A Multislotted Waveguide Antenna for High-Powered Microwave Heating Systems

A method of microwave power application is described for large industrial heating systems in which a preselected temperature distribution may be specified for typical work loads. This goal is approached through the use of a discrete number of fieldradiating slots cut in the broad side of an S-band waveguide. Uniform or graded distributions of microwave power are obtainable through design data that were experimentally determined and empirically recorded. Individual slot power is determined by the waveguide input power, the number of slots, and the location of the slots on the surface of the waveguide. In a system using 30 slots, work-load temperatures at 60-kW input levels were noted to meet a five-percent variation around a 100°C requirement.