Optimization of microwave heating thickness for spent automobile catalyst

A new method was developed to optimize the microwave heating thickness of the spent automobile catalyst in order to improve the uniform distribution of the temperature field. The average penetration depth and the microwave heating thickness of the spent automobile catalyst were calculated by Gauss model and numerical calculation based on dielectric loss tangent and reflection loss. The results showed that the spent automobile catalyst was a medium loss material. The average penetration depth was 1.11 m from room temperature to 800 °C. The optimum microwave heating thickness of the spent automobile catalyst was about 0.83 m or 0.75 times of the average penetration depth. Industrial application analysis indicated that the optimization of heating thickness could improve the uniform distribution of the temperature field and reduce energy consumption.