Dehydrating apparatus and method

Abstract

A dehydrating apparatus suitable for dehydrating food and other biomass products comprises a dehydrating chamber, a vacuum assembly, a magnetron assembly, an infrared heating assembly, a heated air circulation assembly, and a controller. The magnetron assembly is electromagnetically coupled to the dehydrating chamber and is operable to transmit microwave energy into the dehydrating chamber. The vacuum assembly is fluidly coupled to the dehydrating chamber and is operable to reduce the air pressure within the dehydrating chamber. The infrared heating assembly is thermally coupled to the dehydrating chamber and is operable to radiate infrared energy into the dehydrating chamber. The heated air circulation assembly is fluidly coupled to the dehydrating chamber and is operable to circulate heated air within the dehydrating chamber. The controller is communicative with and programmed to operate the magnetron assembly, vacuum assembly, infrared heating assembly and heated air circulation assembly to first reduce pressure within the chamber, then simultaneously transmit microwave energy, radiate infrared energy, and circulate heated air inside the dehydrating chamber upon specific dried product drying procedure.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.