A method and apparatus for drying a wet textile article with a radio frequency (RF) applicator and a controller, the method includes supplying a power level to the RF applicator to energize the RF applicator to generate a field of electromagnetic radiation (e-field), determining a dynamic drying cycle of operation in the controller, and controlling the power level of the RF applicator according to the determination of the dynamic drying cycle of operation, wherein the wet article is dried.

A method and apparatus for drying a wet textile article with a radio frequency (RF) applicator and a controller, the method includes supplying a power level to the RF applicator to energize the RF applicator to generate a field of electromagnetic radiation (e-field), determining a dynamic drying cycle of operation in the controller, and controlling the power level of the RF applicator according to the determination of the dynamic drying cycle of operation, wherein the wet article is dried.

Microwave dryer of a print system with modulation of the microwave source using FSK. In one embodiment, a microwave dryer includes a microwave source coupled with a waveguide. The waveguide transports electromagnetic energy to dry wet colorant applied by a printer to print media. The microwave source provides the electromagnetic energy at an operating frequency. The microwave dryer also includes a processor coupled with an FSK modulator that modulates the operating frequency of the microwave source. The processor determines a modulating signal with a modulating frequency based on a period of time for the print media to traverse the waveguide, and applies binary values that represent the number of frequencies to an input of the FSK modulator to cause the FSK modulator to output the series of discrete frequencies over the period of time to vary intensity positions of the electromagnetic energy across the width of the print media.

Microwave dryer of a print system with modulation of the microwave source using FSK. In one embodiment, a microwave dryer includes a microwave source coupled with a waveguide. The waveguide transports electromagnetic energy to dry wet colorant applied by a printer to print media. The microwave source provides the electromagnetic energy at an operating frequency. The microwave dryer also includes a processor coupled with an FSK modulator that modulates the operating frequency of the microwave source. The processor determines a modulating signal with a modulating frequency based on a period of time for the print media to traverse the waveguide, and applies binary values that represent the number of frequencies to an input of the FSK modulator to cause the FSK modulator to output the series of discrete frequencies over the period of time to vary intensity positions of the electromagnetic energy across the width of the print media.

Wood kilns, electrode systems for wood kilns, and methods of using the systems for the radiofrequency (RF) drying and phytosanitizing of wood are provided. The electrode systems are based on a three-electrode design in which a central plate electrode having winged edges is disposed between a pair of ground plate electrodes. The winged edges of the central electrode improve the uniformity of heating during the phytosanitizing process, relative to a five-electrode parallel plate system, or a three-electrode parallel plate system having a conventional planar central plate electrode.

The present application encompasses methods and apparatus for heating a load such as clothes immersed in a medium such as water during a heating period. A method embodiment of the present invention comprises heating the load and medium within an enclosure by subjecting said load and medium to heated air originated from a conventional energy source; and applying heat to said load and medium within the enclosure via an AC electrical field, embodied as a capacitor, originated from an RF power source.

The present application encompasses methods and apparatus for heating a load such as clothes immersed in a medium such as water during a heating period. A method embodiment of the present invention comprises heating the load and medium within an enclosure by subjecting said load and medium to heated air originated from a conventional energy source; and applying heat to said load and medium within the enclosure via an AC electrical field, embodied as a capacitor, originated from an RF power source.

A continuous wood modification by heat process, that comprises: stacking wooden boards on a trolley at intervals; exerting pressure on said wooden boards; transferring said wooden boards to a heating kiln, pre-heated by microwave and hot air circulation, that has a water vapor flow of 2-5 meter3/hour, a temperature range of 60-100° C., and a humidity range of 50%-100%; transferring said wooden boards to a shallow drying kiln, pre-heated by microwave and hot air circulation, that has a drying temperature of 100-120° C.; transferring said wooden boards to a deep drying kiln, pre-heated by microwave and hot air circulation, that has a drying temperature of 120-120° C., an oxygen content range of 1-10%, and a water vapor flow rate of 1-10 m3/hour; transferring said wooden boards to a carbonization kiln, pre-heated by microwave and hot air circulation, that has a temperature range of 120-180° C., an oxygen content range of 1%-5%; transferring said wooden boards to a slow cooling kiln, that has a temperature range of 120-130° C., and an oxygen content range of 1%-10%; transferring said wooden boards to a fast cooling kiln, that has a temperature range of 90-100° C.; transferring said wooden boards to a rewetting kiln, that has a humidity range of 50%-100%; providing water vapor to said rewetting kiln; while being in said rewetting kiln, and when a temperature range of said wooden boards is 40-60° C., and a moisture content of said wooden boards is 6%-10%, transferring said wooden boards out of said rewetting kiln; wherein each of said heating kiln, said shallow drying kiln, said deep drying kiln, said carbonization kiln, said slow cooling kiln, said fast cooling kiln, and said rewetting kiln comprises a fan, a partition board, a shunt hood, and an exhaust port; wherein said partition board divides an interior of each of said heating kiln, said shallow drying kiln, said deep drying kiln, said carbonization kiln, said slow cooling kiln, said fast cooling kiln, and said rewetting kiln into an upper chamber and a lower chamber; wherein said shunt hood is disposed in said upper chamber; wherein said fan, said shunt hood, and said lower chamber are connected and form a air channel; wherein said lower chamber comprises a shunt plate, disposed along left and right walls of a kiln; wherein said shunting plate comprises a plurality of sieve holes that are disposed gradually dense from top to bottom; wherein one end of said shunt plate is connected with said partition board and the other end is connected with the bottom of a kiln.

A continuous wood modification by heat process, that comprises: stacking wooden boards on a trolley at intervals; exerting pressure on said wooden boards; transferring said wooden boards to a heating kiln, pre-heated by microwave and hot air circulation, that has a water vapor flow of 2-5 meter3/hour, a temperature range of 60-100° C., and a humidity range of 50%-100%; transferring said wooden boards to a shallow drying kiln, pre-heated by microwave and hot air circulation, that has a drying temperature of 100-120° C.; transferring said wooden boards to a deep drying kiln, pre-heated by microwave and hot air circulation, that has a drying temperature of 120-120° C., an oxygen content range of 1-10%, and a water vapor flow rate of 1-10 m3/hour; transferring said wooden boards to a carbonization kiln, pre-heated by microwave and hot air circulation, that has a temperature range of 120-180° C., an oxygen content range of 1%-5%; transferring said wooden boards to a slow cooling kiln, that has a temperature range of 120-130° C., and an oxygen content range of 1%-10%; transferring said wooden boards to a fast cooling kiln, that has a temperature range of 90-100° C.; transferring said wooden boards to a rewetting kiln, that has a humidity range of 50%-100%; providing water vapor to said rewetting kiln; while being in said rewetting kiln, and when a temperature range of said wooden boards is 40-60° C., and a moisture content of said wooden boards is 6%-10%, transferring said wooden boards out of said rewetting kiln; wherein each of said heating kiln, said shallow drying kiln, said deep drying kiln, said carbonization kiln, said slow cooling kiln, said fast cooling kiln, and said rewetting kiln comprises a fan, a partition board, a shunt hood, and an exhaust port; wherein said partition board divides an interior of each of said heating kiln, said shallow drying kiln, said deep drying kiln, said carbonization kiln, said slow cooling kiln, said fast cooling kiln, and said rewetting kiln into an upper chamber and a lower chamber; wherein said shunt hood is disposed in said upper chamber; wherein said fan, said shunt hood, and said lower chamber are connected and form a air channel; wherein said lower chamber comprises a shunt plate, disposed along left and right walls of a kiln; wherein said shunting plate comprises a plurality of sieve holes that are disposed gradually dense from top to bottom; wherein one end of said shunt plate is connected with said partition board and the other end is connected with the bottom of a kiln.

A nail lamp is configured to cure light-curable nail product on a user's nails. The lamp includes an array of discrete light sources with different light wavelength profiles. The different wavelength profiles are configured to, in combination, cure a light-curable nail product. A space is disposed beneath the array and is sized to accommodate therein the nails of an appendage of a user so as to expose the user's nails to light from the array. The space is substantially open to the ambient environment to the front, rear, left, right, and top of the space, thereby providing an open architecture.