Domestic microwave oven magnetrons produce microwaves in a frequency range of 2.45 ± 0.05 GHz.
Most microwave heat transfer simulations simplify that the magnetron produces a monochromatic
electromagnetic wave of frequency of 2.45 GHz to reduce the computational complexity. This study
assumes that the magnetron produces a frequency spectrum defined by a Gaussian distribution of frequencies
with a central frequency of 2.45 GHz and investigates the effect of Gaussian distribution
variance of (0.05 GHz)2, (0.025 GHz)2, (0.017 GHz)2 on prediction accuracy when compared to using
monochromatic frequency of 2.45 GHz. A three-dimensional finite element model coupling electromagnetic
and heat transfer physics was developed to simulate heating of 550 g of frozen mashed potato
for 6 min. The model was validated in a 1250 W rated microwave oven with the mashed potato tray
placed at the center of the stationary turntable. The electromagnetic power densities were determined
separately at five different frequencies equidistant between 2.4 and 2.5 GHz. They were then weighted
averaged, based on the selected Gaussian distribution. Simulated temperature profiles of the models
using the monochromatic frequency of 2.45 GHz and Gaussian frequency spectrum with different variances
were compared with experimental temperature profiles obtained using a thermal imaging camera
at the end of cooking and five fiber-optic thermocouples during cooking. The model results showed that
predicted spatial surface temperature pattern by the model using frequency spectrum with the largest
variance (0.05 GHz)2 had better agreement with the experimental temperature pattern when compared
to that using a monochromatic frequency of 2.45 GHz. In the transient temperature profile measurement,
the average RMSE value of five locations was 7.5 and 13.1 C for simulations using frequency spectrum
and monochromatic frequency of 2.45 GHz, respectively. When compared to using the monochromatic
frequency of 2.45 GHz, the frequency spectrum with an assumption of having a Gaussian distribution
with mean of 2.45 GHz and variance of (0.05 GHz)2 improved the accuracy of temperature field pattern
and transient temperature profile