Dye exhaustion and dryer apparatus

An apparatus, comprising:

• a platform defining a substantially flat top surface upon which a textile manufacture may be received;
• a first housing in movable disposition relative to the platform such that:
• the first housing, in a first position, defines a substantially enclosed cavity in which the flat top surface of the platform defines a bottom surface of the substantially enclosed cavity;
• and
• the first housing, in a second position, allows access to the top surface of the platform for placement and removal of the textile manufacture;
• a microwave device including a magnetron and a waveguide operatively positioned relative to the first housing when the first housing is in the first position such that magnetron guides microwaves into the substantially enclosed cavity when the magnetron is energized;
• a blower device that, when the first housing is in the first position, is fluidly coupled to the substantially enclosed cavity and blows air into the substantially enclosed cavity when energized;
• and
• a control subsystem electrically coupled to the microwave device and the blower device and that, during a first time period, causes the microwave device to be energized and the blower device to be de-energized and that, during a second time period after the first time period, causes the microwave device to be de-energized and the blower device to be energized;
• wherein the platform further includes a supply plenum and a return plenum that, when the first housing is in the first position, are fluidly coupled to the substantially enclosed cavity, and wherein:
• the supply plenum includes a respective wall portion that defines a supply hole through which the blower device is fluidly coupled to the supply plenum so that air is communicated into the substantially enclosed cavity through the supply hole, and through the supply plenum;
• the return plenum includes a respective wall portion that defines an exit hole, and air communicated into the substantially enclosed cavity is communicated from the substantially enclosed cavity through the return plenum and exits the return plenum through the exit hole;
• and
• the supply plenum and the return plenum are separate plenums that are below the flat top surface and that are separated by a divider below the flat stop surface;
• and
• the platform defines a longitudinal axis, and the supply plenum is located on a first side of the longitudinal axis and the return plenum is located on a second side of the longitudinal axis that is opposite the first side.