguides adapted to confine the electromagnetic waves and to direct the generated electromagnetic energy to the material by evanescently coupling the electromagnetic energy to the material.