Claims
- 1. A solid-state radio frequency generator apparatus comprising:an oscillator; a high-voltage inductor electrically connected directly to said oscillator; and a plurality of capacitive plates including a first plate and a second plate electrically connected directly to said inductor for producing an alternating electric field capable of heating material between said first plate and said second plate; wherein said oscillator produces a potential across coils of said high-voltage inductor.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said high-voltage inductor comprises one winding of a high-voltage transformer.
- 3. A solid-state radio frequency generator apparatus comprising:a distributed oscillator; a high-voltage inductor connected to said distributed oscillator; and a plurality of capacitive plates connected to said inductor for producing an alternating electric field between said capacitive plates; wherein said high-voltage inductor includes a plurality of windings and a plurality of coil-balancing capacitors each connected across a respective one of said windings.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one connected buck convertor and at least one connected sensor which control said alternating electric field.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said distributed oscillator comprises a plurality of connected substantially synchronously-switched independent inverter subcircuits.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein each of said inverter subcircuits comprises a plurality of substantially synchronously-switched independent driver cells arranged in connected push-pull series chains.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said driver cells comprise a plurality of driver cell devices.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said driver cell devices comprise power MOSFETs.
- 9. A solid-state radio frequency generator apparatus comprising:a distributed oscillator; a high-voltage inductor connected to said distributed oscillator; and a plurality of capacitive plates connected to said inductor for producing an alternating electric field between said capacitive plates; wherein said distributed oscillator includes a plurality of connected substantially synchronously-switched independent inverter subcircuits, each of said inverter subcircuits includes a plurality of substantially synchronously-switched independent driver cells arranged in connected push-pull series chains, and said driver cells include self-biasing transformer-coupled diode-limited nonlinear switching circuits with connected driver cell balancing capacitors and a plurality of connected driver cell devices.
- 10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said alternating electric field heats by dielectric absorption a target material disposed between said capacitive plates.
- 11. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a tube, disposed between said capacitive plates, through which said target material can be moved as said alternating electric field heats said target material.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a conveyor belt, disposed between said capacitive plates, on which said target material moves as said alternating electric field heats said target material.
- 13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said heating by dielectric absorption occurs at a sufficient temperature and for a sufficient time to destroy pathogens within said target material.
- 14. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said target material comprises a food item.
- 15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said target material comprises a sweet food item.
- 16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said target material comprises a fruit preparation.
- 17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said target material comprises a flavoring.
- 18. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said target material comprises a beverage concentrate.
- 19. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said target material comprises a savory food item.
- 20. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said target material comprises a dairy product.
- 21. A method of generating radio frequency energy, comprising the steps of:supplying input power to a solid-state oscillator to produce a potential; operating said solid-state oscillator to apply said potential across a high-voltage inductor to directly drive said high-voltage inductor to produce an alternating magnetic field; and using said high-voltage inductor to resonantly drive a number of capacitive plates including a first plate and a second plate to produce an alternating electric field capable of heating material between said first plate and said second plate.
- 22. The method of claim 21 wherein said high-voltage inductor is used as one winding of a high-voltage transformer for driving said capacitive plates.
- 23. A method of generating radio frequency energy comprising the steps of:supplying input power to a solid-state distributed oscillator; operating said solid-state distributed oscillator to drive a high-voltage inductor to produce an alternating magnetic field; using said high-voltage inductor to resonantly drive a number of capacitive plates to produce an alternating electric field between said capacitive plates; and tuning said high-voltage inductor with a plurality of coil-balancing capacitors.
- 24. The method of claim 21 comprising the further step of using a plurality of buck convertors and a plurality of sensors to control said input power and said alternating electric field.
- 25. The method of claim 21 comprising the further step of substantially synchronously switching a plurality of independent inverter subcircuits to drive said high-voltage inductor and said capacitive plates.
- 26. The method of claim 25 comprising the further step of substantially synchronously switching a plurality of independent driver cells arranged in push-pull series chains to distribute voltage over said plurality of independent driver cells.
- 27. The method of claim 26 comprising the further step of distributing said driver cells over a plurality of driver cell devices.
- 28. The method of claim 27 wherein said driver cell devices comprise power MOSFETs.
- 29. A method of generating radio frequency energy, comprising the steps of:supplying input power to a solid-state distributed oscillator; operating said solid-state distributed oscillator to drive a high-voltage inductor to produce an alternating magnetic field; using said high-voltage inductor to resonantly drive a number of capacitive plates to produce an alternating electric field between said capacitive plates; substantially synchronously switching a plurality of independent inverter subcircuits to drive said high-voltage inductor and said capacitive plates; substantially synchronously switching a plurality of independent driver cells arranged in push-pull series chains to distribute voltage over said plurality of independent driver cells; and switching a plurality of driver cell devices, having self-biasing transformer-coupled diode-limited nonlinear switching circuits with driver cell balancing capacitors to ensure switching synchronicity.
- 30. The method of claim 21 comprising the further step of heating a target material by dielectric absorption of said alternating electric field between said capacitive plates.
- 31. The method of claim 30 comprising the further step of moving said target material through a tube as said alternating electric field heats said target material.
- 32. The method of claim 30 comprising the further step of moving said target material on a conveyor belt as said alternating electric field heats said target material.
- 33. The method of claim 30 wherein said heating of said target material occurs at a sufficient temperature and for a sufficient time to destroy pathogens present in said target material.
- 34. The method of claim 30 wherein said target material comprises a food item.
- 35. The method of claim 34 wherein said target material comprises a sweet food item.
- 36. The method of claim 35 wherein said target material comprises a fruit preparation.
- 37. The method of claim 34 wherein said target material comprises a flavoring.
- 38. The method of claim 34 wherein said target material comprises a beverage concentrate.
- 39. The method of claim 34 wherein said target material comprises a savory food item.
- 40. The method of claim 34 wherein said target material comprises a dairy product.
- 41. A solid-state radio frequency generator system, comprising:means for supplying controlled input power to a solid-state distributed oscillator; means for synchronously driving coils of a high-voltage inductor with a solid-state distributed oscillator to produce an alternating magnetic field; and means for resonantly driving a number of capacitive plates with said high-voltage inductor to produce an alternating electric field.
- 42. A solid-state radio frequency generator system, comprising:a supply assembly supplying controlled input power to a solid-state oscillator; a synchronous coil drive assembly synchronously driving coils of a high-voltage inductor with a solid-state oscillator to produce an alternating magnetic field; and a resonant drive assembly resonantly driving a number of capacitive plates with said high-voltage inductor to produce an alternating electric field.
- 43. A method of generating radio frequency fields using a solid-state device, comprising:supplying controlled input power to a solid-state oscillator; synchronously driving coils of a high-voltage inductor with a solid-state oscillator to produce an alternating magnetic field; and resonantly driving a number of capacitive plates with said high-voltage inductor to produce an alternating electric field.
- 44. The apparatus of claim I further comprising:a plurality of said oscillators; a plurality of high voltage inductors, driven by said plurality of oscillators; and a plurality of capacitors, each capacitor having a pair of capacitive plates, a first plate of said pair being connected to a first end of a high voltage inductor and a second plate of said pair being connected to a second end of the same high voltage inductor, forming an alternating electric field between said pair of capacitive plates for heating.
- 45. The method of claim 21 wherein:said step of supplying further includes supplying voltage to a plurality of oscillators; said step of operating further includes operating a plurality of high voltage inductors; and said step of using further includes using said plurality of high-voltage inductors to resonantly drive a plurality of capacitors each having a pair of capacitive plates, a first plate of said pair being connected to a first end of a high voltage inductor and a second plate of said pair being connected to a second end of the same high voltage inductor, forming an alternating electric field between said pair of capacitive plates for heating.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is related to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/117,941, entitled “Solid State RF Generator For Dielectric Heating Of Food Products,” filed on Jan. 29, 1999, which is incorporated by reference.
US Referenced Citations (6)
Foreign Referenced Citations (4)
Number |
Date |
Country |
2440674 |
Jul 1980 |
FR |
58-7788 |
Jan 1983 |
JP |
58-198891 |
Nov 1983 |
JP |
10-134953 |
May 1998 |
JP |
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60/117941 |
Jan 1999 |
US |