Numerical Analysis of the Electromagnetic Field in Microwave Processing of Forest Fruits

Abstract

In the paper we present the numerical analysis of the power density distribution in the forest fruits in microwave systems. The processing in a microwave field of forest fruits offers the processor a new tool, strong and at the same time different from the conventional methods, improving the characteristic performances of the product. Our purpose is to simulate the drying of the fruits in electromagnetic field-microwave field and to obtain a homogenous temperature distribution, which does not create overheating points like the tangent points between the spheres that, sometimes, can destroy at a local level the forest fruits from the applicator. The drying of forest fruits is done by eliminating the water from the products up to 15-25 % moisture, thus securing the concentration of the sugars and of the acids.

Keywords

• electromagnetic field
• microwave heating
• forest fruits
• numerical analysis