Dielectric Heating

By Jean Callebaut, Laborelec

This Application Note illustrates the use and advantages of dielectric heating which, as the name implies, is used for materials that are non-conducting. The essential advantage of dielectric heating is that the heat is generated within the material to be heated. In comparison with more conventional heating techniques (hot air, infrared) in which the material is heated via the outer surface, dielectric heating is much more rapid. This is because electrically insulating materials, i.e. the domain of dielectric heating, are usually also poor conductors of heat.

Other interesting characteristics of radio frequency and microwave heating are the high power density and the possibility of selectively heating materials. On the other hand, dielectric heating is a very expensive technique that cannot usually compete in cost terms against techniques such as resistance or infrared heating.