Hello All
Lurker post here. I spent a CPA/Planning career enabling my woodworking. With no EE/RF background, I got interested in RF wood drying after I retired. I decided to dig in and learn enough about the process to at least ask reasonable questions in the event I might figure out how to build/assemble an RF vacuum kiln for my personal use. I enjoyed the physics/math overview of parallel plate (near field) heating and the comparative topology papers that led me to a concentration on smps Class D half bridge MOSFET amplifiers as a potential solution. Along the way I identified a vendor (IXYS/DEI) who produced apparently serviceable reference designs, technical notes and evaluation boards replete with gate drive and power supplies.
In edging closer to the goal, I engaged automated/manual network matching strategies/methods for the capacitive loads I was likely to encounter (think real and imaginary components) as well as the particularities of shielding/Faraday cages for ~m3 batches between roughly 3.5 m (¼ wavelength) x .75m (wide) x .4m (height/separation) aluminum electrode plates in vacuum chambers.
Now for the first time, I am a bit confused as to what’s next. When I began reading on this there were a few companies offering evaluation boards but now it appears the industry is moving away from me and I can’t seem to find where they have landed. My board of choice is now listed as obsolete/end of life cycle. There are other indicators that, when combined, lead me to look for the more actively advanced 3-7 kW RF generators/systems. I don’t want to look backward for this endeavor.
Anyone have any insight on the industry’s movement?
And I apologize for the lengthy somewhat incohesive post.
Lurker post here. I spent a CPA/Planning career enabling my woodworking. With no EE/RF background, I got interested in RF wood drying after I retired. I decided to dig in and learn enough about the process to at least ask reasonable questions in the event I might figure out how to build/assemble an RF vacuum kiln for my personal use. I enjoyed the physics/math overview of parallel plate (near field) heating and the comparative topology papers that led me to a concentration on smps Class D half bridge MOSFET amplifiers as a potential solution. Along the way I identified a vendor (IXYS/DEI) who produced apparently serviceable reference designs, technical notes and evaluation boards replete with gate drive and power supplies.
In edging closer to the goal, I engaged automated/manual network matching strategies/methods for the capacitive loads I was likely to encounter (think real and imaginary components) as well as the particularities of shielding/Faraday cages for ~m3 batches between roughly 3.5 m (¼ wavelength) x .75m (wide) x .4m (height/separation) aluminum electrode plates in vacuum chambers.
Now for the first time, I am a bit confused as to what’s next. When I began reading on this there were a few companies offering evaluation boards but now it appears the industry is moving away from me and I can’t seem to find where they have landed. My board of choice is now listed as obsolete/end of life cycle. There are other indicators that, when combined, lead me to look for the more actively advanced 3-7 kW RF generators/systems. I don’t want to look backward for this endeavor.
Anyone have any insight on the industry’s movement?
And I apologize for the lengthy somewhat incohesive post.