Computational analysis of and multi-mode microwave heating in single resonant cavities

Microwave heating patterns in singlefed multimode empty and loaded single-mode and multi-mode cavities are presented in this paper. A new computational approach based on a combination of Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) and Finite Volume (FV) methods is employed to solve the equations that describe the electromagnetic field and heat transfer in the processed samples. The coupling between the two schemes is through a change in dielectric properties which are assumed to be temperature dependent. The model takes into account the changing effect of the load's properties on the electric field and modal patterns. A study of the modes and their corresponding field pattern inside a resonant cavity is presented computationally using the FDTD solver. The coupled algorithm is then used to investigate heat distribution by observing the occurrence of resonant conditions which are responsible for achieving high heating levels.