MadSci Network: Engineering |
Someone who does not understand how microwaves are produced ahs misled you. Microwave are produced using from very low frequency energy.. In your home, you use residential lectrical current out of an electrical outlet. The energy is first converted to DC current, then transformed into very high frequency energy using the magnetron. The process to convert electrical energy to microwave energy for your home microwave oven is about 50 to 60% efficient. Therefore, to make 1000 watts of power at 50% efficiency requires 2000 watts of power input. Ordinary resistance heaters are much more effective at heating water. They are nearly 100% effective at taking electrical energy and converting it to heat. People have made direct electrical resistance heaters for heating hot water because it is much faster than typical gas powered water heaters. However, the cost comparison to heat large volumes of water with electricity instead of gas is a poor one. Gas is much cheaper, especially here in the United States (where I live). Therefore, don't expect to see a microwave hot water heater in anyone's home soon. Dr. Ed Peterson xpetersonx@aol.com
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