Numerical prediction of three-dimensional temperature distributions inside a microwave oven using the method of lines

The method of lines, a variant of the finite difference time domain technique, is used to transform Maxwell´s equations into a set of ordinary differential equations for the electromagnetic fields within a microwave oven loaded with a composite dielectric material. The power density is then derived and used to calculate the temperature field. The effects of external controls, e.g. a turntable, are modelled and the implications discussed