A continuous asphalt mix system for using a microwave heating vessel at the point of production that includes a microwave energy suppression tunnel with one or more mesh flaps for substantially reducing or preventing the leakage of microwave energy from a microwave system, while having a continuous flow of product through the vessel and suppression tunnels. The suppression tunnels are installed on the inlet and/or the outlet side of the system and are sized to suppress leakage.

In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a part includes placing a die mold and a part substance in a heating zone of a microwave heating apparatus, and subjecting the die to microwave radiation. The die mold supports at least a portion of the part substance and includes a first dopant, which has a greater microwave radiation heating susceptibility than the die mold. In another embodiment, a die mold material includes a plastic and a dopant, the dopant having a greater microwave radiation heating susceptibility than the plastic. In another embodiment, a method of manufacturing a part includes placing a part substance in a microwave radiation heating zone, and subjecting the part substance to microwave radiation to heat the dopant. The part substance includes a dopant, the dopant having a first microwave radiation heating susceptibility greater than a second microwave radiation heating susceptibility of the part substance.

A microwave oven and a method of operating the same is provided herein. The method includes the steps of: sensing that a door of the microwave is in an open state; interrupting a power input to a generator power supply unit comprising a first converter, a first energy reserve, a second energy reserve located downstream from the first energy reserve, and a second converter located between the first and second energy reserves; detecting an input voltage; and disabling the second converter if the detected input voltage is less than a threshold voltage that is proportional to the detected input voltage, wherein disabling the second converter triggers the second energy reserve to discharge, and wherein the time necessary to discharge the second energy reserve is free of influence from the first energy reserve and is independent of the detected input voltage.

Methods for producing solid, substantially round, spherical and sintered particles from a slurry of a raw material having an alumina content of greater than about 40 weight percent. The slurry is processed to prepare green pellets which are sintered in a furnace with microwave energy at a temperature of 1480 to 1520 C. to produce solid, substantially round, spherical and sintered particles having an average particle size greater than about 200 microns, a bulk density of greater than about 1.35 g/cm.sup.3, and an apparent specific gravity of greater than about 2.60.

Methods for producing solid, substantially round, spherical and sintered particles from a slurry of a raw material having an alumina content of greater than about 40 weight percent. The slurry is processed to prepare green pellets which are sintered in a furnace with microwave energy at a temperature of 1480 to 1520 C. to produce solid, substantially round, spherical and sintered particles having an average particle size greater than about 200 microns, a bulk density of greater than about 1.35 g/cm.sup.3, and an apparent specific gravity of greater than about 2.60.

The invention discloses a new embodiment concept and components for drying articles in an energy-efficient and effective way. The embodiment has a stationary drum accommodating a grid with several underneath nozzles at the bottom for blowing compressed hot air into articles and moving them within the space. A magnetron generates microwaves inside the drum for evaporating articles' moisture. A reciprocating compressor vacuums out the hot vapor and compresses it again in a high-pressure three-layer multifunctional tank after passing through a set of moisture separators to be reused by the nozzles in a closed cycle. Several low-maintenance and durable Membrane Dryers are used in parallel as a moisture separator unit before the compressor. Condensed and separated liquid is used in a heat exchanger to warm the makeup air needed for membranes. Nozzles' on/off states, the magnetron and compressor are controlled by a closed-loop digital controller for achieving an optimized drying process.

A material processing apparatus is disclosed. This material processing apparatus is particularly developed to utilize a quasi-traveling microwave to conduct heat treatment for a thread-type article like fiber, silk, artificial fiber, and artificial silk. The material processing apparatus comprises a primary waveguide tube, a microwave blocking plate, a secondary waveguide tube, and at least one microwave absorbing member disposed of in the primary waveguide tube. By such design, a microwave source supplies a microwave to the secondary waveguide tube and the primary waveguide tube, such that the microwave travels in the two waveguide tubes so as to become a quasi-traveling microwave. Therefore, in the case of a thread-type article being be fed into the primary waveguide tube via the secondary waveguide tube by a thread-type article transferring mechanism, the thread-type article is steadily and evenly heated by the quasi-traveling microwave in the two waveguide tubes.

A microwave heating apparatus with a tubular waveguide applicator and reactive and resistive chokes to decrease leakage. Microwave-transparent centering elements maintain articles to be treated centered in the applicator. Articles, such as individual cylindrical articles or continuous cylindrical strands, advance through the applicator in a direction in or opposite to the direction of propagation of microwaves. The resistive chokes have conductive vanes coated with a dielectric material that absorbs microwave energy that leaks through the reactive chokes to allow for large openings for large-diameter articles. The waveguide applicator is operated in the TE.sub.01 mode to concentrate microwave heating energy along the outer circumferences of the articles.

Carriers suitable for transporting a plurality of articles through a microwave heating zone are provided. Carriers as described herein may include an outer frame and upper and lower support structures vertically spaced from one another to provide a cargo volume into which the articles are loaded. At least a portion of the upper and/or lower support structures may be formed of an electrically conductive material. Additionally, the carrier may include removable article spacing members, such as vertical spacing members and dividers, that can be selectively inserted to adjust the size and/or shaper of the cargo volume. Carriers as described herein may be configured to receive a variety of different articles, including trays and pouches, and the articles may be loaded into the carrier in a nested or overlapping manner.

Carriers suitable for transporting a plurality of articles through a microwave heating zone are provided. Carriers as described herein may include an outer frame and upper and lower support structures vertically spaced from one another to provide a cargo volume into which the articles are loaded. At least a portion of the upper and/or lower support structures may be formed of an electrically conductive material. Additionally, the carrier may include removable article spacing members, such as vertical spacing members and dividers, that can be selectively inserted to adjust the size and/or shaper of the cargo volume. Carriers as described herein may be configured to receive a variety of different articles, including trays and pouches, and the articles may be loaded into the carrier in a nested or overlapping manner.