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Alexander Feigl*, Beatriz García-Baños, Juan R. Sánchez, J.M. Catalá-Civera

In the beverage industry, heating PET preforms is the most energy-intensive process in the production of plastic bottles. In this work, we introduce a complete microwave system capable of producing up to 100,000 bottles per hour with more than double the efficiency of traditional infrared technology. Due to the characteristics of the target material, a specialized resonant cavity and high-quality input signals are required. Adjustable dielectric slabs, serving as near-field focusing lenses inside a microwave applicator, allow precise control over field distribution and temperature profiles along the preforms. The widespread adoption of microwave heating in PET bottle production could significantly reduce global energy consumption, making the process both more economical and environmentally sustainable.

Keywords: microwave heating; PET bottles; dielectric lenses

Proscience vol. 10

Pp 29-34

DOI: 10.14644/microwave25.006