A 2D Coupled Electromagnetic, Thermal and Fluid Flow Model: Application to Layered Microwave Heat Exchangers

Development of efficient microwave heat exchangers requires complicated experimentation with processes of different physical nature. We describe here a 2D numerical model which can help study electromagnetic and thermal processes in the presence of fluid flows and design microwave heat exchangers based on layered structures. The model with no fluid flow captures the S- and SS-profiles of the power response curve, and is validated against the related 1D mathematical model; critical transition temperatures given by both models appear to be in satisfactory agreement. We show that thermal runaway is triggered by maximum temperatures in the system. A hydrodynamically fully developed Poiseuille flow is then introduced and steady state temperature profiles are found to be dependent on SS-curve. The results suggest a possibility of harnessing microwave energy.