Microwave, RF & Plasma Systems

Microwave heating systems operate at higher frequencies (typically 915 MHz or 2450 MHz) and are ideal for volumetric heating and fast moisture removal in surface and thin-to-moderate layer applications. Radio Frequency (RF) heating systems operate at lower frequencies (typically 13.56 MHz or 27.12 MHz), providing deeper electromagnetic penetration that enables uniform volumetric heating and curing throughout thick, dense, or geometrically large materials.

Yes. Every Kerone microwave and RF heating installation incorporates multi-stage safety engineering: heavy-gauge precision-welded electromagnetic attenuation chambers, redundant safety interlocks on all access doors, continuous stray RF/microwave leakage suppression tunnels (chokes), and automatic shutdown circuitry fully compliant with international CE, OSHA, and IEEE safety standards. Stray radiation levels around the exterior of our systems are maintained well below standard permissible exposure limits.

Plasma surface treatment is exceptionally versatile and modifies surfaces at the molecular level without thermal degradation. Commonly treated materials include low-surface-energy polymers and plastics (PP, PE, PEEK, PTFE, POM, silicone), metals (aluminum, stainless steel, copper for oxide eradication and priming), technical ceramics, glass and optical substrates, natural and synthetic textile fibers, composites, and heat-sensitive packaging films and medical devices requiring chemical-free sterilization or enhanced wettability.

Yes. Kerone specializes in custom process retrofitting and engineering. We design inline conveyor tunnels, batch chambers, and hybrid modules with custom belt dimensions, variable throughput speeds, modular flange connections, and PLC/SCADA integration that seamlessly interface with upstream feeders/preheaters and downstream cooling or packaging machinery without requiring a full facility overhaul.

Because microwave and RF energy couples directly with polar molecules (such as water or resin binders) within the material rather than heating massive ambient air volumes, refractory linings, or conveyor structures, energy transfer efficiency is exceptionally high. In industrial operations, switching to Kerone's dielectric heating systems typically delivers 40% to 60% reductions in energy consumption compared to conventional fossil-fuel or hot-air convective dryers.

Yes. Kerone maintains an advanced R&D and pilot trial testing laboratory at our Ambernath (Mumbai) facility equipped with multi-frequency microwave test chambers, RF drying units, and atmospheric plasma treaters. Clients can send raw material samples to evaluate heating kinetics, validate moisture reduction curves, assess post-treatment quality, and accurately size power requirements prior to commercial-scale fabrication.

Kerone manufactures diverse plasma system architectures tailored to specific industrial requirements, including Atmospheric Pressure Cold Plasma (Dielectric Barrier Discharge - DBD and Corona Discharge), Microwave Air Jet Plasma torches for localized surface functionalization, Low-Pressure Vacuum Plasma chambers for high-precision batch processing, and Microwave Chemical Vapour Deposition (MW-CVD) plasma systems for advanced coatings and synthetic diamond growth.

Yes. Kerone systems feature advanced industrial automation powered by Allen-Bradley, Siemens, or Schneider PLCs paired with high-definition HMI touchscreens. Systems offer remote telemetry, IoT-enabled process tracking, Ethernet/IP and Modbus communication, real-time power modulation, and continuous cloud logging of thermal profiles, moisture levels, and magnetron operating diagnostics.

Microwave drying uses high-frequency electromagnetic radiation (2450 MHz or 915 MHz) that penetrates deep into the moist material. Polar water molecules inside the substance rapidly re-align with the alternating electromagnetic field millions of times per second. This intermolecular friction generates instantaneous volumetric internal heat, driving moisture vapor outward through natural pores without creating surface case hardening or burning.

Radio Frequency (RF) drying operates by placing the product between high-frequency capacitive electrode plates energized at 27.12 MHz or 13.56 MHz. The alternating electric field directly excites dipolar water molecules throughout the entire thickness of the material. Because wet areas have a much higher dielectric loss factor than dry areas, RF energy selectively concentrates where moisture is highest—delivering self-leveling moisture profiles across thick solids without over-drying already dry sections.

Uniformity is achieved through engineered computational cavity geometry, multimode electromagnetic distribution, motorized mode stirrers, multi-axis product rotation or continuous conveyor motion, and phased power arrays. In RF systems, precision capacitive electrode contouring and automatic impedance-matching networks ensure even voltage distribution across the load cross-section, eliminating localized cold and hot spots.

Continuous conveyorized microwave systems provide high-throughput uninterrupted processing, shorter residence times (reducing drying cycles from hours to minutes), consistent inline moisture leveling, automated variable belt speed control, automated load tracking, closed-loop feedback temperature regulation, lower labor requirements, and significantly smaller factory floor footprint compared to conventional long convective drying tunnels.

These systems provide major advantages across food & agriculture (rapid drying of herbs, spices, grains, tea, and microbial pasteurization), pharmaceuticals (low-temperature vacuum drying of active ingredients and extracts), chemicals & minerals (sand curing, pigment drying, ceramic binder burnout), rubber & polymers (profile preheating and continuous vulcanization), textiles (yarn and web drying), wood/timber seasoning, and advanced electronics (plasma surface activation, etching, and thin-film deposition).

Kerone engineers systems covering a comprehensive power envelope:

• Laboratory & Pilot Scale Units: 1 kW to 10 kW for research facilities and small batch trials.
• Industrial Microwave Production Systems: 10 kW to 200+ kW continuous multi-generator tunnels with modular magnetron architectures.
• Industrial Radio Frequency (RF) Units: 5 kW to 300+ kW high-power triode and solid-state generator configurations engineered for heavy continuous manufacturing.

Microwave and RF systems deliver volumetric thermal energy throughout the bulk cross-section of a material for drying, curing, heating, and pasteurization. In contrast, plasma surface treatment is a non-thermal, surface-specific process that uses ionized gas species (ions, electrons, free radicals, and UV photons) to clean, activate, cross-link, or chemically functionalize only the outermost nanometer layers of a material. Plasma changes wettability, adhesion, and bonding properties without altering the bulk mechanical or thermal characteristics of the substrate.