The present invention relates to a microwave application method and apparatus for use, for example, as a weed killer for cropping systems.
In an existing approach, a horn antenna is used to direct microwave energy to kill weeds. U.S. Pat. No. 6,401,637, for example, discloses an apparatus for treating soil and subsurface of soil by irradiation with microwave energy to kill weeds. The apparatus is attached to a truck and drawn over the soil to be treated.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,560,673, on the other hand, discloses a conveyor-type apparatus that extracts a layer of soil off the ground and onto the conveyor which is passed through a microwave energy application area.
US Patent Application No. 2012/0091123A1 discloses a microwave system that uses four horn waveguides to direct microwave energy to soil. The microwave system may be mounted on a vehicle.
Brodie G., et al., Microwave Technologies as Part of an Integrated Weed Management Strategy: A Review, International Journal of Agronomy, Volume 2012 describes investigations into the effects of microwaves applied to weeds, such as by horn antennae.
According to a first broad aspect, the present invention provides a microwave energy application apparatus for irradiating a material, comprising: at least one microwave energy source configured to generate microwave energy; at least one microwave applicator having a microwave energy emitting face comprising a dielectric resonator for directing microwave energy towards the material to be irradiated; and a waveguide coupling microwave energy from the microwave energy source to the microwave applicator for application to a material to be treated.
The dielectric resonator may comprise, for example, a ceramic, glass, Teflon, or other low loss dielectric material.
According to a second broad aspect, the present invention provides a microwave energy application apparatus for irradiating a material, comprising: at least one microwave energy source configured to generate microwave energy; at least one microwave applicator having a microwave energy emitting face comprising a slow-wave microwave applicator having grooves arranged in parallel across a direction of propagation of the microwave energy; and a waveguide coupling microwave energy from the microwave energy source to the microwave applicator for application to a material to be treated.
The grooves may have a depth of between 6 and 26 mm. In a preferred embodiment, the grooves have a depth of between 6 and 13 mm. In another preferred embodiment, the grooves have a depth between 13 and 26 mm.
In one embodiment, the grooves are perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the microwave energy. In an embodiment, the grooves are mutually spaced substantially equidistantly.
According to a third broad aspect, the present invention provides a microwave energy application apparatus for irradiating a material, comprising: at least one microwave energy source configured to generate microwave energy; at least one microwave applicator having a microwave energy emitting face for emitting microwave energy; and a waveguide coupling microwave energy from the microwave energy source to the microwave applicator for application to a material to be treated, wherein the microwave energy is emitted from the microwave applicator in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction at which the microwave energy enters the microwave applicator from the waveguide.
In an embodiment, the microwave energy source is configured to output microwave energy with a frequency of approximately 2.45 GHz.
In another embodiment, the microwave energy source is configured to output microwave energy with frequencies between approximately 860 or 960 MHz.
In another embodiment, the microwave energy source is configured to output microwave energy with a frequency of approximately 5.8 GHz.
Optionally, the microwave energy emitting face is planar.
In an embodiment, the microwave energy application apparatus further comprises a reflector located to reflect microwave energy emitted from the microwave energy emitting face, such that the material moves between the reflector and the microwave energy emitting face.
According to a fourth broad aspect, the present invention provides weed, parasite, bacteria, spore, fungi or seed killing device, comprising one or more microwave energy application apparatuses of the first aspect.
According to a fifth broad aspect, the present invention provides soil sterilizing, conditioning or nitrification device, comprising one or more microwave energy application apparatuses of the first aspect.
According to a sixth broad aspect, the present invention provides drying device, comprising one or more microwave energy application apparatuses of the first aspect.
According to a seventh broad aspect, the present invention provides a microwave energy application method, comprising:
According to an eighth broad aspect, the present invention provides A microwave energy application method, comprising: providing microwave energy with at least one microwave energy source; receiving the microwave energy from the microwave energy source with at least one microwave applicator; and applying the microwave energy with the microwave applicator to a material to be treated; wherein the microwave energy is emitted from the microwave applicator in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction at which the microwave energy enters the microwave applicator from the waveguide.
The material to be treated may comprise, for example, weeds, parasites, bacteria, spores, seeds, fungi, or soil.
It should be noted that any of the various individual features of each of the above aspects of the invention, and any of the various individual features of the embodiments described herein including in the claims, can be combined as suitable and desired.
In order that the invention can be more clearly ascertained, embodiments will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a microwave energy application apparatus, shown schematically at 10 in
Microwave energy application apparatus 10 is adapted to be mounted to a wheeled platform pulled by a vehicle, such as a tractor or other farm vehicle, and—in this embodiment—accordingly ultimately derives power from that vehicle. This may be, for example, by operative engagement with an axle, wheel or Power Take Off (PTO) of the vehicle. Referring to
Microwave energy source 14 generates microwave energy at, in this embodiment, 2.45 GHz, and microwave waveguide 16 and slow-wave microwave applicator 18 are sized accordingly. In other embodiments, however, microwave energy source or sources may be employed that generate microwave energy at other wavelengths, such as 860 MHz to 960 MHz, or 5.8 GHz. The choice of frequency may depend, for example, on convenience: commercially available microwave energy sources are commonly adapted to output microwave energy of the aforementioned frequencies, so these may be readily and economically available, but other criteria may be contemplated according to intended application. For example, the composition and/or moisture of soil to which microwaves are applied may influence the choice of operating frequency.
Waveguide 16 is arranged to guide the microwave energy output of the microwave energy source 14 to the microwave applicator 18, and the microwave applicator 18 is arranged to direct that output as desired, in this example downwardly—in use mounted to the vehicle—towards the ground.
Slow-wave microwave applicator 18, in this embodiment, is adapted for use as a weed killer for cropping systems. It comprises a slow-wave structure, which comprises non-radiating open transmission lines that confine the electromagnetic field distribution so that the electromagnetic field remains very close to the surface of the slow-wave structure, and decays exponentially with distance from the surface of the slow-wave structure, thereby increasing the efficacy or efficiency of the treatment of soil or plants.
As shown, the slow-wave microwave applicator 18 emits microwave energy from a substantially planar face. As can be seen, the waveguide 16 directs microwave energy into the slow-wave microwave applicator 18 at an angle substantially perpendicular to the direction at which microwave energy is emitted from the slow-wave microwave applicator 18.
Additionally, it is envisaged that the grooves need not be perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the microwave energy. A departure from perpendicular may lead to perturbations in the microwave field, but it is expected that useful embodiments may still be possible, especially with small departures of the grooves from being perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the microwave energy. An acceptable degree of departure from perpendicular will be readily ascertained by simple trial and error—in particular through measurement of the microwave energy emitted by slow-wave structure 20,20′.
The basic form of the comb-like slow-wave structure 20 is shown schematically in cross-sectional view in the lower register of
The effect of slow-wave structure 20 may be analyzed as follows. Firstly,
where λ0 is the wavelength in free space (m), f is the frequency (Hz), and c is the speed of light in free space (ms−1),
ω=2πf,
where ω is the angular velocity (rad s−1),
where g is the gap width of the structure (m) and T is the period of the structure (m).
A uniform transmission line may be depicted as a “distributed circuit”, as shown schematically in
From this analysis it may be seen that:
V(z)+dV(z)−V(z)=−jωL·dz·I(z)
Therefore:
One should then consider the shunt element, as shown schematically in
dI(z)=−jωC·dz·[V(z)+dV]=−jωC·dz·V(z)−jωC·dz·dV
The limit limdz→0 dz·dV=0, so
Taking the derivative of equation (A1) with respect to z and substituting from equation (A2) yields:
This is a wave equation, the solution of which is:
In this case the general solution represents a wave propagating in both the +z and −z direction with a wave number of τ=ω√{square root over (LC)} and a velocity
A slow-wave structure behaves like a transmission line so can be regarded as a distributed LC network (cf.
The input impedance of a loaded transmission line of length d and unit width (dy) is given by:
In this case,
therefore:
This can be manipulated to become:
Now (ejkd+e−jkd)=2 Cos(kd) and (ejkd−e−jkd)=2j Sin(kd), so:
In the case of a shorted transmission line, ZL=0, therefore:
The equivalent inductance for this input impedance is:
X
L
=jωL=jZ
o Tan(kd)
Therefore,
The total inductance across the width of the short circuited transmission line (i.e. the groove in the slow-wave structure) is:
Hence,
where W is the width of the structure in the y direction (m).
Capacitance is defined as:
where A is the surface area of a conductive plate and d is the distance between plates in a conventional capacitor. In the case where an electric field exists over a conductive surface, the capacitance per unit length of the surface is:
where δ is the field penetration depth of the field in the space above the plate and W is the width of the plate. In the specific case of the slow-wave structure the penetration depth of the field in the x direction is:
hence, the capacitance per unit length of the structure is:
Co=ε0κ′Wτ.
Substituting the inductance and capacitance into τ=ω√{square root over (LC)} yields:
This simplifies to:
τ=kκ′ tan(kd). (A3)
The phase velocity of the slow-wave can be determined as:
β2=k2κ′+τ2. (A4)
There may be two different media adjacent to the slow-wave structure 20, as depicted schematically in
In that case, the phase velocity at the boundary of the two media (40, 42) is the same in order to maintain wave continuity across the boundary. The phase velocity in the first medium (e.g. dielectric plate 40) is:
β2=k2κ′1+τ12 (A5)
and the phase velocity in the second medium (e.g. soil 42) is:
β2=k2κ′2+τ22 (A6)
Subtracting equation (A5) from equation (A6) yields:
0=k2κ′2+τ22−k2κ′1−τ12.
Rearranging gives:
τ22=τ12+k2(κ′1−κ′2)
or
τ2=√{square root over (τ12+k2(κ′1−κ′2))}. (A7)
The slowing factor for the structure can be determined using Verbitskii (1980):
Then the slowing factor is defined as:
The longitudinal electric field is defined as:
E
z
=E
o
e
j(ωt−βz)
·e
−τx
{circumflex over (k)} (A9)
Note: there is no variation of the E field in the y direction, that is, across the slow-wave structure.
Using
assuming no free charges in the field:
Resolving for separate coordinate directions:
From the study of Mentzer and Peters (1976) of a corrugated horn antenna: Hx=0
This leads to:
From Poynting's theorem:
The total power in the field is:
Therefore
Note: the field in a wave guide is:
Where a and b are the dimensions of the wave guide (m).
Therefore
The ratio of the field in the slow-wave structure and the field in a wave guide is:
In a lossy material, there is also longitudinal field absorption (Brodie 2008) in the dielectric media:
Where
Now the temperature rise in a lossy material is:
Where ρ is the material density (kg m−3) and C is the thermal capacity of the material (J kg−1 K−1).
If the system is moving then equation (A12) can be modified to become:
Now
which is the longitudinal velocity of the system, therefore:
Where La is the length of the applicator. Therefore:
This can also be written as:
Two slow wave applicators operating at 2.45 GHz according to the embodiment described above by reference to
The delivery of 55.5 kJ of microwave energy through a horn antenna, it will be noted, raises the soil temperature to between 30° C. and 33° C., which is expected to have no effect on seed viability. Indeed, calculations reveal that 240 kJ of microwave energy would be required from the horn antenna to achieve the same level of soil treatment obtained with the slow-wave applicator and sufficient to kill weed seeds. Hence, the slow-wave applicator provides an approximately fourfold improvement in microwave soil treatment efficacy, compared with a horn antenna arrangement.
The interesting feature of the slow-wave applicator is the total energy requirement to achieve good weed control. For example, it required a 20 s treatment using a 700 W microwave source to deliver the required energy density of 500 J cm−2 needed to kill annual ryegrass plants, while the horn antenna system required 120 s from a 2 kW microwave source to deliver the same energy density at ground level.
Similar total energy savings were also apparent for other species (including wild radish, wild oats, annual ryegrass, perennial ryegrass, barnyard grass, fleabane, feathertop, barnyard grass and brome grass) tested in these experiments. In terms of total microwave energy requirements, the slow-wave applicator is more effective at treating weed plants, requiring only about 2-6% of the total energy needed from the horn antenna system.
The slow-wave applicator of these examples thus appears to provide a useful option for a viable microwave weed killer for agricultural and environmental systems, with improved efficacy of microwave soil and plant treatment by a factor of about 4 and 17, respectively.
As shown schematically in elevation in
Microwave waveguide 16 comprises a bend section couplable to the microwave energy source 14, and a transition section coupled to the bend section and couplable to slow-wave microwave applicator 18,18′.
In use, microwave energy application apparatus 10 is positioned close to the material to be irradiated (e.g. soil), but an advantage of microwave energy application apparatus 10 over a horn antenna device is that it has a penetration depth of 2 to 3 cm and does not radiate with significant intensity over greater distances. Hence, an operator may safely approach (perhaps inadvertently) slow-wave structure 20 while in use to within, in a typical application of the type described above, 10 cm—whereas it would generally be unsafe to approach a comparable horn antenna device while in use, with a penetration depth of about 10 cm, within about 2 m.
Microwave energy application apparatus 10 should also be usable in most typically weather conditions, though its penetration depth will be reduced in wet soil. This effect may be compensated for, in some cases, by increasing energy output.
It is envisaged that, in typical applications, a suitable combination of output power and speed of passing over the material to be treated (e.g. soil, cargo, etc.) would be established so that the desired effect would be achieved in one pass. Optionally, the temperature of the treated material may be monitored by monitoring the temperature to which the material is raised. The temperature may then be used as a basis for varying the output power and/or speed until the desired temperature is achieved. This may be done by coupling the output of a digital thermometer (e.g. in contact with the material or sensitive to infrared radiation emitted by the material) to microwave energy source 14 and/or a drive controlling the speed with which microwave energy application apparatus 10 and the material move relative to each other, so that feedback quickly leads to the desired temperature being produced in the treated material.
In a variation (not shown), slow-wave microwave applicator 18,18′ is covered by ceramic, glass or other materials for mechanical protection of the slow-wave microwave applicator 18,18′ during use from soil damage. Additionally, such a cover may provide for better impedance matching of the slow-wave microwave applicator 18,18′ with the soil.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a microwave energy application apparatus, shown schematically at 100 in
Microwave energy application apparatus 100 includes, therefore, a microwave waveguide 116 and a microwave applicator 118. Microwave applicator 118 includes an applicator housing 152 and an angled transitional microwave conduit 154, which is provided with a flange 156 for attaching microwave applicator 118 to microwave waveguide 116. However, in this embodiment, microwave applicator 118 includes a dielectric resonator comprising an alumina based ceramic block 120 (with a dielectric constant of 9 and a loss tangent of 0.0006). Other materials, such as glass (e.g. fused silica glass), Teflon (trade mark) or mica, may alternatively be employed instead of this or other ceramics, provided that they can act as a suitable dielectric resonator. Indeed, it is envisaged that dielectric materials with a loss tangent equal to or less than that of alumina (including polyethlylene, polypropylene, CPE, polystyrene, boron nitride, sapphire, magnesium oxide, beryllium oxide, and cross-linked polystyrene) would be suitable.
Also, the material should preferably have sufficient physical resilience, such as to cope with being bumped around in the field (if intended for such an application).
As shown, similar to the embodiment comprising a slow-wave microwave applicator 18, the present embodiment emits microwave energy from a substantially planar face. As can be seen, the waveguide 116 directs microwave energy into the dielectric resonator at an angle substantially perpendicular to the direction at which microwave energy is emitted from the dielectric resonator.
Microwave applicator 118, by virtue of ceramic block 120, also provides a microwave field that decays exponentially in a direction away from its downwardly directed microwave energy emitting face 119. It does so by acting as a dielectric resonator in which evanescent microwave fields are created by internally reflected microwave fields and thus may be described as a frustrated total internal reflection microwave applicator.
The evanescent fields extend for most of the applicator's length and width, and decay exponentially below the applicator surface, that is, microwave energy emitting face 119. This minimises the depth of microwave heating into the soil, therefore reducing the energy requirements to—in this embodiment—heat and thereby kill weeds. This maximises the treatment efficiency.
Without wishing to be bound by theory, the operation of embodiments based on a dielectric material—as best understood—is as follows. Referring to
In this case, the transmitted field can be described by:
E
t
=E
o
e
j(kr{circumflex over (x)}
−ωt) (B1)
In the second medium:
{circumflex over (x)}
t
={circumflex over (x)} sin θt+{circumflex over (z)} cos θt (B2)
Now:
cos θt=√{square root over (1−sin2 θt)} (B3)
and
where n1 and n2 are the refractive indices of the two media.
In the case where n1>>n2, it is possible for there to be no transmitted wave
The critical angle of incident (θc) occurs when:
In the case of an interface between air and an alumina dielectric block, the dielectric constant n2 is about 9.8. The dielectric constant of air n1 is 1.0; therefore,
Hence, if the microwave fields travel along the medium (such as a ceramic block) with an incident angle of greater than 18.6° there should be total internal reflection of the fields and the ceramic block will act as a dielectric resonator for the fields.
It is even possible for sin θt>1.0, in which case equation (B3) becomes:
cos θt=j√{square root over (sin2 θt−1)} (B6)
Substituting into equation (B1) yields:
This can be rearranged to yield:
This equation describes an exponentially decaying field in the z direction which propagates along the interface surface in the x direction, according to the wave equation: ej({circumflex over (x)}k′ sin θ
In this case:
where, ω is the angular frequency of the wave (s−1) and c is the speed of light (m s−1).
Using equations (B4) and (B9), equation (B8) can be rewritten to become:
where,
In a non-magnetic material, the refractive index of the material is ni=√{square root over (κi)}, where
In the case of a dielectric resonator, there will be a standing wave generated inside the ceramic block. Therefore, the field can be described by:
where l, m, and n are integers and a, b, and c are the dimensions of the dielectric block (m) in the lateral, vertical, and longitudinal dimensions of the ceramic resonator.
The alumina based ceramic block of the above-described embodiment has κ=9.8, a=140 mm, b=13 mm, and c=355 mm) and is electrically large enough to support multiple field modes during its resonance. For example,
The reflection coefficient of the interface in
It follows that:
When considering non-magnetic non-conductors,
so:
Depending on the relative values of n1 and n2, the sign of the reflected wave can be positive or negative. The change of sign corresponds to a phase change of π between the incident and reflected waves. The transmitted wave is always in phase with the incident wave.
Since from Snell's law
equation (B14) can be rewritten as:
While it is only possible for the numerator of equation (B13) to be zero when n1=n2, the equation can also equate to zero when tan(θi+θt)=∞, which occurs when
This condition results in total transmission of the incident polarized wave across the material interface and the incident angle is referred to as Brewster's angle (θB). Brewster's angle can be determined using:
In the case of an interface between air and an alumina dielectric block, the dielectric constant n2 is about 9.8. The dielectric constant of air n1 is 1.0; therefore,
Hence, the bevel of 72° in the incident face 122 of ceramic block 120 should provide optimal energy transfer into the applicator.
Thermal images were acquired to test the microwave heating effect of a microwave applicator constructed according to microwave applicator 118 of the embodiment of
When microwave applicator 118 was hovered over the ground, the hearting pattern was found to be somewhat similar to that illustrated in
When microwave applicator 118 is placed onto the surface of the ground (such as to treat weeds), the evanescent fields are absorbed so the heating pattern is modified. The results of such a test are shown in the thermal image of the resulting heating pattern of
In all cases the soil temperature reached 50-65° C., which is sufficient to kill plants and some seeds in the surface layer of the soil. The combination of microwave energy and absorbed energy from the heated soil and weeds also slightly heats ceramic block 120: see the thermal image of the resulting heating pattern of ceramic block 120 (
In an embodiment, as shown in
In an example of the embodiment, at frequency 922 MHz, microwave energy penetrates deep to the soil (up to 120 mm) with the top 30 mm of the soil absorbing approximately 43-52% of the applied energy. Reflector 61 acts to reflect non-absorbed energy, with the soil absorbing a portion of this reflected energy. Therefore, the reflector 61 may advantageously improve the efficiency of microwave energy absorption by the soil.
In the embodiments described above, microwave energy application apparatus 10 is typically described as portable, mounted—for example—on a moving platform such as vehicle. In other applications, different moving platforms may be suitable—such as a movable gantry or trolley. In still other applications, the material to be treated may be moved past microwave energy application apparatus 10, such as on a conveyor belt.
It will be understood to those persons skilled in the art of the invention that many modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, in a variation to the embodiments herein described, the microwave applicator is surrounded by curtains from metal strips, chains or wire brushes (or other materials) tissue with metal fibre inclusions, in order to reduce microwave leakage.
In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word “comprise” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising” is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.
It will also be understood that the reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that, the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in any country.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2016905272 | Dec 2016 | AU | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/AU2017/051424 | 12/20/2017 | WO | 00 |