Dyfed Lloyd Evans On line available at

http://www.celtnet.org.uk/articles/?a=articles&p=6426 [27 August 201 ! "oste# on Date: Jul 8th 2011 Time: 12:27:41 P The mode!n mi"!o#ave oven is a $it"hen ma!vel% used fo! eve!ythin& f!om def!ostin& food% !e' heatin& food to "oo$in& #hole meals( )f often seems mi!a"ulous in that it "oo$s food so mu"h faste! than any othe! "oo$in& method(

*ut #hat is it !eally% and ho# does it #o!$+ ,ell% it-s based a!ound a fo!m of ele"t!oma&neti" !adiation "alled -mi"!o#aves-( This means that mi"!o#aves a!e in the same "lass as !adio #aves% visible li&ht% ult!aviolet !adiation and .'!ays( i"!o#aves a!e a"tually sand#i"hed bet#een inf!a'!ed /heat0 and !adio'#aves( 1s a !esult then a!e !elatively lo# ene!&y and do not di!e"tly inte!a"t #ith matte! /unli$e .'!ays and &amma'!ays0( 2"ientifi"ally% mi"!o#aves a!e defined as bein& in the 1mm to 1m #avelen&th !an&e /300 45

to 300 6450( They "an be &ene!ated in a numbe! of #ays% but Ovens &ene!ate mi"!o#aves usin& #hat-s "alled a magnetron(

i"!o#ave

)n essen"e% a "avity ma&net!on /as used in mi"!o#ave ovens0 is a hi&h'7o#e!ed va"uum tube that &ene!ates mi"!o#aves usin& the inte!a"tion of a st!eam of ele"t!ons #ith a ma&neti" field( 1ll "avity ma&net!ons "onsist of a hot "athode #ith a hi&h /"ontinuous o! 7ulsed0 ne&ative 7otential by a hi&h'volta&e% di!e"t'"u!!ent 7o#e! su77ly( The "athode is built into the "ent!e of an eva"uated% lobed% "i!"ula! "hambe!( 1 ma&neti" field 7a!allel to the filament is im7osed by a 7e!manent ma&net( The ma&neti" field "auses the ele"t!ons% att!a"ted to the /!elatively0 7ositive oute! 7a!t of the "hambe!% to s7i!al out#a!d in a "i!"ula! 7ath !athe! than movin& di!e"tly to this anode( 27a"ed a!ound the !im of the "hambe! a!e "ylind!i"al "avities( The "avities a!e o7en alon& thei! len&th and "onne"t the "ommon "avity s7a"e( 1s ele"t!ons s#ee7 7ast these o7enin&s% they indu"e a !esonant% hi&h'f!e8uen"y !adio field in the "avity% #hi"h in tu!n "auses the ele"t!ons to bun"h into &!ou7s( 1 7o!tion of this field is e9t!a"ted #ith a sho!t antenna that is "onne"ted to a #ave&uide /a metal tube usually of !e"tan&ula! "!oss se"tion0( )n a mi"!o#ave oven% the #ave&uide di!e"ts the mi"!o#ave ene!&y to the "oo$in& "hambe!( ost mi"!o#aves &ene!ate !adiation at a f!e8uen"y of 2(4: 645 /a #avelen&th of 122mm0( *efo!e ente!in& the "oo$in& "hambe! the mi"!o#avesim7a"t a metal sti!!e!( This !efle"ts some of the mi"!o#aves and allo#s othe!s to 7ass st!ai&ht do#n( This #ay the mi"!o#aves a!e di!e"ted so that they s7!ead evenly th!ou&hout the "oo$in& "hambe! /the ima&e 7!esented he!e sho#s the main "om7onents of the mi"!o#ave0( i"!o#aves effe"tively "!eate an alte!natin& ele"t!oma&neti" field in the food( ,ate!% fat% and othe! substan"es in the food abso!b ene!&y f!om themi"!o#aves in a 7!o"ess "alled diele"t!i"

heatin&( This !elies on mole"ules in the food havin& an ele"t!i" di7ole /a small 7ositive "ha!&e at one end and a small ne&ative one at the othe!0( ,ate! is one su"h mole"ule% and #hen 7la"ed in a mi"!o#ave field the #ate! mole"ules move as they t!y to ali&n themselves #ith the alte!natin& ele"t!i" field of the mi"!o#aves( This mole"ula! movement !e7!esents heat #hi"h is then dis7e!sed as the !otatin& mole"ules hit othe! mole"ules and 7ut them into motion( )ons /salts0 in the food a!e also a""ele!ated by the ele"t!i" field and im7a!t heat as they "ollide #ith othe! mole"ules( 1 "ommon mis"on"e7tion is that mi"!o#ave ovens "oo$ food ;f!om the inside out%; meanin& f!om the "ent!e of the enti!e mass of food out#a!ds( )n !eality% mi"!o#aves a!e abso!bed in the oute! laye!s of food in a manne! some#hat simila! to heat f!om othe! methods( The mis"on"e7tion a!ises be"ause mi"!o#aves 7enet!ate d!y non'"ondu"tive substan"es at the su!fa"es of many "ommon foods% and thus often indu"e initial heat mo!e dee7ly than othe! methods( This has !eal effe"ts on ho# food should be "oo$ed in a mi"!o#ave and the thi"$est 7a!t of any food should be to#a!ds the outside /thus fish should be a!!an&ed in a "i!"le #ith the heads 7ointin& out#a!ds and the tails a!!an&ed to#a!ds the "ent!e of the mi"!o#ave( 1ll mode!n mi"!o#aves "ontain a tu!ntable #hi"h !otates the food as it "oo$s( This hel7s the foods "oo$ mo!e evenly% #ith the mi"!o#ave heatin& s7!ead mo!e evenly in the food( One of the main safety featu!es of the mi"!o#ave is the doo!( This ensu!es that the mi"!o#ave automati"ally tu!ns off #hen the doo! is o7en to 7!event a""idental !elease of mi"!o#aves outside the "oo$in& "hambe!( The oven doo! usually has a #indo# fo! easy vie#in&% but the #indo# has a laye! of "ondu"tive mesh some distan"e f!om the oute! 7anel to maintain the shieldin&( *e"ause the si5e of the 7e!fo!ations in the mesh is mu"h less than the mi"!o#aves- #avelen&th% most of the mi"!o#ave !adiation "annot 7ass th!ou&h the doo!% #hile visible li&ht /#ith a mu"h sho!te! #avelen&th0 "an( This essentially means that the "oo$in& "hambe! of a mi"!o#ave oven is a <a!aday "a&e that 7!events themi"!o#aves f!om es"a7in& outside the "oo$in& "hambe! itself( =se of mi"!o#aves allo#s heat to 7enet!ate the food mo!e 8ui"$ly% thus ma!$edly s7eedin&'u7 "oo$in& time( This does mean% thou&h% that food is seldom heated to mo!e than 100>? /the boilin& 7oint of #ate!0( This "an be benefi"ial fo! nut!ient !etention and !edu"in& the levels of "a!"ino&ens 7!odu"ed by othe! "oo$in& te"hni8ues( ?hefs% ho#eve!% tend to avoid mi"!o#aves fo! "oo$in& as they do not 7!odu"e "a!ameli5ation of the food% #hi"h ma$es a dish both tastie! and mo!e att!a"tive% thou&h manufa"tu!e!s have sou&ht to ove!"ome this limitation by 7la"in& lam7s /#hi"h &ene!ate inf!a!ed ene!&y0 o! &!ills in thei! mi"!o#aves( )t should be noted% ho#eve!% that any metal /o! "ondu"tive0 ob@e"t 7la"e in a mi"!o#ave "an a"t as an antenna% #hi"h "an !esult in an ele"t!i" "u!!ent #ithin it% tu!nin& it into a heated element( )f the metal ob@e"t has a 7oint to it then this "an be a sou!"e of s7a!$s and "an be"ome a fi!e ha5a!d( Plain #ate!% if heated in a mi"!o#ave "an also be"ome su7e!heated /ie heated to mo!e than 100>?0 #ithout bubblin& o! &ivin& off steam( 1ny mino! distu!ban"e of

the li8uid "an "ause the li8uid to va7ou!i5e% 7otentially "ausin& bu!ns( Ob@e"ts that a!e totally en"losed /shelled e&&s% "losed "ontaine!s0 "an be heated until they e97lode and should be "!a"$ed o! 7ie!"ed to allo# the safe !elease of steam 7!io! to

Othe! sou!"es http://glo$al%icrowa&e.org/%icrowa&es.php

Microwave Radio Frequencies

'icrowa&e ra#io (re)uencies are electro%agnetic wa&es with wa&elength with the si*es ranging $etween 1%% + 1%. ,he (re)uenc- utili*e# are in the 0. ./ an# 00 ./* range. 'icrowa&e o&ens are $asicall- accelerate# ra#io wa&e %achines that contain a concentrate# ra#io (re)uenc- insi#e a cha%$er. 'icrowa&e (re)uencies ha&e a#&erse e((ects on hu%ans. ,his is wh- the go&ern%ent e%plo-s the 0Acti&e 1enial 2-ste%0 3nerg- 4eapon (or crow# control. 'ore i%portantl-5 %icrowa&e (re)uencies cause heat in water.
Coinciding history of Satellites and Microwave Radio Frequencies.

4ireless co%puter networks5 cellular phones5 an# satellite #ish networks5 an# the use o( %icrowa&e (re)uencies ha&e $eco%e a househol# thing. ,he (ollowing is a $rie( ti%eline o( 'icrowa&e 6re)uenc- co%%unications (ro% satellites. .lo$al 4ar%ing histor- (ro% "72.
1950/57
82A $egan wi#el- 7roa#casting 8/6 an# 9/6. 6irst %an+%a#e 3arth satellite launche# $- the (or%er 2o&iet 8nion.

1958
6irst 82 satellite launche#. 6irst &oice co%%unication esta$lishe# &ia satellite.

1960
6irst co%%unication satellite :passi&e; launche# into space.

1962
6irst acti&e co%%unication satellite launche#.

1964
<apan an# the 8= $egins 8/6 an# has alrea#- esta$lishe# 9/6 $roa#casting. 6irst satellite launche# into the geostationar- or$it. >?,3@2A, (oun#e#.

1965

Aoger Ae&elle helpe# pu$lish the first high-level government mention of global warming . 6irst satellite launche# into the geostationar- or$it (or co%%ercial use.

1970/75
Bana#a 7roa#casts 8/6 an# 9/6 6irst #o%estic satellite s-ste% operational :Bana#a;. >?,3A2"8,?>= (oun#e# :1C72; 6irst success(ul #irect $roa#cast eDperi%ent :one -ear #urationE 82A+>n#ia;.

1977/79
,he ?ational Aca#e%- o( 2ciences issue# a stu#- calle# Energy and Climate :1C77; 8/6 7roa#casting in >relan# >nternational %o$ile satellite organi*ation :>n%arsat; esta$lishe#

1980/81
Aepresentati&e Al .ore co+sponsore# the (irst Bongressional hearings to study the implications of global warming . 8/6 7roa#casting in Australia. 6irst reusa$le launch &ehicle (light. :A%erican 2pace 2huttle;

1982
Aoger Ae&elle pu$lishe# a wi#el-+rea# article in 2B>3?,>6>B A'3A>BA? a##ressing the rise in global sea level by the melting of glaciers. >nternational %ariti%e co%%unications %a#e operational

1984
6irst #irect+to+ho%e $roa#cast s-ste% operational :<apan;

1987/88
2uccess(ul trials o( lan# %o$ile co%%unications : >n%arsat; ?A2A cli%ate scientist <a%es /ansen an# his tea% reporte# to Bongress on glo$al war%ing. :1CFF; the >ntergo&ern%ental "anel on Bli%ate Bhange (IPCC) was established. :1CFF;

1989/90
.lo$al %o$ile co%%unication ser&ice eDten#e# to lan# %o$ile an# aeronautical use :>n%arsat;

1990/93
the Global Change esearch Information !ffice :.BA>G; was esta$lishe#. Bongress passe# an# "resi#ent .eorge 7ush signe# "u$lic @aw 101+606 0 "he Global Change esearch #ct of $%%&.0 2e&eral organi*ations/co%panies propose the use o( non+geostationar- satellite s-ste% (or %o$ile co%%unications. the 8.?. Bon(erence on 3n&iron%ent an# 1e&elop%ent. : '(CE) or the *Earth +ummit*; "lans (or pro&ision o( ser&ice to han#+hel# telephones $- the -ear 2000 announce# $- se&eral organi*ations/co%panies. Bontinuing growth o( 92A,s in #i&erse regions o( the worl#.4AB allocates new (re)uencies (or %o$ile satellite co%%unication. Bontinuing growth o( #irect $roa#cast in Asia an# 3urope.

1995
@argest single+-ear worl#wi#e growth in the nu%$ers o( 92A,s. 2pectru% allocation (or non+geostationar- satellite s-ste%. 6irst success(ul test o( low #ata rate co%%ercial low 3arth or$it satellite s-ste% :GA7BG';.

1997
@aunch o( (irst $atch o( low earth or$it satellites (or pro&ision o( &oice ser&ices to han#+hel# ter%inals :>ri#iu%;. 9oice co%%unication ser&ices to #esk+top telephone si*e# %o$ile ter%inal launche# :>n%arsat;. "aging ser&ice to pocket+sige# ter%inals launche# :>n%arsat;. ,yoto Protocol5 in which the #e&elope# nations agree# to li%it their greenhouse gas e%issions5 relati&e to the le&els e%itte# in 1CC0.

1998
>ntro#uction o( han#+hel# ser&ices &ia low 3arth or$it constellation.

1990/00
>ntro#uction o( #irect soun# $roa#casting s-ste%.

2001
,he >"BB release# its thir# assess%ent report5 conclu#ing on the $asis o( 0new an# stronger e&i#ence that %ost o( the o$ser&e# war%ing o&er the last H0 -ears is attri$uta$le to hu%an acti&ities.0 ,he- also o$ser&e# that 0 the globally averaged surface temperature is pro-ected to increase by $.. to /.0 degrees Celsius over the period $%%& to 1$&& .0

2004
,he 7ush A#%inistration ca%e into con(lict with the worl# co%%unit- when it appeare# to take issue with parts o( an eight+nation report co%pile# $- 2H0 scientists which conten#e# that the #rctic is warming almost twice as fast as the rest of the planet#ue to a $uil#up o( heat+trapping gases.

2000/05
6BB awar#s C0 '/* o( a##itional spectru% (or a#&ance# wireless ser&ices. 1eli&er- o( #igital wireless #ata an# &oice enhance# networks :2.H.; Gn Gcto$er 1 5 200 20th Anni&ersar- o( Bo%%ercial 4ireless Bo%%unications. >ntro#uction o( $roa#$an# personal co%%unications. Gr$ital 1e$ris $eco%es an issue. =a $an# s-ste% proli(erate. A nu%$er o( low an# %e#iu% or$it constellation s-ste% operational. ,he ,yoto Protocol entered into force on 2ebruary $34 1&&/ . >n#ustriali*e# countries ha&e co%%itte# to cut their co%$ine# e%issions to HI $elow 1CC0 le&els $- 200F + 2012.

,G"
Radio Frequencies

>n the ta$le $elow -ou will see how %icrowa&e (re)uencies are use# an# what their (re)uencies are.
2re6uency and 7avelength

5and name

#bbr band

E8ample uses

3Dtre%el- low (re)uenc-

3@6

J 0 /* 1005000 k% J 105000 k% 0J 00 /* 105000 k% J 1000 k%

Bo%%unication with su$%arines

2uper low (re)uenc8ltra low (re)uenc9er- low (re)uenc@ow (re)uenc'e#iu% (re)uenc/igh (re)uenc9er- high (re)uenc8ltra high (re)uenc2uper high (re)uenc3Dtre%el- high (re)uenc-

2@6

Bo%%unication with su$%arines

8@6

00J 000 /* Bo%%unication within un#ergroun# %ines 1000 k% J 100 k% 4 J 0 k/* 100 k% J 10 k% 0J 00 k/* 10 k% J 1 k% 00J 000 k/* 1 k% J 100 % J 0 '/* 100 % J 10 % 0J 00 '/* 10 % J 1 % 00J 000 '/* 1 % J 100 %% J 0 ./* 100 %% J 10 %% 0J 00 ./* 10 %% J 1 %% 2u$%arine co%%unication5 a&alanche $eacons5 wireless heart rate %onitors5 an# geoph-sics ?a&igation5 ,i%e signals5 A' Aa#io

9@6

@6

'6

A' Aa#io

/6

2hortwa&e Aa#io an# a&iation co%%unications

9/6

6' Aa#io5 ,9 $roa#casts5 an# aircra(t co%%unications ,9 $roa#casts5 %icrowa&e o&ens5 %o$ile phones5 wireless @A?5 7luetooth5 ."25 an# ,wo+4a- Aa#ios Aa#ars5 'o$ile "hones5 an# Bo%%ercial 4ireless @A?

8/6

2/6

10

3/6

11

/igh+spee# satellite %icrowa&e trans%ission

+ource from 7i9ipedia adio 2re6uency

,G"
How a Microwave Oven works?

,his is a #rawing o( how a %icrowa&e o&en works.

>n or#er to un#erstan# how %icrowa&es work in general5 it is necessar- to un#erstan# how ra#io (re)uencies cause heating. ,he parts o( a %icrowa&e that create the ra#io (re)uencies are the trans(or%er5 ca&it- %agnetron5 %icro controller5 an# wa&e gui#e.Blick here (or a great eDplanation o( Aa#io 6re)uenc- /eating. 'icrowa&e o&ens work $- passing non ioni*ing %icrowa&e ra#iation through the (oo#5 at a (re)uenc- approDi%atel- 2.H ./*. 'icrowa&e o&ens pro#uce wa&es si%ilar to that o( a t-pical wireless phone. 'icrowa&e ra#io (re)uencies pass through water5 (at5 an# other su$stances causing a process calle# #ielectric heating. 4ater %olecules ha&e a positi&e charge at one en# an# a negati&e charge at the other calle# electric #ipoles. As %icrowa&es pass through water %olecules5 the %olecules rotate as the- tr- to align the%sel&es with the alternating electric (iel#. ,his %olecular %o&e%ent creates heat. 'icrowa&e heating is %ost e((ecti&e on li)ui# water.

"his is an image of molecular friction due to 2 heating from theColorado E)'

,he i%age to the le(t is an illustration (ro% the Bolora#o 318. ,his illustration shows how %olecules rotate an# cause (riction $etween each other when %icrowa&e ra#io (re)uencies passe# through. Gne %a- ask the%sel&es5 01o %icrowa&e o&ens ha&e an- ha*ar#s?0 >n (act %icrowa&e o&ens can leak %icrowa&e (re)uencies outsi#e o( the o&en. 2o%e sa- that the newer %icrowa&es to#a- ha&e no health risks #ue to $etter constructe# units. :2ee the Bana#ian Benter (or /ealth an# 2a(et-; 3Dposure to higher wattage can a((ect a hu%ans health. 7ut what a$out lower wattages. @ower wattages can cause things to cook as well5 the onl- #i((erence is that it takes longer. 6actors like5 concentration o( the wa&es5 power wattage5 an# (re)uenc- le&els are what #eter%ine how (ast so%ething will cook or %elt.

,G"
Microwave Oven Components

A %icrowa&e o&en consists o(:

a high &oltage trans(or%er5 which passes energ- to the %agnetron a ca&it- %agnetron5 a %agnetron control circuit :usuall- with a %icrocontroller;5 a wa&egui#e5 an# a cooking cha%$er

'agnetron with section re%o&e# :%agnet is not shown; picture taken $-/BA2

8n#erstan#ing how a %icrowa&e works can $e achie&e# $- stu#-ing the parts an# how the- work. 6irst we will take a close look at the speci(ications a wa&egui#e. ,he wa&egui#e is an essential (unction o( the %icrowa&e o&en. A 7aveguide is an- linear structure that gui#es electro%agnetic wa&es (or the purpose o( trans%itting power or signals. .enerall- constructe# o( a hollow %etal pipe. "lacing a wa&egui#e into a &acuu% causes ra#io wa&es to scatter. A Cavity magnetron is a %icrowa&e antenna place# in a &acuu% tu$e an# oscillate# in an electro%agnetic (iel# in or#er to pro#uce high ./* %icrowa&es. 'agnetrons are in %icrowa&e o&ens an# ra#ar s-ste%s.

"his is a picture of a micro controller.

A :icrocontroller is a %icroprocessor that is integrate# on a circuit $oar#. @ike in cell phones an# satellite #ishes. /ere is a 2>2 chip on a graphics car#. ,his is what an integrate# processor looks like. ,he %icrocontroller controls the wa&egui#e an# the entire unit so the %icrowa&es are e%itte# at a constant rate.

,his is how a trans(or%er works.

A "ransformer is two or %ore couple# win#ings an# a %agnetic (luD core that trans(ers electrical energ- through a circuit $- %agnetic coupling without using %otion $etween parts. ,hese are use# (or suppl-ing power to the %agnetron. A Coo9ing Chamber is a %icrowa&e sa(e container the pre&ents %icrowa&es (ro% escaping. ,he #oor has a %icrowa&e proo( %esh with holes that are Kust s%all enough that %icrowa&es canLt pass through $ut lightwa&es can. ,he cooking cha%$er itsel( is a 6ara#a- cage enclosure which pre&ents the %icrowa&es (ro% escaping into the en&iron%ent. ,he o&en #oor is usuall- a glass panel (or eas-

&iewing5 $ut has a la-er o( con#ucti&e %esh to %aintain the shiel#ing. 7ecause the si*e o( the per(orations in the %esh is %uch less than the wa&elength o( 12 c%5 %ost o( the %icrowa&e ra#iation cannot pass through the #oor5 while &isi$le light :with a %uch shorter wa&elength; can. ,G" Bop-right M 2006 + 201 $- <a%es Aichar#son5 4e$ 2.0 #e&eloper