Evaluation of heating uniformity in radio frequency heating systems using carrot and radish

Lack of heating uniformity is a major problem impeding the broader adaptation of radio frequency heaters in industrial applications. The overall aim of this study was to evaluate the uniformity of heating or temperature distribution within food samples (three different carrot and one radish rectangles) placed vertically and horizontally within a radio frequency heating cavity. The intensity of the electric field in radio frequency was found to be symmetrical. The temperatures at the vertically top positions were lower than the vertically bottom positions at the equidistance from the vertical center with the highest was at the vertically central position. The rate of temperature rise at all the positions were higher in taller (higher mass) than the shorter (lower mass) rectangles of carrots. The temperatures at the corners and edges were lower than at the cross sectionally central positions at all the heights tested in both carrots and radishes. The rate of temperature rise at all the vertical positions was higher in radish rectangles than in the carrot rectangles of the same dimensions. The similarity of temperature distribution in carrot and radish rectangles suggested that the heating patterns and uniformity in carrots and radishes in RF heating were almost the same.