Characteristic Properties of Microwave Heating.

The essential characteristic properties of microwave heating can be demonstrated through the resolution of a model making use of the wave equation, the heat equation and a third equation characteristic of the phenomenon sought (drying, polymerization, defrosting, therapeutic hyperthermy, etc. ). The equations are generally coupled, non-linear and their solving requires an imposing numerical arsenal. Nevertheless, the master ideas for the utilization of microwave energy can be deduced from a simple analytic model.