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Thermal Effects of Microwave Energy in Agricultural Soil Radiation

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Abstract

The thermal treatment by millimeter waves for the soil disinfection can be one possible alternative to chemical treatments. This physical method is based on incrementing the soil temperature and its pathogens irradiating with high frequency electromagnetic waves. So the previous knowledge of the temperature distribution in the irradiated soil is essential for achieving an effective bad microorganism and weed seeds elimination. This report analyse the heating kinetic and spatial distribution of the maximum temperatures reached by the soil. It is presented a mathematic model about how are distributed the reached temperatures in the depth of the irradiated soil. This model concludes that when an orchard soil is irradiated superficially by microwaves, the microwaves have a big attenuation due to the soil dielectric properties and the water located in the pores of the most superficial layer. This fact causes a shield effect blocking the waves penetration in few centimetres. The heating by radiation is reduced to the superficial layer. The heating propagation in the depth is occurred by conduction following the Fourier equations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanisation and Agrarian Technology, Polytechnic University of Valencia, Span C/Camino de Vera n° 14, CP 46022, Valencia

    B. Velázquez-Martí & C. Gracia-López

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  1. B. Velázquez-Martí
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  2. C. Gracia-López
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Velázquez-Martí, B., Gracia-López, C. Thermal Effects of Microwave Energy in Agricultural Soil Radiation. International Journal of Infrared and Millimeter Waves 25, 1109–1122 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:IJIM.0000037659.40989.e2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:IJIM.0000037659.40989.e2

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