Systems and methods for adaptive microwave drying of ceramic articles

A method of reducing transient temperature variations in a microwave drying process for drying partially dried ceramic logs, comprising:

• sending the logs through at least one output microwave dryer having an input end, an output end and multiple applicators, each applicator being capable of generating an adjustable amount of microwave power, including a maximum amount of microwave power;
• applying the adjustable amount of microwave power to the logs;
• employing a transient drying model based on microwave-drying process parameters to determine a predicted log exit temperature TPE at the output end of the at least one output microwave dryer, wherein an amount of dissipated power for each log is estimated based on the maximum amount of microwave power;
• estimating a target exit temperature TTE for each log that exits the output end of the at least one output microwave dryer;
• and
• adjusting the transient drying model to adjust the amount of maximum microwave power applied to the logs based on a difference between the predicted log exit temperature TPE and the estimated exit target temperature TTE;
• wherein the at least one output microwave dryer includes first and second output microwave dryers, further including sending a first set of the logs through the first output microwave dryer, a second set of the logs through the second output microwave dryer and employing a model to estimate the target exit temperatures TTE of the first and second output microwave dryers;
• wherein the estimated target exit temperatures TTE are used to distinguish between the exit temperatures of the first and second sets of logs.