Dielectric heating, also known as electronic heating, radio frequency (RF) heating and high frequency heating, is the process in which a high frequency alternating electric field or a radio wave or microwave electromagnetic radiation heats a dielectric material. At higher frequencies, this heating is caused by the rotation of the molecular dipole within the dielectric.
The dielectric heating of RF at intermediate frequencies, due to its greater penetration on microwave heating, is more promising than that of microwave systems as a very rapid heating method and the uniform preparation of certain foods and also the death of parasites and pests in certain crops harvested.
Disadvantages of Dielectric Heating
• Only those materials with high dielectric loss can be heated.
• The cost of equipment required for dielectric heating is so high that it is only used when other methods are impractical.