Towards temperature uniformity control: a process conditions selection chart

Processing conditions applied during microwave-assisted processes severely affects the final result, be it the yield of a reaction product or the microstructure of a determined heat treatment. Numerical simulation can help gather a deeper insight into microwave assisted processes, and by developing processing map, it can help selecting the optimum conditions to achieve the desired result. In this contribution we present the development of a process conditions selection chart, which can be used as a guideline to perform microwave synthesis with temperature-related objectives, like reaching the conditions of maximum or minimum temperature distribution homogeneity. Multiphysics numerical simulation of microwave heating at 2450 MHz in a TM010 single mode applicator of a liquid load, cylindrically shaped, was conducted by FEM setting a three way coupling of the electromagnetic field, the velocity field in the load and the thermal field. Results allow drawing a process condition selection chart useful for the synthesis of inorganic nanopowders, like TiO2.