Non-uniform heating is an important obstacle for applying radio frequency (RF) energy in food processing, especially for the material with high moisture content. To further extend wide applications of the RF heating uniformity improvement based on our previous study with cross electromagnetic wave conductor (EWC), a novel and effective method with cylindrical electromagnetic wave conductors and cylindrical containers was introduced in this study to improve the electromagnetic energy distribution inside the sample with mid-high moisture content. The associated computer simulation model with cylindrical EWC and container was also developed and validated based on RF experimental results to evaluate the heating uniformity. The results showed that the parameters of EWC (diameter and height) had a positive effect on the RF heating uniformity index. The sample treated with cylindrical EWC had better heating uniformity but lower temperature than that treated with cross EWC based on the comparison results. The improved target uniformity index (TUI) and the decreased heating time also indicated the positive effects of cylindrical EWC. A simplified structure for cylindrical EWC was developed and evaluated by computer simulation, which may provide potential applications of the cylindrical EWC to achieve the required RF heating uniformity in mid-high moisture food.

加热不均匀是在食品加工中应用射频（RF）能量的重要障碍，特别是对于水分含量高的材料。为了进一步扩展射频加热均匀性改进的广泛应用，在我们之前对交叉电磁波导体（EWC）的研究的基础上，本研究引入了一种新颖有效的方法，即使用圆柱形电磁波导体和圆柱形容器来改善内部的电磁能分布水分含量较高的样品。还基于射频实验结果开发并验证了带有圆柱形EWC和容器的相关计算机仿真模型，以评估加热均匀性。结果表明，EWC的参数（直径和高度）对射频加热均匀性指数有积极影响。根据比较结果，用圆柱形EWC处理的样品比采用交叉EWC处理的样品具有更好的加热均匀性，但温度更低。改进的目标均匀度指数（TUI）和减少的加热时间也表明了圆柱形EWC的积极作用。圆柱形EWC的简化结构已开发并通过计算机仿真进行了评估，这可能为圆柱形EWC提供潜在的应用，以实现中高水分食品所需的RF加热均匀性。