Microwave drying method of honeycomb formed body

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9776339-B2
Application number	US-201615073738-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 18, 2016
Priority date	Mar 31, 2015
Publication date	Oct 3, 2017
Grant date	Oct 3, 2017

Abstract

A microwave drying method includes: an introduction step of disposing a honeycomb formed body while keeping an axis direction X of cells of the honeycomb formed body vertically and introducing the honeycomb formed body into a drying furnace capable of irradiating with microwaves; a reflector placing step of placing a microwave reflector having a function to reflect the microwaves above and/or below around the honeycomb formed body; and a microwave drying step of irradiating with the microwaves while controlling temperature of an inside of the honeycomb formed body by the microwave reflector so that any one of the end faces (e.g., end face) of the honeycomb formed body reaches 100° C. to dry the honeycomb formed body after the other part of the honeycomb formed body reaches 100° C.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A microwave drying method of a honeycomb formed body, comprising:
an introduction step of disposing the honeycomb formed body while keeping an axis direction of cells of the honeycomb formed body vertically and introducing the honeycomb formed body into a drying furnace capable of irradiating with microwaves;
a reflector placing step of placing a microwave reflector having a function to reflect the microwaves so that a reflecting face of the microwave reflector faces at least one of upper and lower end faces of the honeycomb formed body; and
a microwave drying step of irradiating with the microwaves while controlling temperature of an inside of the honeycomb formed body by the microwave reflector so that any one of end faces of the honeycomb formed body reaches 100° C. to dry the honeycomb formed body after an other part of the honeycomb formed body reaches 100° C.

2. The microwave drying method of a honeycomb formed body according to claim 1 , wherein the microwave inflector includes a metal material.

3. The microwave drying method of a honeycomb formed body according to claim 1 , wherein the microwave reflector includes the reflecting face of a size enabling covering of the end face of the honeycomb formed body disposed to face the microwave reflector.

4. The microwave drying method of a honeycomb formed body according to claim 1 , wherein the microwave reflector is made up of a flat-plate-shaped member, and includes a plurality of through holes penetrating from the reflecting face and a reflecting back surface of the microwave reflector, and the through holes have a diameter that is ¾ or less of a wavelength of the microwaves.

5. The microwave drying method of a honeycomb formed body according to claim 1 , wherein at the microwave drying step, the microwaves of 2,450 MHz or 915 MHz in frequency are applied.

Assignees

• Ngk Insulators Ltd

Inventors

• Kato Shigeki
• Ono Mitsuharu

Classifications

• H05B6/80

  Apparatus for specific applications (stoves or ranges F24C7/02) · CPC title

• F26B2210/02

  Ceramic articles or ceramic semi-finished articles · CPC title

• H05B2206/046

  Microwave drying of wood, ink, food, ceramic, sintering of ceramic, clothes, hair · CPC title

• B28B11/243

  Setting, e.g. drying, dehydrating or firing ceramic articles (B28B11/242 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B28B11/241 Primary

  using microwave heating means · CPC title