Determination of a heating profile for a large-scale microwave heating system

A method for heating a plurality of articles, said method comprising:

• (a) heating a first test article in a small-scale microwave heating system while conveying said first test article through a water-filled, small-scale microwave chamber having a total internal volume of less than 50 cubic feet, wherein at least a portion of said heating of step (a) is accomplished using microwave energy;
• (b) determining a first prescribed heating profile based on said heating of step (a), wherein said prescribed heating profile comprises at least one value for one or more microwave system parameters selected from the group consisting of net power discharged into said chamber, sequential microwave power distribution, average temperature of the water in said microwave chamber, flow rate of the water in said microwave chamber, and residence time of said article in said microwave chamber;
• and
• (c) heating a plurality of first commercial articles in a large-scale microwave heating system while conveying said first commercial articles through a water-filled, large-scale microwave chamber having a total internal volume of at least 250 cubic feet, wherein at least a portion of said heating of step (c) is accomplished using microwave energy, wherein each of said first commercial articles is substantially similar in size and composition to said first test article, wherein said heating of step (c) is controlled in accordance with said first prescribed heating profile determined in step (b).