A method for reducing moisture of a material includes applying microwave radiation combined with RF to the material to heat and evacuate moisture from the material during a heating cycle and optionally alternating heating cycles with drying/cooling cycles. In particular, a method is disclosed to reduce a moisture content level of a material that comprises introducing the material or plant vertically into a drying enclosure using a vertical feed mechanism. The method further includes irradiating a portion of the material or plant with microwave to heat and vaporize moisture within the material or plant during a heating cycle; combining or alternating the microwave with RF heating for a time interval during the heating cycle to reduce the moisture content level of the material or plant; and alternating the heating cycle with a cooling cycle. In certain aspects or embodiments, the system comprises at least an enclosure, a vertical track mechanism, a microwave delivery device, a radio-frequency emitter and power supply.

A method for reducing moisture of a material includes applying microwave radiation combined with RF to the material to heat and evacuate moisture from the material during a heating cycle and optionally alternating heating cycles with drying/cooling cycles. In particular, a method is disclosed to reduce a moisture content level of a material that comprises introducing the material or plant vertically into a drying enclosure using a vertical feed mechanism. The method further includes irradiating a portion of the material or plant with microwave to heat and vaporize moisture within the material or plant during a heating cycle; combining or alternating the microwave with RF heating for a time interval during the heating cycle to reduce the moisture content level of the material or plant; and alternating the heating cycle with a cooling cycle. In certain aspects or embodiments, the system comprises at least an enclosure, a vertical track mechanism, a microwave delivery device, a radio-frequency emitter and power supply.

A method of uniform RF-heating within a chamber is disclosed, which includes cyclically varying electromagnetic properties of a chamber according to a plurality of configuration, transmitting an alternating RF signal about a first frequency range between a first frequency and a second frequency from a transmitter into the chamber, measuring electromagnetic power at a random receiver location in the chamber for each of the plurality of configurations and at a predetermined resolution of frequency thereby generating a statistical distribution vs. frequency, applying a statistical test to the generated statistical distribution based on a predetermined statistical function, determining a standard deviation of the average received power as a function of frequency, choosing a third frequency range associated with a standard deviation lower than a second threshold, and choosing an operational frequency in the third frequency range which provides maximum heating depending on the material being heated.

A method of uniform RF-heating within a chamber is disclosed, which includes cyclically varying electromagnetic properties of a chamber according to a plurality of configuration, transmitting an alternating RF signal about a first frequency range between a first frequency and a second frequency from a transmitter into the chamber, measuring electromagnetic power at a random receiver location in the chamber for each of the plurality of configurations and at a predetermined resolution of frequency thereby generating a statistical distribution vs. frequency, applying a statistical test to the generated statistical distribution based on a predetermined statistical function, determining a standard deviation of the average received power as a function of frequency, choosing a third frequency range associated with a standard deviation lower than a second threshold, and choosing an operational frequency in the third frequency range which provides maximum heating depending on the material being heated.

A waste disposer comprising a primary dehydrating chamber, a grinding device, a secondary dehydrating chamber, and a storage chamber. The primary dehydrating chamber is adapted to allow waste to be heated therein to partly dehydrate the waste. The primary dehydrating chamber has: a first waste inlet for receiving the waste, a first vapor outlet for exhausting vapor from the waste, a drainage outlet for draining free liquid from the waste, and a first waste outlet for outputting the partly dehydrated waste. The grinding device is adapted to receive the waste from the first waste outlet and grind the waste to reduce the size thereof. The secondary dehydrating chamber is adapted to allow the ground waste to be heated therein to further dehydrate the waste. The secondary dehydrating chamber has a second waste inlet for receiving the ground waste, a second vapor outlet for exhausting vapor from the waste, and a second waste outlet for outputting the further dehydrated waste. The storage chamber is adapted to receive the waste from the second waste outlet and store the waste in the storage chamber.

Apparatuses and methods are provided for applying radio frequency (RF) energy from a source of electromagnetic energy to an object in an energy application zone. At least one processor may be configured to acquire information indicative of electromagnetic energy loss associated with at least a portion of the energy application zone. The processor may be further configured to determine a weight to be applied to each of a plurality of electromagnetic field patterns each having a known electromagnetic field intensity distribution and cause the source to supply each of the plurality of electromagnetic field patterns to the energy application zone at the determined weights.

Apparatuses and methods are provided for applying radio frequency (RF) energy from a source of electromagnetic energy to an object in an energy application zone. At least one processor may be configured to acquire information indicative of electromagnetic energy loss associated with at least a portion of the energy application zone. The processor may be further configured to determine a weight to be applied to each of a plurality of electromagnetic field patterns each having a known electromagnetic field intensity distribution and cause the source to supply each of the plurality of electromagnetic field patterns to the energy application zone at the determined weights.

A method for drying an article with a radio frequency (RF) applicator having anode elements and cathode elements includes capacitively coupling the anode elements, capacitively coupling the cathode elements, capacitively coupling an anode element to a cathode element, and energizing the RF applicator to generate an RF field between anode and cathode elements wherein liquid residing within the field will be dielectrically heated.

A method for drying an article with a radio frequency (RF) applicator having anode elements and cathode elements includes capacitively coupling the anode elements, capacitively coupling the cathode elements, capacitively coupling an anode element to a cathode element, and energizing the RF applicator to generate an RF field between anode and cathode elements wherein liquid residing within the field will be dielectrically heated.

In a system for performing a multi-step process for selectively purifying various pharmacologically-relevant components of a source plant such as cannabis, an initial step of the process provides a low-temperature, robust process for dehydrating and decarboxylating the starting productfresh raw cannabisby means of a vacuum-assisted microwave distillation process. An important by-product of the dehydration/decarboxylation is a terpene-rich distillate. By doing the terpene capture under vacuum, distillation temperature may be kept low. The low distillation temperature maximizes yields of thermally-sensitive components such as terpenes and cannabinoids.