Probably one of the most important questions we are asked is; what are the benefits of RF Energy for my application? RF Energy technology is being used in many applications spanning a variety of industries. In the end the answer really depends on the specifics of the application. The beauty of RF Energy is that it enables the system to deliver energy in a very controlled manner from low micro joules right the way up to mega joules. This essentially allows the RF Energy systems to easily support a diverse range of applications from delicate medical applications to energy intensive Industrial heating applications. The resulting benefits are wide ranging and depending on the application can support anything from:
- Product yield improvements
- Product quality improvements
- Enabling new process control techniques or novel applications
- Lower cost of ownership – less downtime, more reliable
- Future proof due to digital control
- Long equipment lifetime compared to magnetron based systems
- Better relative process efficiency
In practice, RF Energy technology is enabling advancements in plasma lamps, effectively extending the lamp’s energy efficiency and overall lifespan. This will have a significant impact in industrial scale horticulture, where RF Energy plasma lamps can create the most sun-like light spectrum – making it ideal for growing plants indoors. Furthermore,RF Energy technology is being applied to automotive ignition systems as a replacement for spark plugs, with studies showing impressive fuel savings and reduced emissions.
RF Energy unprecedented control and precision of RF energy will also significantly advance a number of existing medical treatments and applications. For example, plasma scalpels can vastly improve patient recovery times after surgical procedures, which can be attributed to the precision cutting advantages not possible with metal scalpels.