Microwave Oven

Unit - 5
 Home Appliances
(Unit - 5)

• Basic principle and block diagram of microwave

oven;
• Washing machine hardware and software,
• Components of air conditioning and
• Refrigeration systems,
• Proximity Sensors and accelerometer sensors in
home appliances.
 Introductions
 Electromagnetic waves longer (lower frequency) than microwaves are called
"radio waves". Electromagnetic radiation with shorter wavelengths may be
called "millimeter waves", or t-rays

 The existence of electromagnetic waves, of which microwaves are part of the

frequency spectrum was predicted by James Clerk Maxwell in 1864 from his
equations.

 Heinrich Hertz was the first to demonstrate the existence of electromagnetic

waves by building an apparatus that produced and detected microwaves in
the UHF region.

 J.C. Bose publicly demonstrated radio control of a bell using millimeter

wavelengths and conducted research into the propagation of microwaves.
 Microwaves?
 Microwaves are a form of electromagnetic energy, like light waves or
radio waves.
 Electromagnetic waves with wavelengths ranging from 1mm, or
frequencies between 300MHz and 300GHz are called as Microwaves.
 Microwaves are used extensively in communications.
 Good for transmitting information because it can penetrate haze, light
rain and snow, clouds, smoke, and also used in radars.
 Microwave has become most familiar as the energy source for
cooking food.
 Electromagnetic Spectrum
 Electromagnetic radiation exists in a range of frequencies called the
electromagnetic spectrum.
 Each frequency has a specific wavelength and as the frequency
decreases, the actual length of the wave gets longer.
 c = fλ
 The frequency used in microwave oven is 2.45 GHz
 History Of Microwave Oven
 In 1945, Percy Spencer, working for Raytheon to develop magnetrons
for active radar signals, noticed a chocolate bar in pocket melted
while standing in front of an operating magnetron.
 He then tested popcorn in front of the magnetron and it quickly
popped all over the room.
 In 1947, Raytheon made the first microwave oven – Radar range (6 ft
tall, 3000 W power) but did not sell well.
 In 1965, a countertop version was developed for $495.
How do microwaves cook food?
Microwaves cause molecules to vibrate. Vibration creates friction, which
produces heat that cooks the food.
 Microwave Cooking Containers
SAFE NOT SAFE
GLASS METAL

PLASTIC
(Microwave-Safe)

PAPER
CONT..
HOW DOES A MICROWAVE OVEN COOK FOOD?

 Microwave ovens selectively make liquid (water) hot. Most food, even
"dry" foods, have water in them.
 Water (H2O) is a polar molecule with 2 hydrogen atoms being more
positive than the single oxygen atom.
 Cont..
 In liquid water, the molecules are in constant motion and are
normally randomly oriented.

 Glass, paper, ceramic, or plastic containers are used in microwave

cooking because the microwaves pass through them.
 Metal reflects microwaves
– Unsafe to have metal pans/aluminum foil in oven, may
damage oven.
 What Happens if Water Molecules are in
an Electric Field?
 The molecules will experience a torque from the electric field, and
become aligned with direction of the field.
 Therefore, water molecules are oriented by the electric field.
What Happens to Water Molecules in an
Oscillating Electric Field?
 The water molecules follow the oscillation of the electric field.
 They collide more frequently with the molecules (water and other)
around them.
 The molecules move faster and faster, and the temperature
increases (heating).
 Why Do They Have Turntables?
 Microwaves are reflected by the oven wall, forming “standing waves”
in the cooking chamber.
 Standing waves
– waves that oscillate in place.
 Nodes – zero amplitude (no oscillation) at all times
 Anti-nodes – locations with maximum amplitude
 Cont..
 In side a microwave oven, the electromagnetic waves also form
standing waves from reflections at the walls.

 Without a turntable, the food will not be cooked uniformly.

Interaction Of Microwaves With Metals
 Microwaves, incident on the metal walls of the oven, behave
similarly to visible light hitting a mirror.
 The microwaves are absorbed very effectively, since the electric
fields of the waves interact very strongly with the nearly free
electrons of the metal.
 These accelerated electrons re-radiate electromagnetic waves at
the same frequency and in phase, hence the microwaves are
perfectly reflected.
 Magnetron
 Magnetron is an electronic device which generates high energy
microwaves. It is the core element in a microwave oven.
 Working principle: When a charge/charge particle accelerates in
space, it generates electromagnetic waves.
 This statement is the derivation of Maxwell’s law which says that a
classical electromagnetic radiation is ultimately generated when a
charged particle is accelerated through space.
 Parts Of Magnetron
 Cathode
 Anode
 Permanent magnet
 Cathode
 Cathode in magnetron is a tungsten filament which emits electrons
on the principle of thermionic emission, when an optimum voltage is
applied.
 Anode
 Anode in magnetron is a copper cup like structure which is a little bit
modified to perform more functions than a simple anode does.
 Permanent Magnet
 The purpose of the permanent magnet is to apply a continuous
magnetic field across the cathode area.
Working of Magnetron
• Electrons from a hot filament would
travel radially to the outside ring if it
were not for the magnetic field.
• The magnetic force deflects them as
shown and they tend to sweep
around the circle. In doing so, they
“pump” the natural frequency of the
cavities.
• The currents around the resonant
cavities cause them to radiate
electromagnetic energy at that
resonant frequency.
Resonator
 Theory
 In a magnetron, the source of electrons is a heated and the cathode
located on the axis of an anode structure containing a number of
microwave resonators.
 Electrons leave the cathode and are accelerated toward the anode,
due to the dc field established by the voltage source E.
 The presence of a strong magnetic field B in the region between
cathode and anode produces a force on each electron which is
mutually perpendicular to the dc field and the electron velocity
vectors
 Thereby causing the electrons to spiral away from the cathode in
paths of varying curvature, depending upon the initial electron
velocity a the time it leaves the cathode.
 Cont..
 Inside the anode there are a number of cavities designed to resonate
at 2.45GHz.
 A voltage of several kV is applied between the electrodes and a
magnetic field is applied parallel to the axis such that electric and
magnetic fields are perpendicular to each other.
 Operation of Microwave Oven
 The function of high-voltage section of a microwave oven, the diode
and the capacitor function together to effectively double the previous
voltage. This is called a voltage-doubler circuit.
 Voltage-doubler circuits are fed with the stepped-up AC voltage from
the high-voltage transformer's secondary (or output) winding.
Typically, a transformer would step up 220 volts to about 2000 volts,
which would have an approximate peak value of 2800 volts.
 The Half-wave Voltage Double
 During the first positive half-cycle, which is designated on the sine
wave graph as T1, the voltage from the transformer increases
accordingly with the polarity shown.
 Cont..
 Refer to Figure 2. At time T3, the transformer secondary (output)
voltage swings into the negative half-cycle and increases in a
negative direction to a negative 2800 volts, with polarities as shown.
 Cont..
 So, the magnetron tube is, in fact, pulsed on and off at a rate of 50 or
60 times per second, depending on the frequency of the line voltage.
 Radiation And Its Types
 Radiation is the release of energy from any source and travel
through space in the form of EM waves. There are many different
sources of energy around us.
 Energy is also released from everyday things such as:
• Household electrical appliances
• Heaters
• The sun
• X-ray machines
 Not all radiations are harmful. It depends on the type of radiation
and how much exposure to it you have. There are several types of
radiation.
 All of which can be grouped under either:
• Ionizing radiation and Non ionizing radiation
 Ionizing Radiation
 Radiation that has enough energy to remove tightly bound electrons
from atoms, thus creating ions. This is the type of radiation that
people usually think of as 'radiation’. For example:
• Alpha particles
• Beta particles
• Gamma rays
• X-rays
 Non Ionizing Radiation
 Radiation that has enough energy to move atoms in a molecule
around or cause them to vibrate, but not enough to remove
electrons, is referred to as "non-ionizing radiation”.
 Non ionizing radiation has enough energy to move things around
inside a cell but not enough to change cells chemically. The radiation
from a microwave oven is non ionizing. Other examples include:
• Radiation waves given off from household electrical appliances, heaters,
mobile phones with or without headsets, and computers and their screens.
• Ultraviolet rays from the sun.
• Sound waves.
• Radio waves.
 Cont..

 Stay at least an arm’s length away from the front of an operating

oven.