Dielectric dryer drum

摘要

Methods and apparatus for heating an object 9 that includes an absorbed medium. A method embodiment comprises: placing the object 9 including the medium into an enclosure 16; initiating a heating process by subjecting the object 9 and medium to a capacitive AC electrical field generated by an RF power source 2 at a single low frequency; controlling the heating process by taking real time measurements; and making real time adjustments to the RF power source 2 in response to the real time measurements. The object 9 substantially absorbs the medium in a first “cool” state, and therefore has a maximum weight in the first “cool” state. The object 9 is substantially free from the medium in a second “heated” state, due to substantial release of the medium from the object 9. The released medium is evaporated during the heating process. The heating process is completed when the object 9 is substantially transitioned into the second “heated” state. The method further comprises causing an air flow 11 inside the enclosure 16 to carry away evaporated medium out of the enclosure 16.

主权项

1. A method for heating a load including an absorbed medium, said method comprising the steps of:
heating said load and medium within a rotating enclosure by subjecting said load and medium to an AC electrical field originated from an RF power source and embodied as a capacitor; wherein said load becomes substantially free from said medium after being heated, due to release of said medium from said load; controlling said heating by taking real time impedance measurements and by controlling parameters of the RF power source in real time based upon said measurements; and terminating said heating when said load reaches a preselected degree of freedom from said medium.