What's the reason microwave oven frequencies are at 2.45 Ghz?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the choice of 2.45 GHz as the frequency for microwave ovens, exploring the historical context, technical considerations, and potential alternatives. Participants also touch on the implications of frequency on cooking efficiency and the absorption characteristics of water.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants note that 2.45 GHz is part of the ISM band, which helps prevent interference with communication services.
  • There is a suggestion that the frequency was chosen due to its effectiveness for water absorption, which is critical for cooking.
  • Some participants propose that while higher frequencies could be used, they may lead to uneven cooking due to localized heating effects.
  • Concerns are raised about the implications of using higher frequencies, such as the potential for overcooking or creating hot and cold spots in food.
  • Participants discuss the historical context of frequency classification, noting that terms like "microwave" may not accurately reflect the wavelengths involved.
  • Some mention that commercial microwave ovens also use different frequencies, such as 915 MHz, but the reasons for this are not fully explored.
  • There is a mention of the role of turntables or mode stirrers in mitigating uneven heating within microwave ovens.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express various viewpoints on the reasons for the chosen frequency and its implications for cooking. There is no consensus on whether higher frequencies would be beneficial or problematic, and the discussion remains unresolved regarding the optimal frequency for microwave cooking.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight that the effectiveness of microwave cooking depends on multiple factors, including power output and the distribution of microwaves within the cooking chamber. There are also references to the historical evolution of frequency terminology, which may influence current understanding.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to those studying microwave technology, food science, or electromagnetic theory, as well as individuals curious about the engineering decisions behind household appliances.

  • #31
cjl said:
If you decided to use 100MHz instead, much of the energy would pass through the food rather than being absorbed, ...
Because a microwave oven is a cavity, it does not matter if the radiation bounces off the highly reflective walls many times before it is attenuated by the item being heated in the cavity. A high-Q resonant dipole is a similar situation, it will radiate eventually.

RF heaters operating below 100 MHz are bigger than magnetrons and need much bigger enclosures, so the oven cavity will not look like a short or open circuit to the generator. It will always be a compromise. Obviously, the oven cavity needs to be the size of a big dinner plate, while the RF generator needs to be smaller, so the microwave oven will be mostly enclosure, that will fit in a kitchen.

HF heaters employ a resonant LC circuit. Dielectric heaters place the material in the electric field of the capacitor, while induction heaters place the material in the magnetic field of the inductor. But neither of those extremes works well for a plate of prepared food. The economic solution comes about when an RF heater has a multiple wavelength cavity, that can develop a diagonal complex standing wave pattern. For a large dinner plate of about 400 mm, the wavelength comes out at about 100 mm = 3 GHz. The 2.450 GHz ISM band is conveniently close.
 
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