Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 February 2011
A hybrid microwave heating arrangement used to heat alumina fiber preforms has been modeled to determine what conditions are needed to create significant differences in temperature across the specimen while still maintaining control of the temperature. The model assumes a uniform external microwave field and dielectric properties for the specimen as a function of temperature. The results of the model show that significant differences in temperature can be attained while still having control of the temperature at the center. Experiments show that the temperature at the center can be held at 1000°C and still allow a difference in temperature of 50°C between the center and the surface of the specimen to be present.