Microwave-assisted sterilization and pasteurization system using synergistic packaging, carrier and launcher configurations

A microwave heating system for heating a plurality of articles,

• said microwave heating system comprising:
• at least one carrier comprising a frame formed of a pair of longer spaced apart side members and a pair of shorter spaced apart end members coupled to opposite ends of and extending between said side members, and an upper support member and a lower support member coupled to said frame and defining a cargo volume therebetween, wherein said cargo volume is configured to receive a group of said articles;
• a convey line for transporting said carrier in a direction of travel, wherein said side members of said carrier are configured to engage said convey line;
• a microwave generator for generating microwave energy having a predominant wavelength (λ);
• and
• at least one microwave launcher for directing at least a portion of said microwave energy toward said articles in said carrier being transported along said convey line,
• wherein:
• said microwave launcher defines one or more launch openings, wherein each of said launch openings has a width and a depth, wherein the width of each launch opening is greater than its depth, wherein said microwave launcher is configured such that the width of each launch opening is aligned substantially parallel to said direction of travel, and wherein the ratio of the width of said cargo volume to the depth of each launch opening is greater than 2.75:1,
• said carrier is configured to arrange said articles in at least two spaced apart rows in the cargo volume, and wherein the ratio of the width of said cargo volume to the depth of each launch opening is not more than about 4.2:1, and
• said carrier is configured so that said rows extends along the length of said carrier in a direction generally parallel to one another so that the articles in adjacent rows are spaced apart from one another along the width of said carrier in a side-by-side configuration, wherein the ratio of the distance between the center points of side-by-side articles in adjacent rows when loaded in said carrier to the width of said cargo volume is at least 0.52:1.