HEECS
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | WHIRLPOOL SWEDEN AKTIEBOLAG |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 875 390 |
| Project duration | March 2011 - February 2014 |
| Status | Completed |
Purpose and goal
The HEECS project answers the need to increase energy efficiency, developing a smart, controlled and highly efficient solid state cooking Microwave Oven (MWO). This cooking appliance will represent a breakthrough innovation which currently does not exist on the market. The scope for HEECS is to enhance energy efficiency across any range of food to be cooked at home. According to this scope, several breakthrough technologies have been studied. Focus has been on efficient power supply, efficient high frequency power amplification and intelligent energy control.
Results and expected effects
Upon successful completion of HEECS, a number of product platforms in the appliance domain can be launched. The main exploitable outputs of the project are the RF Semiconductor technology, the MW configuration, the packaging design. The Industrial partners are improving their innovation, development and manufacturing capability, as well as business growth. Based on several computer simulations on cavity and antenna configuration, a complete microwave oven cavity prototype with feeding has been built and a significant enhanced overall efficiency has been demonstrated.
Approach and implementation
The HEECS initiative has developed SW tools to model and simulate the heating effects in food within a multi transmitter near field resonant RF environment. These tools are enabling a predictive control of field intensity according to needs of the heating process. Despite the fact that the partners are spread around Europe (5 countries) and have very different structures and ways to work, the Consortium team put in place a series of rules, tools and specific actions that resulted in a well managed and tracked project, with flexibility of actions to manage changes and improvements.