Patent ID: 9456473
Filing Date: 2016-09-27
CPC Classification: B27K,C08H,F26B,H05B,Y02P

Claim Text:
1. A commercial-scale system for producing chemically-modified wood, said system comprising: a chemical modification reactor for producing a chemical-wet bundle of wood, wherein said chemical modification reactor comprises a first reactor door and defines an internal reactor volume of at least 100 cubic feet; and a vacuum microwave heater for removing at least a portion of one or more heat-removable chemicals from said chemical-wet bundle of wood; at least one microwave generator for generating microwave energy, wherein said microwave generator is configured to supply microwave energy to said microwave heater at a rate of at least 30 kW; a microwave distribution system for directing at least a portion of said microwave energy from said microwave generator to said microwave heater, wherein said microwave distribution system comprises at least one waveguide for transporting said microwave energy from said microwave generator to said microwave heater; and a vacuum system configured to reduce the pressure in said microwave heater to not more than 350 torr, wherein said microwave heater comprises a first heater door and defines an internal heater volume of at least 100 cubic feet, wherein said microwave distribution system comprises at least one microwave launcher for discharging said microwave energy into the interior of said microwave heater, wherein said microwave launcher includes at least one uncovered launch opening, wherein said microwave distribution system further comprises at least one barrier assembly entirely disposed outside of said microwave heater, wherein said barrier assembly is positioned between said microwave generator and said microwave launcher for fluidly isolating said microwave heater from an external environment outside said microwave heater, while still permitting passage of said microwave energy therethrough, wherein said barrier assembly is configured to minimize arcing therein when said microwave energy passes therethrough at a rate of at least 30 kW and/or when said pressure within said microwave heater is not more than 350 torr, wherein said at least one waveguide for transporting said microwave energy from said microwave generator to said microwave heater includes at least a first waveguide segment and a second waveguide segment, wherein said first waveguide segment is positioned between said microwave generator and said barrier assembly and is configured to propagate microwave energy from said microwave generator to said barrier assembly, and wherein said second waveguide segment is positioned between said barrier assembly and said microwave launcher and is configured to propagate microwave energy from said barrier assembly to said microwave launcher, wherein said first waveguide segment is entirely disposed outside of said microwave heater and wherein said second waveguide is at least partially disposed outside of said microwave heater, and wherein said internal reactor volume and said internal heater volume are locationally distinct.