MICROWAVE DRYING OF CERAMIC WARE

摘要

Ceramic articles are cast in plaster molds using a combination of microwave heating and air ventilation. A mold is filled with a slurry and positioned in a cavity having sources of microwave energy to heat the material to a desired temperature. A ventilation device then supplies cool pulsed air to the external surface of the mold to set the slurry. Excess slurry is emptied, further microwave heating applied and cooler air directed into the interior of the mold to harden the paste. The molds are then removed and dried with hot air for reuse. Homogeneous drying minimizes cracking and the processing time is greatly reduced.