[TheForge] microwave heavy metal session

Thu Feb 12 16:16:00 2004

Now in this matter, I stand corrected.  I had totally forgotten about
heating nitrogen<G>.  Arg!!  Still, a pupose built unit of say 100 kW =
would
be a honker beast with magnetic fields to cripple the soul.  I've had my
hand go numb in a field, and a co-worker had his eye shut down (went
temporarily blind) due to magnetic fields.   There's a physical limit to =
how
big you can build one and make it work.  I'll ask the local microwave =
guru
and see what he thinks is the max likely for 2.40 GHz.

Seems to me the old shorted turn transformer would be efficient and =
easier
to build<G>.

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] =
[mailto:[email protected]]
On Behalf Of Jerry Frost
Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2004 3:50 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [TheForge] microwave heavy metal session

----- Original Message -----
From: "Andy Vida" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2004 11:21 AM
Subject: Re: [TheForge] microwave heavy metal session

>
>
> Grover Richardson wrote:
> >
> > Magnetrons (the ones that I have seen, and that's a bunch) vary=20
> > between
30
> > and 60% efficiency.  This does not include losses within the power
supply.
>
> In that case, it's no wonder they don't use it.

A purpose built unit would probably operate at or near the 60% end of =
the
curve.

Compared to sucking up 70%+/- of a given fuel's BTUs by heating the =
nitrogen
in air added to DIRECTLY heating the interior of a furnace it sounds =
like a
cash cow to me.

Consider the microwaves DIRECTLY heat only the metal in the crucible.
There's no need for room for combustion nor circulation of hot gasses, =
the
smaller the "furnace" the better. I'd just wrap the crucible in =
refractory
blanket and do away with a "furnace" altogether. Sure you'd have to have =
an
enclosure to keep microwaves in and people out but it'd be nothing like =
a
furnace.

Injecting oxy for Bessimer steel doesn't happen in the furnace normally, =
so
that's not an issue.

All in all I think it's probably at least twice as cost effective even
considering the cost of electricity.

Maybe the USA will get back into making steel.

Frosty
------------------------
If it ain't forged
it ain't real.
Wrought iron is.
The FrostWorks

Meadow Lakes, AK.

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