Temperature measurement arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9989417-B2
Application number	US-201415021454-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 11, 2014
Priority date	Sep 12, 2013
Publication date	Jun 5, 2018
Grant date	Jun 5, 2018

Abstract

Disclosed is a system for dielectrically processing a product in a radio frequency (RF) cavity. The system may include a cavity; an RF feeding module that includes a plurality of radiating elements configured to feed RF radiation into the cavity, and a plurality of dummy loads for receiving RF energy coupled from the cavity into the radiating elements; and the system includes a processor configured to (a) estimate an effect operating the system at each of a plurality of sets of operating parameters will have on the temperature of each of the dummy loads; (b) choosing among the plurality of sets of operating parameters at least one set based on the estimation; and (c) controlling the system to operate at the chosen at least one set of operating parameters.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for processing objects by radio frequency (RF) energy in a cavity, the system comprising:
a cavity;
an RF feeding module that comprises: a plurality of radiating elements configured to feed RF radiation into the cavity to process the objects in the cavity, and a plurality of dummy loads outside of the cavity for receiving RF energy coupled from the cavity into the radiating elements; and
a processor configured to:
estimate an effect that operating the system at each of a plurality of sets of operating parameters will have on the temperature of each of the dummy loads;
choosing among the plurality of sets of operating parameters, at least one set based on the estimate; and
controlling the system to operate at the chosen at least one set of operating parameters,

wherein the choosing maintains the temperature of the dummy loads within a safe temperature range.

2. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to estimate the effect by estimating amounts of power, each of which will be returned from the cavity through one of the radiating elements.

3. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to estimate field distributions, each of which will be excited in the cavity by operating the system at a corresponding one of the plurality of sets of operating parameters, and choose the at least one set based on the estimation of the field distribution associated with the at least one set and the estimate of the effect of the at least one set on the temperature of each dummy load.

4. A system for precession objects by radio frequency (RF) energy in a cavity, the system comprising:
a cavity;
an RF feeding module that comprises: a plurality of radiating elements configured to feed RD radiation into the cavity to process the objects in the cavity, and a plurality of dummy loads outside of the cavity for receiving RF energy coupled from the cavity into the radiating elements; and
a processor configured to:
estimate an effect that operating the system at each of a plurality of sets of operating parameters will have on the temperature of each of the dummy loads;
choosing among the plurality of sets of operating parameters, at least one set based on the estimate; and
controlling the system to operate at the chosen at least one set of operating parameters; and

further comprising at least one temperature sensing arrangement configured to measure temperatures of each of the dummy loads.

5. A system according to claim 4 , wherein the processor is configured to choose the at least one set of operating parameters based on a measured temperature of each dummy load.

6. A system according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one temperature sensing arrangement measures the temperature of an object positioned in an electromagnetically noisy space with respect to radiofrequency (RF) frequencies, the arrangement comprising:
an RF filter, wherein the RF filter is configured to allow propagation of infrared (IR) radiation through the RF filter and configured so that propagation of RF frequencies through the RF filter is unsupported; and
a temperature sensor operative to measure the temperature of an object based on an amount of the IR radiation that propagates through the RF filter and arranged with respect to the RF filter such to be unaffected by the RF frequencies;
wherein the RF filter comprises electrically conductive walls defining an electrically non-conductive core, and
wherein dimensions of the non-conductive core are such that propagation of frequencies of electromagnetic noise through the core is not supported while the propagation of IR radiation through the core is allowed.

7. A system according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one temperature sensing arrangement measures a temperature of an object positioned in an electromagnetically noisy space with respect to radiofrequency (RF) frequencies, the arrangement comprising:
an RF filter, wherein the RF filter is configured to allow propagation of infrared (IR) radiation through the RF filter and configured so that propagation of RF frequencies through the RF filter is unsupported; and
a temperature sensor operative to measure the temperature of an object based on an amount of the IR radiation that propagates through the RF filter and arranged with respect to the RF filter such to be unaffected by the RF frequencies;
wherein the RF filter comprises electrically conductive walls defining an electrically non-conductive core, and
wherein dimensions of the non-conductive core are such that propagation of frequencies of electromagnetic noise through the core is not supported while the propagation of IR radiation through the core is allowed.

8. A system for dielectrically processing a product in a radio frequency (RF) cavity, the system comprising:
an RF feeding module that is operative to feed RF energy into the cavity at various frequencies for processing the product;
a dummy load, in an electromagnetically noisy space outside of the cavity, configured to receive RF energy returning from the cavity; and
a temperature sensing arrangement configured to measure a temperature of the dummy load, wherein the temperature sensing arrangement comprises:
an RF filter configured to allow propagation of infrared (IR) radiation through the RF filter and configured so that propagation of various frequencies through the RF filter is decreased by at least 10 dB; and

a temperature sensor operative to measure a temperature of an object based on the amount of JR radiation that propagates through the RF filter and arranged with respect to the RF filter to be unaffected by the electromagnetic noise in the electromagnetically noisy space.

9. A system according to claim 8 , comprising:
a processor that is operatively coupled with the RF feeding module and the temperature sensing arrangement to enable operating the RF feeding module based on a measured temperature of the dummy load.

10. A system according to claim 9 , wherein the processor is programmed to operate the RF feeding module based on the temperature of the dummy load as measured by the temperature sensing arrangement.

11. A system according to claim 8 , wherein the RF filter comprises electrically conductive walls defining an electrically non-conductive core,
wherein the dimensions of the non-conductive core are such that propagation of frequencies of electromagnetic noise through the core is not supported while the propagation of IR radiation through the core is allowed.

12. A system according to claim 8 , wherein the temperature sensor is arranged in an EMI-free space that is created by an electromagnetic shielding; and
wherein the EMI-free space and the electromagnetically noisy space are in IR radiation communication with each other via the RF filter.

13. A system according to claim 12 , wherein the electromagnetic shielding is configured for creating the EMI-free space.

14. A system according to claim 12 , wherein the RF filter is in communication with the electromagnetically noisy space via an opening in the electromagnetic shielding.

15. A system according to claim 14 , wherein the RF filter and the electromagnetic shielding are integrally formed.

16. A system according to claim 8 , wherein the RF filter comprises an RF waveguide having a cutoff frequency above any one of the various frequencies, and a length sufficient to attenuate any one of the various frequencies by at least 10 dB.

Assignees

• Goji Ltd

Inventors

• Libman Avner
• Darshan Lior

Classifications

• H05B6/705 Primary

  using microwave tuning · CPC title

• G01J5/0862 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• Y02B40/146

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• G01J2005/065

  by shielding · CPC title

• G01J5/06

  Arrangements for eliminating effects of disturbing radiation; Arrangements for compensating changes in sensitivity (for adjusting of solid angle of collected radiation G01J5/07; means for wavelength selection G01J5/0801) · CPC title