A METHOD OF AND AN APPARATUS FOR DRYING COMPLEX SHAPED PORCELAIN INSULATORS

摘要

The invention relates to a method of drying complex shaped porcelain insulators, having an uneven surface with sheds formed to maintain a creepage distance for high voltage (HV) application requirement, wherein said insulators are dried by coupling microwave radiation source to a green body of the insulator with 18% moisture; allowing a volumetric heating by the microwaves causing a simultaneous generation of steam by evaporating the moisture deep inside the core of the body to set up a flow path; The shaped ceramic body is dried by controlling the microwave power and the time temperature profile of the insulator limited to a peak temperature range of 100-120C. The shaped ceramic body is dried by maintaining a maximum temperature difference between the group of insulators from bottom to top to less than 5 degree C. The invention further discloses a drying apparatus to implement the inventive method.