A drying device includes: a dielectric heating unit configured to apply an alternating electrical field to a medium onto which a liquid containing a conductive material, water, and a solvent has been discharged, and perform dielectric heating of the liquid; and a conductive member disposed either to make contact with or to be close to the medium to which the alternating electrical field is being applied.

A drying device includes: a dielectric heating unit configured to apply an alternating electrical field to a medium onto which a liquid containing a conductive material, water, and a solvent has been discharged, and perform dielectric heating of the liquid; and a conductive member disposed either to make contact with or to be close to the medium to which the alternating electrical field is being applied.

A dielectric drying method for ceramic formed bodies includes drying a plurality of ceramic formed bodies placed side by side in a direction perpendicular to a conveying direction on upper surfaces of drying tables by conveying the ceramic formed bodies between electrodes of an upper electrode and a lower electrode, and applying a high frequency between the electrodes. In the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the ceramic formed body, a distance between the electrodes in two end regions between which a central region is interposed is shorter than a distance between the electrodes in the central region.

A dielectric drying method for ceramic formed bodies includes drying a plurality of ceramic formed bodies placed side by side in a direction perpendicular to a conveying direction on upper surfaces of drying tables by conveying the ceramic formed bodies between electrodes of an upper electrode and a lower electrode, and applying a high frequency between the electrodes. In the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the ceramic formed body, a distance between the electrodes in two end regions between which a central region is interposed is shorter than a distance between the electrodes in the central region.

A substrate processing method capable of suppressing particles from remaining on a surface of a substrate is provided. In the substrate processing method, a liquid film of a protection liquid is formed on the surface of the substrate, and the substrate is dried by using a supercritical fluid so that the protection liquid is removed from the surface of the substrate. After the substrate is dried, the particles remaining on the surface of the substrate is removed.

Disclosed is an RF (Radio Frequency) power source having a power supply configured to convert an AC (Alternating Current) voltage at a power supply input to a second voltage at a power supply output, and an RF generator configured to receive the second voltage at an RF generator input and to use the second voltage to produce an output RF signal at an RF generator output. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the power supply performs the voltage conversion without galvanic isolation between the power supply input and the power supply output, which can increase energy efficiency while reducing complexity and cost as well. Instead, the RF generator is provided with galvanic isolation between the RF generator input and the RF generator output, which can be sufficient for achieving galvanic isolation between the power supply input and the RF generator output for safety reasons.

A method of drying a green ceramic honeycomb body (20) comprising: moving the body (20) through a drying system (50) comprising interconnected microwave devices (60), wherein each microwave device (D1, D2, D3) comprises an entrance (62a, 62b, 62c) located at an upstream end and an exit (64a, 64b, 64c) located at a downstream end of the microwave device (D1, D2, D3), the ends defining a downstream direction (72) and an upstream direction (74) in each of the devices (D1, D2, D3); removing moisture from the body (20) by irradiating the body (20) with microwave radiation within each of the devices (D1, D2, D3); and flowing air against the outer peripheral wall (22) of the body (20) while the body (20) is located in each of the microwave devices (D1, D2, D3). The flowing is conducted such that one or more of a supply flow and an exhaust flow of air is adjusted in at least one of the devices (D1, D2, D3) such that the air flow in the system is at a predetermined magnitude substantially in the upstream (74) or downstream direction (72).

A method for cell disruption and extraction of a plant, includes placing plant material on a porous container, placing the porous container into a reaction device, and producing water ion steam of an atmospheric pressure by a water ion generator. The water ion steam infiltrates the porous container and permeates the plant material. The water ion steam penetrate cells of the plant material and breaks the cell wall of the cells, to cause a cell disruption. The residual water ion steam is drained outward from the exhaust pipe of the box.

A method for cell disruption and extraction of a plant, includes placing plant material on a porous container, placing the porous container into a reaction device, and producing water ion steam of an atmospheric pressure by a water ion generator. The water ion steam infiltrates the porous container and permeates the plant material. The water ion steam penetrate cells of the plant material and breaks the cell wall of the cells, to cause a cell disruption. The residual water ion steam is drained outward from the exhaust pipe of the box.

Disclosed is an RF (Radio Frequency) power source having a power supply configured to convert an AC (Alternating Current) voltage at a power supply input to a second voltage at a power supply output, and an RF generator configured to receive the second voltage at an RF generator input and to use the second voltage to produce an output RF signal at an RF generator output. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the power supply performs the voltage conversion without galvanic isolation between the power supply input and the power supply output, which can increase energy efficiency while reducing complexity and cost as well. Instead, the RF generator is provided with galvanic isolation between the RF generator input and the RF generator output, which can be sufficient for achieving galvanic isolation between the power supply input and the RF generator output for safety reasons.