EuMA Webinar series: Use of Microwave for Process Engineering Applications
Interesting talk of our group leader, Dr.-Ing. Nicole Vorhauer-Huget in scope of the webinar series of the European Microwave Association (EuMA): Nicole gave an overview about her latest works regarding microwave heating in process engineering applications:
The goal of achieving GHG-emission free production processes by the year 2050 the latest (referring to the current European climate goals) will strongly depend on the substitution of fossil-based energy carriers by „green“ alternatives. One promising option currently being pursued is electrification, using renewable sources, such as wind and solar energy. In process engineering applications, energy is usually required in the form of thermal energy to realize material conversion (e.g. phase transition or reaction). Possible (electrified) solutions for this purpose are
- indirect ohmic heating,
- direct ohmic heating,
- inductive heating and
- microwave heating.
These technologies, each, have individual advantages and disadvantages and enable different process efficiencies. Direct volumetric heating, realizable with the three latter technologies, thereby offers great opportunities for process intensification. This is essential for the reduction of the overall energy consumption of production processes, which is equally important to achieve the climate goals.
In this talk, the use of microwaves in process engineering applications is presented and discussed. Examples that will be addressed are the drying of wet materials at temperatures below 100 °C, biomass conversion by pyrolysis at temperatures up to 700 °C as well as energy supply to vaccuum freeze-drying at temperatures below 0 °C, frequently applied in the food and pharmaceutical industry.
You can still watch the webinar on YouTube:
