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From: tan@ihlpg.UUCP (Bill Tanenbaum - AT&T Bell Labs - Naperville IL)
Newsgroups: net.physics
Subject: Re: Behavior of macaroni in a microwave oven?
Message-ID: <908@ihlpg.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 22-Jul-85 10:53:56 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihlpg.908
Posted: Mon Jul 22 10:53:56 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 25-Jul-85 03:08:08 EDT
References: <426@sri-arpa.ARPA>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 23

> 	... One of the problems with older microwaves or cheaper
> 	models was the formation of standing waves with their
> 	attendant nodes (areas of little or no energy).  In the
> 	early days, this problem was treated with the Deluxe
> 	Carousel models of microwave (shades of fifties
> 	technology!). I'd like to say that I know how they handle
> 	the problem today, but, alas, I don't.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Today's microwave ovens attempt to solve the problem in three
different ways, depending on the manufacturer and model.

1) A turntable to rotate the food.  Presumably the axis of symmetry
of the turntable does not pass near a node.

2) A metal fan, to continually change the cavity shape.

3) Dual beams. I presume they have different standing wave patterns.

Having just been shopping for a microwave, I know that all these
methods are used in today's top of the line models.  I have not 
seen a single model that uses more than one of these methods simultaneously.
-- 
Bill Tanenbaum - AT&T Bell Labs - Naperville IL  ihnp4!ihlpg!tan