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Who invented the microwave oven?
Cooking and heating food and boiling popcorn in microwave oven is not more difficult than cooking stove. Microwave oven is a kind of kitchen appliance, which is owned by almost every American family-according to the data of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 90% of families have microwave ovens. At the touch of two buttons, this ubiquitous device can boil water, heat leftovers, popcorn or thaw frozen meat in a few minutes.

The microwave oven was invented at the end of World War II. But it took them a while to understand. At first they were too big and expensive, and people didn't trust them because of the radiation they used. In the end, technology advances and fear disappears. According to J.Carlton Gallawa, the author of Complete Microwave Service Manual, by the 2nd/kloc-0th century, Americans listed microwave ovens as the first technology to make their lives easier.

It's all because some melted chocolate had a pleasant accident.

The unexpected invention Percy Lebarone Spencer is a self-taught curator of the Southwest Museum of Engineering, Communication and Computing, and said that he was an engineer who never finished grammar school. While working for Raytheon, he studied the magnetron, which is a vacuum tube that produces microwave radiation and is used in radar systems. 194 1 year, he invented a more effective manufacturing method. According to the history of Raytheon, his innovation has increased the output from 17 pieces per day to more than 2,600 pieces per day.

Spencer found the chocolate in his pocket melted when he was testing the magnetron. Out of curiosity, Spencer tested other foods, including popcorn, and found that they all exploded. He put an egg near the magnetron and watched it start shaking and then explode. According to Gallois, Spencer realized that these foods had been exposed to low-density microwave energy. Then he built a metal box and put microwave energy in it. Energy enters the box but can't escape-microwaves can't pass through metal. Spencer found that microwave ovens cook food faster than traditional hot ovens. He filed a patent application in 1945. According to the statistics of the National Inventor Hall of Fame, Spencer obtained 150 patents in his whole career. He died in 1970. )

From 65438 to 0947, the first commercial microwave oven was tested in a restaurant in Boston. Later that year, Raytheon introduced a radar range of 1 16 1. According to galloway, it is 5.5 feet (1.7 meters) high, weighs 750 pounds (340 kilograms) and costs $5,000. Because the magnetron is water-cooled, water pipes must be connected. It took the public several years to overcome the initial reluctance, but with the development of technology, microwave ovens are becoming more and more popular, especially in the food industry. Restaurants can heat cooking recipes in the refrigerator to reduce waste. Other food industry facilities use microwave ovens to roast coffee beans and peanuts, thaw and precook meat, and even peel oysters.

Other industries have also found the use of microwave heating. According to galloway, microwave ovens can also be used to dry cork, ceramics, paper, leather, tobacco, textiles, pencils, flowers, wet books and match heads. Electrical appliance manufacturer

Tapan introduced the first household microwave oven in 1955, but because of its large size-as big as a stove-and high cost-1USD, according to Gallois, it has hardly been sold today in 295. Raytheon acquired Amana Refrigeration Company on 1965. Two years later, Amana Radarange series came out and can be installed on kitchen countertops. The price is less than 500 dollars.

Soon, due to the reduction of size and cost, microwave ovens are even more popular than dishwashers. According to Galloway's statistics, in 1975, only 4% households in the United States have microwave ovens; At 1976, this number jumped to 14%. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 90% households in the United States own microwave ovens.

Microwave ovens use specially set radio wave solid-state radio frequency (RF) energy for cooking. Microwave ovens control the location, time and amount of energy directly transmitted to food. According to NXP, the result is improved consistency, taste and nutrition. Solid state devices allow large amounts of energy to be controlled with high efficiency and real-time feedback.

Other companies, such as Wayv, are producing portable solid-state RF microwave ovens, which can be charged by traditional plugs, cars or solar chargers. This special model, similar to a thermos bottle, can be used for about 30 minutes at a time and heated to 17 ounces (0.5 liters) once. "KDSP" and "KDSP" microwave ovens also have the function of being connected to mobile technology, such as the production line of LG smart appliances. These devices can be turned on remotely from anywhere through smartphones or other devices.

Additional resources

Food and wine: This new type of microwave oven can finally replace the 50-year-old Journal of Microwave Power Technology: The Future Influence of Microwave on Food Industry: Home and Business. American history museum: Tappan RL- 1 microwave oven.