Electromagnetic system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9713340-B2
Application number	US-200913120615-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2009
Priority date	Sep 23, 2008
Publication date	Jul 25, 2017
Grant date	Jul 25, 2017

Abstract

An electromagnetic system includes a channel and at least one chamber comprising a first end and a second end. The channel traverses at least a portion of a longitudinal length of the at least one chamber, whereby the channel enters the chamber at the first end and exits the chamber at the second end. The channel includes an internal cavity for allowing materials to flow therein and be exposed to electromagnetic energy. In one embodiment, the chamber is designed so that the materials in the channel is exposed to lower electromagnetic energy at the first end of the chamber and exposed to a higher electromagnetic energy at the second end of the chamber.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for treating a pumpable material, the apparatus comprising:
at least one chamber having a longitudinal length and comprising a first conductive surface, a second conductive surface opposing the first conductive surface, a first end at one end of the at least one chamber, and a second end at another end longitudinally opposing the first end of the at least one chamber, the first end and the second end each comprising an opening to allow the pumpable material to pass through the chamber in a direction along the longitudinal length of the at least one chamber, the opening of the first end for the pumpable material being at a first position, the opening of the second end for the pumpable material being at a second position, the first position being nearer the first conductive surface than the second position, and the second position being between the first conductive surface and the second conductive surface; and
a channel for allowing pumpable material to be transferred from the first end to the second end of the chamber so that the pumpable material flows along the longitudinal length of the at least one chamber;
wherein the at least one chamber is configured to receive electromagnetic energy from a source, the electromagnetic energy creating an electromagnetic field between the conductive surfaces, the electromagnetic field being lower near the conductive surfaces;
wherein the channel is passed through an opening in a bend,
wherein a conductive sleeve that is larger than the channel extends from the opening in the bend, and
wherein the length of the sleeve is at least a quarter wavelength of the electromagnetic energy.

2. The apparatus as described in claim 1 , wherein the channel is oriented so that it is one of substantially parallel to or at a slight elevation relative to a ground.

3. The apparatus as described in claim 1 , wherein the first conductive surface and the second conductive surface comprise opposite sides of a rectangular waveguide.

4. The apparatus as described in claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of chambers, wherein the channel traverses at least a portion of each of the plurality of chambers.

5. The apparatus as described in claim 4 , further comprising:
at least one device placed in the channel between the chambers for mixing the pumpable material.

6. The apparatus as described in claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic energy travels from the first end to the second end along the longitudinal length of the at least one cavity.

7. An apparatus for treating a pumpable material, the apparatus comprising:
at least one chamber comprising a first conductive surface, a second conductive surface, a first end, and a second end, the first end and second end each comprising an opening to allow the pumpable material to pass through the chamber; and
a channel for allowing pumpable material to be transferred from the first end to the second end of the chamber,
wherein the chamber is configured to receive electromagnetic energy from a source, the electromagnetic energy creating an electromagnetic field between the conductive surfaces, the electromagnetic field being lower near the conductive surfaces,
wherein the channel is passed through an opening in a bend,
wherein a conductive sleeve that is slightly larger than the channel extends from the opening in the bend, and
wherein the length of the sleeve is at least a quarter wavelength of the electromagnetic energy.

8. The apparatus as described in claim 7 , wherein the opening of the first end for the pumpable material is positioned near one of the conductive surfaces.

9. The apparatus as described in claim 8 , wherein the opening of the second end for the pumpable material is positioned at one of:
near a center point between the two conductive surfaces; or
one of the conductive surfaces which is positioned opposite to the first end; or
one of the conductive surfaces which is adjacent to the first end.

10. The apparatus as described in claim 7 , wherein the channel is oriented so that it is one of substantially parallel to or at a slight elevation relative to a ground.

11. The apparatus as described in claim 7 , wherein the conductive surfaces comprise opposite sides of a rectangular waveguide.

12. The apparatus as described in claim 7 , further comprising:
a plurality of chambers, wherein the channel traverses at least a portion of each of the plurality of chambers.

13. The apparatus as described in claim 12 , further comprising:
at least one device placed in the channel between the chambers for mixing the pumpable material.

14. An apparatus for treating a pumpable material, the apparatus comprising:
at least one chamber having a longitudinal length disposed in a horizontal orientation and comprising a first conductive surface, a second conductive surface opposing the first conductive surface, a first end at one end of the at least one chamber, and a second end at another end longitudinally opposing the first end of the at least one chamber, the first end and the second end each comprising an opening to allow the pumpable material to pass through the chamber in a direction along the longitudinal length of the at least one chamber, the opening of the first end for the pumpable material being at a first position, the opening of the second end for the pumpable material being at a second position, the first position being nearer the first conductive surface than the second position, and the second position being above the first position and between the first conductive surface and the second conductive surface; and
a channel for allowing pumpable material to be transferred from the first end to the second end of the chamber so that the pumpable material flows along the longitudinal length of the at least one chamber; and
wherein the at least one chamber is configured to receive electromagnetic energy from a source, the electromagnetic energy creating an electromagnetic field between the conductive surfaces, the electromagnetic field being lower near the conductive surfaces.

15. The apparatus as described in claim 14 wherein the channel is oriented so that it is at a slight elevation relative to a ground.

16. The apparatus as described in claim 14 , wherein the first conductive surface and the second conductive surface comprise opposite sides of a rectangular waveguide.

17. The apparatus as described in claim 14 ,
wherein the channel is passed through an opening in a bend,
wherein a conductive sleeve that is larger than the channel extends from the opening in the bend, and
wherein the length of the sleeve is at least a quarter wavelength of the electromagnetic energy.

18. The apparatus as described in claim 14 , further comprising:
a plurality of chambers, wherein the channel traverses at least a portion of each of the plurality of chambers.

19. The apparatus as described in claim 18 , further comprising:
at least one device placed in the channel between the chambers for mixing the pumpable material.

Assignees

• Drozd James Michael
• Simunovic Josip
• Univ North Carolina State
• Aseptia Inc

Inventors

• Drozd James Michael
• Simunovic Josip

Classifications

• A23V2002/00

  Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs · CPC title

• Y10T137/6606

  With electric heating element · CPC title

• Y10T137/0391

  Affecting flow by the addition of material or energy · CPC title

• H05B6/782

  wherein the material moved is food · CPC title

• H05B6/802 Primary

  for heating fluids (methods of heating fluids in conventional microwave ovens H05B6/687) · CPC title