Time domain finite element analysis of multimode microwave applicators

An analysis of multimode applicators for microwave heating requires the calculation of the electric field distribution inside a resonant cavity. Frequency domain analysis via the finite element technique produces a set of very ill-conditioned equations. This paper outlines a time domain finite element method (TDFE) for analyzing three dimensional microwave applicators where this ill-conditioning is avoided. Edge elements are used in order to handle sharp metal edges and to avoid spurious solutions. Analysis in the time domain allows field distributions at a range of different frequencies to be obtained with a single calculation. Lumping is investigated as a means of reducing the time taken for the calculation. The reflection coefficient is also obtained