Microwave Heating Engineering Consulting Services at 915 MHz, 2.45 GHz, 5.8 GHz and 24.125 GHz

A microwave heating engineering consultant designs, analyzes, and troubleshoots systems that use microwave energy to heat, dry, cure, or process materials. SiberSci, LLC, led by Dr. Scott Best, provides theoretical analysis, design, development, fabrication, testing, validation, and optimization of microwave heating systems for laboratory and industrial applications. It also improves the performance of existing microwave heating equipment.

SiberSci, LLC designs microwave heating hardware at 915 MHz, 2.45 GHz, 5.8 GHz, and 24 GHz. These are the frequencies commonly allocated for industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) heating use. The best frequency depends on the material's dielectric properties, the required penetration depth, the size of the load, and the available power sources.

915 MHz has a longer wavelength than 2.45 GHz, so it generally penetrates deeper into a material and suits large, thick loads and high-power industrial lines. 2.45 GHz is better suited to smaller loads, thinner products, and compact equipment. The right choice depends on the material's complex permittivity and loss tangent measured at operating temperature, which SiberSci, LLC evaluates before recommending a frequency.

Magnetrons are vacuum electronic devices that deliver high power at low cost per watt. Solid-state amplifiers built on LDMOS, GaN, or SiC transistors offer precise control of frequency, phase, and power, which can improve heating uniformity and process repeatability. SiberSci, LLC works with magnetrons, klystrons, TWTs, gyrotrons, and LDMOS, GaN, and SiC solid-state sources. It can also combine power from multiple sources.

Microwave heating is used in:

• food processing
• chemical manufacturing
• polymer processing
• wood products
• consumer and industrial goods
• semiconductor plasma processing for wafer fabrication

SiberSci, LLC supports batch and continuous-flow processing of dielectric materials in the form of solids, films, powders, and liquids.

How fast and how evenly a material heats depends on its complex permittivity, loss tangent, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, density, and specific heat. These properties change with frequency and temperature. Simulations and designs built on inaccurate or room-temperature-only data can fail in production. SiberSci, LLC arranges measurement of frequency- and temperature-dependent material properties so designs and simulations are based on valid data.

Yes. SiberSci, LLC optimizes existing microwave heating circuits, including:

• impedance matching
• applicator and cavity design
• transmission line networks
• filters
• power combining

Temperature inside resonators can be measured with optical thermometry and IR cameras to find uneven heating and diagnose performance problems.

SiberSci, LLC uses Ansys HFSS, CST Studio Suite, and COMSOL Multiphysics for computational electromagnetics (CEM) and temperature-dependent multiphysics simulation of dielectric materials. Clients may specify a preferred tool if they provide a valid license or pay for contract access. SiberSci can also help clients choose the most appropriate code for their project.

SiberSci, LLC designs single-mode and multimode applicators. These include cylindrical, rectangular, and clamshell resonators operating in fundamental or higher-order modes, and over-moded oven-style cavities. Supporting hardware includes:

• coaxial, rectangular, cylindrical, elliptic, and ridged waveguide
• power combiners and splitters
• filters
• impedance matching circuits

Start with a load analysis. The energy required equals mass times specific heat times temperature rise. Divide that by the allowed heating time, then add losses. The power absorbed per unit volume is proportional to frequency, the dielectric loss factor, and the square of the electric field strength. SiberSci's free Dielectric Heating Calculator gives a 1-D estimate of the power and electric field required. The estimate is only valid if you enter accurate temperature- and frequency-dependent material data.

Yes. During the review, SiberSci, LLC documents the performance and physical limits of each microwave heating concept. If part of a client's specification cannot be achieved physically, those problem areas are identified along with recommendations for working around them.

Yes. SiberSci, LLC provides a Non-Disclosure Agreement for the client to review, negotiate, and amend before any proprietary material specifications, intellectual property, or business-sensitive data are shared.

Email Dr. Scott Best at scott_best@sibersci.com or call 270-228-4901. Include:

• the material
• its volume and mass
• the target temperature
• the allowed heating time
• whether an NDA is required

SiberSci, LLC then provides a budgetary quotation and schedule. Work begins once a contract is signed.

SiberSci, LLC is an electromagnetic engineering consulting firm based in Owensboro, Kentucky. It is built on the industry and government experience of Dr. Scott Best. It is listed in the IEEE-USA Consultants Database and is a BBB-accredited business. Its services include microwave heating, RF heating, microwave, RF, antenna, millimeter-wave, and RF and microwave safety engineering.