Microwave heating performances of low density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic particles

Microwave heating performances of low density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic particles as affected by microwave power (500, 700, and 900 W), feeding load (10, 20, and 30 g), and chamber volume (100, 150, and 200 ml) were investigated and detailed in this study. The results showed that the temperatures of LDPE plastic particles increased to 159.8, 259.1 and 314.4 ^oC during the sixty minutes for the 500, 700 and 900 W microwave powers, and the average heating rates were 2.34, 3.96 and 4.89 ^oC/min, respectively. The temperatures of LDPE plastic particles increased to 140.8, 278.7 and 314.4 ^oC for the 10, 20 and 30 g feeding loads, and the average heating rates were 2.03, 4.28 and 4.89 ^oC/min, respectively. The temperatures of LDPE plastic particles increased to 314.4, 238.9 and 184.8 ^oC for the 100, 150 and 200 ml chamber volumes, and the average heating rates were 4.89, 3.68 and 2.76 ^oC/min, respectively. Equations were proposed to estimate the temperatures, and the relative errors were mainly between − 18.04% and 9.10%.