Radiofrequency heating of wood using a three-electrode system having a winged central electrode
OwnerRonald Mack, Mark Hamelin +3inventors
InventorsRonald Mack, Mark Hamelin, John J. Janowiak, Karolina Szymona, Kelli Hoover
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Abstract
Wood kilns, electrode systems for wood kilns, and methods of using the systems for the radiofrequency (RF) drying and phytosanitizing of wood are provided. The electrode systems are based on a three-electrode design in which a central plate electrode having winged edges is disposed between a pair of ground plate electrodes. The winged edges of the central electrode improve the uniformity of heating during the phytosanitizing process, relative to a five-electrode parallel plate system, or a three-electrode parallel plate system having a conventional planar central plate electrode.
Claims14
A wood kiln comprising:
- a vacuum chamber;
- a central plate electrode disposed within the vacuum chamber, the central plate electrode having a first planar pressing surface, a first angled flange flanking the first planar pressing surface, a second planar pressing surface disposed opposite the first planar pressing surface, and a second angled flange flanking the second planar pressing surface;
- a first ground plate electrode disposed within the vacuum chamber, wherein the first ground plate electrode is disposed on a first side of the central plate electrode;
- a second ground plate electrode disposed within the vacuum chamber, wherein the second ground plate electrode is disposed on a second side of the central plate electrode, opposite the first ground plate electrode, wherein the central plate electrode, the first ground plate electrode, and the second ground plate electrode are arranged in parallel, and further wherein the first angled flange of the central plate electrode is angled toward the first ground plate electrode, and the second angled flange of the central plate electrode is angled toward the second ground plate electrode and away from the first angled flange;
- and
- a radiofrequency generator coupled to the central plate electrode.
A method for heating wood using a radiofrequency heating apparatus comprising:
- a central plate electrode having a first planar pressing surface, a first angled flange flanking the first planar pressing surface, a second planar pressing surface disposed opposite the first planar pressing surface, and a second angled flange flanking the second planar pressing surface;
- a first ground plate electrode disposed on a first side of the central plate electrode;
- a second ground plate electrode disposed on a second side of the central plate electrode, opposite the first ground plate electrode, wherein the central plate electrode, the first ground plate electrode, and the second ground plate electrode are arranged in parallel, and further wherein the first angled flange of the central plate electrode is angled toward the first ground plate electrode, and the second angled flange of the central plate electrode is angled toward the second ground plate electrode and away from the first angled flange;
- and
- a radiofrequency generator coupled to the central plate electrode,
- the method comprising:
- inserting at least one piece of wood between the first planar pressing surface of the central plate electrode and the first ground plate electrode and at least one piece of wood between the second planar pressing surface of the central plate electrode and the second ground plate electrode;
- and
- creating a radiofrequency electromagnetic field between the central plate electrode and the first ground plate electrode and between the central plate electrode and the second ground plate electrode, whereby the at least one piece of wood between the central plate electrode and the first ground plate electrode and the at least one piece of wood between the central plate electrode and the second ground plate electrode are heated by high frequency heating.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.